Diversity Of Factors Research Articles

Nutritional characteristics and health effects of regional cuisines in China

Background and objectivesCuisine is the characteristic manifestation of the regional culture of Chinese food, which was formed and developed along with the distribution of physical geography and environment, the development of productivity and economy, cultural environment, ethnic food diversity, religion, and psychological and physiological factors. With the rapid development of the economy, food industry, and catering industry, various local cuisines learn from each other and develop greatly. The health consciousness of Chinese residents has gradually increased, and the requirements for nutrition and health of cuisine have also become higher and higher. The nutritional characteristics of regional cuisines and their effects on human health are increasingly being studied by scientists. The development of cuisine is facing new opportunities and challenges. It is necessary to understand the nutrition and health characteristics of cuisine and to take measures to reform and innovate the development of cuisines. The primary purposes of this paper are to introduce the formation and development of cuisines, to analyze the nutritional characteristics and health effects of four most influential regional cuisines—Sichuan Cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine, Shandong cuisine, and Cantonese, and to propose suggestions on future reform and innovation of cuisines.MethodsAn online search with the following keywords of Chinese language and English language (cuisine OR dietary OR food) and (Chinese OR China) and (health OR diseases OR nutrition) was performed between January 1980 and September 2019. Multiple databases were used including CNKI, WanFang, PubMed, Health and Medical Collection, LWW, and OVID. The focus was on Chinese studies about cuisine, nutritional characteristics, and health but drawing on literature all over the world. Then, nutritional characteristics and health effects of regional cuisines in China in these related literatures were analyzed and summarized in this paper.Results and conclusionsDifferent cuisines have their specific nutritional advantages and disadvantages. The health statuses of the residents are closely associated with the dietary structure and food composition in regional cuisines. Regional cuisines need to be reformed and innovated ceaselessly to promote national health. It is necessary to adopt a scientific cooking method, increase food consistency and variety, and develop healthy dishes. The awareness of the nutrition and health among chefs and residents should be enhanced. The safety and hygiene of the restaurants should be strengthened in order to adapt to the transformation of the dining mode and to further standardize the evaluation criterion of dish.

Detection of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas isolates and distribution of denitrifying functional genes

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to characterize 59 Pseudomonas strains isolated from soil samples in terms of Inducible Beta-Lactamase (IBL), fluorescence production, antibiotic resistance, presence of plasmids and genetic diversity, as well as denitrification functional genes. Fourteen out of fifty-nine (23.7%) Pseudomonas isolates were identified as multidrug-resistant. To evaluate the contribution of denitrification functional genes to genetic diversity, PCR products were screened by RFLP. It was determined that the 18, 6 and 22 out of 59 isolate harbored nirS, nirK and nosZ genes, respectively. It was found that the 37 isolates were nosZ-negative. Thus, these results suggest that nosZ gene-missing pseudomonad denitrifiers are partly contribute to N2O emission. Moreover, nirS, nirK and nosZ genes were found to be positive with IBL and negatively correlated with fluorescence production. These results suggest that Pseudomonas species have important roles in soil and even in biosphere due to their diversity and genetic factors.

Sustainable under nutrition reduction program and dietary diversity among children\u2019s aged 6\u201323\u2009months, Northwest Ethiopia: Comparative cross-sectional study

IntroductionAdequate dietary diversity is vital for the survival, growth and development of infants and children. Inadequate dietary diversity is the major cause of micronutrient deficiency in Sub-saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, where only less than one-fourth of the children aged 6–23 months obtain adequate diversified diet. Thus country implemented a strategy known as the Sustainable Undernutrtion Reduction (SUR) programs to alleviate the problem. However, empirical evidences are scarce on the impact of the program on children aged 6–23 months. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the level of dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months in districts covered and not covered by SURE program in West Gojjam zone.MethodsA community based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts of West Gojjam zone, Ethiopia, from February 29 to April 20, 2019. A total of 832 mother and child pairs were selected by the simple random sampling technique. A pretested and structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with dietary diversity. Crude odds and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to assess the strength of associations and significance of the identified factors for dietary diversity score.ResultThe overall proportion of adequate dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months was 29.9% (95% CI: 27.0–33.0), whereas in SURE covered and uncovered districts it was 33.4% (95%CI: 29.0–38.and 26.4%(95% CI: 22.0, 31.0), respectively. ANC (Antenatal care) (AOR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.16, 2.55) and postnatal care services (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.38, 3.28), participating in food preparation programs (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.19, 2.96), GMP (AOR = 2.74,95%CI:1.80, 4.18), vitamin A supplementation (AOR = 2.10,95%CI:1.22, 3.61) and household visits by health extension workers (AOR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.25, 3.21) were significantly associated with dietary diversity.ConclusionThe proportion of adequate dietary diversity was higher among children in the program than those out of the program. ANC visits, PNC follow-ups, women’s participating in food preparation programs and household visits by health extension workers were significantly associated with dietary diversity. Therefore, and strengthening and scaling up the program to non covered districts and providing health and nutrition counseling on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) during ANC and PNC services are recommended for achieving the recommended dietary diversity.

