bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Utility of Satellites and Autonomous Remote Sensing Platforms for Monitoring Offshore Aquaculture Farms: A Case Study for Canopy Forming Kelps
Authors: Bell Tom W. , Nidzieko Nick J. , Siegel David A. , Miller Robert J. , Cavanaugh Kyle C. , Nelson Norman B. , Reed Daniel C. , Fedorov Dmitry , Moran Christopher , Snyder Jordan N. , Cavanaugh Katherine C. , Yorke Christie E. , Griffith Maia
Published: December 2020

The emerging sector of offshore kelp aquaculture represents an opportunity to produce biofuel feedstock to help meet growing energy demand. Giant kelp represents an attractive aquaculture crop due to its rapid growth and production, however precision farming over large scales is required to make this crop economically viable. These demands necessitate high frequency monitoring to ensure outplant success, maximum production, and optimum quality of harvested biomass, while the long distance from shore and large necessary scales of production makes in person monitoring impractical. Remote sensing offers a practical monitoring solution and nascent imaging technologies could be leveraged to provide daily products of the kelp canopy and subsurface structures over unprecedented spatial scales. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of remote sensing from satellites and aerial and underwater autonomous vehicles as potential monitoring platforms for offshore kelp aquaculture farms. Decadal-scale analyses of the Southern California Bight showed that high offshore summertime cloud cover restricts the ability of satellite sensors to provide high frequency direct monitoring of these farms. By contrast, daily monitoring of offshore farms using sensors mounted to aerial and underwater drones seems promising. Small Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (sUAS) carrying lightweight optical sensors can provide estimates of canopy area, density, and tissue nitrogen content on the time and space scales necessary for observing changes in this highly dynamic species. Underwater color imagery can be rapidly classified using deep learning models to identify kelp outplants on a longline farm and high acoustic returns of kelp pneumatocysts from side scan sonar imagery signal an ability to monitor the subsurface development of kelp fronds. Current sensing technologies can be used to develop additional machine learning and spectral algorithms to monitor outplant health and canopy macromolecular content, however future developments in vehicle and infrastructure technologies are necessary to reduce costs and transcend operational limitations for continuous deployment in an offshore setting.
The Antidepressant Sertraline Reduces Synaptic Transmission Efficacy and Synaptogenesis Between Identified Lymnaea Neurons
Authors: Chow Jennifer , Thompson Andrew J. , Iqbal Fahad , Zaidi Wali , Syed Naweed I.
Published: December 2020

The incidence of depression among humans is growing worldwide, and so is the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as sertraline hydrochloride. Our fundamental understanding regarding the mechanisms by which these antidepressants function and their off-target synaptic effects remain poorly defined, owing to the complexity of the mammalian brain. As all brain functions rely on proper synaptic connections between neurons, we examined the effect of sertraline on synaptic transmission, short-term potentiation underlying synaptic plasticity and synapse formation using identified neurons from the molluskLymnaea stagnalis. Through direct electrophysiological recordings, made from soma-soma paired neurons, we demonstrate that whereas sertraline does not affect short-term potentiation, it reduces the efficacy of synaptic transmission at both established and newly formed cholinergic synapses between identified neurons. Furthermore,Lymnaeaneurons cultured in the presence of sertraline exhibited a decreased incidence of synaptogenesis. Our study provides the first direct functional evidence that sertraline exerts non-specific effects—outside of its SSRI role—when examined at the resolution of single pre- and post-synaptic neurons.
Aggregation of Vascular Risk Factors Modulates the Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients
Authors: Zhuang Liying , Ni Huafu , Wang Junyang , Liu Xiaoyan , Lin Yajie , Su Yujie , Zhang Kan , Li Yaguo , Peng Guoping , Luo Benyan
Published: December 2020

Background: Several vascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, body mass index, and smoking status are found to be associated with cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to investigate whether an aggregation of vascular risk factors modulates the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: Forty-three MCI patients and twenty-nine healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional MRI scans, and spontaneous brain activity was measured by the ALFF technique. The vascular risk profile was represented with the Framingham Heart Study general cardiovascular disease (FHS-CVD) risk score, and each group was further divided into high and low risk subgroups. Two-way ANOVA was performed to explore the main effects of diagnosis and vascular risk and their interaction on ALFF.

Results: The main effect of diagnosis on ALFF was found in left middle temporal gyrus (LMTG) and left superior parietal gyrus (LSPG), and the main effect of risk on ALFF was detected in left fusiform gyrus (LFFG), left precuneus (LPCUN), and left cerebellum posterior lobe (LCPL). Patients with MCI exhibited increased ALFF in the LMTG and LSPG than HCs, and participants with high vascular risk showed increased ALFF in the LFFG and LCPL, while decreased ALFF in the LPCUN. An interaction between diagnosis (MCI vs. HC) and FHS-CVD risk (high vs. low) regarding ALFF was observed in the left hippocampus (LHIP). HCs with high vascular risk showed significantly increased ALFF in the LHIP than those with low vascular risk, while MCI patients with high vascular risk showed decreased ALFF in the LHIP than HCs with high vascular risk. Interestingly, the mean ALFF of LHIP positively correlated with word recall test in HCs with high vascular risk (rho = 0.630, P = 0.016), while negatively correlated with the same test in MCI patients with high vascular risk (rho = −0.607, P = 0.001).

Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence highlighting that the aggregation of vascular risk factors modulates the spontaneous brain activity in MCI patients, and this may serve as a potential imaging mechanism underlying vascular contribution to AD.
Individualized Prediction of PTSD Symptom Severity in Trauma Survivors From Whole-Brain Resting-State Functional Connectivity
Authors: Suo Xueling , Lei Du , Li Wenbin , Yang Jing , Li Lingjiang , Sweeney John A. , Gong Qiyong
Published: December 2020

Previous studies have demonstrated relations between spontaneous neural activity evaluated by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and symptom severity in post-traumatic stress disorder. However, few studies have used brain-based measures to identify imaging associations with illness severity at the level of individual patients. This study applied connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM), a recently developed data-driven and subject-level method, to identify brain function features that are related to symptom severity of trauma survivors. Resting-state fMRI scans and clinical ratings were obtained 10–15 months after the earthquake from 122 earthquake survivors. Symptom severity of post-traumatic stress disorder features for each survivor was evaluated using the Clinician Administered Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Scale (CAPS-IV). A functionally pre-defined atlas was applied to divide the human brain into 268 regions. Each individual’s functional connectivity 268 × 268 matrix was created to reflect correlations of functional time series data across each pair of nodes. The relationship between CAPS-IV scores and brain functional connectivity was explored in a CPM linear model. Using a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) procedure, findings showed that the positive network model predicted the left-out individual’s CAPS-IV scores from resting-state functional connectivity. CPM predicted CAPS-IV scores, as indicated by a significant correspondence between predicted and actual values (r = 0.30, P = 0.001) utilizing primarily functional connectivity between visual cortex, subcortical-cerebellum, limbic, and motor systems. The current study provides data-driven evidence regarding the functional brain features that predict symptom severity based on the organization of intrinsic brain networks and highlights its potential application in making clinical evaluation of symptom severity at the individual level.
Associations Between Multiple Leisure Activities, Mental Health and Substance Use Among Adolescents in Denmark: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Santini Ziggi Ivan , Meilstrup Charlotte , Hinrichsen Carsten , Nielsen Line , Koyanagi Ai , Koushede Vibeke , Ekholm Ola , Madsen Katrine Rich
Published: December 2020

Background: Previous research has suggested that leisure activity may benefit mental health and protect against substance use among adolescents, but more research is needed to asses associations with a wide range of outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess associations between multiple leisure activities and (1) mental health outcomes and (2) substance use outcomes in a sample of Danish adolescents.

Methods: Using data from the Danish part of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) collected in 2019, nation-wide cross-sectional data from 2,488 participants aged 15 or 16 in Denmark were analyzed to assess associations between number of leisure activity types and outcomes pertaining to mental health and substance use.

Results: Our results show that engaging in multiple activity types at least once a week—as compared to one single type of activity—is associated with increased odds for high mental well-being, and reduced odds for mental health problems. Engaging in multiple activity types is also associated with reduced odds for overall substance use and for using substances as a coping method. Among those using substances, engaging in multiple activity types is associated with reduced odds of above average substance use.

Conclusion: Increasing opportunities for adolescents to engage in leisure activities is suggested to be useful in enhancing mental health and preventing substance use and promoting mental health. Promoting and increasing access to leisure activities among adolescents could be a promising avenue for policy and practice.
Organotypic Brain Slice Culture Microglia Exhibit Molecular Similarity to Acutely-Isolated Adult Microglia and Provide a Platform to Study Neuroinflammation
Authors: Delbridge Alex R. D. , Huh Dann , Brickelmaier Margot , Burns Jeremy C. , Roberts Chris , Challa Ravi , Raymond Naideline , Cullen Patrick , Carlile Thomas M. , Ennis Katelin A. , Liu Mei , Sun Chao , Allaire Normand E. , Foos Marianna , Tsai Hui-Hsin , Franchimont Nathalie , Ransohoff Richard M. , Butts Cherie , Mingueneau Michael
Published: December 2020

