Microeukaryotic plankton evolutionary constraints in a subtropical river explained by environment and bacteria along differing taxonomic resolutions.

Microeukaryotic plankton communities are keystone components for keeping aquatic primary productivity. Currently, variations in microeukaryotic plankton diversity have often been explained by local ecological factors but not by evolutionary constraints. We used amplicon sequencing of 100 water samples across five years to investigate the ecological preferences of the microeukaryotic plankton community in a subtropical riverine ecosystem. We found that microeukaryotic plankton diversity was less associated with bacterial abundance (16S rRNA gene copy number) than bacterial diversity. Further, environmental effects exhibited a larger influence on microeukaryotic plankton community composition than bacterial community composition, especially at fine taxonomic levels. The evolutionary constraints of microeukaryotic plankton community increased with decreasing taxonomic resolution (from 97% to 91% similarity levels), but not significant change from 85% to 70% similarity levels. However, compared with the bacterial community, the evolutionary constraints were shown to be more affected by environmental variables. This study illustrated possible controlling environmental and bacterial drivers of microeukaryotic diversity and community assembly in a subtropical river, thereby indirectly reflecting on the quality status of the water environment by providing new clues on the microeukaryotic community assembly.

Algicidal activity synchronized with nitrogen removal by actinomycetes: Algicidal mechanism, stress response of algal cells, denitrification performance, and indigenous bacterial community co-occurrence.

The harmful algal blooms (HABs) can damage the ecological equilibrium of aquatic ecosystems and threaten human health. The bio-degradation of algal by algicidal bacteria is an environmentally friendly and economical approach to control HABs. This study applied an aerobic denitrification synchronization algicidal strain Streptomyces sp. LJH-12-1 (L1) to control HABs. The cell-free filtrate of the strain L1 showed a great algolytic effect on bloom-forming cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa). The optimal algicidal property of strain L1 was indirect light-dependent algicidal with an algicidal rate of 85.0%. The functional metabolism, light-trapping, light-transfer efficiency, the content of pigments, and inhibition of photosynthesis of M. aeruginosa decreased after the addition of the supernatant of the strain L1 due to oxidative stress. Moreover, 96.05% nitrate removal rate synchronized with algicidal activity was achieved with the strain L1. The relative abundance of N cycling functional genes significantly increased during the strain L1 effect on M. aeruginosa. The algicidal efficiency of the strain L1 in the raw water was 76.70% with nitrate removal efficiency of 81.4%. Overall, this study provides a novel route to apply bacterial strain with the property of denitrification coupled with algicidal activity in treating micro-polluted water bodies.

Community stability of free-living and particle-attached bacteria in a subtropical reservoir with salinity fluctuations over 3 years.

Changes in salinity have a profound influence on ecological services and functions of inland freshwater ecosystems, as well as on the shaping of microbial communities. Bacterioplankton, generally classified into free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) forms, are main components of freshwater ecosystems and play key functional roles for biogeochemical cycling and ecological stability. However, there is limited knowledge about the responses of community stability of both FL and PA bacteria to salinity fluctuations. Here, we systematically explored changes in community stability of both forms of bacteria based on high-frequency sampling in a shallow urban reservoir (Xinglinwan Reservoir) in subtropical China for 3 years. Our results indicated that (1) salinity was the strongest environmental factor determining FL and PA bacterial community compositions - rising salinity increased the compositional stability of both bacterial communities but decreased their α-diversity. (2) The community stability of PA bacteria was significantly higher than that of FL at high salinity level with low salinity variance scenarios, while the opposite was found for FL bacteria, i.e., their stability was higher than PA bacteria at low salinity level with high variance scenarios. (3) Both bacterial traits (e.g., bacterial genome size and interaction strength of rare taxa) and precipitation-induced factors (e.g., changes in salinity and particle) likely contributed collectively to differences in community stability of FL and PA bacteria under different salinity scenarios. Our study provides additional scientific basis for ecological management, protection and restoration of urban reservoirs under changing climatic and environmental conditions.

Monospecific mangrove reforestation changes relationship between benthic mollusc diversity and biomass: Implication for coastal wetland management.

