Facilitating Seed Iron Uptake through Amine-Epoxide Microgels: A Novel Approach to Enhance Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Germination.

Enhancing the initial stages of plant growth by using polymeric gels for seed priming presents a significant challenge. This study aimed to investigate a microgel derived from polyetheramine-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) and a bisepoxide (referred to as micro-PPO) as a promising alternative to optimize the seed germination process. The micro-PPO integrated with an iron micronutrient showed a positive impact on seed germination compared with control (Fe solutions) in which the root length yield improved up to 39%. Therefore, the element map by synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence shows that the Fe intensities in the seed primers with the micro-PPO-Fe gel are about 3-fold higher than those in the control group, leading to a gradual distribution of Fe species through most internal embryo tissues. The use of micro-PPO for seed priming underscores their potential for industrial applications due to the nontoxicity results in zebrafish assays and environmentally friendly synthesis of the water-dispersible monomers employed.

Effect of nano cerium oxide on soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) crop exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations.

This study evaluated the uptake and translocation of cerium nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) and soluble Ce(NO3)3 by soybean plants (Glycine max L. Merrill) under the whole plant life-cycle and relevant environmental concentrations, 0.062 and 0.933 mg kg-1, which represent maximal values for 2017 in agricultural soils and sludge treated soils, respectively. The experiments were carried out using a nutrient solution. Cerium was detected in the soybean roots epidermis and cortex, leaves, and grains, but it neither impaired plant development nor grain yield. The concentration of Ce in the shoot increased as a function of time for plants treated with Ce(NO3)3, while it remained constant for plants treated with CeO2 NPs. It means that CeO2 NPs were absorbed in the same rate as biomass production, which suggests that they are taken up and transported by water mass flow. Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry revealed clusters of CeO2 NPs in leaves of plants treated with 25 nm CeO2 NPs (ca. 30-45 nm). The reprecipitation of soluble cerium from Ce(NO3)3 within the plant was not confirmed. Finally, bioconcentration factors above one were found for the lowest concentrated treatments. Since soybean is a widespread source of protein for animals, we draw attention to the importance of evaluating the effects of Ce entrance in the food chain and its possible biomagnification.

Zinc uptake from ZnSO4 (aq) and Zn-EDTA (aq) and its root-to-shoot transport in soybean plants (Glycine max) probed by time-resolved in vivo X-ray spectroscopy.

This study investigated the dynamic of zinc (Zn) uptake and the root-to-shoot Zn-transport when supplied as ZnSO4 (aq) or Zn-EDTA (aq) in soybean seedlings using in vivo X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES). The time-resolved X-ray fluorescence showed that plants absorbed ca. 10-fold more Zn from ZnSO4 (aq) than from Zn-EDTA (aq). However, the uptake velocity did not influence the amount of Zn in the stem. It let furthermore appear that the plants were able to reduce the absorption of Zn from Zn-EDTA (aq) earlier than ZnSO4 (aq). Thus, the entrance of Zn2+ into the roots is not necessarily accompanied by SO42-(aq). Regardless the source, the Zn distribution and its transport in the stem were spatially correlated to the bundles and cortex nearby the epidermal cells. Its chemical speciation showed that Zn is neither transported as ZnSO4(aq) nor as Zn-EDTA(aq), indicating that these compounds are retained in the roots or biotransformed on in the root-solution interface. Zn2+ was long-distance transported complexed by organic molecules such as histidine, malate, and citrate, and the proportion of ligands was affected by the concentration of Zn2+ in the stem rather than by the type of Zn source.

The latent structure of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the latent structure of a web-based, Brazilian Portuguese version of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF). Method: The sample consisted of 15,557 adult participants - 4,702 men and 10,855 women - with age ranging from 18 to 60 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the a priori conceptual 15-factor model presumed to underlie the YSQ-SF item set. Results: Most items displayed high levels of reliability (factor loadings greater than 0.7) and low liability to random measurement error (residual variances below 0.02), indicating that the a priori YSQ-SF factor structure is adequate. Discussion: These findings offer empirical evidence supporting YSQ-SF construct validity and, consequently, its application in adults.

X-ray Spectroscopy Fostering the Understanding of Foliar Uptake and Transport of Mn by Soybean (Glycine max L. Merril): Kinetics, Chemical Speciation, and Effects of Glyphosate.