Demographic Factors Associated with Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Pain Management

Background: Pain control is strongly correlated with the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) quality-of-care domains and overall hospital experience. Prior research implicates several factors in the variability of patients’ pain management satisfaction scores, including but not limited to racial diversity, ethnic diversity, gender, socioeconomic status, and other cultural factors. Objective: In this study, we examined responses to the HCAHPS survey in order to assess factors associated with patient-reported experiences of pain management. Study Design: The study design involved a retrospective analysis of patient survey responses. Setting: The research took place at a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. Methods: The study was conducted in a university-affiliated tertiary hospital. Records for adult patients discharged between October 2015 and June 2017 were included. We obtained all patient responses to the HCAHPS pain management questions. We then performed a systematic statistical analysis to evaluate interactions between demographic factor variables and responses to the HCAHPS pain management questions. Results: Between October 2015 and June 2017, 107,287 patients were discharged from the hospital. Of these, 13,026 of the respondents answered at least one of the HCAHPS pain management questions. Among HCAHPS pain-domain respondents, “Hispanic” and “Black or African American” respondents are more likely to report successful Pain Control when compared to “Not Hispanic” and “Caucasian/White,” respectively (odds ratios [ORs] 1.60, 1.22). Additionally, among women, “Black or African American” respondents are more likely to report positive Staff Helpfulness than “Caucasian/White” respondents (OR 1.38). However, we also identified corresponding associations among HCAHPS pain-question responding and patient race/ethnicity: “Hispanic” and “Black/African American” patients were each less likely to respond to the HCAHPS pain questions (ORs 2.03, 2.74). Limitations: The primary limitation to this study was nonresponse bias; nevertheless, this is likely to be similar to bias experienced at other institutions. Additionally, this is a single institution study; however, given that the institution has a very large catchment area, we believe the results could be generalized to other settings. Conclusion: Response rates and responses to HCAHPS pain questions vary by race/ethnicity and sex. It appears likely that Hispanic and Black/African American patients underreport negative experiences. As HCAHPS surveys are used to inform decision-making within the US health care system, demographic biases in the survey data could lead to biases in care and resource allocation. Key words: Pain, HCAHPS, patient reported outcome measures, patient satisfaction, ethnicity, race

Composition of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community and changes in diversity of the rhizosphere of Clematis fruticosa over three seasons across different elevations

AbstractClematis fruticosa Turcz. is a dominant native shrub with the potential for spontaneous vegetation succession for restoration of the ecologically fragile and arid Daqing Mountains of Inner Mongolia, which represent an important ecological transition zone in northern China. However, knowledge regarding the interactions between native species and their root‐associated arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi across different seasons and elevation gradients remains obscure. High AM fungal spore density, root colonization and arbuscular richness suggested that C. fruticosa could establish intimate symbiotic associations with AM fungi. A total of 174 AM fungal virtual taxa were identified from rhizosphere soil samples, and Glomus was dominant. The most distinct AM fungal community composition and the greatest richness and diversity were observed in the spring and at the highest elevation. Seasons • elevation interactions significantly affected Simpson diversity but not AM fungal community composition, observed richness and Shannon index. Seasons had a significant direct on AM fungal observed richness and Shannon index, and elevation had a significant direct on AM fungal observed richness. Soil available phosphorus was the most important driving factor in AM fungal richness and diversity, followed by seasons and soil moisture content. These results provied new insights suggesting that there are active and diverse “functional ingredients”, for example root‐associated AM fungi during the growing season, particularly with an earlier onset in the spring. They are potentially major contributors to the re‐vegetation of degraded lands and the maintenance of soil structure in arid and semiarid ecosystems, which is attributable to seasonal variation in host physiology in stressful environments.Highlights We studied the effects of seasons and elevation on AM fungal richness, diversity and community in ecologically fragile mountain areas. Distinct community composition and greater richness and diversity of AM fungi were detected in the spring and at the highest elevation. AM fungal richness and diversity depended on certain soil variation related to seasons and elevation.