Anthropogenic causes are overtaking natural factors to reshape patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Mangrove reforestation aimed at reversing losses of mangroves has been conducted worldwide for several decades. However, how reforestation influences the link between ecological processes that shape community diversity and the consequent effects on ecosystem functions such as biomass production is less well known. Here we used data collected before and after mangrove planting to examine the effects of reforestation on molluscan species richness and biomass production by testing the changes in species richness, compositional similarities, distance-decay effects (community similarity decreases with increasing geographical distance) in metacommunity across a regional scale of 480 km (23-27 °N) in southeast Chinese coasts. Additionally, we further detected the impact of landscape configuration caused by different intensities of reforestation on the mollusc community. After the mangrove reforestation, mollusc species richness and biomass increased significantly. The increases in species richness and biomass of mollusc community were mediated by reducing distance-decay effect, indicating an increase in relationship strength between species richness and biomass might be associated with a decrease in distance-decay effect with rising mangrove habitat. We highlight the importance of considering the effects of anthropogenic changes on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Quantifying the distance-decay effect of these influences enables management decisions about coastal restoration to be based upon ecological mechanisms rather than wishful thinking or superficial appearance.

Effects of self-help mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on mindfulness, symptom change, and suicidal ideation in patients with depression: a randomized controlled study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of self-help mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT-SH) on mindfulness, symptom change, and suicidal ideation in patients with depression. Methods: For this randomized controlled study, 97 patients were randomly assigned to either the MBCT-SH (n = 48) or control (n = 49) group. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-24), and Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ) were used to assess mindfulness, depression symptoms, and suicidal ideation, respectively, at baseline (T0), intervention week 4 (T1), intervention week 8 (T2), and 3-month follow-up (T3). The groups were also compared on treatment costs and readmission rates at a 6-month follow-up. Results: In the MBCT-SH group, 46 of 48 participants (96%) completed the eight-week program. At T0, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in demographics, clinical characteristics, FFMQ, HAMD-24, or SAQ. Nor were there statistically significant differences on the HAMD-24 or SAQ between the MBCT-SH and control groups at T1 (p = 0.18 and p = 0.59, respectively), while mindfulness was significantly higher in the MBCT-SH group (t = 2.383, p = 0.019). At T2, there were significant between-group differences on the FFMQ, HAMD-24, and SAQ, all of which remained significant at T3. At the 6-month follow-up, per capita treatment costs were 5,298 RMB lower in the MBCT-SH group compared with the control group, while their readmission rates (6.1% and 4.2%, respectively) did not differ significantly. Conclusion: These findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of MBCT-SH among patients with depression. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2300077850.

Microbial one­carbon and nitrogen metabolisms are beneficial to the reservoir recovery after cyanobacterial bloom.

Cyanobacterial blooms have profound effects on the structure and function of plankton communities in inland waters, but few studies have focused on the effects of microbial-based processes in one­carbon and nitrogen cycling on water quality improvement following the bloom. Here, we compared the structure and function of the bacterial community, focusing on microbial one­carbon and nitrogen metabolisms during and after a cyanobacterial Microcystis bloom in a deep subtropical reservoir. Our data showed that microbial one­carbon and nitrogen cycles were closely related to different periods of the bloom, and the changes of functional genes in microbial carbon and nitrogen cycling showed the same consistent trend as that of Methylomonas sp. With the receding of the bloom, the abundance of Methylomonas as well as the functional genes of microbial one­carbon and nitrogen cycling reached the peak and then recovered. Our results indicate that microbial one­carbon and nitrogen metabolisms were beneficial to the recovery of water quality from the cyanobacterial bloom. This study lays a foundation for a deep understanding of the cyanobacterial decomposition mediated by microbes in one­carbon and nitrogen cycles in inland freshwaters.

Microbial network complexity drives non-linear shift in biodiversity-nutrient cycling in a saline urban reservoir.

Aquatic biodiversity is important in mediating ecosystem functioning, contributing to ecosystem sustainability and human wellbeing. However, how microbial network complexity affects the biodiversity-nutrient cycling relationship in saline freshwater ecosystems remains underexplored. Using high-resolution time-series data, we examined the relationships between microeukaryotic-bacterial community network complexity, biodiversity and multi-nutrient cycling in an urban reservoir undergoing a freshwater salinization-desalinization cycle. We found that low microbial diversity enhanced ecosystem multi-nutrient cycling under high salinity stress. In addition, multi-nutrient cycling declined with increased network complexity. Further, we found a non-linear relationship between salinity-induced shifts in the complexity of the microbial network and biodiversity-nutrient cycling (BNC) relationship of keystone taxa, i.e. the strength of the BNC relationship first became weak and then strong with increased network complexity. Together, these results highlighted the significant insight that there is not always positive relationship between biodiversity/network complexity and multi-nutrient cycling, even between network complexity and BNC relationship in real-world ecosystems, suggesting that preserving microbial association is important in aquatic health managing and evaluating the freshwater salinization problem.