Increasing the yield of soybean is a challenge to humankind dependent on several management practices, such as fertilizing and weed control. While glyphosate contributes to controlling weeds, it can interfere with spray mixture stability and, supposedly, complex with micronutrients within the plant tissue. This study investigated the effects of glyphosate on soybean foliar uptake and transport of Mn supplied as MnSO4, MnHPO3, Mn-ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), and MnCO3. These fertilizers induced ultrastructural changes in the leaf cuticle, regardless of the glyphosate mixture. Except for MnCO3, all tested sources increased the Mn content in the petiole. The mixture of glyphosate impaired Mn transport from MnSO4 and MnHPO3, but no evidence of Mn-glyphosate complexation within the plant was found. Manganese is rather transported in a similar chemical environment regardless of the source, except for Mn-EDTA, which was absorbed and transported in its pristine form. Interferences of glyphosate seem to be related to complexations in the tank mixture rather than affecting nutrients' metabolism.

A new glance on root-to-shoot in vivo zinc transport and time-dependent physiological effects of ZnSO4 and ZnO nanoparticles on plants.

Understanding nanoparticle root uptake and root-to-shoot transport might contribute to the use of nanotechnology in plant nutrition. This study performed time resolved experiments to probe Zn uptake, biotransformation and physiological effects on Phaseolus vulgaris (L.). Plants roots were exposed to ZnO nanoparticles (40 and 300 nm) dispersions and ZnSO4(aq) (100 and 1000 mg Zn L-1) for 48 h. Near edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that 40 nm ZnO was more easily dissolved by roots than 300 nm ZnO. It also showed that in the leaves Zn was found as a mixture Zn3(PO4)2 and Zn-histidine complex. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy showed that root-to-shoot Zn-translocation presented a decreasing gradient of concentration and velocity, it seems radial Zn movement occurs simultaneously to the axial xylem transport. Below 100 mg Zn L-1, the lower stem tissue section served as a buffer preventing Zn from reaching the leaves. Conversely, it was not observed for 1000 mg Zn L-1 ZnSO4(aq). Transcriptional analysis of genes encoding metal carriers indicated higher expression levels of tonoplast-localized transporters, suggesting that the mechanism trend to accumulate Zn in the lower tissues may be associated with an enhanced of Zn compartmentalization in vacuoles. The photosynthetic rate, transpiration, and water conductance were impaired by treatments.

The latent structure of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to examine the latent structure of a web-based, Brazilian Portuguese version of the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF). METHOD: The sample consisted of 15,557 adult participants - 4,702 men and 10,855 women - with age ranging from 18 to 60 years. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the a priori conceptual 15-factor model presumed to underlie the YSQ-SF item set. RESULTS: Most items displayed high levels of reliability (factor loadings greater than 0.7) and low liability to random measurement error (residual variances below 0.02), indicating that the a priori YSQ-SF factor structure is adequate. DISCUSSION: These findings offer empirical evidence supporting YSQ-SF construct validity and, consequently, its application in adults.

Bean Seedling Growth Enhancement Using Magnetite Nanoparticles.

Advanced fertilizers are one of the top requirements to address rising global food demand. This study investigates the effect of bare and polyethylene glycol-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the germination and seedling development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Although the germination rate was not affected by the treatments (1 to 1 000 mg Fe L-1), seed soaking in Fe3O4-PEG at 1 000 mg Fe L-1 increased radicle elongation (8.1 ± 1.1 cm vs 5.9 ± 1.0 cm for the control). Conversely, Fe2+/Fe3+(aq) and bare Fe3O4 at 1 000 mg Fe L-1 prevented the growth. X-ray spectroscopy and tomography showed that Fe penetrated in the seed. Enzymatic assays showed that Fe3O4-PEG was the least harmful treatment to α-amylase. The growth promoted by the Fe3O4-PEG might be related to water uptake enhancement induced by the PEG coating. These results show the potential of using coated iron nanoparticles to enhance the growth of common food crops.

Distinct sensitivity to caffeine-induced insomnia related to age.

Caffeine acts by antagonizing the effect of the endogenous homeostatic sleep factor adenosine. In the current study we aimed to evaluate the pattern of caffeine-induced insomnia and its relation to age and sex in a general population sample derived from a web survey. The sample included 75,534 participants (28.1% men) from 18 to 75 years who answered self-report questionnaires by accessing a website in Brazilian Portuguese (BRAINSTEP project). In our sample, 3620 (17.0%) men and 9920 (18.3%) women reported insomnia due to caffeine intake. Caffeine-induced insomnia increased with aging in both men and women. This difference remained after adjusting for sociodemographic, psychiatric and sleep related variables as well as caffeine intake. Women showed higher proportion of caffeine-induced insomnia than men, but this difference did not remain after controlling for covariates. Also, individuals with caffeine-induced insomnia reported poorer sleep quality, higher latency to fall asleep and a higher proportion of psychiatric diagnoses and daily use of hypnotic drugs. In conclusion, our results show an age-associated increase in caffeine-induced insomnia and poorer mental health indicators among people with caffeine-induced insomnia complaints.