Microglia are central nervous system (CNS) resident immune cells that have been implicated in neuroinflammatory pathogenesis of a variety of neurological conditions. Their manifold context-dependent contributions to neuroinflammation are only beginning to be elucidated, which can be attributed in part to the challenges of studying microgliain vivoand the lack of tractablein vitrosystems to study microglia function. Organotypic brain slice cultures offer a tissue-relevant context that enables the study of CNS resident cells and the analysis of brain slice microglial phenotypes has provided important insights, in particular into neuroprotective functions. Here we use RNA sequencing, direct digital quantification of gene expression with nCounter® technology and targeted analysis of individual microglial signature genes, to characterize brain slice microglia relative to acutely-isolated counterparts and 2-dimensional (2D) primary microglia cultures, a widely usedin vitrosurrogate. Analysis using single cell and population-based methods found brain slice microglia exhibited better preservation of canonical microglia markers and overall gene expression with stronger fidelity to acutely-isolated adult microglia, relative toin vitrocells. We characterized the dynamic phenotypic changes of brain slice microglia over time, after plating in culture. Mechanical damage associated with slice preparation prompted an initial period of inflammation, which resolved over time. Based on flow cytometry and gene expression profiling we identified the 2-week timepoint as optimal for investigation of microglia responses to exogenously-applied stimuli as exemplified by treatment-induced neuroinflammatory changes observed in microglia following LPS, TNF and GM-CSF addition to the culture medium. Altogether these findings indicate that brain slice cultures provide an experimental system superior toin vitroculture of microglia as a surrogate to investigate microglia functions, and the impact of soluble factors and cellular context on their physiology.
Down-Regulation of MiR-181c-5p Promotes Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma via Targeting SERPINE1
Authors: Li Xin , Wu Ping , Tang Yaoyun , Fan Yuhua , Liu Yalan , Fang Xing , Wang Wei , Zhao Suping
Published: December 2020

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) arises from the squamous epithelium of the larynx and is associated with a high incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in the epigenetic regulation of cellular biological processes, including cancer metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms of specific miRNAs responsible for LSCC metastasis and their clinical significance have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, LSCC cohort datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were downloaded and examined by comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, which revealed that upregulation of mRNA SERPINE1 and downregulation of miR-181c-5p were associated with unfavorable overall survival. Our analysis showed that SERPINE1 expression negatively correlated with the expression level of miR-181c-5p in our LSCC patient samples. Silencing of miR-181c-5p expression promoted cell migration and invasion in cell lines, whereas the overexpression of miR-181c-5p suppressed cell migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the downregulation of SERPINE1. Further analysis showed that the enhancement effect on EMT and metastasis induced by silencing miR-181c-5p could be rescued through knockdown of SERPINE1 expression in vitro. Collectively, our findings indicated that miR-181c-5p acted as an EMT suppressor miRNA by downregulation of SERPINE1 in LSCC and offers novel strategies for the prevention of metastasis in LSCC.
COVID-19 Incidence in Patients With Immunomediated Inflammatory Diseases: Influence of Immunosuppressant Treatments
Authors: Soldevila-Domenech Natalia , Tío Laura , Llorente-Onaindia Jone , Martín-García Elena , Nebot Pau , Torre Rafael de la , Gurt Alba , Maldonado Rafael , Monfort Jordi ,   the Covidmar Study Group
Published: December 2020

The effect of immunosuppressant treatments on the incidence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) remains largely unknown. We studied the association between the pre-exposure to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that decrease immunological responses and the incidence of COVID-19 to explore the possible effects of these treatments in early manifestations of the disease. For this purpose, we performed a cross-sectional study including 2,494 patients with immunomediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) recruited at the outpatient Rheumatology, Dermatology and Gastroenterology services of Hospital del Mar. The primary outcome was the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 performed by a physician at the hospital or at the primary care center, from the March 1–29, 2020. Multivariable Poisson regression models were fitted to estimate COVID-19 relative risk (RR) adjusted by comorbidities. We revealed that biological (RR = 0.46, CI 95% = 0.31–0.67) and synthetic (RR = 0.62, CI 95% = 0.43–0.91) DMARDs used in IMIDs diminished the incidence of COVID-19. Striking sex differences were revealed with anti-TNFα compounds (RR = 0.50, CI 95% = 0.33–0.75) with higher effects in women (RR = 0.33, CI 95% = 0.17–0.647). Treatment with low glucocorticoid doses also revealed sex differences decreasing the incidence of COVID-19 predominantly in women (RR = 0.72, CI 95% = 0.42–1.22). Our results report a decreased incidence of COVID-19 in patients receiving specific DMARDs with different immunodepressor mechanisms with striking sex differences. These results underline the interest of repurposing specific DMARDs for the possibility of minimizing the severity of disease progression in the early stages of COVID-19.
Water Decomposition Occurring During Laser Breakdown of Aqueous Solutions Containing Individual Gold, Zirconium, Molybdenum, Iron or Nickel Nanoparticles
Authors: Baimler Ilya V. , Lisitsyn Andrey B. , Gudkov Sergey V.
Published: December 2020

Generation rates of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radicals (•OH), molecular hydrogen (H2), and molecular oxygen (O2) forming during the optical breakdown of aqueous colloidal solutions containing Au, Mo, Zr, Fe, and Ni nanoparticles have been studied. It is shown that the processes occurring during the dissociation of water molecules under the influence of laser breakdown plasma and leading to the formation of various chemical products depend on the material of the nanoparticles present in the colloid. It was found that the highest rates of generation of water decomposition products are observed in aqueous colloidal solutions of Fe and Ni nanoparticles. The use of Au nanoparticles leads to the lowest generation rate. In general, the materials from which the nanoparticles are made, depending on the efficiency of the formation of water decomposition products, are arranged as follows: Ni> Fe> Mo> Zr> Au.
The Development of Integrin Alpha-8 Deficient Lungs Shows Reduced and Altered Branching and a Correction of the Phenotype During Alveolarization
Authors: Cremona Tiziana P. , Hartner Andrea , Schittny Johannes C.
Published: December 2020