Biogeographical Patterns of Bacterial Communities and Their Antibiotic Resistomes in the Inland Waters of Southeast China.

Freshwater ecosystems are important sources of drinking water and provide natural settings for the proliferation and dissemination of bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, the biogeographical patterns of ARGs in natural freshwaters and their relationships with the bacterial community at large scales are largely understudied. This is of specific importance because data on ARGs in environments with low anthropogenic impact is still very limited. We characterized the biogeographical patterns of bacterial communities and their ARG profiles in 24 reservoirs across southeast China using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing and high-throughput-quantitative PCR, respectively. We found that the composition of both bacterial communities and ARG profiles exhibited a significant distance-decay pattern. However, ARG profiles displayed larger differences among different water bodies than bacterial communities, and the relationship between bacterial communities and ARG profiles was weak. The biogeographical patterns of bacterial communities were simultaneously driven by stochastic and deterministic processes, while ARG profiles were not explained by stochastic processes, indicating a decoupling of bacterial community composition and ARG profiles in inland waters under relatively low-human-impact at a large scale. Overall, this study provides an overview of the biogeographical patterns and driving mechanisms of bacterial community and ARG profiles and could offer guidance and reference for the control of ARGs in drinking water sources. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance has been a serious global threat to environmental and human health. The "One Health" concept further emphasizes the importance of monitoring the large-scale dissemination of ARGs. However, knowledge about the geographical patterns and driving mechanisms of bacterial communities and ARGs in natural freshwater environments is limited. This study uncovered the distinct biogeographical patterns of bacterial communities and ARG profiles in inland waters of southeast China under low-anthropogenic impact at a large scale. This study improved our understanding of ARG distribution in inland waters with emphasis on drinking water supply reservoirs, therefore providing the much-needed baseline information for future monitoring and risk assessment of ARGs in drinking water resources.

Community assembly of microbial habitat generalists and specialists in urban aquatic ecosystems explained more by habitat type than pollution gradient.

Urban freshwater ecosystems have important ecosystem functions, provide habitats for diverse microbial communities and are susceptible to multiple interconnected factors such as environmental pollution. Despite the ecological significance of bacteria and microeukaryotes, little is known about how their community assembly responds to various environmental factors across water and sediment habitats and ecological processes shaping them. Here, environmental DNA-based approaches were used to investigate the community assembly processes of bacteria and microeukaryotes (including habitat generalists and specialists) in urban water and sediment across an urban-pollution gradient in Wuhan, central China. The diversity, community composition and potential function of bacteria and microeukaryotes showed significantly stronger variation between water and sediment than across an urban pollution gradient. Although, bacterial and microeukaryotic community assemblies were dominated by strong selection processes in both water and sediment habitats, but a contrasting community assembly mechanism was identified between habitat generalists and specialists. Bacterial and microeukaryotic communities showed a greater response to physicochemical variability in water, while a strong distance-decay relationship was found in sediment. Further, cross-kingdom microbial network analysis revealed strong modular associations of bacteria and microeukaryotes, meanwhile, microeukaryotic habitat specialists might be keystone, but generalists have higher proportion of connections in the networks. This study provides significant insights into the response of bacteria and microeukaryotes to different urban pollutions between water and sediment, and the ecological processes structuring microbial community dynamics across habitat types under anthropogenic disturbances.

A label-free electrochemical aptasensor based on AuNPs-loaded zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 for sensitive determination of aflatoxin B1.

In this study, an electrochemical aptasensor for sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was fabricated by electrodepositing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the glass carbon electrode (GCE) modified with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). The high specific surface area of AuNPs/ZIF-8 nanocomposite increased the aptamers loading on the electrode surface. When compared to other previously reported sensors, the developed aptasensor exhibited a wider linear range of 10.0 to 1.0 × 105 pg/mL with a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 1.82 pg/mL under the optimized conditions. Furthermore, the obtained results revealed that the constructed aptasensor exhibited outstanding selectivity, reproducibility and stability. Moreover, the aptasensor was successfully employed to detect the AFB1 in corn oil and peanut oil samples, with recoveries ranging from 93.49% to 106.9%, demonstrating the potential application value of this methodology.

Low shifts in salinity determined assembly processes and network stability of microeukaryotic plankton communities in a subtropical urban reservoir.