X-ray Spectroscopy Uncovering the Effects of Cu Based Nanoparticle Concentration and Structure on Phaseolus vulgaris Germination and Seedling Development.

Nanoparticles properties such as solubility, tunable surface charges, and singular reactivity might be explored to improve the performance of fertilizers. Nevertheless, these unique properties may also bring risks to the environment since the fate of nanoparticles is poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of a range of CuO nanoparticles sizes and concentrations on the germination and seedling development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Nanoparticles did not affect seed germination, but seedling weight gain was promoted by 100 mg Cu L-1 and inhibited by 1 000 mg Cu L-1 of 25 nm CuO and CuSO4. Most of the Cu taken up remained in the seed coat with Cu hotspots in the hilum. X-ray absorption spectroscopy unraveled that most of the Cu remained in its pristine form. The higher surface reactivity of the 25 nm CuO nanoparticles might be responsible for its deleterious effects. The present study therefore highlights the importance of the nanoparticle structure for its physiological impacts.

Validation of the "rule of three", the "red sign" and temperament as behavioral markers of bipolar spectrum disorders in a large sample.

BACKGROUND: Akiskal proposed the "rule of three" for behavioral indicators with high specificity for bipolarity in patients with major depression episodes. We evaluated these distinctive behaviors in controls and subjects with major depression or bipolar disorder. METHODS: data was collected in the BRAINSTEP project with questions on general behaviors, style and talents. Univariate analysis was first conducted in 36,742 subjects and confirmatory multivariate analysis in further 34,505 subjects (22% with a mood disorder). Odds ratios were calculated adjusting for age. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that 29 behavioral markers differentiated bipolar subjects from those with unipolar depression. The most robust differences in those with bipolarity (ORs >4) were ≥3 religion changes, ≥3 marriages, cheating the partner regularly, having ≥60 lifetime sexual partners, pathological love, heavy cursing, speaking ≥3 foreign languages, having ≥2 apparent tattoos, circadian dysregulation and high debts. Most behaviors were expressed in a minority of patients (usually around 5-30%) and usually the "rule of three" was the best numerical marker to distinguish those with bipolarity. However, multivariate analysis confirmed 11 of these markers for differentiating bipolar disorder from unipolar depression (reversed circadian rhythm and high debts for both genders, ≥3 provoked car accidents and talent for poetry in men, and frequent book reading, ≥3 religion changes, ≥60 sexual partners, pathological love ≥2 times, heavy cursing and extravagant dressing style in women). LIMITATIONS: Self-report data collection only. CONCLUSIONS: These behavioral markers should alert the clinician to perform a thorough investigation of bipolarity in patients presenting with a depressive episode.

Temperament and character traits associated with the use of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and hallucinogens: evidence from a large Brazilian web survey.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how personality traits are associated with occasional use, abuse, and dependence of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and hallucinogens in a large availability sample of adults via online questionnaires. METHODS: The sample consisted of 8,646 individuals (24.7% men and 75.3% women) who completed an anonymous web survey. Involvement with drugs and temperament/character traits were assessed through the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Temperament and Character Inventory - Revised (TCI-R), respectively. Interactions among variables were analyzed using MANOVA with Bonferroni adjustment. RESULTS: Novelty seeking was the trait most associated with increased involvement with alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. There was a significant association between harm avoidance and benzodiazepine use. Persistence was lower in cannabis-, benzodiazepine-, and cocaine-dependent subjects, as well as in hallucinogen abusers. Self-directedness was reduced in dependents of all drug classes. No strong relationships were found between other temperament or character dimensions and the severity of drug use. CONCLUSIONS: Novelty seeking was associated with increased involvement with all drugs studied in this sample, although to a lesser extent with benzodiazepines and hallucinogens. The temperament and character profile for benzodiazepine use was different from that of other drugs due to the relationship with higher harm avoidance and self-transcendence and lower self-directedness.

