Fate control and ingroup bias in donation for the fight with the coronavirus pandemic: The mediating role of risk perception of COVID-19.

Ingroup bias could be a significant hindrance in a context where intergroup collaboration is crucial, which makes it essential to investigate ingroup bias during pandemics. This research investigated the influence of individuals' belief in fate control on ingroup bias in helping with COVID-19, and the mediating role of risk perception of COVID-19. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed the data from a community sample (n = 318) collected at the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. We found that fate control was positively associated with ingroup bias in donation to the patients with COVID-19 and the frontline healthcare professionals. Moreover, the mediating role of risk perception of COVID-19 was significant. A higher level of fate control was associated with higher risk perception of COVID-19, which was, in turn, related to stronger ingroup bias in donation across individuals. These findings highlight the substantial role of general worldview in shaping individuals' responses to pandemics.

Online/offline self-disclosure to offline friends and relational outcomes in a diary study: The moderating role of self-esteem and relational closeness.

Previous work suggests that the experiences of online and offline self-disclosure are heterogeneous among individuals. Yet little work has been done to identify the moderating role of individual characteristics and pre-existing relationship characteristics on the diverse relational outcomes. The present study using a 7-day diary design examined whether individuals' self-esteem level and relational closeness would moderate the relationships between online and offline self-disclosure to offline friends and two relational outcomes, that is, relationship satisfaction and trust in friendships. The analyses on 686 diary responses from 98 participants revealed that offline self-disclosure generally predicted greater relationship satisfaction and trust in friendships, whereas the role of online self-disclosure was not statistically significant. More importantly, self-esteem moderated the pattern associated with offline self-disclosure but not that with online self-disclosure. Specifically, offline self-disclosure predicted greater benefits to people with lower self-esteem relative to people with higher self-esteem. Moreover, pre-existing relational closeness moderated the relationship between offline self-disclosure and trust in friendships such that casual friendships benefited more from offline self-disclosure than close friendships did. The present study highlights the importance of personal characteristics and relationship characteristics in understanding the heterogeneous relational influence of different communication modes.

Divergent Fungal Community Dynamics of Thuja sutchuenensis in Arid Environments.

Thuja sutchuenensis Franch., an endangered species sparsely distributed in the mountainous and arid regions of southwest China, faces the critical challenge of adapting to these harsh conditions. Understanding the plant's strategies for survival and the precise roles played by soil fungal communities in this adaptation remains an area of limited knowledge. Our investigation centers on the fungal communities associated with T. sutchuenensis and their interactions with soil water content. Notably, we identified unique fungal communities in the low soil moisture group, and these communities exhibited lower coverage but higher phylogenetic diversity (PD), Chao1, and Shannon indices compared to other groups. Network analysis revealed a modular structure within the fungal communities, with key hub nodes identified, particularly in the arid group. This group demonstrated higher levels of soil saprotrophs and ectomycorrhizal fungi and a reduced presence of plant pathogens. Linear discriminant analysis highlighted the significance of genera such as Russula, Myxotrichaceae, and Sebacina, emphasizing their roles in supporting the plant in arid environments. Random forest analysis indicated that soil moisture content emerged as the primary driver in determining fungal composition and diversity and contributed to the variables of several fungal genera. Collectively, this study provides valuable insights into the fungal communities associated with T. sutchuenensis, shedding light on their adaptation to extreme arid conditions.

Characterization of fatty acid compositions in longissimus thoracis muscle and identification of candidate gene and SNPs related to polyunsaturated fatty acid in Hu sheep.

