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Frontiers in Insect Science 2023Decision support models that predict both when and where to expect emerald ash borer (EAB), Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), are needed for the development and...
INTRODUCTION
Decision support models that predict both when and where to expect emerald ash borer (EAB), Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), are needed for the development and implementation of effective management strategies against this major invasive pest of ash ( species) in North America and other regions such as Europe. We present a spatialized model of phenology and climatic suitability for EAB for use in the Degree-Days, Risk, and Phenological event mapping (DDRP) platform, which is an open-source decision support tool to help detect, monitor, and manage invasive threats.
METHODS
We evaluated the model using presence records from three geographic regions (China, North America, and Europe) and a phenological dataset consisting primarily of observations from the northeastern and midwestern United States. To demonstrate the model, we produced phenological event maps for a recent year and tested for trends in EAB's phenology and potential distribution over a recent 20-year period.
RESULTS
Overall, the model exhibited strong performance. Presence was correctly estimated for over 99% of presence records and predicted dates of adult phenological events corresponded closely with observed dates, with a mean absolute error of 7 days and low estimates of bias. Climate stresses were insufficient to exclude EAB from areas with native species in North America and Europe; however, extreme weather events, climate warming, and an inability for EAB to complete its life cycle may reduce suitability for some areas. Significant trends toward earlier adult emergence over 20 years occurred in only some areas.
DISCUSSION
Near real-time model forecasts for the conterminous United States are available at two websites to provide end-users with decision-support for surveillance and management of this invasive pest. Forecasts of adult emergence and egg hatch are particularly relevant for surveillance and for managing existing populations with pesticide treatments and parasitoid introductions.
PubMed: 38469500
DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1239173 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2024The escalating global food demand driven by a gradually expanding human population necessitates strategies to improve agricultural productivity favorably and mitigate... (Review)
Review
The escalating global food demand driven by a gradually expanding human population necessitates strategies to improve agricultural productivity favorably and mitigate crop yield loss caused by various stressors (biotic and abiotic). Biotic stresses are caused by phytopathogens, pests, and nematodes, along with abiotic stresses like salt, heat, drought, and heavy metals, which pose serious risks to food security and agricultural productivity. Presently, the traditional methods relying on synthetic chemicals have led to ecological damage through unintended impacts on non-target organisms and the emergence of microbes that are resistant to them. Therefore, addressing these challenges is essential for economic, environmental, and public health concerns. The present review supports sustainable alternatives, emphasizing the possible application of fungal endophytes as innovative and eco-friendly tools in plant stress management. Fungal endophytes demonstrate capabilities for managing plants against biotic and abiotic stresses via the direct or indirect enhancement of plants' innate immunity. Moreover, they contribute to elevated photosynthesis rates, stimulate plant growth, facilitate nutrient mineralization, and produce bioactive compounds, hormones, and enzymes, ultimately improving overall productivity and plant stress resistance. In conclusion, harnessing the potentiality of fungal endophytes represents a promising approach toward the sustainability of agricultural practices, offering effective alternative solutions to reduce reliance on chemical treatments and address the challenges posed by biotic and abiotic stresses. This approach ensures long-term food security and promotes environmental health and economic viability in agriculture.
PubMed: 38392787
DOI: 10.3390/jof10020116 -
BMJ Open Sep 2023The environment at a psychiatric inpatient ward can lead to emotional distress and behavioural deviations in vulnerable individuals potentially resulting in conflicts,... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
Study protocol for virtual leisure investigating the effect of virtual reality-delivered stress reduction, entertainment and distraction on the use of coercion and need-based medication and patient satisfaction at a closed psychiatric intensive care unit - a mixed-methods pilot clinical trial.
