Strong Effect Research Articles

Biocompatibility of light responsive materials prepared for accommodative intraocular lenses manufacturing

AIM: To investigate the biocompatibility and bacterial adhesion properties of light responsive materials (LRM) and analyze the feasibility and biosafety of employing LRM in the preparation of accommodative intraocular lenses (AIOLs). METHODS: Employing fundamental experimental research techniques, LRM with human lens epithelial cells (hLECs) and human retinal pigment epithelium cells (ARPE-19 cells) were co-cultured. Commercially available intraocular lenses (IOLs) were used as controls to perform cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), cell staining under varying light intensities, cell adhesion and bacterial adhesion experiments. RESULTS: LRM exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on the proliferation of ARPE19 cells than commercially available IOLs when co-cultured with the undiluted extract for 96h (P<0.05). Under other culturing conditions, the effects on the proliferation of hLECs and ARPE-19 cells were not significantly different between the two materials. Under the influence of light irradiation at intensities of 200 and 300 mW/cm2, LRM demonstrated a markedly higher inhibitory effect on the survival of hLECs compared to commercially available IOLs (P<0.0001). They also showed a stronger suppressive effect on the survival rate of ARPE-19 cells, with significant differences observed at 200 mW/cm2 (P<0.001) and extremely significant differences at 300 mW/cm2 (P<0.0001). Additionally, compared to commercially available IOLs, LRM had a higher number of cells adhering to their surface (P<0.05), as well as a significantly greater number of adherent bacterium (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: LRM, characterized by their excellent non-contact tunable deformability and low cytotoxicity to ocular tissues, show considerable potential for use in the fabrication of AIOLs. These materials demonstrate strong cell adhesion; however, during photothermal conversion processes involving shape deformation under various light intensities, the resultant temperature rise may harm surrounding cells. These factors suggest that while the material plays a positive role in reducing the incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO), it also poses potential risks for retinal damage. Additionally, the strong bacterial adhesion of these materials indicates an increased risk of endophthalmitis.

Genetic Loci of the Renin-Angiotensin System and IgA Nephropathy.

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerular disease. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in the development of IgAN. Polymorphisms in genetic loci coding for the RAS may be associated with IgAN progression. Methods: We analyzed the M235T, A1166C, and A1675G polymorphisms in 297 IgAN patients, and analyzed their associations with clinical manifestations, pathological damage, effects of RAS-inhibitor treatment, and IgAN patient prognosis. Results: In patients with the A1675G polymorphism, creatinine levels were significantly lower in those with the AG genotype than in those with the AA genotype (p = 0.023). However, this difference was not significant when creatinine levels were analyzed according to sex. Patients with endocapillary proliferation according to the Oxford Classification of IgAN were less likely to have the AG genotype than the AA genotype (p = 0.025). In IgAN patients treated with angiotensin-II-receptor blockers, 24-h urine protein levels were lower in patients with the AC genotype of A1166C than in those with the AA genotype at baseline and follow-up (Base p = 0.013, 1 month p = 0.0035, 3 months p = 0.009). Cox regression analysis implied that the three gene polymorphisms were not independent risk factors for the prognosis of IgAN. Conclusion: The AG genotype of A1675G may confer protection against the development of IgAN, with a stronger protective effect observed in females. M235T, A1166C, and A1675G do not appear to be independent risk factors for IgAN.

Towards a social dialectometry: the analysis of internal border effects

We aim to broaden the scope of border studies in dialectology and show that intra-state political borders can impact dialect continua as significantly as inter-state political borders. Our analysis focuses on the processes of language change currently taking place on either side of the Catalonia-Aragon border in Spain. We aim to bring dialectometry and sociolinguistics closer together by using generalized additive mixed-effects regression modelling allowing us to simultaneously analyze a large corpus of items and assess which social variables are responsible for this internal border effect. Firstly, our results confirm that the internal border between Catalonia and Aragon, arising from two simultaneous processes of vertical advergence (towards standard Catalan in Catalonia and towards standard Spanish in Aragon), has a stronger effect than the international border between Spain and Andorra. This emphasizes the need to investigate internal borders in linguistic convergence and divergence studies. Secondly, our findings indicate that the main predictors of change are the speakers’ year and birth region. This provides evidence that the border effect should be attributed, more than any other social factor, to the long-term consequences of belonging to distinct administrations. Finally, after comparing various indicators of the sociolinguistic evolution of the Aragonese Catalan dialects, we conclude that in this process of language shift, the decline in ethnolinguistic vitality of the recessive language correlates with an increase in structural hybridization caused by advergence towards the expanding language. This prompts further exploration into whether hybridization is a cause, mechanism, or result of the processes of language substitution.