Fatty acid (FA) composition contributes greatly to the quality and nutritional value of lamb meat. In the present study, FA was measured in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscles of 1,085 Hu sheep using gas chromatography. Comparative transcriptomic analysis was conducted in LT muscles to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between six individuals with high polyunsaturated fatty acids (H-PUFA, 15.27% ± 0.42%) and six with low PUFA (L-PUFA, 5.22% ± 0.25%). Subsequently, the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a candidate gene PLIN2 were correlated with FA traits. The results showed a total of 29 FA compositions and 8 FA groups were identified, with the highest content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 46.54%, mainly C18:1n9c), followed by saturated fatty acids (SFA, 44.32%, mainly C16:0), and PUFA (8.72%, mainly C18:2n6c), and significant correlations were observed among the most of FA traits. Transcriptomic analyses identified 110 upregulated and 302 downregulated DEGs between H-PUFA and L-PUFA groups. The functional enrichment analysis revealed three significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and 17 gene ontology (GO) terms, in which regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes, the AMPK signaling pathway, and the PPAR signaling pathway may play important roles in FA metabolism and biosynthesis. In addition, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 37 module genes associated with PUFA-related traits. In general, PLIN1, LIPE, FABP4, LEP, ACACA, ADIPOQ, SCD, PCK2, FASN, PLIN2, LPL, FABP3, THRSP, and ACADVL may have a great impact on PUFA metabolism and lipid deposition. Four SNPs within PLIN2 were significantly associated with FA. Of those, SNP1 (g.287 G>A) was significantly associated with C18:1n9c and MUFA, and SNP4 (g.7807 T>C) was significantly correlated with PUFA (C18:3n3). In addition, the combined genotype of SNP1 (g.287 G>A), SNP3 (g.7664 T>C), and SNP4 (g.7807 T>C) were significantly correlated with C16:1, C17:0, C18:1C6, PUFA (C18:3n3, C22:6n3), and n-6/n-3 PUFA. These results contribute to the knowledge of the biological mechanisms and genetic markers involved in the composition of FA in Hu sheep.

In this study, 29 fatty acids (FAs) compositions and 8 FA groups were identified in 1,085 longissimus thoracis muscles of Hu sheep, and a significant correlation was observed among most FA traits. Transcriptomic analyses identified 412 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between high polyunsaturated fatty acid (H-PUFA) and low PUFA (L-PUFA) groups. The functional enrichment analysis revealed that regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes, the AMPK signaling pathway, and the PPAR signaling pathway may play important roles in FA metabolism and biosynthesis. In general, PLIN1, LIPE, FABP4, LEP, ACACA, ADIPOQ, SCD, PCK2, FASN, PLIN2, LPL, FABP3, THRSP, and ACADVL may affect PUFA metabolism and lipid deposition. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within PLIN2 were significantly associated with FA, especially SNP4 (g.7807 T>C) significantly correlated with C18:3n3, the combined genotype significantly associated with C18:3n3, C22:6n3, and n-6/n-3 PUFA. These results contribute to the knowledge of biological mechanisms and genetic markers involved in the FA composition of Hu sheep.

Comparative Analyses of Rhizosphere Bacteria Along an Elevational Gradient of Thuja sutchuenensis.

Thuja sutchuenensis Franch. is an endangered species in southwestern China, primarily distributed in 800-2,100 m of inaccessible mountainous areas. Rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties and bacterial communities play an essential role in managing plant growth and survival. Nonetheless, the study investigating rhizosphere soil properties and bacterial communities of T. sutchuenensis is limited. The present study investigated soil properties, including soil pH, organic matter, water content, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents, and bacterial communities in nearly all extant T. sutchuenensis populations at five elevational gradients. Our results demonstrated that the increase in elevation decreased rhizosphere and bulk soil phosphorus content but increased potassium content. In addition, the elevational gradient was the dominant driver for the community composition differentiation of soil bacterial community. Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla distributed in the rhizosphere and bulk soils. Co-occurrence network analysis identified key genera, including Bradyrhizobium, Acidicapsa, Catenulispora, and Singulisphaera, that displayed densely connected interactions with many genera in the rhizosphere soil. The dominant KEGG functional pathways of the rhizosphere bacteria included ABC transporters, butanoate metabolism, and methane metabolism. Further correlation analysis found that soil phosphorus and potassium were the dominant drivers for the diversity of soil bacteria, which were distinctively contributed to the phylum of Planctomycetes and the genera of Blastopirellula, Planctomycetes, and Singulisphaera. Collectively, this comprehensive study generated multi-dimensional perspectives for understanding the soil bacterial community structures of T. sutchuenensis, and provided valuable findings for species conservation at large-scale views.