INTRODUCTION
The environment at a psychiatric inpatient ward can lead to emotional distress and behavioural deviations in vulnerable individuals potentially resulting in conflicts, increased use of need-based medication and coercive actions, along with low satisfaction with treatment. To accommodate these challenges, recreational and entertaining interventions are recommended. The tested interventions have, however, shown varying effects and demand a high degree of planning and staff involvement while being difficult to adapt to individual needs. Virtual reality (VR) may help overcome these challenges.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
The study is a mixed-methods clinical trial with a target sample of 124 patients hospitalised at a closed psychiatric ward in the capital region of Denmark. Outcomes (eg, coercion, need-based medication and perceived stress) for a 12-month period where all patients are offered VR-based recreational experiences during their hospitalisation will be compared with outcomes for a 12-month period where VR is not offered. Feasibility and acceptability will be explored with qualitative interviews supplemented with non-participant observations and focus groups. The study began on 1 January 2023, and we expect to complete data collection by 31 December 2024.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
The study is registered at Danish Data Protection Agency (j.no P-2022-466) and is approved by the Committee on Health Research Ethics of the capital region of Denmark (j.no 22013313). All patients will be required to provide informed consent. Results from this study will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals and congress/consortium presentations.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
NCT05654740.
Topics: Humans; Behavior Observation Techniques; Coercion; Intensive Care Units; Leisure Activities; Patient Satisfaction; Pilot Projects
PubMed: 37739476
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070566 -
Annals of Agricultural and... Dec 2023Healthcare professionals most often encounter occupational stress. The aim of the study was to investigate the working environment of health care professionals with the...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
Healthcare professionals most often encounter occupational stress. The aim of the study was to investigate the working environment of health care professionals with the focus on expression of occupational stress, and oversee the possibilities of stress management and prevention.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
326 representatives from five different healthcare institutions were surveyed in Siauliai city, Lithuania. The validated questionnaires HSE Management Standards Indicator Tool and the SF-36 questionnaire were used.
RESULTS
The study revealed that the most important organizational factors were lack of communication, inappropriate relations with authorities and colleagues, big workload and long working hours, quick decision-making, and manifestations of mobbing. Financial support was reported as one of the main motivators in stress management. The most frequent individual factors were emotional relations with patients and their relatives. The healthcare professionals who experienced stress at work more often felt aches that disturbed their work routine, and their health interfered more their ordinary social activities. The main stress prevention measures are involvement of employees in decision-making, annual interviews with authorities, education, assurance of a safe work environment, and elimination of manifestations of mobbing.
CONCLUSIONS
More attention must be paid to occupational stress management. It appeared that there is a lack of knowledge by institutions about the models of occupational stress management and internal stress management policy of organization. Therefore, this stimulates the search for measures that could help to change the situation.
Topics: Humans; Stress, Psychological; Occupational Stress; Health Personnel; Social Behavior; Working Conditions; Surveys and Questionnaires; Occupational Health
PubMed: 38153077
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/172116 -
Jornal de Pediatria Apr 2024Empirical evidence underscores an association between parental stress and emotional and behavioral problems in offspring. However, a comprehensive systematic review or... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Empirical evidence underscores an association between parental stress and emotional and behavioral problems in offspring. However, a comprehensive systematic review or meta-analysis on this topic is lacking. Thus, this study aims to address the scientific inquiry: Is there a relationship between parental stress and emotional/behavioral problems in children?
SOURCES
This systematic review with a meta-analysis surveyed PubMed, PsycINFO, and the Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde between August and September 2021. The present search combined terms (school-age children) AND (parental stress OR parenting stress OR family stress) AND (emotional and behavioral problems OR internalizing and externalizing problems). Eligibility criteria encompassed cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies published within the last five years, exploring the association between parental stress (stressful life events and parenthood-related stress disorders) and emotional/behavioral problems in school-age children. PROSPERO ID CRD42022274034.
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
Of the 24 studies meeting all inclusion criteria (n = 31,183) for the systematic review, nine were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed an association between parental stress and emotional problems (COR: 0.46 [95 % CI: 0.27 - 0.61], p < 0.001, Heterogeneity = 89 %) as well as behavioral problems (COR: 0.37 [95 % CI: 0.27 - 0.46], p < 0.001, Heterogeneity = 76 %).
CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that parental stress predicts emotional/behavioral problems in school-age children. Since these problems are related to long-term negative effects in adulthood, these results are crucial for preventing mental health problems in offspring and for screening and managing parental stress.
PubMed: 38636551
DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2024.02.003 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2023Plants consistently encounter environmental stresses that negatively affect their growth and development. To mitigate these challenges, plants have developed a range of... (Review)
Review
Plants consistently encounter environmental stresses that negatively affect their growth and development. To mitigate these challenges, plants have developed a range of adaptive strategies, including the unfolded protein response (UPR), which enables them to manage endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress resulting from various adverse conditions. The CRISPR-Cas system has emerged as a powerful tool for plant biotechnology, with the potential to improve plant tolerance and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as enhance crop productivity and quality by targeting specific genes, including those related to the UPR. This review highlights recent advancements in UPR signaling pathways and CRISPR-Cas technology, with a particular focus on the use of CRISPR-Cas in studying plant UPR. We also explore prospective applications of CRISPR-Cas in engineering UPR-related genes for crop improvement. The integration of CRISPR-Cas technology into plant biotechnology holds the promise to revolutionize agriculture by producing crops with enhanced resistance to environmental stresses, increased productivity, and improved quality traits.
PubMed: 37908833
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1271368 -
Nutrients May 2024Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Therefore, there is increasing interest in dietary interventions to reduce risk factors... (Review)
Review
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Therefore, there is increasing interest in dietary interventions to reduce risk factors associated with these conditions. Cherries and berries are rich sources of bioactive compounds and have attracted attention for their potential cardiovascular benefits. This review summarises the current research on the effects of cherry and berry consumption on cardiovascular health, including in vivo studies and clinical trials. These red fruits are rich in phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, which have multiple bioactive properties. These properties include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory effects. Studies suggest that regular consumption of these fruits may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to lower blood pressure, improved lipid profiles, and enhanced endothelial function. However, interpreting findings and establishing optimal dosages is a challenge due to the variability in fruit composition, processing methods, and study design. Despite these limitations, the evidence highlights the potential of cherries and berries as components of preventive strategies against CVD. Further research is needed to maximise their health benefits and improve clinical practice.
Topics: Fruit; Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Phenols; Antioxidants; Prunus avium; Chronic Disease; Flavonoids; Anthocyanins; Oxidative Stress; Anti-Inflammatory Agents
PubMed: 38892529
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111597 -
Health Psychology and Behavioral... 2023Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many employees perform under increasingly digital conditions. Enabling home office environments became mandatory for companies wherever...
BACKGROUND
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many employees perform under increasingly digital conditions. Enabling home office environments became mandatory for companies wherever possible in consideration of the ongoing pandemic. Simultaneously, studies reported on digital stress. The current literature lacks rigorous research into digital stress on psychosomatic outcomes, emotions, and disease. Therefore, we endeavor to understand how digital stress developed over the course of the pandemic and if it predicts differences in negative emotions and physical complaints in the home office setting.
METHODS
To answer the research question, we conducted an online survey among 441 employees in 2020 and 398 employees in 2022 from three municipal administrations in Germany, who were working from home at least occasionally. We used a cluster analysis to detect digitally stressed employees. Regression analyses were performed on digital stress, negative emotions, and physical complaints.
RESULTS
The analysis revealed an increase from 9 to 20% in digital stress, while negative emotions and physical complaints did not show evident differences. In the multivariate model, we observe a change in the proportion of digitally stressed employees between 4 and 17%, while the control variables explain around 9%.
