Environmental Enrichment Facilitates Anxiety in Conflict-Based Tests but Inhibits Predator Threat-Induced Defensive Behaviour in Male Mice

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Environmental enrichment (EE) is a useful and sophisticated tool that improves rodents’ well-being by stimulating social behaviour and cognitive, motor, and sensory functions. Exposure to EE induces neuroplasticity in different brain areas, including the limbic system, which has been implicated in the control of anxiety and fear. However, the effects of EE on ethologically relevant naturalistic behaviours, such as those displayed by prey in the presence of predators, remain largely unexplored. <b><i>Material and Methods:</i></b> In the present study, we investigated anxiety- and panic attack-like behaviours in a predator (cat)-prey confrontation paradigm and compared them with those in classical assays, such as the elevated plus-maze (EPM), marble-burying, and open field tests (OFTs), using C57BL/6J male mice housed in enriched or standard environments for 6 weeks. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We observed that EE exposure caused enhancement of the levels of anxiety-like behaviours in the EPM and OFTs, increasing risk assessment (an anxiety-related response), and decreasing escape (a panic attack-like response) behaviours during exposure to the predator versus prey confrontation paradigm. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Taken together, our findings suggest that enriched external environments can modify the processing of fear- and anxiety-related stimuli in dangerous situations, changing the decision-making defensive strategy.

Global Adversities, the Media, and Mental Health

Global communities are currently confronted with a number of complex problems and threats, the reality of which is amplified by the media. These environmental and socio-political stressors have been accompanied by the spread of problematic psychological and behavioural tendencies, such as the growing polarisation of opinions and values, online radicalisation and extremism, deepening xenophobia and nationalism, the proliferation of irrational beliefs and conspiracy theories, and resistance to rational public policy measures. Here we argue that although they fall outside the scope of psychopathology, they nevertheless currently constitute a major challenge for psychiatry as a research domain and a clinical practise. To substantiate this claim, we outline the mechanisms by which media-transmitted stressors impact mental well-being and possibly psychopathology. The common denominator of these global problems and the media's construction of reality is the increase in uncertainty, unpredictability, and uncontrollability, which prompts defensive responding and, in predisposed individuals, functions as a potent source of chronic stress. These contribute to cognitive inflexibility, a strong predisposing factor for the development of rigid beliefs and attitudes, which to varying degrees underlie the adverse psychological and behavioural tendencies mentioned above. We suggest that the tightening of beliefs and ideas that is the result of cognitive rigidity may correspond to the clinical characteristics of induced delusional disorder. This can be seen as a (ultimately maladaptive) defensive strategy for coping with a high degree of uncertainty and unpredictability. We conclude by briefly outlining the possible ways in which psychiatry can face this challenge.

The elemental defense effect of cadmium on Alternaria brassicicola in Brassica juncea

Background The elemental defense hypothesis states a new defensive strategy that hyperaccumulators defense against herbivores or pathogens attacks by accumulating heavy metals. Brassica juncea has an excellent ability of cadmium (Cd) accumulation. However, the elemental defense effect and its regulation mechanism in B. juncea remain unclear. Results In this study, we profiled the elemental defense effect and the molecular regulatory mechanism in Cd-accumulated B. juncea after Alternaria brassicicola infection. B. juncea treated with 180 mg Kg− 1 DW CdCl2 2.5H2O exhibited obvious elemental defense effect after 72 h of infection with A. brassicicola. The expression of some defense-related genes including BjNPR1, BjPR12, BjPR2, and stress-related miRNAs (miR156, miR397, miR398a, miR398b/c, miR408, miR395a, miR395b, miR396a, and miR396b) were remarkably elevated during elemental defense in B. juncea. Conclusions The results indicate that Cd-accumulated B. juncea may defend against pathogens by coordinating salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) mediated systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and elemental defense in a synergistic joint effect. Furthermore, the expression of miRNAs related to heavy metal stress response and disease resistance may regulate the balance between pathogen defense and heavy metal stress-responsive in B. juncea. The findings provide experimental evidence for the elemental defense hypothesis in plants from the perspectives of phytohormones, defense-related genes, and miRNAs.