Environmental enrichment affects immunity and reduces disease severity in pigs after co-infection, with stronger effects when applied from birth than from weaning

We investigated whether environmental enrichment applied at different life stages of pigs affects the susceptibility to and severity of disease by studying immune cell functions around weaning and during nursery, the effects of infection in ex vivo models and in vivo using a co-infection model of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) followed by an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection. Pigs were either conventionally housed (CCH) or enriched housed throughout life, with enrichment consisting of extra space, rooting materials and co-mingling with another litter before weaning (EEH), or they were switched from conventional to enriched housing at weaning (CEH). Sixty days after birth, ten pigs per treatment were infected with PRRSV followed by an A. pleuropneumoniae infection eight days later. Six other pigs per treatment were euthanized before their pen mates were exposed to the co-infection. From these piglets, bronchial-alveolar fluid was collected, and precision cut lung slices were taken to test the effect of the treatments in an in vitro infection model. At six days after weaning EEH pigs had higher whole blood cell counts and higher concentrations of IL1ß and TNFα than CCH and CEH pigs. In the ex vivo precision cut lung slice model no differences in cytokine response in lung tissue after infection with swine influenza or A. pleuropneumoniae were observed between treatments. After experimental co-infection the proportion of EEH pigs with lung lesions (3/10) tended to be lower than in CCH (8/10), with CEH (6/10) being in between. In conclusion, enriched housing from birth reduced disease severity to co-infection with PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae. Enrichment applied after weaning also seemed to decrease the pathological lung deviations to the co-infection as compared to barren housed pigs, but to a much lower extent.

In vitro Examination of Piezo1-TRPV4 Dynamics: Implications for Placental Endothelial Function in Normal and Preeclamptic Pregnancies.

Mechanosensation is essential for endothelial cell (EC) function, which is compromised in early-onset preeclampsia (EPE), impacting offspring health. The ion channels Piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (Piezo1) and Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4 (TRPV4) are co-regulated mechanosensors in ECs. Current evidence suggests that both channels could mediate aberrant placental endothelial function in EPE. Using isolated feto-placental ECs (fpECs) from early control (EC) and EPE pregnancies, we show functional co-expression of both channels and that Ca2+ influx and membrane depolarization in response to chemical channel activation is reduced in EPE fpECs. Downstream of channel activation, Piezo1 alone can induce phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in fpECs, while combined activation of Piezo1 and TRPV4 only affects eNOS phosphorylation in EPE fpECs. Additionally, combined activation reduces the barrier integrity of fpECs, also with a stronger effect on EPE fpECs. This implies altered Piezo1-TRPV4 co-regulation in EPE. Mechanistically, we suggest this to be driven by changes in the arachidonic acid metabolism in EPE fpECs as identified by RNA-Seq. Targeting of Piezo1 and TRPV4 might hold potential for EPE treatment options in the future.

Fractionated alpha and mixed beam radiation promote stronger pro-inflammatory effects compared to acute exposure and trigger phagocytosis