CONCLUSIONS
Digital stress did not significantly affect either negative emotions or physical complaints. However, digital stress appeared to exert a more substantial predictive influence on negative emotions. The study emphasizes rising digital stress, which contradicts a positive adaption to the digital working conditions within the observed period. The psychosomatic relations are low or lagged. Further research investigating digital stress and countermeasures, especially to understand how to prevent harmful long-term effects such as distress resulting from working from home conditions, is needed.
PubMed: 37818414
DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2023.2263068 -
BMJ Open Aug 2023This study aimed to investigate the work engagement of clinical nursing teachers and examine whether psychological capital and perceived supervisor social support...
Psychological capital and perceived supervisor social support as mediating roles between role stress and work engagement among Chinese clinical nursing teachers: a cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the work engagement of clinical nursing teachers and examine whether psychological capital and perceived supervisor social support mediates the association between role stress and work engagement among clinical nursing teachers.
DESIGN
A cross-sectional study design was used.
SETTING
This study was conducted in five tertiary hospitals affiliated with medical universities in Shandong Province, China.
PARTICIPANTS
A total of 412 clinical nursing teachers were recruited out of which 406 completed the questionnaires effectively.
METHODS
Questionnaires were administered offline and the items consisted of social demographic characteristics, scale related to role stress, psychological capital, perceived supervisor social support and work engagement. T-tests, one-way analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation analysis were conducted using SPSS, and mediation analysis was performed using structural equation modelling.
RESULTS
The work engagement scores of clinical nursing teachers were high, with an average score of 4.76±0.69. Structural equation modelling showed a good fit of the data to the hypothesised model. Role stress did not directly affect work engagement (β=0.057, p>0.001). However, a strong indirect effect of role stress on work engagement (β=-0.373, p<0.001) mediated by psychological capital and perceived supervisor social support was observed, with path coefficient of -0.319 (p<0.01) and -0.054 (p<0.01), respectively. The model explains 57% of the variance in work engagement.
CONCLUSION
Psychological capital and perceived supervisor social support fully mediated the relationship between role stress and work engagement among clinical nursing teachers. Thus, to promote the work engagement of clinical nursing teachers, their psychological capital needs to be improved. Furthermore, superiors should provide more support, particularly to clinical nursing teachers experiencing high role stress.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; East Asian People; Social Support; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Work Engagement; Education, Nursing; Faculty, Nursing
PubMed: 37532477
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073303 -
An integrated assessment of the 1,4-dioxane cancer mode of action and threshold response in rodents.Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology... Aug 20231,4-Dioxane is an environmental contaminant that has been shown to cause cancer in rodents after chronic high dose exposures. We reviewed and integrated information from... (Review)
Review
1,4-Dioxane is an environmental contaminant that has been shown to cause cancer in rodents after chronic high dose exposures. We reviewed and integrated information from recently published studies to update our understanding of the cancer mode of action of 1,4-dioxane. Tumor development in rodents from exposure to high doses of 1,4-dioxane is preceded by pre-neoplastic events including increased hepatic genomic signaling activity related to mitogenesis, elevation of Cyp2E1 activity and oxidative stress leading to genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. These events are followed by regenerative repair and proliferation and eventual development of tumors. Importantly, these events occur at doses that exceed the metabolic clearance of absorbed 1,4-dioxane in rats and mice resulting in elevated systemic levels of parent 1,4-dioxane. Consistent with previous reviews, we found no evidence of direct mutagenicity from exposure to 1,4-dioxane. We also found no evidence of CAR/PXR, AhR or PPARα activation resulting from exposure to 1,4-dioxane. This integrated assessment supports a cancer mode of action that is dependent on exceeding the metabolic clearance of absorbed 1,4-dioxane, direct mitogenesis, elevation of Cyp2E1 activity and oxidative stress leading to genotoxicity and cytotoxicity followed by sustained proliferation driven by regenerative repair and progression of heritable lesions to tumor development.
Topics: Rats; Mice; Animals; Rodentia; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; Risk Assessment; Neoplasms
PubMed: 37277058
DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105428