Control of Reactive Oxygen Species through Antioxidant Enzymes Plays a Pivotal Role during the Cultivation of Neopyropia yezoensis

Neopyropia yezoensis is an economically important marine crop that can survive dehydrating conditions when nets are lifted from seawater. During this process, production of oxygen radicals and the resulting up-regulation of antioxidant enzymes mediated by the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway played an important role. However, there were no reports about the significance regarding the protection of seaweed throughout the entire production season. Especially, in new aquatic farms in Shandong Province that were formed when traditional N. yezoensis cultivation moved north. Here, we determined the levels of ABA, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), soluble protein, chlorophyll, and cell wall polysaccharides in samples collected at different harvest periods from Jimo aquatic farm, Shandong Province. The activities and expression of NADPH oxidase (NOX) and antioxidant enzymes in the corresponding samples were also determined. Combined with the monitoring data of sea surface temperature and solar light intensity, we proposed that the cultivation of N. yezoensis in Shandong Province was not affected by high-temperature stress. However, photoinhibition in N. yezoensis usually occurs at noon, especially in March. Both the activities and the expression of NOX and antioxidant enzymes were up-regulated continuously. It is reasonable to speculate that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by NOX induced the up-regulation of antioxidant enzymes through the ABA signaling pathway. Although antioxidant enzymes play a pivotal role during the cultivation of N. yezoensis, the production of ROS also caused a shift in gene expression, accumulation of secondary metabolites, and even decreased the chlorophyll pool size, which eventually led to a decrease in algae assimilation. Accordingly, we suggest that the dehydration of N. yezoensis nets should be adopted when necessary and the extent of dehydration should be paid special consideration to avoid an excessive cellular response caused by ROS.

Identification of the pivotal role of SPP1 in kidney stone disease based on multiple bioinformatics analysis

Background Kidney stone disease (KSD) is a multifactorial disease involving both environmental and genetic factors, whose pathogenesis remains unclear. This study aims to explore the hub genes related to stone formation that could serve as potential therapeutic targets. Methods Based on the GSE73680 dataset with 62 samples, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between Randall’s plaque (RP) tissues and normal tissues were screened and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to identify key modules associated with KSD. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed to explore the biological functions. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify hub genes. Meanwhile, CIBERSORT and ssGSEA analysis were used to estimate the infiltration level of the immune cells. The correlations between hub genes and immune infiltration levels were also investigated. Finally, the top hub gene was selected for further GSEA analysis. Results A total of 116 DEGs, including 73 up-regulated and 43 down-regulated genes, were screened in the dataset. The red module was identified as the key module correlated with KSD. 53 genes were obtained for functional enrichment analysis by taking the intersection of DEGs and genes in the red module. GO analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in extracellular matrix organization (ECM) and extracellular structure organization, and others. KEGG analysis revealed that the pathways of aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption, cell adhesion molecules, arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, and ECM-receptor interaction were enriched. Through PPI network construction, 30 hub genes were identified. CIBERSORT analysis revealed a significantly increased proportion of M0 macrophages, while ssGSEA revealed no significant differences. Among these hub genes, SPP1, LCN2, MMP7, MUC1, SCNN1A, CLU, SLP1, LAMC2, and CYSLTR2 were positively correlated with macrophages infiltration. GSEA analysis found that positive regulation of JNK activity was enriched in RP tissues with high SPP1 expression, while negative regulation of IL-1β production was enriched in the low-SPP1 subgroup. Conclusions There are 30 hub genes associated with KSD, among which SPP1 is the top hub gene with the most extensive links with other hub genes. SPP1 might play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of KSD, which is expected to become a potential therapeutic target, while its interaction with macrophages in KSD needs further investigation.

Trajectories of Spatial Assimilation or Place Stratification? A Typology of Residence and Workplace Histories of Newly Arrived Migrants in Sweden

In most societies, resources and opportunities are concentrated in neighborhoods and workplaces occupied by the host population. The spatial assimilation and place stratification theories propose trajectories (the sequences of events) leading to minority and migrant access to or exclusion from these advantageous places. However, most previous research on these theories did not ask whether such theorized trajectories occur. We apply sequence analysis to decade-long residence and workplace histories of newly arrived migrants in Sweden to identify a typology of combined residence-work trajectories. The seven types of trajectories in our typology are characterized by varying degrees of proximity to the host population in residential neighborhoods and workplaces and by different patterns of change in such proximity over time. The pivotal role of socioeconomic gains in spatial assimilation, posited by the namesake theory, is not supported, as we do not find that migrant employment precedes residence alongside the host population. The importance of housing-market discrimination for migrants’ exclusion from host-dominated spaces, posited by place stratification theory, is only weakly supported, as we find that migrants from less affluent countries accumulate disadvantage over time, likely due to discrimination in both the labor and housing markets. Our findings also underscore the need for new theories explaining migrant residential outcomes which apply to contexts where migrant-dense neighborhoods are still forming.