The relationship between temperament and sexual orientation.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between temperament and sexual orientation has been poorly characterized. We have used the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament (AFECT) model to evaluate this association in a large population sample. METHODS: Data from 16,571 subjects between 21 and 45 years old (mean age=29.1±6.3 yrs, 69.4% females) was collected anonymously through Internet in Brazil. RESULTS: Regarding affective temperaments, male cyclothymics and dysphorics had the lowest percentage of people with heterosexual orientation and the highest percentages of people with bisexual and homosexual orientations. The opposite profile was observed in hyperthymic and euthymic types. Among females, the volatile, cyclothymic, apathetic, disinhibited and euphoric types were less often observed in people with "pure" heterosexual orientation and more often in people with bisexual orientation. In men only, homosexuality was more common among the depressive, cyclothymic and dyphorics temperaments. Emotional trait analysis showed that heterosexual subjects differed statistically from all other groups by having higher scores of coping and stability and lower scores of sensitivity and desire. Overall, the effect sizes were small to moderate, with the largest differences between "pure" heterosexuals and people with bisexual orientation, particularly in women. Subjects with heterosexual orientation who have had homosexual experience and those with homosexual orientation presented intermediate scores. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design, lack of potentially important covariates (e.g., maltreatment) and data collected by Internet only. CONCLUSION: Externalized and unstable traits were associated mainly with bisexuality. The group of heterosexuals with homosexual fantasies or experiences offers a new approach for the study of sexual orientation.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and weaker: how childhood trauma relates to temperament traits.

Childhood trauma arises from damaging experiences and the absence of a secure and reliable environment for child development. Despite many studies on the risk for developing psychiatric disorders, much less is known on the relationship between traumatic experiences and personality traits. A total of 10,800 participants (mean age 27.7 ± 7.8 years old, 69.8% women) anonymously answered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS) in the Brazilian Internet Study on Temperament and Psychopathology (BRAINSTEP). The results showed that total trauma score was associated with lower levels of positive traits (volition, control, coping, and stability), higher scores of negative traits (sensitivity, anger, anxiety) and a higher frequency of depressive and cyclothymic temperaments. Linear regression analysis showed similar findings for emotional abuse and neglect, whereas physical abuse and neglect were positively associated with more volition and coping as well as less fear, sensitivity and anxiety traits, especially in men. This study has a cross-sectional design and the sole use of self-reporting as the main limitations. In conclusion, dysfunctional temperament profiles were associated mainly with emotional trauma and sexual abuse. Some adaptive traits were associated with physical abuse and neglect, especially in men. These results reinforce the negative impact of emotional trauma and people's resilience to physical trauma, which may even translate into adaptive trait expression in males particularly. We propose that the "context-dependent nature" of stress should be further studied to break down the influence of specific types and contexts of adversity on psychological and psychiatric outcomes.

Childhood trauma is associated with maladaptive personality traits.

The association between childhood trauma and personality traits has been poorly characterized and reported. Our aim was to evaluate whether distinct types of childhood abuse and neglect are associated with various personality dimensions using data from a large web-based survey. A total of 12,225 volunteers responded anonymously to the Internet versions of the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) via our research website, but only 8,114 subjects (75.7% women, mean age 34.8±11.3yrs) who met the criteria for validity were included in the analysis. Childhood trauma was positively associated with harm avoidance and was negatively associated with self-directedness and, to a lesser extent, with cooperativeness. The associations were robust with emotional abuse and neglect but were non-significant or mild with physical trauma. Emotional neglect was associated with reduced reward dependence and persistence. All types of abuse, but not neglect, were associated with increased novelty seeking scores. Reporting of childhood trauma, especially of an emotional nature, was associated with maladaptive personality traits. Further investigation of the effects of different types of childhood trauma on psychological and neurobiological parameters is warranted.

Ureasil-poly(ethylene oxide) hybrid matrix for selective adsorption and separation of dyes from water.

Herein, we present a cross-linked ureasil-polyether-siloxane hybrid (labeled PEO500) that can function as a stimuli-sensitive material; it swells or shrinks in response to changes in the environmental conditions and it can also, effectively and selectively, remove dyes from water solution. We also developed a methodology to separate a mixture of cationic and anionic dyes present in water. Addition of PEO500 to an aqueous solution of the anionic orange II (OII) or the ponceau S (PS) dye rendered the solution colorless, but an aqueous solution of cationic methylene blue (MB) remained unchanged after 2 h of contact with the insoluble matrix. In situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) showed that the distance of siloxane nanodomains are strongly affected by the swelling or shriking. By in situ UV-vis adsorption experiments, we found that the kinetics of OII and PS removal followed a pseudo-first-order rate equation. We accomplished B3LYP calculations, to establish which sites on the matrix interacted with the dyes and to investigate the nature of the matrix-dye chemical bonds. On the basis of the experimental and theoretical investigations, we proposed some mechanisms to explain how PEO500 adsorbs anionic dyes efficiently. This "smart" matrix is potentially applicable as an efficient, fast, selective, and convenient device in water treatment and stimuli-sensitive response materials.