Contrasting Responses of Multispatial Soil Fungal Communities of Thuja sutchuenensis Franch., an Extremely Endangered Conifer in Southwestern China.

Thuja sutchuenensis Franch. is an endangered species in southwest China, distributed sporadically in mountainous areas. Soil property and soil fungal community play a crucial role in plant growth and survival. Nevertheless, understanding soil properties and the soil fungal community in the areas where T. sutchuenensis is distributed is extremely limited. Hence, this study collected a total of 180 soil samples from five altitudinal distribution areas (altitudinal gradients) and three vertical depths throughout four horizontal distances from the base of each tree. The results found that altitudinal gradients and vertical depths altered soil properties, including pH, organic matter content, water content, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The fungal alpha diversity indexes (Chao1 and Shannon) and beta diversity were dramatically decreased with elevation. In addition, high altitudes (2,119 m) harbored the highest relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi (27.57%) and the lowest relative abundance of plant-pathogenic fungi (1.81%). Meanwhile, we identified a series of fungal communities, such as Tomentella, Piloderma, Cortinarius, Sebacina, and Boletaceae, that play an essential role in the survival of T. sutchuenensis. The correlation analysis and random forest model identified that water content and total phosphorus showed strong relationships with fungal characteristics and were the primary variables for Zygomycota and Rozellomycota. Collectively, the findings of this integrated analysis provide profound insights into understanding the contrasting responses of T. sutchuenensis soil fungal communities and provide a theoretical basis for T. sutchuenensis habitat restoration and species conservation from multispatial perspectives. IMPORTANCE The present study highlights the importance of fungal communities in an endangered plant, T. sutchuenensis. Comparative analysis of soil samples in nearly all extant T. sutchuenensis populations identified that soil properties, especially soil nutrients, might play critical roles in the survival of T. sutchuenensis. Our findings prove that a series of fungal communities (e.g., Tomentella, Piloderma, and Cortinarius) could be key indicators for T. sutchuenensis survival. In addition, this is the first time that large-scale soil property and fungal community investigations have been carried out in southwest China, offering important values for exploring the distribution pattern of regional soil microorganisms. Collectively, our findings display a holistic picture of soil microbiome and environmental factors associated with T. sutchuenensis.

Cardiac Involvement in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infected Patients: An Observational Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study.

Objectives: To investigate the subclinical imaging changes in terms of myocardial inflammation and fibrosis and to explore the risk factors associated with myocardial fibrosis by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) approach in a Chinese HIV/AIDS cohort. Methods: We evaluated myocardial function (cine), myocardial inflammation (T1, T2), and myocardial fibrosis (through extracellular volume fraction [ECV] and late gadolinium enhancement [LGE]) by a multiparametric CMR scan protocol in a total of 68 participants, including 47 HIV-infected individuals, who were divided into two groups: asymptomatic HIV (HIV+) (n = 30), and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (n = 17), and 21 healthy controls. Results: HIV-infected patients had lower left (55.3 ± 6.5 vs. 63.0 ± 7.9%, P < 0.001) and right ventricular systolic function (35.9 ± 15.7 vs. 50.8 ± 9.3%, P < 0.001). Radial systolic strain (30.7 ± 9.3 vs. 39.3 ± 9.4%, P = 0.001), circumferential systolic strain (-17.5 ± 2.6 vs. -19.4 ± 2.7%, P = 0.008), and longitudinal systolic strain (-9.4 ± 5.7 vs. -12.8 ± 3.1%, P = 0.012) were also decreased in HIV. Native T1 relaxation time (1,337.2 ± 70.2 vs. 1,249.5 ± 47.0 ms, P < 0.001), ECV value (33.5 ± 6.2 vs. 28.5 ± 2.9 ms, P = 0.026), and T2 relaxation time (45.2 ± 3.5 vs. 42.0 ± 2.6 ms, P = 0.001) were higher in HIV-infected patients compared with controls. Myocardial fibrosis, predominantly in the mid-inferior wall, was detected in 24.4% of the HIV-infected patients. HIV+ had a significantly lower value of ECV [29.1 (26.1, 31.8) vs. 35.2 (31.8, 41.9) %, P < 0.001] and frequency of LGE [3/25 (8%) vs. 7/16 (43.8%), P = 0.014)] compared with AIDS. AIDS was associated with myocardial fibrosis. Conclusions: HIV-infected patients were associated with changes in myocardial function and higher rates of subclinical myocardial inflammation and fibrosis, which were more abnormal with greater severity of the disease. AIDS was associated with myocardial fibrosis, where the observations supported earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy in the Chinese HIV/AIDS cohort.