Corporate Social Responsibility as Legitimacy in the Oil and Gas Industry in Sub-Saharan Africa

The oil and gas industry is viewed as controversial because of its adverse impacts on the environment. This study draws on legitimacy theory to analyze how CSR factors (including GRI compliance, EITI membership, and internal and external factors of gender diversity on the board and management team, and spending on social projects in the host sub-Saharan countries,) correlate with an increase or decrease in stock prices from 2006 – 2019.

Households Dietary Diversity and Associated Factors in Konso, South Ethiopia

Background: Diversifed diet promotes meeting the minimum requirement of essential nutrients. Households with nondiversifed diet often face poor health status which results from nutrient defciency. This is common problem in rural communities of southern Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of household dietary diversity in Konso district South Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February, 2018. Out of 40 Kebles in the district, 9 were randomly selected. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire which was adapted from the World Food and Agricultural Organization. Data were entered in using Epi info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Frequencies were calculated. Odds ratio with the corresponding 95% confdence interval was calculated to identify risk factors of in adequate dietary diversity. Result: A total of 423 households participated in the study. More than9% of the households had high dietary diversity, while 48.5% had medium and 41.9% had low dietary diversity. High proportion of the study households consumed vegetables (87.5%) and cereals (78.7%) while very low proportion of them consumed milk products; 16 (2.8%) and sea foods; 11 (1.9%). Rural residency [AOR 2.0, CI (1.2, 3.5)], female headed households[AOR 5.4, CI (1.5, 19.4)], lower educational level, lack of information on dietary diversity[AOR 1.8, CI (1.1, 2.9)] and low household wealth index [AOR 1.6, CI(10, 2.6)] increased the risk of inadequate household dietary diversity. Conclusion: In this study, we found high prevalence of inadequate dietary diversity. The diets were mainly based on starchy staple (cereals and vegetable) with little animal products. A number of factors increased the risk of inadequate household dietary diversity.

Color quantification and evaluation of landscape aesthetic quality for autumn landscape forest based on visual characteristics in subalpine region of western Sichuan, China

Evaluation of landscape aesthetic quality is a key step in the management system of forest resource. Color is an important component of autumn landscape forest, and quantitative analysis of color and scientific evaluation of landscape aesthetic quality are important for the management of autumn landscape forest. We assessed the aesthetic quality of autumn landscape forest using scenic beauty estimation and analyzed the effects of color characteristics on ornamental value of autumn landscape forest based on color composition and color spatial pattern according to human's visual characteristics. The results showed that the overall landscape quality of subalpine region of western Sichuan could be divided into five grades according to beauty value (I to V). About 71.5% of autumn landscape forests could be classified into grade I, II, and III, indicating that autumn landscape forests of subalpine region in western Sichuan had higher ornamental value. According to the scenic beauty estimation value, the landscape aesthetic quality of broadleaved mixed forests was higher than that of coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests and pure forests. In terms of the comprehensive index evaluation system of color elements, the index weight coefficient order was landscape patch heterogeneity factors>autumn main color factors>color saturation and brightness factors>color diversity and evenness factors. With cluster analysis, autumn landscape forests of western Sichuan could be divided into three types. The forests with higher ornamental value showed following characteristics: larger degree of patch fragmentation and heterogeneity, higher percentage of orange and yellow and lower percentage of green in autumn, higher percentage of color saturation and brightness, and higher color diversity and uniformity index. The communities with higher richness, species diversity and evenness index would have higher beauty values. We concluded that species diversity and fragmentation of colors should be considered in the construction of autumn landscape forests, and that aesthetic quality of autumn landscape forest could be improved by planting and cultivating tree species with various and bright autumn leaf colors.

Path analysis of zooplankton diversity and environmental factors in the water sources rivers, Zhejiang Province

Path analysis of zooplankton diversity and environmental factors in the water sources rivers, Zhejiang Province

Epidemiological studies of Eimeria species of cattle in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria.