Lung development involves epithelial–mesenchymal interactions and integrins represent one of the key elements. These extracellular matrix receptors form hetero-dimers of alpha and beta subunits. The integrin α8β1 is highly expressed in mouse tissues, including lung. It forms a cellular receptor for fibronectin, vitronectin, osteopontin, nephronectin, and tenascin-C. This study aims to investigate the role of the integrin α8-subunit (α8) during lung development. Wild type and α8-deficient lungs were explanted at embryonic days 11.5/12.5. After 24–73 h in culture α8-deficient lung explants displayed reduced growth, reduced branching, enlarged endbuds, altered branching patterns, and faster spontaneous contractions of the airways as compared to wild type. Postnatally, a stereological investigation revealed that lung volume, alveolar surface area, and the length of the free septal edge were significantly reduced in α8-deficient lungs at postnatal days P4 and P7. An increased formation of new septa in α8-deficient lungs rescued the phenotype. At day P90 α8-deficient lungs were comparable to wild type. We conclude that α8β1 takes not only part in the control of branching, but also possesses a morphogenic effect on the pattern and size of the future airways. Furthermore, we conclude that the phenotype observed at day P4 is caused by reduced branching and is rescued by a pronounced formation of the new septa throughout alveolarization. More studies are needed to understand the mechanism responsible for the formation of new septa in the absence of α8β1 in order to be of potential therapeutic benefit for patients suffering from structural lung diseases.
Changes in Muscle Stress and Sarcomere Adaptation in Mice Following Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Tsai Liang-Ching , Wu Yi-Ning , Liu Shu Q. , Zhang Li-Qun
Published: December 2020

While abnormal muscle tone has been observed in people with stroke, how these changes in muscle tension affect sarcomere morphology remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine time-course changes in passive muscle fiber tension and sarcomeric adaptation to these changes post-ischemic stroke in a mouse model by using a novel in-vivo force microscope. Twenty-one mice were evenly divided into three groups based on the time point of testing: 3 days (D3), 10 days (D10), and 20 days (D20) following right middle cerebral artery ligation. At each testing time, the muscle length, width, and estimated volume of the isolated soleus muscle were recorded, subsequently followed by in-vivo muscle tension and sarcomere length measurement. The mass of the soleus muscle was measured at the end of testing to calculate muscle density. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to examine the differences in each of the dependent variable among the three time-point groups and between the two legs. The passive muscle stress of the impaired limbs in the D3 group (27.65 ± 8.37 kPa) was significantly lower than the less involved limbs (42.03 ± 18.61 kPa; p = 0.05) and the impaired limbs of the D10 (48.92 ± 14.73; p = 0.03) and D20 (53.28 ± 20.54 kPa; p = 0.01) groups. The soleus muscle density of the impaired limbs in the D3 group (0.69 ± 0.12 g/cm3) was significantly lower than the less involved limbs (0.80 ± 0.09 g/cm3; p = 0.04) and the impaired limbs of the D10 (0.87 ± 0.12 g/cm3; p = 0.02) and D20 (1.00 ± 0.14 g/cm3; p < 0.01) groups. The D3 group had a shorter sarcomere length (2.55 ± 0.26 μm) than the D10 (2.83 ± 0.20 μm; p = 0.03) and D20 group (2.81 ± 0.15 μm; p = 0.04). These results suggest that, while ischemic stroke may cause considerable changes in muscle tension and stress, sarcomere additions under increased mechanical loadings may be absent or disrupted post-stroke, which may contribute to muscle spasticity and/or joint contracture commonly observed in patients following stroke.
MiR858b Inhibits Proanthocyanidin Accumulation by the Repression of DkMYB19 and DkMYB20 in Persimmon
Authors: Yang Sichao , Zhang Meng , Xu Liqing , Luo Zhengrong , Zhang Qinglin
Published: December 2020