Introduction and methodsAiming to evaluate safety aspects of a recently proposed approach to target Alzheimer’s disease, we mimicked a complex boron neutron capture therapy field using a mixed beam consisting of high- and low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation, 241Am alpha particles (α) and/or X-ray radiation respectively, in human microglial (HMC3) cells.ResultsAcute exposure to 2 Gy X-rays induced the strongest response in the formation of γH2AX foci 30 min post irradiation, while α- and mixed beam-induced damage (α:X-ray = 3:1) sustained longer. Fractionation of the same total dose (0.4 Gy daily) induced a similar number of γH2AX foci as after acute radiation, however, α- or mixed irradiation caused a higher expression of DNA damage response genes CDKN1A and MDM2 24 h after the last fraction, as well as a stronger decrease in cell viability and clonogenic survival compared to acute exposure. Phosphorylation of STING, followed by phosphorylation of NF-κB subunit p65, was rapidly induced (1 or 3 h, respectively) after the last fraction by all radiation qualities. This led to IL-1β secretion into the medium, strongly elevated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes and enhanced phagocytosis after fractionated exposure to α- and mixed beam-irradiation compared to their acute counterparts 24 h post-irradiation. Nevertheless, all inflammatory changes were returning to basal levels or below 10–14 days post irradiation.DiscussionIn conclusion, we demonstrate strong transient pro-inflammatory induction by daily high-LET radiation in a microglia model, triggering phagocytosis which may aid in clearing amyloid beta, but importantly, from a safety perspective, without long-term alterations.

Unlocking Cage‐Confined Cations Molecular Dynamics toward High‐Tc Perovskite Ferroelectrics

AbstractCage‐confinement effect that imposes great constriction on the dynamic behaviors of guest molecules is an established platform for tailoring physical properties. Herein, the strategy of enhancing cage‐confinement effect to control molecular motion has been probed for the first time to exploit new high‐Tc ferroelectrics of 2D hybrid perovskites. By fine‐tailoring of the confined cations inside the perovskite cavities, we have successfully obtained new homologous ferroelectrics of (BA)2(MA)2Pb3Cl10 (1; BA=n‐butylamine, MA=methylamine) and (BA)2(EA)2Pb3Cl10 (2; EA=ethylamine). Intriguingly, this dynamics modulation of cage‐confined cations leads to a remarkable promotion of Curie temperature (Tc), boosting from 340 K (for 1) to 402 K (for 2). In situ solid‐state NMR spectroscopy and theoretical simulations on energy barrier confirm that the larger EA cation in 2 is subject to stronger confinement effect, of which potential energy barrier of molecular motion is ~3.5 times that of MA cation. This dynamic behavior greatly suppresses the dynamic motions of EA cation, while MA cation can easily accelerate motion and reach a fast motion limit, thus accounting for an enhancement of Tc (ΔT~62 K) in 2. The finding sheds light on the understanding of cage‐confined electric orders and the precise design of high‐performance ferroelectrics.

The Comparative Effects of Anakinra and Tocilizumab on Inflammation and Cerebral Vasospasm in an Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Model

Objective: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a life-threatening cerebrovascular condition that triggers a robust inflammatory response and cerebral vasospasm. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of anakinra, an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, on inflammation and vasospasm in an experimental rat SAH model. Methods: Forty male Sprague Dawley rats (200–250 g) were randomly assigned to five groups: control, SAH, SAH + anakinra (ANA), SAH + tocilizumab (TCZ), and SAH + anakinra + tocilizumab (ANA+TCZ). SAH was induced by injecting non-heparinized arterial blood into the cisterna magna. Treatment groups received anakinra (50 mg/kg twice daily), tocilizumab (8 mg/kg once daily), or their combination for three days. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were analyzed for inflammatory markers (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, CRP), and histopathological evaluations were conducted to assess vasospasm and apoptosis. Results: SAH significantly increased pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, CRP) and fibrinogen levels in serum and CSF while reducing the basilar artery lumen diameter (p < 0.001). Anakinra and tocilizumab treatments significantly reduced inflammatory markers and vasospasm severity compared to the SAH group (p < 0.05). Combination therapy was more effective in reducing inflammation and vasospasm than either treatment alone (p < 0.05). Anakinra showed a stronger effect on IL-1 reduction, while tocilizumab was more effective in lowering IL-6 levels. The ANA+TCZ group exhibited a significant decrease in caspase activity, indicating reduced apoptosis (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Anakinra and tocilizumab effectively mitigated inflammation and vasospasm in an experimental SAH model, with combination therapy showing superior efficacy. These findings suggest that targeting both IL-1 and IL-6 pathways may be a promising therapeutic strategy for managing SAH complications. Further studies are warranted to evaluate long-term outcomes and clinical implications.