Coccidiosis is the most economically impactful enteric protozoan disease of animals including cattle. A year (March 2018 to February 2019) study was conducted on cattle in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria with the objective of determining the prevalence, intensity of infection, diversity of Eimeria species, co-infection patterns and risk factors associated with the enteric protozoan infection in cattle. To address this, faecal samples from 478 cattle of different age groups, breeds and sex were subjected to the floatation technique, the McMaster counting technique and sporulation procedure. One hundred and eighty-six (38.91%) of the sampled cattle were positive, and 8 different species were identified (Eimeria bovis, E. zuernii, E. auburnensis, E. cylindrica, E. subspherica, E. canadensis, E. bukidnonensis and E. alabamensis) with E. bovis (25.94%) and E. zuernii (23.43%) been the most prevalent. Eimeria oocysts were detected all through the year. The intensity of Eimeria species among infected cattle ranged between 200-12900 oocyst per gram of faeces. Following univariate analysis, breed, age, sex, physiological status, faecal consistency and PCV were significantly (p<0.05) associated with Eimeria infection. Multivariate analysis revealed that breed, age and physiological status were the significant risk factors associated with eimeriosis. The present study constitutes the first attempt to analyse the prevalence, intensity, diversity and epidemiological risk factors involved in bovine eimeriosis in North-Central Nigeria. It is envisaged that the data obtained will facilitate better control and prevention measures for Eimeria infection among cattle in the region.

Polifenoller, Mikrobiyota ve Diyabet

Mikrobiyota; konak üzerinde/içinde yaşayan mikroorganizma topluluğu olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Son yıllarda bağırsak mikrobiyotasının fizyolojik etkileri en çeşitli ve fazla bakteri kolonizasyonuna sahip bölge olması nedeni ile oldukça ilgi görmektedir. Bağırsak mikrobiyotasındaki çeşitlilik ve denge; diyabet ve obezite gibi tüm dünyada epidemi boyutuna ulaşmış hastalıkların patogenizinde yer almaktadır. Doğum şekli, antibiyotik kullanımı, yaşam tarzı ve beslenme alışkanlıkları; mikrobiyota kompozisyonunu etkileyen faktörler arasındadır. Beslenme alışkanlıkları mikrobiyota kompozisyonunu etkileyen en önemli değiştirilebilir risk faktörü beslenme alışkanlıklarıdır. Yüksek posalı, düşük yağlı, Akdeniz tarzı beslenme ve pre- veprobiyotiklerin kullanımı intestinal mikrobiyota sağlığı, çeşitliliği ve dengesi üzerinde olumlu etkiye sahiptir. Kronik hastalıkların prevalansı ve disbiyoz gelişimi ile ters ilişki gösteren Akdeniz diyeti, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diyeti gibi sağlıklı beslenme modelleri; polifenol içeriği yüksek sebze ve meyve tüketiminin fazla olduğu beslenme modelleridir. Polifenoller vücutta birçok biyolojik faaliyette rol alan biyoaktif besin bileşenleri olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Fenolik yapıdaki bu bileşiklerin %90-95’i kolonik mikrobiyota tarafından metabolize edilerek biyolojik aktif metabolitleri üretilir. Bu metabolitlerin kolonositler ve patojen bakteriler üzerine olan etkileri nedeni ile bağırsak mikrobiyotası ve polifenoller arasında çift yönlü bir ilişki vardır. Ayrıca polifenoller karbonhidratların metabolizması ve insülin sinyalizasyon yolaklarının regülasyonunun sağlanmasında ve antioksidan özellikleriyle β-hücre fonksiyonunun korunmasında etkin rol oynamaktadır. Polifenoller hem mikrobiyota kompozisyonu hem de diyabet patogenezindeki olumlu potansiyel etkileri nedeni ile hastalığın tedavisi ve önlenmesinde birincil, ikincil ve üçüncül koruma düzeyinde tıbbi beslenme tedavisinin önemli bir bileşenidir.