Persimmon proanthocyanidin (PA) biosynthesis is controlled by structural genes and regulated by transcription factors (TFs). MicroRNAs are a key factor involved in regulating gene expression at the posttranscriptional level whose functions in persimmon PA biosynthesis are poorly understood. Here, we identified a microRNA, miR858b, that putatively targets two R2R3-MYB TFs,DkMYB19andDkMYB20.DkMYB19,DkMYB20, and miR858b showed divergent expression patterns during fruit development, and the interaction between miR858b andDkMYB19orDkMYB20was experimentally validated by 5′ RNA ligase-mediated RACE, LUC enzyme activity analysis, and GFP signal detection. The DkMYB19 localized to the nucleus as well as the cytoplasm and DkMYB20 localized to the nucleus. The overexpression of miR858b led to the downregulation ofDkMYB19andDkMYB20, which reduced the content of PA, whereas a reduction in miR858b activity upregulatedDkMYB19andDkMYB20, resulting in a high content of PA in leaves transiently expressing a small tandem target mimic construct for blocking miR858 (STTM858b)in vivo. The transient transformation of miR858b in fruit discsin vitroalso reduced the content of PA, while the content of PA increased under the transient transformation of fruit discs with STTM858b,DkMYB19, orDkMYB20. A similar phenomenon was observed upon the overexpression of miR858b in wild-type (WT)ArabidopsisandDkMYB19orDkMYB20in persimmon leaf calli. These findings suggested that miR858b repressed the expression ofDkMYB19andDkMYB20, which contributed to the PA accumulation in persimmon.
Exogenous Calcium Alleviates Nocturnal Chilling-Induced Feedback Inhibition of Photosynthesis by Improving Sink Demand in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea)
Authors: Wu Di , Liu Yifei , Pang Jiayin , Yong Jean Wan Hong , Chen Yinglong , Bai Chunming , Han Xiaori , Liu Xinyue , Sun Zhiyu , Zhang Siwei , Sheng Jing , Li Tianlai , Siddique Kadambot H.M. , Lambers Hans
Published: December 2020

Arachis hypogaea (peanut) is a globally important oilseed crop with high nutritional value. However, upon exposure to overnight chilling stress, it shows poor growth and seedling necrosis in many cultivation areas worldwide. Calcium (Ca2+) enhances chilling resistance in various plant species. We undertook a pot experiment to investigate the effects of exogenous Ca2+ and a calmodulin (CaM) inhibitor on growth and photosynthetic characteristics of peanut exposed to low night temperature (LNT) stress following warm sunny days. The LNT stress reduced growth, leaf extension, biomass accumulation, gas exchange rates, and photosynthetic electron transport rates. Following LNT stress, we observed larger starch grains and a concomitant increase in nonstructural carbohydrates and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations. The LNT stress further induced photoinhibition and caused structural damage to the chloroplast grana. Exogenous Ca2+ enhanced plant growth following LNT stress, possibly by allowing continued export of carbohydrates from leaves. Foliar Ca2+ likely alleviated the nocturnal chilling-dependent feedback limitation on photosynthesis in the daytime by increasing sink demand. The foliar Ca2+ pretreatment protected the photosystems from photoinhibition by facilitating cyclic electron flow (CEF) and decreasing the proton gradient (ΔpH) across thylakoid membranes during LNT stress. Foliar application of a CaM inhibitor increased the negative impact of LNT stress on photosynthetic processes, confirming that Ca2+–CaM played an important role in alleviating photosynthetic inhibition due to the overnight chilling-dependent feedback.
Customer Behavior on Purchasing Channels of Sustainable Customized Garment With Perceived Value and Product Involvement
Authors: Li Zhenfang , Yuan Jia , Du Bisheng , Hu Junhao , Yuan Wenwen , Palladini Lorenzo , Yu Bing , Zhou Yan
Published: December 2020

Online shopping for customized garments has become the fastest-growing field of the Chinese eBusiness market. Most consumers not only limit themselves to buying standardized garments but also want to buy garments customized to their preferences. This phenomenon has pushed the fashion textile and apparel industry to change its supply chain operations to meet the customization demand. Besides, the fashion textile and apparel industry also want to study how different channel factors will affect consumers' perceived value and further influence consumers' purchasing decisions. We initiated this study and empirically tested more than 200 experienced consumers. This study collaborated with a fashion textile and apparel company that aims to implement customized product lines soon. Based on the perceived value theory and risk management theory, we investigated whether product involvement and channel identification on supply chain design will affects potential customized product consumers' purchasing decisions. The findings reveal that channel recognition affects consumer decisions by having a positive impact on their perceived value. The perceived risk and shopping channel involvement of consumers have a negative impact on their perceived values and channel selections. In addition, product involvement has a moderating effect on the relationship between channel's perceived risk, perceived values, and channel selections as well.
The Effect of Emotion on Prosocial Tendency: The Moderating Effect of Epidemic Severity Under the Outbreak of COVID-19
Authors: Ye Yingying , Long Tingting , Liu Cuizhen , Xu Dan
Published: December 2020

During the outbreak of COVID-19, information on the epidemic inundated people’s lives and led to negative emotions (e.g., tension, anxiety, and fear) in many people. This study aims to explore the effect of various emotions on prosocial tendencies during the COVID-19 outbreak and the moderating effect of the severity of the epidemic. We explore these effects by conducting a text analysis of the content of posts by 387,730 Weibo users. The results show that the severity of the epidemic promotes prosocial tendencies; anger motivates prosocial tendencies significantly; and the severity of the epidemic moderates the effects of three emotions—anger, sadness, and surprise—on prosocial tendencies. These findings provide a reference for exploring the positive significance of major disasters.
A Dyadic Test of the Association Between Trait Self-Control and Romantic Relationship Satisfaction
Authors: Zuo Pei-Ying , Karremans Johan C. , Scheres Anouk , Kluwer Esther S. , Burk William J. , Kappen Gesa , Ter Kuile Hagar
Published: December 2020