Landscape spatial configuration influences the richness of howler monkey gut parasites

ABSTRACT Habitat loss and fragmentation are landscape-scale processes that affect the dynamics of parasitic infections. Most research on primate-parasite interactions has focused on the patch-scale, compromising inferences at the landscape level. We investigated the influence of landscape composition and configuration on the richness of gastrointestinal parasites infecting howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.). We compiled published data on howler monkey parasite richness and analyzed them from a landscape perspective. We established a screening process to include only studies on free-ranging howlers that included a detailed map or a description of the sites. Then, we created land cover maps using satellite images and applied generalized linear models to assess the influence of forest cover, matrix impermeability, patch density, edge density, and mean Euclidean distance to the nearest forest fragment on parasite richness and the occurrence of the most prevalent parasites. Edge density and patch density affected parasite richness negatively. Landscape configuration has a stronger effect on the parasites infecting howler monkeys than its composition. The effects of forest edges and patch density on parasite richness are likely promoted by changes in the abiotic conditions necessary for the survival of the free-living stages of parasites or the survival and reproduction of vectors and intermediate hosts.

Annealing Temperature Effect on the Properties of CoCe Thin Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering at Si(100) and Glass Substrates

This study explores cobalt–cerium (Co90Ce10) thin films deposited on silicon (Si) (100) and glass substrates via direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering, with thicknesses from 10 nanometer (nm) to 50 nm. Post-deposition annealing treatments, conducted from 100 °C to 300 °C, resulted in significant changes in surface roughness, surface energy, and magnetic domain size, demonstrating the potential to tune magnetic properties via thermal processing. The films exhibited hydrophilic behavior, with thinner films showing a stronger substrate effect, crucial for surface engineering in device fabrication. Increased film thickness reduced transmittance due to photon signal inhibition and light scattering, important for optimizing optical devices. Furthermore, the reduction in sheet resistance and resistivity with increasing thickness and heat treatment highlights the significance of these parameters in optimizing the electrical properties for practical applications.

Competing working memory contents: perceptual over semantic prioritization and voluntary retrieval following retro-cueing

ABSTRACT This study investigated how voluntary and involuntary retrospective attention prioritize working memory (WM) representations of low-level visual features (perceptual dimension) and high-level categories (semantic dimension) using real-world objects. Reaction time and accuracy from two retro-cueing experiments were analyzed with a hierarchical drift-diffusion model to assess impacts on representation quality (drift rate) and retrieval time (non-decision time). Voluntariness of attention did not differentially affect perceptual and semantic WM contents. Drift rates showed stronger retro-cueing effects on perceptual compared to semantic contents, while non-decision times revealed retro-cueing effects only for voluntary attention. These findings suggest: (1) voluntariness does not differentiate between perceptual and semantic contents competing in WM; (2) attention prioritizes perceptual over semantic contents; and (3) voluntariness is critical for retrieving WM contents in advance of decision-making. This work highlights how WM content type and attentional voluntariness independently shape the effects of retrospective attention.

Analyzing the Effect of Factors on Individuals’ Subjective Well-Being with Quantile Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study investigates factors influencing individuals’ levels of subjective well-being by examining fundamental variables, called life domains, such as satisfaction with health, education, marriage, housing district, work life, social life, relationships, and public services. The aim is to understand how these domains affect various quantile values of subjective well-being. To achieve this, the Life Satisfaction Survey dataset for 2020, obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute, was utilized, and Bayesian Quantile Structural Equation Modeling and Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling methods were applied. The empirical study indicates that all life domains were found to have a positive impact on subjective well-being, except for housing-district satisfaction and education satisfaction. In particular, for individuals with low subjective well-being, satisfaction with work life, relationships, and public services has a stronger effect on subjective well-being compared to those in higher quantiles. Conversely, marriage satisfaction has a stronger effect on subjective well-being among individuals in the higher quantiles. This study’s unique contribution is that examining subjective well-being according to quantile values provides detailed information on how the factors influencing individuals’ subjective well-being vary across different levels.