BACKGROUND: Freshwater salinization may result in significant changes of microbial community composition and diversity, with implications for ecosystem processes and function. Earlier research has revealed the importance of large shifts in salinity on microbial physiology and ecology, whereas studies on the effects of smaller or narrower shifts in salinity on the microeukaryotic community in inland waters are scarce. Our aim was to unveil community assembly mechanisms and the stability of microeukaryotic plankton networks at low shifts in salinity. RESULTS: Here, we analyzed a high-resolution time series of plankton data from an urban reservoir in subtropical China over 13 consecutive months following one periodic salinity change ranging from 0 to 6.1‰. We found that (1) salinity increase altered the community composition and led to a significant decrease of plankton diversity, (2) salinity change influenced microeukaryotic plankton community assembly primarily by regulating the deterministic-stochastic balance, with deterministic processes becoming more important with increased salinity, and (3) core plankton subnetwork robustness was higher at low-salinity levels, while the satellite subnetworks had greater robustness at the medium-/high-salinity levels. Our results suggest that the influence of salinity, rather than successional time, is an important driving force for shaping microeukaryotic plankton community dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that at low salinities, even small increases in salinity are sufficient to exert a selective pressure to reduce the microeukaryotic plankton diversity and alter community assembly mechanism and network stability. Our results provide new insights into plankton ecology of inland urban waters and the impacts of salinity change in the assembly of microbiotas and network architecture. Video abstract.

Psychometric properties of two abbreviated Connor-Davidson Resilience scales in Chinese infertile couples.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 10-item and 2-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the agreement between these two versions, and the measurement invariance of the CD-RISC-10 across genders in Chinese infertile couples. METHODS: A total of 170 infertile couples were enrolled from an infertility outpatient clinic between September 2019 and January 2020. The CD-RISC scores were tested for floor and ceiling effects. Reliability was evaluated by calculating Cronbach's α. Convergent and divergent validity were assessed by bivariate correlations between resilience and infertility-related stress, depression, anxiety, and two divergent variables. Agreement between the two versions was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. A multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the measurement equivalence of CD-RISC-10 across genders. RESULTS: No floor or ceiling effects were observed. Internal consistencies of CD-RISC-10 and CD-RISC-2 were 0.91 and 0.63, respectively. The CFA analysis indicated an excellent model fit for a one-factor structure of CD-RISC-10 (TLI > 0.950, CFI > 0.950, RMSEA < 0.060). Both scales displayed good convergent and divergent validity, and the agreement between them was significant with an ICC of 0.80 (95% CI ranging from 0.76 to 0.84). Measurement invariance across genders was supported by multigroup CFA, and a higher level of resilience was found in men than in women. CONCLUSION: Our findings showed significant reliability, validity, and stability of CD-RISC-10 and acceptable internal consistency and validity of CD-RISC-2. CD-RISC-10 is recommended as a resilience measure in clinical evaluations of infertile patients.

Relationship between infertility-related stress and resilience with posttraumatic growth in infertile couples: gender differences and dyadic interaction.

STUDY QUESTION: Are there any gender differences and dyadic interactions in the associations between infertility-related stress and resilience and posttraumatic growth in infertile couples? SUMMARY ANSWER: Husbands' posttraumatic growth was only impacted by their own infertility-related stress and resilience, whereas wives' posttraumatic growth was influenced by their own resilience and their spouses' resilience. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Posttraumatic growth may play a significant role in protecting the infertile couples' psychological well-being and contribute to positive pregnancy outcomes. The reciprocal influence on each other within the infertile couple in terms of relationships between infertility-related stress and resilience and posttraumatic growth has been largely overlooked. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This cross-sectional study included 170 couples who were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between September 2019 and January 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The Fertility Problem Inventory, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, and Post-traumatic Growth Inventory were used to measure infertility-related stress, resilience, and posttraumatic growth. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to analyze the effects of infertility-related stress and resilience on the couple's own posttraumatic growth (actor effect) as well as on their partner's posttraumatic growth (partner effect). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Husbands had higher levels of resilience than wives, while no significant gender differences were found in the levels of infertility-related stress and posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth correlated with each other among infertile couples. Husbands' infertility-related stress had actor effects on their own posttraumatic growth, while wives' infertility-related stress had no effect on their own or their spouses' posttraumatic growth. Husbands' resilience had actor and partner effects on their own and their wives' posttraumatic growth, while wives' resilience only had an actor effect on their own posttraumatic growth. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: First, our sample was limited to infertile Chinese couples seeking clinical treatment. Second, sociodemographic and psychological measures were self-reported. Third, as the current study is a cross-sectional study, the dynamic process of posttraumatic growth is unknown. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Infertile couples should be considered as a whole in studies on infertility. Couple-based psychological interventions are critical and more effective in improving mental health among individuals with infertility. Elevating the level of resilience may contribute to improving posttraumatic growth for both husbands and wives. Moreover, enhancing the ability to cope with infertility-related stress might be useful for husbands and indirectly contribute to wives' posttraumatic growth. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31900783) and the College Natural Science Research Project of Jiangsu Province (Grant No.19KJD320004). The authors declare no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Responses of abundant and rare bacterioplankton to temporal change in a subtropical urban reservoir.