Previous research has demonstrated that trait self-control is related to a range of positive romantic relationship processes, suggesting that trait self-control should be positively and robustly linked to relationship satisfaction in both partners in a romantic relationship. However, the existing empirical evidence is limited and mixed, especially regarding partner effects (i.e., the effect of one’s self-control on the partner’s relationship satisfaction). With three datasets of heterosexual couples (S1: N = 195 newlyweds, longitudinal; S2: N = 249 couples who transition into first parenthood, longitudinal; S3: N = 929 couples, cross-sectional), the present pre-registered studies examined: (1) the dyadic associations between trait self-control and relationship satisfaction both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and (2) whether these effects hold when controlling for both partners’ relationship commitment. The results indicated a cross-sectional positive actor effect, some support for a positive cross-sectional partner effect, and only little support for a longitudinal actor (but not partner) effect. After controlling for relationship commitment, all effects of trait self-control on satisfaction diminished except for a longitudinal actor effect among women in Study 2. Potential explanations for the current results, and implications for theory and practice, are discussed.
Cognitive Interaction Technology in Sport—Improving Performance by Individualized Diagnostics and Error Prediction
Authors: Strenge Benjamin , Koester Dirk , Schack Thomas
Published: December 2020

The interdisciplinary research area Cognitive Interaction Technology (CIT) aims to understand and support interactions between human users and other elements of socio-technical systems. Important reasons for the new interest in understanding CIT in sport psychology are the impressive development of cognitive robotics and advanced technologies such as virtual or augmented reality systems, cognitive glasses or neurotechnology settings. The present article outlines this area of research, addresses ethical issues, and presents an empirical study in the context of a new measurement and assessment system for training in karate. Recent advances in the field of cognitive assistance systems enabled largely automatized assessments of individual mental representation structures for action sequences, such as choreographed movement patterns in dance or martial arts. Empirical investigations with karate practitioners of different skill levels demonstrate that advanced software-based survey and algorithmic analysis procedures based on cognitive models generate individualized performance predictions for a movement sequence from theKanku-dai kata(a pre-defined karate movement sequence), which correlated significantly not only with formal expertise (kyu/danrank) but also with the actual likelihood of mistakes in action execution. This information could prospectively be used to define individual training goals for deliberate practice and incorporated into cognitive interaction technology to provide appropriate feedback. We argue that the development of cognitive interaction systems for sport should explicitly take ethical issues into consideration and present a particular developed engineering approach. The potential benefits of such an assistance system for intermediate and advanced practitioners include more effective and flexible practice, as well as supportive effects, and more flexible training schedules. Furthermore, we argue that researchers from the field of sport psychology can benefit from advances in technological systems that enhance the understanding of mental and motor control in skilled voluntary action.
Gratitude Questionnaire–20 Items (G20): A Cross-Cultural, Psychometric and Crowdsourcing Analysis
Authors: Bernabe-Valero Gloria , Blasco-Magraner José S. , García-March Marianela R.
Published: December 2020

The use in psychology of crowdsourcing platforms as a method of data collection has been increasing in popularity because of its relative ease and versatility. Our goal is to adapt the Gratitude Questionnaire–20 Items (G20) to the English language by using data collected through a crowdsourcing platform. The G20 is a comprehensive instrument that takes in consideration the different basic processes of gratitude and assesses the construct’s cognitive, evaluative, emotional, and behavioral processes. We test the psychometric properties of the English version of the G20 with a Prolific (ProA) user sample. We assess the adequacy of the G20 for the crowdsourcing population in its English version. A description of the characteristics of the participants is conducted. Reliability analyses reveal an optimal internal consistency of the adapted scale. The results are discussed from a cross-cultural vision of gratitude. We conclude that the Gratitude Questionnaire–20 Items (G20), adapted to English with an American sample, is a psychometrically strong instrument to measure gratitude using crowdsourcing platforms for data collection and, therefore, a reference and useful tool in future research.
Cannabis and COVID-19: Reasons for Concern
Authors: van Laar Margriet W. , Oomen Pieter E. , van Miltenburg Charlotte J. A. , Vercoulen Eefje , Freeman Tom P. , Hall Wayne D.
Published: December 2020