The Joint Contribution of Childhood Exposure to Parental Smoking and Genetic Susceptibility to Smoking to Epigenetic Age Acceleration in Late Adulthood: The Health and Retirement Study

The impact of childhood exposure to parental smoking on epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in later life has not been thoroughly investigated. This study investigates the relationship while considering genetic susceptibility to smoking. We analyzed data from 3102 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who also participated in the 2016 Venous Blood Study and the 2015–2017 Life History Mail Survey. Self-reported measures included childhood parental smoking exposure and smoking status in late adulthood. We utilized five epigenetic clocks—HorvathAA, HannumAA, GrimAA, PhenoAA, and DunedinAA—and assessed genetic susceptibility with a polygenic risk score (PRS) for smoking initiation, categorized into tertiles. We regressed the clocks against chronological age to derive EAA residuals. Associations between childhood exposure and EAA were examined in the overall sample and by PRS tertiles, stratified by race. The model controlled for age, sex, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and CESD scores. Significant associations were found between childhood exposure to parental smoking and the EAA measured by GrimAA (β = 0.98; p < 0.001) and DunedinAA (β = 0.01; p = 0.002) among White participants, with stronger effects in those with a high PRS. Similar patterns were observed in Black participants, highlighting the importance of preventing secondhand smoke exposure in children.

Can regional revitalization policies boost tourism growth in underdeveloped areas? Evidence from China’s revolutionary base areas

Regional policies and support represent essential factors facilitating regional tourism development. The paper constructs a difference-in-differences (DID) model design to explore the impact of a regional revitalization policy, the policy on Several Opinions on Supporting the Revitalization and Development of Gannan and Other Former Central Soviet Areas, on tourism development in the relevant area. Treating this implementation as a quasi-natural experiment, we show that the policy significantly contributes to tourism development. We further identify the mechanism of the policy-tourism causal relationship through the mediation effect model. Results indicated that the regional revitalization policy fosters tourism development by promoting economic growth and transportation accessibility. Lastly, province-based heterogeneity analysis recognized a stronger policy effect in Guangdong and Fujian Provinces, which witnessed higher economic levels. Several implications were provided based on the empirical evidence.

Probiotic Mixture Attenuates Colorectal Tumorigenesis in Murine AOM/DSS Model by Suppressing STAT3, Inducing Apoptotic p53 and Modulating Gut Microbiota.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. The standard CRC chemo drug, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), has a poor response rate and chemoresistance, prompting the need for a more effective and affordable treatment. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether Prohep, a novel probiotic mixture, would alleviate azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS)-induced colorectal tumorigenesis and enhance 5-FU efficacy and its mechanism. Our results suggested that Prohep showed stronger anti-tumorigenesis effects than 5-FU alone or when combined in the AOM/DSS model. Prohep significantly reduced the total tumor count, total tumor size, caecum weight, colonic crypt depth, colonic inflammation, and collagen fibrosis. Prohep downregulated pro-inflammatory TNF-α and proliferative p-STAT3 and upregulated apoptotic p53. Metagenomics analysis indicated that Prohep-enriched Helicobacter ganmani, Desulfovibrio porci, Helicobacter hepaticus, and Candidatus Borkfalkia ceftriaxoniphila were inversely correlated to the total tumor count. In addition, Prohep-enriched Prevotella sp. PTAC and Desulfovibrio porci were negatively correlated to AOM/DSS enriched bacteria, while forming a co-existing community with other beneficial bacteria. From KEGG analysis, Prohep downregulated CRC-related pathways and enhanced pathways related to metabolites suppressing CRC like menaquinone, tetrapyrrole, aminolevulinic acid, and tetrahydrofolate. From Metacyc analysis, Prohep downregulated CRC-related peptidoglycan, LPS, and uric acid biosynthesis, and conversion. Prohep elevated the biosynthesis of the beneficial L-lysine, lipoic acid, pyrimidine, and palmitate. Prohep also elevated metabolic pathways related to energy utilization of lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) and acetate producers. Similarly, fecal acetate concentration was upregulated by Prohep. To sum up, Prohep demonstrated exceptional anti-tumorigenesis effects in the AOM/DSS model, which revealed its potential to develop into a novel CRC therapeutic in the future.