The structure of common mental disorders in incarcerated offenders.

BACKGROUND: Dimensional models of mental disorders in community-based epidemiological samples have consistently demonstrated correlated externalizing and internalizing factors underlying common mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. However, such analyses tend to exclude populations such as prisoners and psychiatric inpatients. As these samples have been shown to have a much higher prevalence of mental disorders and comorbidity than community samples, whether the internalizing-externalizing structure of psychopathology will replicate in such samples is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The current study examined the consistency of this structure in a representative sample of 1837 prisoners through structural equation modeling of 10 common mental disorders along with a record-based index of antisocial behavior. METHOD: Diagnoses were determined by administration of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1. Data were analyzed via tetrachoric correlations using the weighted least squares estimator in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. RESULTS: Results revealed that a two-factor solution, entailing correlated internalizing and externalizing factors, displayed the best fit to the data. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides additional support for characterizing common psychopathology in terms of internalizing and externalizing factors.

Development and validity data of the Brazilian Internet Study on Temperament and Psychopathology (BRAINSTEP).

BACKGROUND: The internet provides a research opportunity for psychiatry and psychology. This article presents the development and preliminary data of a large web-survey created to study how temperament relates to other psychological measures, behavior and psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We used the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS) to evaluate temperament and we selected several self-report instruments to evaluate behavior, psychological constructs and mental disorders. The system provides anonymous psychological (phase 1) and psychiatric (phase 2) feedback and includes questions to assess the validity of the answers. Each phase has around 450 questions. This system was broadcast utilizing Brazilian media. RESULTS: After the exclusion of 21.5% of the volunteers (those who failed the validation questions), 41,427 participants concluded the first part of the system (mean age=31.2±10.5 yrs, 26.9% males), and 21,836 (mean age=32.5±10.9 yrs, 25.1% males) completed phase 2. Around 25% have received a psychiatric diagnosis from a mental health professional. Demographic and temperament profiles of those who completed either only 80 questions, only phase 1, or the whole system were similar. The rate of non-serious answers (e.g. on bizarre behaviors) was very low and congruency of answers was very high. The internal consistency of classical trait scales (TCI-R and PANAS) was high (Cronbach's alpha>0.80) for all dimensions. LIMITATIONS: Relatively high dropout rate due to the length of the process and an overrepresentation of female, young and well-educated subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The BRAINSTEP provides valid and abundant data on psychological and psychiatric measures.

The Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament (AFECT) model and scale: a system-based integrative approach.

UNLABELLED: Based on many temperament frameworks, here we propose an integration of emotional and affective temperaments (the AFECT model), forming a common substrate for mood, behavior, personality and part of cognition. Temperament is conceived as a self-regulated system with six emotional dimensions: volition, anger, inhibition, sensitivity, coping and control. The different combinations of these emotional dimensions result in 12 affective temperament types, namely depressive, anxious, apathetic, obsessive, cyclothymic, dysphoric, irritable, volatile, disinhibited, hyperthymic and euphoric. We also developed and validated a self-report scale to evaluate this construct, the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS). METHODS: Exploratory and confirmatory psychometric analyses were performed with the internet version of the AFECTS in 2947 subjects (72% females, 35±11years old). RESULTS: The factors interpreted as volition, anger, inhibition, sensitivity, coping and control showed very good Cronbach's alphas for 5 dimensions (0.87-0.90) and acceptable alpha for inhibition (0.75). Confirmatory factor analysis corroborated this 6-factor structure when considering inhibition as a second-order factor with fear and caution as first-order factors (SRMR=0.061; RMSEA=0.053). In the Affective section, all 12 categorical affective temperaments were selected in the categorical choice, with 99% of volunteers identifying at least one adequate description of their affective temperament. LIMITATIONS: Only the internet version was used in a general population sample. CONCLUSION: The AFECT model provides an integrated framework of temperament as a self-regulated system, with implications for mental health, psychiatric disorders and their treatment. The AFECTS showed good psychometric properties to further study this model.

The interaction between atoms of Au and Cu with clean Si(111) surface: a study combining synchrotron radiation grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence analysis and theoretical calculations.

In order to evaluate the interactions between Au/Cu atoms and clean Si(111) surface, we used synchrotron radiation grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence analysis and theoretical calculations. Optimized geometries and energies on different adsorption sites indicate that the binding energies at different adsorption sites are high, suggesting a strong interaction between metal atom and silicon surface. The Au atom showed higher interaction than Cu atom. The theoretical and experimental data showed good agreement.