The lockdown measures implemented to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 may affect (illicit) drug consumption patterns. This rapid response study investigated changes in cannabis use in a non-probability sample of cannabis users in the Netherlands during the early lockdown period. We fielded an online cross-sectional survey 4–6 weeks after implementation of lockdown measures in the Netherlands on March 15, 2020. We measured self-reported \motives for changes in use, and assessed cannabis use frequency (use days), number of joints per typical use day, and route of administration in the periods before and after lockdown implementation. 1,563 cannabis users were recruited. Mean age was 32.7 ± 12.0 years; 66.3% were male and 67.9% used cannabis (almost) daily. In total, 41.3% of all respondents indicated that they had increased their cannabis use since the lockdown measures, 49.4% used as often as before, 6.6% used less often, and 2.8% stopped (temporarily). One-third of those who were not daily users before the lockdown became (almost) daily users. Before the lockdown, most respondents (91.4%) used cannabis in a joint mixed with tobacco and 87.6% still did so. Among users of joints, 39.4% reported an increase in the average number consumed per use day; 54.2% stayed the same and 6.4% used fewer joints. This rapid response study found evidence that during the lockdown more users increased rather than decreased cannabis consumption according to both frequency and quantity. These data highlight the need to invest more resources in supporting cessation, harm reduction, and monitoring longer term trends in cannabis use.
COVID-19 Suicide Survivors—A Hidden Grieving Population
Authors: Pinto Sara , Soares Joana , Silva Alzira , Curral Rosário , Coelho Rui
Published: December 2020

Present time has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. People are grieving several non-death related situations: the loss of a job, of a status, of a role, of their life. Restrictive measures and uncertainty about the future makes individuals vulnerable to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Mental health support has been hindered and teams are reinventing themselves to reach people in need. Nevertheless, decompensation of previous psychiatric disorders, increasing levels of depression and anxiety, economical handicaps and fear of the infection, are prompting several cases of COVID-19 related suicides worldwide. Every suicide affects between 5 and 80 individuals, which are known as suicide survivors. Suicide grief is particularly challenging, with rates of complicated grief as high as 40%. Suicide survivors are at increased risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders and of suicidal behaviors. Moreover, feelings of guilt and shame, as well as social stigma, are major obstacles for them to reach form help. This article aims to review the existing literature on COVID-19 related suicides, complicated grief in suicide survivors and highlight modifiable risk factors for both conditions, as well as propose some public health measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic context on self-inflicted harm and its consequences on families, friends and the community. Obstacles to access to mental health support need to be overcome through the use of technology. Technicians should actively approach populations more vulnerable to develop suicidal ideation. Social media have the obligation to provide accurate an non-sensationalistic information. Families and friends should maintain social proximity, despite the need for physical distancing. When a suicide death occurs, police forces and health staff should be prepared to share the news with the family using an empathic and humane approach and providing psychological support. Funerals, memorials and other services should be held as much as possible. Closer contacts should be signalized and closely followed in order to detect the need for specific interventions. Help seeking behaviors should be promoted. Additionally, people should be educated on suicide and its impacts, in order to reduce stigma.
Causal Discovery in Radiographic Markers of Knee Osteoarthritis and Prediction for Knee Osteoarthritis Severity With Attention–Long Short-Term Memory
Authors: Wang Yanfei , You Lei , Chyr Jacqueline , Lan Lan , Zhao Weiling , Zhou Yujia , Xu Hua , Noble Philip , Zhou Xiaobo
Published: December 2020

The goal of this study is to build a prognostic model to predict the severity of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to identify long-term disease progression risk factors for early intervention and treatment. We designed a long short-term memory (LSTM) model with an attention mechanism to predict Kellgren/Lawrence (KL) grade for knee osteoarthritis patients. The attention scores reveal a time-associated impact of different variables on KL grades. We also employed a fast causal inference (FCI) algorithm to estimate the causal relation of key variables, which will aid in clinical interpretability. Based on the clinical information of current visits, we accurately predicted the KL grade of the patient's next visits with 90% accuracy. We found that joint space narrowing was a major contributor to KOA progression. Furthermore, our causal structure model indicated that knee alignments may lead to joint space narrowing, while symptoms (swelling, grinding, catching, and limited mobility) have little impact on KOA progression. This study evaluated a broad spectrum of potential risk factors from clinical data, questionnaires, and radiographic markers that are rarely considered in previous studies. Using our statistical model, providers are able to predict the risk of the future progression of KOA, which will provide a basis for selecting proper interventions, such as proceeding to joint arthroplasty for patients. Our causal model suggests that knee alignment should be considered in the primary treatment and KOA progression was independent of clinical symptoms.
Improved Sliding Mode Finite-Time Synchronization of Chaotic Systems with Unknown Parameters
Authors: Jia Hao , Guo Chen , Zhao Lina , Xu Zhao
Published: December 2020

This work uses the sliding mode control method to conduct the finite-time synchronization of chaotic systems. The utilized parameter selection principle differs from conventional methods. The designed controller selects the unknown parameters independently from the system model. These parameters enable tracking and prediction of the additional variables that affect the chaotic motion but are difficult to measure. Consequently, the proposed approach avoids the limitations of selecting the unknown parameters that are challenging to measure or modeling the parameters solely within the relevant system. This paper proposes a novel nonsingular terminal sliding surface and demonstrates its finite-time convergence. Then, the adaptive law of unknown parameters is presented. Next, the adaptive sliding mode controller based on the finite-time control idea is proposed, and its finite-time convergence and stability are discussed. Finally, the paper presents numerical simulations of chaotic systems with either the same or different structures, thus verifying the proposed method’s applicability and effectiveness.
Recent Advances in Design and Actuation of Continuum Robots for Medical Applications
Authors: Zhong Yong , Hu Luohua , Xu Yinsheng
Published: December 2020