The Potential of Friendship: A Case for Social Resilience and New Care Optics

In this article, we call for greater recognition of friendship as a basic social relation that should play a pivotal role in re-imagining social resilience if it is to be future-proof in the face of social upheaval, such as the current pandemic. Drawing on existing research and early scoping of emergent information about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we suggest that friendship is an important component of heterogenic social realities. The specific focus of our discussion is twofold. Firstly, attention is paid to the narrow lens of social policy that privileges particular familial set-ups and living arrangements, and in doing so marginalises groups which are already disenfranchised; secondly, we consider the dangers of nationalism and Eurocentrism as they relate to these issues. We suggest that thinking in terms of friendship can open up new avenues of academic and political imagination, offering strategies with greater potential for building socially resilient communities.

Employee Welfare Measures

The welfare measures for employees in an organization have always and will keep playing a pivotal role in enhancing the morale of the employees. These schemes facilitate thrust for both the employee and employer relations. An employee's welfare is inherent core component, as they act as life blood for achieving the objectives of an organization. The main intention behind implementing the welfare measures is to secure the employee force by providing proper human condition of work and minimizing its hazardous effect on the life of the employees and their family members. This chapter determines the various welfare measures implemented with its impact on the employees' work efficacy in different public and private sector manufacturing organizations. This chapter also articulates the importance of welfare, symptoms of frustration, standards set by the employees, implications of welfare measures and its effectiveness on employees' and the organizational productivity.

Approaching Empowerment Holistically: are Physicians Willing And Able?

Patient empowerment is evident nowadays through the increased role undertaken by patients in the evaluation of healthcare, shaping health policy and involvement in clinical research. But are physicians willing and able to empower their patients? The biopsychosocial model offers a holistic approach to care by including the subjective experience of illness into clinical processes. Within this context, effective communication is key as it can contribute towards better clinical outcomes for patients as well as protect physicians from burnout due to emotional exhaustion. Hematological malignancies are the focus of this contribution as their nature and management pose serious challenges for patients to understand and physicians to explain. Physicians can play a pivotal role in encouraging patients' empowerment by educating them about their illness, supporting them in self-management and involving them in their care. Communication skills training, availability of consultation tools and e-health applications can support physicians in their new role.

Nutrition

Nutrition is a known aspect that plays a pivotal role in the strengthening of the immune system. Populations with poor eating habits have more risk of severe COVID-19. Micronutrients such as vitamins, including vitamins A, B complex, C, D, and E; minerals including, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and copper are mainly present in plant based foods like legumes, fruits, and vegetables to build different types of immune cells that are helpful in supporting the immune system and promote the host health. Insufficient consumption of these nutrients may result to reduce the resistance to infections as well as an increasing in disease load. Garlic, black pepper, and basel leaves are known as ancient herbs which is helpful to boost the immunity. Numerous studies observed that a powerful antioxidant bioflavonoid quercetin and a glutathione may prevent the risk of COVID-19. In conclusion, foods from plant source show a vigorous role to boost the immunity for all aged groups to control COVID-19.

Using virtual reality (VR) simulation to help developing a smart meeting space with AI Product to support moderator

Smart building has a pivotal role in promoting the industrialization of buildings. Meeting room is a common type of public space. Developing a smart meeting space can play an important role in addressing the issue of research on smart building. In this paper, we develop a smart meeting space with AI product to support moderator. We create 3D model of the meeting room and import it into VR headset to having an experiment. 20 participants are engaged to answer questionnaire and have interview. The results of this study show that most of the participants think the meeting space we develop is smart than usual one. We also found that participants expect functions of smart meeting room in AI assistance, energy saving, smart display solution, remote meeting. And participants expect devices of smart meeting room in AI assistance product, sensors, and devices for remote meeting.