Unlocking ESG Performance Through Intelligent Manufacturing: The Roles of Transparency, Green Innovation, and Supply Chain Collaboration

With the advancement of global sustainable development goals and the introduction of the ‘dual-carbon’ strategy, intelligent manufacturing (IM) has become an important pathway to promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises. However, the ways in which IM enhances environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) performance, along with its potential mechanisms, remain unexplored. This study employs a two-way fixed-effects model with panel data from 4417 Chinese listed firms spanning the period 2009–2022 to examine these relationships. It is found that IM significantly improves corporate ESG performance. Robustness tests confirm the reliability of these results, and mechanism analysis highlights the mediating effects of information transparency, green technology innovation, and supply chain collaborative innovation. Furthermore, the heterogeneity analysis indicates that IM has a notably stronger effect in high-carbon-emission sectors, state-owned enterprises, and high-tech industries. This suggests that policymakers should design differentiated policies based on industry and firm characteristics to promote the adoption of IM and foster sustainable development strategies. This research contributes to expanding the theoretical understanding of how IM affects ESG while also providing empirical evidence for enterprises and governments to promote green transformation.

Diversity and functional role of bacterial microbiota in spontaneous coffee fermentation in northern Peru using shotgun metagenomics.

Peru is the ninth-largest coffee producer and the largest organic coffee exporter worldwide. Specific modifications in the microbial consortia during fermentation control the flavor of coffee. It is still unclear how fermentation duration affects microbial communities. This study aimed to provide insights into the diversity and functional behavior of the bacterial microbiome during coffee fermentation in northern Peru using shotgun metagenomics. Accordingly, metagenomic DNA was extracted and sequenced from samples of the liquid fraction during the short fermentation process (SFP) in Amazonas (6 and 12h) and long fermentation process (LFP) in Cajamarca (6, 12, 18, 24, and 36h). Our findings indicate that common (e.g., Acetobacter, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, and Weissella) and unique (e.g., Acidiphilium and Methylobacterium) acid-tolerant bacteria from the SFP and LFP play crucial roles and have a positive impact on the sensory qualities of coffee. Specifically, the LFP from San Ignacio might be associated with the high sensory quality of coffee based on the release of catalytic, hydrolase, oxidoreductase, transferase, and transporter enzymes in the InterPro and KEGG profiles. Additionally, these bacterial microorganisms metabolize several compounds (e.g., isoleucine, betaine, galactose, tryptophan, arginine, and cobalamin) into volatile compounds, mainly in the LFP, enhancing the flavor and aroma of coffees. This characteristic suggests that the LFP has a stronger effect on coffee quality than does the SFP on the basis of bacterial diversity and functional prediction. These findings provide new perspectives on the potential biotechnological uses of autochthonous microorganisms to produce superior-quality coffee beans from northern Peru.

How do team faultlines damage team voice behavior? Comparing the effects of objective and perceived faultlines

Purpose The continuous upgrading of new technologies and rapid changes in their external environment have made organizations more dependent than ever on the ability of their employees to quickly identify problems and make timely course corrections. This dependency is not limited to individual employee voice but extends to the collective voice of the team. In the Chinese context, collective silence prevails. Following social identity theory, this study aims to explore the mechanisms and conditional processes underlying the relationship between team faultlines and team voice behavior and examine whether there are differences between the effects of objective and perceived faultlines. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model was tested through questionnaires with 377 team members from 71 teams, which were conducted through team leader–member pairing survey. The correlation and hierarchical stepwise regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses rigorously, and the questionnaire data was analyzed using SPSS 26.0, AMOS 25.0 and R 3.6.1. Findings The results show that both objective and perceived faultlines have a negative impact on team voice behavior and that the latter has a stronger negative effect. Team psychological safety mediates the relationship between team faultlines and team voice behavior. In addition, benevolent leadership, moral leadership and Zhongyong thinking positively moderate the negative effect of objective faultlines on team voice behavior; Zhongyong thinking also moderates the mediating effect of team psychological safety on the relationship between objective faultlines and team voice behavior. Originality/value The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of team faultlines and team voice behavior, and practical implications are provided for managers and future researchers to improve voice behavior in organizations.