O impacto da diversidade sobre a inovação dos países

The objective of the study was to identify the factors of diversity that influence innovation in countries. For that, a quantitative methodology was adopted regarding the approach, being descriptive regarding the objectives. The multivariate statistical technique used for data analysis was multiple linear regression. The sample was composed of 127 countries from secondary data, extracted from the indexes: World Economic Forum and Social Progress Imperative. The results showed that among the eleven variables of the diversity used in the study analysis, six variables had an impact on the innovation of the countries, which are: women's study years, education inequality, homosexual tolerance, freedom over life decisions, religious tolerance and discrimination and violence against minorities. Although it is not yet possible to generalize conclusions from the results found, being that a limitation of the present study, it has also showed that there are indeed implications between innovation and aspects of diversity.

“BEING-IN-THE-CITY EXPERIENCE AS A SUBJECT OF AESTHETICS OF THE EVERYDAY”

The article is devoted to the consideration of theoretical methodological foundations and practical manifestations of the being-in-the-city experience as a key element of the subject field of such branch of modern aesthetics as the aesthetics of the everyday. The article defines and analyzes the subject field of modern studies of everyday aesthetics aesthetics of the everyday; defining the specific transformation of the concept of aesthetic experience in the context of studies of aesthetics of the everyday; defining of the aesthetics of urbanism as a research direction of the aesthetics of the everyday and being-in-the-city experience as the main subject of this research (according to the ideas of A. Berleant); studies of aesthetics of urbanism, in particular the issues most relevant within the aesthetic studies of the being-in-the-city experience of contemporary Ukrainian city dwellers and tourists. Aesthetics of everyday life is one of the most relevant areas of modern aesthetic research within exploring the everyday experience of human in the variety of its scale and value modes (industrial and rural landscapes, public and personal, large and small locations, places, practices, experience of sports and food; gardening, landscape and object design, architecture, works of art, artistic practices and institutions. The main task of aesthetics of urbanism (urban aesthetics) is the focus on the city-wide environment, exploring the concept of the city in the context of human experience in all its diversity, involving both positive and negative factors. Experience in the city is a fundamental element of the subject field of aesthetics of everyday life and the aesthetics of urbanism for the analysis of urban space as forming human, and human as transforming urban space within a complex aesthetic evaluation process. The problems of urban aesthetics are gaining ground in such subject areas as the study of human and nature interaction, urban landscape and its negative aspects, public art and art practices as a way of forming the collective aesthetical and ethical values.

Response and driving factors of soil microbial diversity related to global nitrogen addition

AbstractIt is increasingly evident that soil microorganisms play a substantial role in ecosystem processes, which occupy a large part of genetic diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. During the past decades, nitrogen (N) addition induced by human has been regarded as the main driver of global changes to soil microecological processes. Although growing studies demonstrated the loss of biodiversity due to N addition in regional scale, the role of global N addition on soil microbial diversity is lacking. Here, we sought to illuminate the impacts and driving factors of soil microbial diversity in relation to global N addition using a meta‐analysis from 1,078 paired observations in 212 studies. We found a negative influence of global N addition on soil microbial diversity, and the reduction of soil microbial diversity was determined by land use types, N fertility types, methods, N addition rates, and duration. In fact, there was a linear decrease of soil microbial diversity along the latitudinal gradient, and N addition‐induced acidification was the predominant contributor to the reduction of soil microbial diversity. Both of soil properties (pH, soil organic carbon, soil total N, and soil microbial biomass C) and climatic factors (mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation) determined soil microbial diversity under global N addition. It was noted that soil fungal diversity was more adaptable to acidic environments, whereas soil bacterial diversity was more adaptable to neutral environment. Most importantly, soil fungal diversity was more sensitive than soil bacterial diversity under global N addition. Our meta‐analysis provides a new insight in understanding the key role of global N addition in shaping soil microbial diversity. Thereby, we recommend that future research should be focused on the soil microbial processes using manipulative controlled experiments, which identify the available measures to reduce the loss of soil microbial diversity globally.

Exploring the socio-spatial patterns of diversity and its influencing factors at a metropolitan scale

ABSTRACT Responding to a critical gap in diversity studies which have been mostly dedicated to Western contexts, and setting the scene for celebrating an ignored issue in the Iranian context are the aims of this study. To these ends, Tehran is selected, and its socio-spatial patterns of diversity are studied through a GIS-based analysis. Results suggest that housing and residential diversity are highly correlated. Influencing factors of diversity also indicate that diverse neighborhoods are usually smaller ones with higher population density. Surprisingly, land-use diversity does not have any significant relationship with housing and residential diversity in Tehran neighborhoods. Residential diversity usually occurs in neighborhoods, where jobs opportunities are more available, open spaces are more frequent, and individuals feel more secure. Recovering balances between residential and housing predictory variables and planning in the scale of neighborhoods rather than urban regions are what planners should seek through the notion of planning for diversity.