Investigation of bacterial community dynamics across different time scales is important for understanding how environmental conditions drive community change over time. Bacterioplankton from the surface waters of a subtropical urban reservoir in southeast China were analyzed through high-frequency sampling over 13 months to compare patterns and ecological processes between short (0‒8 weeks), medium (9‒24 weeks) and long (25‒53 weeks) time intervals. We classified the bacterial community into different subcommunities: abundant taxa (AT); conditionally rare taxa (CRT); rare taxa (RT). CRT contributed > 65% of the alpha-diversity, and temporal change of beta-diversities was more pronounced for AT and CRT than RT. The bacterial community exhibited a directional change in the short- and medium-time intervals and a convergent dynamic during the long-time interval due to a seasonal cycle. Cyanobacteria exhibited a strong succession pattern than other phyla. CRT accounted for > 76% of the network nodes in three stations. The bacteria-environment relationship and deterministic processes were stronger for large sample size at station G (n = 116) than small sample size at stations C (n = 12) and L (n = 22). These findings suggest that a high-frequency sampling approach can provide a better understanding on the time scales at which bacterioplankton can change fast between being abundant or rare, thus providing the facts about environmental factors driving microbial community dynamics. Patterns and processes in alpha- and beta-diversities and community assembly of bacterioplankton differ among different time intervals (short-, medium- and long-time intervals) and different subcommunities (abundant, conditionally rare and rare taxa) in a subtropical urban reservoir, demonstrating the importance of temporal scale and high-frequency sampling in microbial community ecology.

Post-Traumatic Growth of Nurses Who Faced the COVID-19 Epidemic and Its Correlation With Professional Self-Identity and Social Support.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate post-traumatic growth (PTG) and analyze its correlation with professional self-identity and social support in Chinese nurses who faced the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in this study. An online questionnaire was completed by 266 nurses who faced the COVID-19 emergency in Hubei Province, China. The Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Professional Self-identity Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale were used to assess the level of PTG, professional self-identity, and social support. Descriptive, univariate analysis and multiple regression analyses were used in exploring related influencing factors. RESULTS: Participants' mean scores were 96.26 (SD = 21.57) for PTG, 115.30 (SD = 20.82) for professional self-identification, and 66.27 (SD = 12.90) for social support. Multiple regression analysis showed that nurses from other provinces moving to support Hubei Province, professional self-identity, and social support were the main factors affecting nurse stress (p = 0.014, < 0.001, and 0.017, respectively). Professional self-identity and social support were positively correlated with PTG (r = 0.720 and 0.620, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There was a phenomenon of PTG when the nurses faced COVID-19 in Hubei Province. Providing an active coping style helps to improve the level of PTG.

Anxiety of Nurses to support Wuhan in fighting against COVID-19 Epidemic and its Correlation With Work Stress and Self-efficacy.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the anxiety of nurses who are supporting Wuhan in fighting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and explore relevant influencing factors. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak poses a major threat to public health worldwide. Nurses play an important role in this epidemic. However, available data on the mental health among these nurses are limited. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was performed. METHODS: An online questionnaire was completed by 200 nurses who went to Wuhan to help to fight against COVID-19 from another province. Data collection tools include the Chinese version of the Stress Overload Scale (SOS), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Descriptive, single-factor correlation and multiple regression analyses were used in exploring related influencing factors. Reporting followed the STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: The scores of SAS, SOS and GSES range from 20 to 80, 22 to 110 and 10 to 40, respectively, and the SAS (31.79 ± 7.32) and SOS (40.19 ± 12.92) and GSES scores (24.83 ± 6.60) were obtained. Anxiety was positively correlated with stress (r = .679, p < .001) but negatively correlated with self-efficacy (r = -.326, p < .001). Multiple regression analysis showed that professional qualification, sleep, stress and self-efficacy were the main factors affecting nurse anxiety (p = .006, <.001, <.001, .039, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who are supporting Wuhan in fighting against COVID-19 were under a low level of anxiety. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The current study suggests work stress reduction might be a key factor in reducing anxiety and maintaining mental health to support nurses who are fighting against COVID-19 infection.