Dialectical Versus Linear Thinking Shapes People's Anticipation of Climate Change.

Dialectical thinking refers to a constellation of beliefs that consist of expectation of change, tolerance of contradiction, and holism. The current research explored whether dialectical thinking would affect people's anticipation of climate change, which has been propagated globally. Study 1 compared the responses between Chinese participants, representing people from cultures that promote dialectical thinking, and North American participants, representing people from cultures that promote linear thinking. The results showed that Chinese participants demonstrated a stronger non-linear pattern regarding the anticipation of climate change as compared with American participants, in which Chinese participants were more likely to anticipate a stable trend but less likely to anticipate an increasing trend for global warming. Study 2 with a manipulation of dialectical and linear thinking was conducted and provided some generally supportive evidence for the causal relation between dialectical beliefs and the anticipation of climate change. Implications for cross-cultural environmental research and international climate change education programs were discussed.

The complete chloroplast genome of Scutellaria tsinyunensis (Lamiaceae), an endemic species from China.

Scutellaria tsinyunensis (Lamiaceae) is an endangered species endemic to Mt. Jinyun of Chongqing, China. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of S. tsinyunensis was sequenced and characterized. The cp genome is 152,066 bp in length with a typical quadripartite structure, containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,223 bp separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 84,096 bp and 17,524 bp, respectively. The whole cp genome contains 130 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the circular genome is 38.4%, whereas the corresponding values in LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 36.4, 32.6, and 43.6%, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis based on the complete cp genomes of the Lamiaceae family indicated that S. tsinyunensis was closely related to S. insignis.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Impatiens pritzelii (Balsaminaceae): an endemic species from China.

This study was the first report about complete chloroplast genome of Impatiens pritzelii (Balsaminaceae). The plastome of I. pritzelii was found to possess a total length 152,487 bp with the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperms, containing two inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,684 bp separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 83,290 and 17,829 bp, respectively. The plastid genome of I. pritzelii contains 113 genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 4 ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content of I. pritzelii plastid genome is 37.0% and the corresponding values in LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 34.9%, 29.8%, and 43.1%, respectively.

Sensitive Periods of Moving on Mental Health and Academic Performance Among University Students.

Moving within and across nations becomes a non-reversible increasing trend globally. The current research investigated the unique effect of residential mobility at different developmental stages (i.e., early childhood, late childhood, and adolescence) on university students' mental health and academic performance. In addition, we investigated the role of two different types of coping resources, i.e., resilience and family income, in moderating the negative effect of residential mobility. The data from 3753 first-year university students revealed that: (1) residential mobility in late childhood and adolescence (but not in early childhood) predicted poorer mental health among university students; (2) high resilience and higher family income alleviated the association of residential mobility in adolescence and mental health status; and (3) residential mobility in adolescence (but not in early childhood and late childhood) was associated with poorer academic performance but this pattern was not moderated by resilience or family income. The theoretical implications and practical implications of these findings were discussed.