A Functional Analysis of SNP on Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity in a Uniform Genetic Background Using CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Single-Base-Edited iPSCs

[Introduction] Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (ACT) has been a major problem in leukemia therapy, and reported to be associated with several candidates of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). C242T polymorphism (rs4673) in the cytochrome b-245 alpha chain (CYBA) gene, which encodes superoxide-generating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase light chain subunit, is focused on as one of ACT related SNPs. Several clinical studies indicated that rs4673 T allele increases the risk of ACT, however, it is unclear how rs4673 affects ACT. Here, we established a series of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with a genotype of C/C, T/T or C/T of rs4673 in a uniform genetic background by using CRISPR/ Cas9, and evaluated the effect of each SNP genotype on ACT in vitro. [Methods and Results] To edit the SNP site using CRISPR/Cas9, three guide RNAs (gRNAs) were designed to induce double strand break (DSB) near the target site. Cas9 nuclease and gRNA expression vectors were transfected into HEK293T cells using jetPEI (Polyplus-transfection SAS), and the genome editing activity was assessed by T7 endonucleaseⅠ(T7E1) assay to select more efficient gRNA for cleavage near the target site. The indel frequencies of sgRNAs 1,2 and 3 were 29.4%, 25.6%, and 18.6%, respectively. Furthermore, oligo-DNA (100 nt) to edit single-base in the SNP site was prepared. To generate Cas9/gRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, 1 μg of Cas9 protein and 0.2 μg of gRNA molecules were mixed. RNP complexes and 50 pmol of oligo-DNA were electroporated into human iPSC 201B7cells (Riken BioResource Center) using Neon electroporation device (Invitrogen),single-base-edited iPSCs (C/C and T/T from C/T genotype in rs4673) were established by homology-directed repair (HDR). Successful HDR events were verified by Sanger sequencing. These established iPSCs were differentiated into cardiomyocytes using PSC Cardiomyocyte Differentiation Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific) in vitro. To facilitate nascent mesoderm induction, TBX6 was expressed transiently by a tetracycline-inducible lentiviral vector. Differentiated cardiomyocytes were revealed to be contracting and be positive for NK2 transcription factor related locus 5 (NKX2-5) and troponin T2 (TNNT2) by immunofluorescence staining.In order to evaluate the ACT depending on the difference of single base in rs4673, doxorubicin (DOX)was administered to each edited iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte. NADP+/NADPH before and after administration of DOX (1μM) in C/C cardiomyocytes was 1±0.18 and 0.93±0.14, respectively. On the other hand, it was 1±0.07 and 1.29±0.03 in T/T cardiomyocytes (p&lt;0.05, Welch test). T/T cardiomyocytes activated NADP+/NADPH cycling after administration of DOX, while C/C cardiomyocytes did not. [Conclusion] SNPs are a factor of genetic diversity among individuals, and have been revealed to be associated with various traits and diseases by Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). However, the diverse genetic backgrounds often hamper to analyze the influence of each SNP on the trait. In this study, we analyzed the effects of rs4673 on ACT in a uniform genetic background by using CRISPR/Cas9 edited iPSCs. Our study showed that T/T cardiomyocytes activated NADP+/NADPH cycling after administration of DOX. These results suggest that rs4673T allele may increase the risk of ACT. Genome editing mediated single-base-alteration will provide us a novel system for functional analysis of SNPs. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Work Force Diversity and Its Impact on Organisational Performance

Work force diversity has become an organisational imperative and as such, it is important for organisations to understand, embrace and manage diversity to be able to outperform competitors. Researchers have produced mixed result on the impact of diversity on performance. Some scholars found a positive relation between diversity factors and performance whilst others have found negative relations between diversity factors and performance. This paper therefore examines the effect of work force diversity factors (generational diversity, gender diversity, ethnic/racial diversity and educational diversity) on organisational performance. The study utilises secondary sources of data such as library resources and web based journals information for reviews and analyse from conceptual perspectives. In the study each of the aforementioned diversity factors are reviewed against organisational performance based on literature to confirm the veracity of the claims made by different scholars. The finding of the study revealed that, albeit the mixed results, most of the scholars found workforce diversity factors have a positive relationship with organisational performance. Albeit these findings, scholars agreed that managing a diverse workforce is a challenge for managers. Thus, the manner in which a diverse workforce is managed is a key determinant of the relationship between diversity and performance.