Work stress among Chinese nurses to support Wuhan in fighting against COVID-19 epidemic.

AIMS: To investigate the work stress among Chinese nurses who are supporting Wuhan in fighting against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and to explore the relevant influencing factors. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 epidemic has posed a major threat to public health. Nurses have always played an important role in infection prevention, infection control, isolation, containment and public health. However, available data on the work stress among these nurses are limited. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey. An online questionnaire was completed by 180 anti-epidemic nurses from Guangxi. Data collection tools, including the Chinese version of the Stress Overload Scale (SOS) and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), were used. Descriptive single factor correlation and multiple regression analyses were used in exploring the related influencing factors. RESULTS: The SOS (39.91 ± 12.92) and SAS (32.19 ± 7.56) scores of this nurse group were positively correlated (r = 0.676, p < .05). Multiple regression analysis showed that only children, working hours per week and anxiety were the main factors affecting nurse stress (p = .000, .048, .000, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who fight against COVID-19 were generally under pressure. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse leaders should pay attention to the work stress and the influencing factors of the nurses who are fighting against COVID-19 infection, and offer solutions to retain mental health among these nurses.

Studying perceived needs for information on maternal and infant health care in the puerperium period among fathers of newborns in China.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to understand the perceived needs for information on maternal and infant healthcare during the puerperium among the fathers of newborns in China, and to examine factors that are associated with the patterns of perceived needs. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted. METHODS: A survey was conducted in the obstetrics department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China. A total of 206 fathers of newborns were interviewed with a response rate of 98.1%. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify a priori unknown patterns of perceived needs for information (knowledge/skills) on maternal and infant healthcare during the puerperium period. Chi-square tests were applied to examine factors associated with such patterns of needs. RESULTS: The majority of the participants perceived strong needs for information on maternal and infant healthcare during the puerperium. LCA identified three latent classes on perceived needs for information on maternal healthcare among Chinese fathers of newborns: Class 1 - Low: Some Infant Health Related Needs; Class 2 - Moderate: Lower Physical Recovery Needs; and Class 3 - High: Enthusiastic Needs. Similarly, three latent classes were identified for perceived needs for information on infant health care: Class 1 - Low: Some Medical Needs; Class 2 - Moderate: Lower Breastfeeding Needs; and Class 3 - High: Enthusiastic Needs. Fathers aged 30 to 35, urban residents, and those with higher education were more likely to be in the Enthusiastic Needs groups for information needs for both maternal and infant healthcare. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived needs for information on maternal and infant healthcare are widespread among fathers of newborns in China. Three distinct latent classes for perceived needs for information (knowledge/skills) on maternal and infant health were identified in this population. Socio-demographics, such as age, residence, and education, were significantly associated with such patterns of needs. The findings have implications for the development of interventions to improve maternal and infant healthcare in China.

Biogeographic patterns of abundant and rare bacterioplankton in three subtropical bays resulting from selective and neutral processes.

Unraveling the relative importance of ecological processes regulating microbial community structure is a central goal in microbial ecology. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing to examine the relative contribution of selective and neutral processes in the assembly of abundant and rare subcommunities from three subtropical bays of China. We found that abundant and rare bacterial taxa were distinctly different in diversity, despite the similar biogeographic patterns and strong distance-decay relationships, but the dispersal of rare bacterial taxa was more limited than that of abundant taxa. Furthermore, the environmental (selective processes) and spatial (neutral processes) factors seemed to govern the assembly and biogeography of abundant and rare bacterial subcommunities, although both factors explained only a small fraction of variation within the rare subcommunity. More importantly, variation partitioning (based on adjusted R2 in redundancy analysis) showed that spatial factors exhibited a slightly greater influence on both abundant and rare subcommunities compared to environmental selection; however, the abundant subcommunity had a much stronger response to spatial factors (17.3% of pure variance was explained) than that shown by the rare bacteria (3.5%). These results demonstrate that environmental selection and neutral processes explained the similar biogeographic patterns of abundant and rare subcommunities, but a large proportion of unexplained variation in the rare taxa (91.1%) implies that more complex assembly mechanisms may exist to shape the rare bacterial assemblages in the three subtropical bays.