Traditional rigid robot application in the medical field is limited due to the limited degrees of freedom caused by their material and structure. Inspired by trunk, tentacles, and snakes, continuum robot (CR) could traverse confined space, manipulate objects in complex environment, and conform to curvilinear paths in space. The continuum robot has broad prospect in surgery due to its high dexterity, which can reach circuitous areas of the body and perform precision surgery. Recently, many efforts have been done by researchers to improve the design and actuation methods of continuum robots. Several continuum robots have been applied in clinic surgical interventions and demonstrated superiorities to conventional rigid-link robots. In this paper, we provide an overview of the current development of continuum robots, including the design principles, actuation methods, application prospect, limitations, and challenge. And we also provide perspective for the future development. We hope that with the development of material science, Engineering ethics, and manufacture technology, new methods can be applied to manufacture continuum robots for specific surgical procedures.
Conservation of Ecosystem Services in Argiudolls of Argentina
Authors: Wilson Marcelo Germán , Maggi Alejandro Esteban , Castiglioni Mario Guillermo , Gabioud Emmanuel Adrián , Sasal María Carolina
Published: December 2020

Mollisols are a fundamental component of global agricultural production. In the Argentine Pampas region, 65% of the Mollisols belong to Argiudoll great group. These soils have an agricultural aptitude, with limitations given mainly by varying thickness of the top horizon A as a result of the severity of water erosion depending on its site in the landscape layered on an argillic B horizon. Over the last three decades, Pampean agriculture has been widespread because of a modern technological matrix characterized by transgenic crops, and increasing use of fertilizers and pesticides. Large changes have taken place in crop sequence composition, toward the disappearance of pastures and the rapid expansion of soybean monoculture due to the upward trend of the international price of this commodity. This review contributes to an alertness regarding the significance of the soil degradation problem, in terms of decline in soil fertility and structural condition, decrease in size of soil aggregates, surface and subsurface compaction, decrease in organic carbon content, soil and water contamination, reduction of infiltration rate and structure stability, causing an increase in water losses through surface runoff and water erosion and lost ecosystem services. Additionally, a set of sustainable land management practices and legal aspects is shown.
Root Growth of Hordeum vulgare and Vicia faba in the Biopore Sheath
Authors: Petzoldt Lisa , Athmann Miriam , Buechse Andreas , Kautz Timo
Published: December 2020

Biopores provide nutrients from root debris and earthworm casts. Inside large biopores, root function is limited due to the lack of root–soil contact. However, the immediate surroundings of biopores may hold a key function as “hotspots” for root growth in the subsoil. To date, sufficient quantitative information on the distribution of roots and nutrients around biopores is missing. In this field study, the biopore sheath was sampled at distances of 0–2, 2–4, 4–8, and 8–12 mm from the surface of the pore wall. The results show a laterally decreasing gradient from the pore towards 8–12 mm distance in root length density (RLD) of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.), as well as in total nitrogen (Nt)- and total carbon (Ct)-content. In the biopore sheath (2–12 mm), the share of roots with a diameter of less than 0.4 mm was 92% for barley and 89% for faba bean. The findings support the view that roots can utilize biopores to gain access to deeper soil layers and may use the sheath for nutrient uptake and entrance through to the bulk soil. However, especially for barley, the inner layer of the biopore sheath appeared to be more important for root growth than the sheath of farer distance.
Genotype-by-Environment Interaction Effects under Heat Stress in Tropical Maize
Authors: Madhumal Thayil Vinayan , Zaidi Pervez H. , Seetharam Kaliyamoorthy , Rani Das Reshmi , Viswanadh Sudarsanam , Ahmed Salahuddin , Miah Mohammad Alamgir , Koirala Kesab B. , Tripathi Mahendra Prasad , Arshad Mohammad , Pandey Kamal , Chaurasia Ramesh , Kuchanur Prakash H. , Patil Ayyanagouda , Mandal Shyam S.
Published: December 2020

Spring maize area has emerged as a niche market in South Asia. Production of maize during this post-rainy season is often challenged due to heat stress. Therefore, incorporating heat stress resilience is an important trait for incorporation in maize hybrids selected for deployment in this season. However, due to the significant genotype × environment interaction (GEI) effects under heat stress, the major challenge lies in identifying maize genotypes with improved stable performance across locations and years. In the present study, we attempted to identify the key weather variables responsible for significant GEI effects, and identify maize hybrids with stable performance under heat stress across locations/years. The study details the evaluation of a set of prereleased advanced maize hybrids across heat stress vulnerable locations in South Asia during the spring seasons of 2015, 2016 and 2017. Using factorial regression, we identified that relative humidity (RH) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) as the two most important environmental covariates contributing to the large GEI observed on grain yield under heat stress. The study also identified reproductive stage, starting from tassel emergence to early grain-filling stage, as the most critical crop stage highly susceptible to heat stress. Across-site/year evaluation resulted in identification of six high yielding heat stress resilient hybrids.