The Strategy of Nazir Development in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this study is to identify the most important factors in determining current strategies for the development of Nazir in specific region of Indonesia and to examine how the internal and external states developing in that province. Two analyses were used in this research method: SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats) and QSPM (Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix). The number of respondents who filled out the questionnaire was 8 big institutional Nazir and 5 Waqf experts between September and January of 2021, respectively. The result of SWOT analysis is that Waqf institutions need to carry out WT (Weakness Threats) strategy, which is a defensive strategy. Meanwhile, the QSPM analysis discovered that the second strategy is the most priority one. Afterwards, at the conclusion of this study, the results of these particular studies as well as recommendation will be discussed.

Strategi Pendampingan dalam Pengembangan Usaha Kelompok Perhutanan Sosial di Kabupaten Merangin Provinsi Jambi

The social forestry groups in Merangin Regency, Jambi Province consisting of LPHD Lubuk Birah, LPHD Lubuk Beringin dan LPHD Rio Kemunyang are the groups that have been assisted by social forestry assistance. The business in these groups is underdeveloped as indicated by unavailiability of market access, limited capital, weak institutionalism, etc. The objective of this research is to discover strategy of assistance in social forestry groups business development in the 3 (three) aforementioned groups. The data are collected by conducting in-depth interview, observation, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD), also by distributing questionnaires. They are analyzed by using SWOT analysis with Internal Factor Analysis Summary (IFAS) and External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS). Based on the SWOT analysis, it is found that the position of assistants is at quadrant IV (defensive strategy) which indicates that it is in unfavorable position where weakness and threat are more serious than its strength and opportunity. The strategy of assistance applied today is on increasing capacity of the assistants in business development, conforming outcomes of groups business with market needs, increasing intensity of effective communication and atmosphere with the groups, consolidating strength of the groups and improving communication with government and authorities to encounter threats of land clearing, increasing motivation of assistants, and living in the location when providing assistance.

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OF COPING WITH ENTREPRENEURIAL FAILURE STIGMA: A TWO-PATH THEORETICAL MODEL

Impression management strategy is an important way to cope with the stigma of failed entrepreneurial firms. However, most existing studies only focused on the process of impression management with a single strategy. Few studies have provided a systematic theoretical explanation on how to use different types of impression management strategies to cope with stigma. To fill this theoretical gap, a two-path model of impression management of entrepreneurial failure stigma was constructed, based on the two-component model of impression management. In addition, the mechanism of impression management strategy selection for failed entrepreneurial firms to cope with stigma was discussed. The findings of the theoretical model reveal two paths for the stigma management strategy of failed entrepreneurial firms: “avoidance motivation → defensive strategy of impression management” and “diluted motivation → acquisitive strategy of impression management.” Moreover, in the selection mechanism of strategy, the formation of impression motivation is affected by the stigma type of entrepreneurial failure, the social status of the firm organization, and the degree of stigma threat. In the face of justifiable stigma, the failed entrepreneurial firms form the avoidance motivation and then implement a defensive strategy of impression management. High social status firms adopt an acquisitive strategy of impression management to cope with the negative impact of entrepreneurial failure stigma. As the threat level of entrepreneurial failure stigma increases, the dilution motivation of the failed entrepreneurial firms to stigma becomes stronger, and the firms are more likely to adopt the acquisitive strategy of impression management. The two-path theoretical model provides decision support for failed entrepreneurial firms to formulate stigma management strategies and expands the research scope of entrepreneurial failure stigma.

HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MEDAN CITY

The main problem in the solid waste sector in Medan City is the large number of illegal dumping. This study is to obtain an overview of the waste management that has been carried out so far, to inventory the problems of waste management system, to design a waste management model, and to provide recommendations for waste management system. This research used descriptive qualitative method. Based on the SSK instrument, it was known that the diagram of the waste sanitation system in Medan City had 6 categories. There were 18 villages in Medan City at very high risk category, 7 villages in the high-risk category, 51 villages at moderate risk category, and 75 villages at low risk category. Waste zoning in Medan City consists of 4 zones. Based on SWOT analysis which determine the objectives, targets and strategies for developing solid waste management in Medan City was in the fourth quadrant, it was a defensive strategy. The position of internal and external factors in the solid waste sub-sector in this quadrant showed that weaknesses and threats were more dominant than strengths and opportunities.

The Key Glutathione S-Transferase Family Genes Involved in the Detoxification of Rice Gramine in Brown Planthopper Nilaparvata lugens

Phytochemical toxins are considered a defense measure for herbivore invasion. To adapt this defensive strategy, herbivores use glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) as an important detoxification enzyme to cope with toxic compounds, but the underlying molecular basis for GST genes in this process remains unclear. Here, we investigated the basis of how GST genes in brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)) participated in the detoxification of gramine by RNA interference. For BPH, the LC25 and LC50 concentrations of gramine were 7.11 and 14.99 μg/mL at 72 h after feeding, respectively. The transcriptions of seven of eight GST genes in BPH were induced by a low concentration of gramine, and GST activity was activated. Although interferences of seven genes reduced BPH tolerance to gramine, only the expression of NlGST1-1, NlGSTD2, and NlGSTE1 was positively correlated with GST activities, and silencing of these three genes inhibited GST activities in BPH. Our findings reveal that two new key genes, NlGSTD2 and NlGSTE1, play an essential role in the detoxification of gramine such as NlGST1-1 does in BPH, which not only provides the molecular evidence for the coevolution theory, but also provides new insight into the development of an environmentally friendly strategy for herbivore population management.

Dual-Transcriptomic, Microscopic, and Biocontrol Analyses of the Interaction Between the Bioeffector Pythium oligandrum and the Pythium Soft-Rot of Ginger Pathogen Pythium myriotylum

Biological control is a promising approach to suppress diseases caused by Pythium spp. such as Pythium soft rot of ginger caused by P. myriotylum. Unusually for a single genus, it also includes species that can antagonize Pythium plant pathogens, such as Pythium oligandrum. We investigated if a new isolate of P. oligandrum could antagonize P. myriotylum, what changes occurred in gene expression when P. oligandrum (antagonist) and P. myriotylum (host) interacted, and whether P. oligandrum could control soft-rot of ginger caused by P. myriotylum. An isolate of P. oligandrum, GAQ1, recovered from soil could antagonize P. myriotylum in a plate-based confrontation assay whereby P. myriotylum became non-viable. The loss of viability of P. myriotylum coupled with how P. oligandrum hyphae could coil around and penetrate the hyphae of P. myriotylum, indicated a predatory interaction. We investigated the transcriptional responses of P. myriotylum and P. oligandrum using dual-RNAseq at a stage in the confrontation where similar levels of total transcripts were measured from each species. As part of the transcriptional response of P. myriotylum to the presence of P. oligandrum, genes including a subset of putative Kazal-type protease inhibitors were strongly upregulated along with cellulases, elicitin-like proteins and genes involved in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. In P. oligandrum, proteases, cellulases, and peroxidases featured prominently in the upregulated genes. The upregulation along with constitutive expression of P. oligandrum proteases appeared to be responded to by the upregulation of putative protease inhibitors from P. myriotylum, suggesting a P. myriotylum defensive strategy. Notwithstanding this P. myriotylum defensive strategy, P. oligandrum had a strong disease control effect on soft-rot of ginger caused by P. myriotylum. The newly isolated strain of P. oligandrum is a promising biocontrol agent for suppressing the soft-rot of ginger. The dual-RNAseq approach highlights responses of P. myriotylum that suggests features of a defensive strategy, and are perhaps another factor that may contribute to the variable success and durability of biological attempts to control diseases caused by Pythium spp.