Temperature shapes liana diversity pattern along a latitudinal gradient in southern temperate rainforest

The decrease in liana diversity with increasing latitude has been indicated as the major physiognomic difference between tropical and temperate forests’ ecosystem. Despite the robustness of this pattern, there is contrasting evidence about the environmental factors that model it. Here we evaluate the role of temperature, precipitation, soil fertility, and their interaction, over the richness and abundance pattern of liana species in a latitudinal gradient in the southern temperate rainforest. The study was carried out in the temperate rainforest of South America, in a latitudinal gradient from 37.4° S to 45.2° S encompassing 932 km. On this gradient, we select six study sites, with a total of 48 plots of 225 m2 each. In each site, we recorded species richness and abundance of lianas, temperature, precipitation, and soil nutrition. We use lineal models and AIC models to evaluate the relation between diversity and environmental factors. Liana diversity strongly declines with increasing latitude on the southern temperate rainforest. This result is consequence of the latitudinal decrease in liana species richness, but not a decrease in their abundance over latitude. The decrease in species richness was correlated with the reduction in temperature (mean minimum temperature, absolute minimum temperature, and number of frost events), and with no other environmental factors (precipitation, seasonality, or soil fertility) or their interaction. Our results support the hypothesis that cold intolerance is the key factor shaping the global pattern of liana diversity.

Characterizing the genetic structure of introduced Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) strains in Tanzania using double digest RAD sequencing

Tilapia hatcheries in Tanzania rely heavily on importing germplasm. Nevertheless, the genetic structure of the imported stocks is poorly understood. In the current study, the level of genetic diversity and differentiation of eight populations of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) strains imported in Tanzania was investigated. Four of the studied strains originated from Thailand, three from Uganda, and one from the Netherlands. Double-digest restriction site–associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) was applied to identify and genotype single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In total, 2214 SNPs passed all the quality control steps and were utilized for downstream analysis. Mean heterozygosity estimates were higher for the Thailand strains (Ho, 0.23) compared with the strains from Uganda (Ho, 0.12). Low genetic distance was observed amongst populations from the same geographic origin (Fst, 0.01–0.04). However, genetic distance between populations from different geographic origins was substantial (Fst, 0.24–0.44). Bayesian model–based clustering (STRUCTURE) and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) grouped the studied animals into three distinct clusters. A cross-validation approach (where 25% of animals from each population were considered of unknown origin) was conducted in order to test the efficiency of the SNP dataset for identifying the population of origin. The cross-validation procedure was repeated 10 times resulting in approximately 97% of the tested animals being allocated to the correct geographic population of origin. The breeding history and hatchery practices used to manage these stocks prior and after import appear to be the main factors for the genetic diversity observed in this study. Our study will help inform hatchery stock management and future breeding program designs in Tanzania.

Fires and human activities as key factors in the high diversity of Corsican vegetation

In the Mediterranean region, Corsica represents one of the most important hotspots of biodiversity, partly due to the high number of endemics species. This region is also one of the most affected by forest fires worldwide. The present vegetation is adapted to a wide range of disturbance regimes, but a change in fire frequency or intensity in the future may severely affect ecological resources and other socio-economical aspects. Here, we study the dynamics of vegetation–human–fire interactions for the past 12,000 years as recorded by Lake Bastani (Corsica, France). We used well-dated sedimentary records of charcoal, pollen and fungal spores to infer past fire regime, land cover and pastoral activities, respectively, and we compared our results with charcoal records from two other Corsican lakes (Nino and Creno, respectively). Our results suggest that climate and natural fires were the main factors shaping the landscape before 5000 cal. BP. Then, the extraordinary diversity of the current Corsican vegetation has been mainly promoted by human activities on the island (i.e. deforestation and pastoralism) at least from the Bronze Age (3500 cal. BP). The top of our record shows a sharp decrease in fungal remains ( Sporormiella-type), usually associated with pastoral activities, which could be attributed to the land abandonment occurring since a few decades.