Plant-specific microbial diversity facilitates functional redundancy at the soil-root interface

Abstract Aims Plant-specific microbial diversity reflecting host-microbe coevolution was frequently shown at the structural level but less on the functional scale. We studied the microbiome of three compartments at the soil root interface (root endosphere, rhizosphere, bulk soil) of medicinal plants cultivated under organic management in Egypt. The study aimed to examine the impact of the rhizosphere on microbial community composition and diversity in desert agricultural soil, as well as to identify specific functions associated with the rhizosphere. Methods The microbiome community structure, diversity, and microbial functioning were evaluated through the utilization of 16S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenome sequencing. Results We found the typical rhizosphere effect and plant-species-specific enrichment of bacterial diversity. The annual plants Calendula officinalis and Matricaria chamomilla (Asteraceae) were more similar than the perennial Solanum distichum (Solanaceae). Altogether, plant species explained 50.5% of the variation in bacterial community structures in the rhizosphere. Our results indicate a stronger effect of the plant species in terms of modulating bacterial community structures in the rhizosphere than in root endosphere samples. The plant-driven rhizosphere effect could be linked to redundant plant beneficial functions in the microbiome, while enrichment of specific genes related to amino acid ion transport and metabolism, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, defense mechanisms, and secondary metabolites biosynthesis were more specific. Conclusions The study explores the microbiome continuum at the soil-root interface of medicinal plant species, revealing significant bacterial community structure shifts and plant specificity. The study provides insights into the essential microbiome components contributing to rhizosphere functionality.

Adaptation of plantations to drought events in arid and semi-arid regions: Evidence from tree resilience

Increasing drought frequency and severity pose a significant risk to global forest plantations, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Developing drought-adaptive plantations is particularly important for vegetation restoration in the context of climate warming. Despite the importance of drought response and adaptation, systematic research on these aspects for major tree species remains limited. Here, we collected 467 tree ring cores from eight paired sites of Robinia pseudoacacia L. (a broad-leaved species) and Pinus tabulaeformis C. (a coniferous species) plantations across a typical semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau (LP) to discern the climate-growth patterns of both species using linear mixed models. We employed hypothesis testing to analyze the differences in tree resilience metrics, including drought resistance and recovery ability, and linear mixed models combined with partial least squares path analysis to clarify the driving factors of tree resilience between R. pseudoacacia and P. tabulaeformis. Our findings demonstrated that Palmer Drought Severity Indices is the key limiting climate factor, without spatial variation, on the growth of R. pseudoacacia and P. tabulaeformis, explaining 47.7 % and 69.8 % of the variables effect percentage, respectively. Compared to P. tabulaeformis, R. pseudoacacia is more limited by atmospheric drought stress and soil moisture, with 11.0 % and 17.9 % of the explained effect percentage, respectively. R. pseudoacacia exhibited lower drought resistance ability, evidenced by a lower resistance (the average value is 0.62) and a higher average growth reduction (0.20) than P. tabulaeformis (0.85 and 0.17, respectively). In contrast, R. pseudoacacia had higher drought recovery ability, evidenced by a higher recovery (the average value is 1.19), a shorter recovery period (1.0), and a faster average recovery rate (0.14), than P. tabulaeformis (1.07, 2.0, and 0.08, respectively). Importantly, all tree resilience metrics for both species exhibited spatial consistency across the LP. Tree characteristics had a stronger effect on drought resistance and recovery ability in R. pseudoacacia than in P. tabulaeformis. Soil properties improved R. pseudoacacia drought resistance ability and reduced its drought recovery ability, but had weaker effects on P. tabulaeformis. Additionally, tree size and age strongly influence tree resilience in R. pseudoacacia through preceding year tree growth of drought events and climate sensitivity. These findings underscore the complementary drought resilience of broad-leaved and coniferous species, emphasizing the necessity for adaptive plantations and diversified tree species plantations as a strategic response to the anticipated increase in drought frequency and severity in arid and semi-arid regions.