The unique role of meaning in life in the relationships between trait awe, subjective well-being, and prosocial tendency: A network analysis.

Although individuals with higher trait awe (the tendency to experience awe) are known to be happier and more prosocial, there is limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying these complex relationships. This study uses network analysis to explore dimension-level relationships between trait awe, meaning in life, subjective well-being (SWB), and prosocial tendency in a joint network and to explore the bridging role of meaning in life in the network. A total of 538 adults (53.2% females; Mage = 19.86 ± 1.51) completed the survey. The network revealed unique and intricate connections between the dimensions of trait awe, meaning in life (i.e., the presence of and the search for meaning, abbreviated as POM and SFM), subjective happiness and life satisfaction (SWB), and prosocial tendency (i.e., willingness to donate money and volunteer time). Trait awe exhibited direct links to subjective happiness, life satisfaction, and prosocial tendency to donate money. Moreover, through POM and SFM, trait awe also exhibited indirect links to each dimension of SWB and prosocial tendency. Within the global network, POM was further identified as acting as a bridge node with the highest bridge strength and closeness, indicating that POM could efficiently transmit influences within the entire network. These findings highlight the distinct contributions of meaning in life to understanding the relationships between trait awe, SWB, and prosocial tendency, and provide valuable insights for improving SWB and fostering prosocial tendencies.

Fear facilitates utilitarian moral judgments: Evidence from a moral judgment task.

Previous research on moral judgment (MJ) has focused on understanding the cognitive processes and emotional factors that influence different types of moral judgment tasks, such as personal and impersonal dilemmas. However, few studies have distinguished between the emotions related to cognition and the complex emotions specifically caused by MJ tasks. This gap in knowledge is important to address to have a better understanding of how emotions influence moral judgment. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of fear and the role of moral emotions on MJ. Data were collected from 145 participants through jsPsych and analyzed using mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation analysis. The study found that individuals who were triggered by the fear increased the number of utilitarian moral judgments in personal moral scenarios and lengthened the cognitive process, but not in impersonal moral dilemmas. Hence, we speculate that fear may play a cognitive role in personal moral dilemmas and an emotional role in impersonal moral dilemmas. Another finding is that the complex moral emotions arising from the moral decision-making process may affect the effectiveness of fear and potentially influence moral judgments. However, this study adopts a cautious attitude toward these discoveries, and further verification of this hypothesis should be conducted in the future.

The Temporal Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Loneliness: The Moderating Role of Self-Compassion.

Loneliness and depression are significant mental health challenges among college students; however, the intricate relationship between these phenomena remains unclear, particularly in the context of self-compassion. In this comprehensive study, we employ a cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis to investigate the symptom-level association between depression and loneliness while exploring the potential moderating influence of self-compassion. Our sample consisted of 2785 college students, who were categorized into high- and low-self-compassion groups based on scores from the Self-Compassion Scale. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, while the UCLA Loneliness Scale-8 measured loneliness expressions. Our findings indicate that self-compassion plays a crucial role in the relationship between depression and loneliness. Specifically, we observed distinctive patterns within the high and low-self-compassion groups. In the low-self-compassion group, "energy" emerged as the most influential symptom, whereas "motor function" exhibited the highest influence in the high-self-compassion group. Furthermore, among individuals with high self-compassion, the pathway from depression to loneliness was characterized by "guilt-being alone when desired," while the reverse path from loneliness to depression encompassed "left out-feeling sad" and "left out-anhedonia." Conversely, in the low-self-compassion group, depression and loneliness demonstrated a more intricate mutual triggering relationship, suggesting that self-compassion effectively moderates the association between these variables. This study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms driving the interplay between depression and loneliness, shedding light on the pivotal role of self-compassion in this intricate dynamic.

The function and community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in ecological floating beds used for remediation of Pb contaminated wastewater.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been demonstrated to be ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems. However, their distributions and ecological functions are rarely studied. To date, a few studies have combined sewage treatment facilities with AMF to improve removal efficiency, but appropriate and highly tolerant AMF strains have not been explored, and the purification mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, three ecological floating-bed (EFB) installations inoculated with different AMF inocula (mine AMF inoculum, commercial AMF inoculum and non-AMF inoculated) were constructed to investigate their removal efficiency for Pb-contaminated wastewater. The AMF community structure shifts in the roots of Canna indica inhabiting EFBs during the three phases (pot culture phase, hydroponic phase and hydroponic phase with Pb stress) were tracked utilizing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Illumina sequencing techniques. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to detect the Pb location in mycorrhizal structures. The results showed that AMF could promote host plant growth and enhance the Pb removal efficiency of the EFBs. The higher the AMF abundance, the better the effect of the AMF on Pb purification by EFBs. Both flooding and Pb stress decreased the AMF diversity but did not significantly inhibit the abundance. The three inoculation treatments showed different community compositions with different dominant AMF taxa in different phases, and an uncultured Paraglomus species (Paraglomus sp. LC516188.1) was found to be the most dominant (99.65 %) AMF in the hydroponic phase with Pb stress. The TEM and EDS analysis results showed that the Paraglomus sp. could accumulate Pb in plant roots through their fungal structures (intercellular mycelium, intracellular mycelium, etc.), which alleviated the toxic effect of Pb on plant cells and limited Pb translocation. The new findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of AMF in plant-based bioremediation of wastewater and polluted waterbodies.

Self-Assembling Oligo(2-oxazoline) Organogelators for the Encapsulation and Slow Release of Bioactive Volatiles.

Herein, we report a class of distinctive supramolecular nanostructures in situ-generated from the cationic ring-opening polymerization of a particular 2-oxazoline monomer, i.e., 2-(N-tert-butyloxycarbonylaminomethyl)-2-oxazoline (Ox1). Driven by side-chain hydrogen bonding between neighboring molecules and van der Waals interactions, the growing oligomers of Ox1 precipitate in the form of macroscopic platelets when the degree of polymerization reaches 5-7. A similar self-assembly occurred in the block copolymerization of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (EtOx) or 2-pentyl-2-oxazoline (PeOx) and Ox1 as the second monomer. These polymeric aggregates were found to disassemble into rod-like nanoparticles under appropriate conditions, and to form stable organogels in some polar solvents like dimethylformamide as well as in natural liquid fragrances such as (R)-carvone, citronellal, and (R)-limonene. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the morphology of their xerogels was solvent-dependent, mainly with a lamellar or fibrous structure. The rheology measurements confirmed the as-obtained organogels feature an obvious thixotropic character. The storage modulus was about 7-10 times higher than the loss modulus, indicating the physical crosslinking in the gel. The fragrance release profiles showed that the presented supramolecular gel system exhibits good sustained-release effect for the loaded bioactive volatiles.

Seeking bridge symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance among the elderly during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic-A network approach.

Background: Besides physical changes, elderly adults are prone to have mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance, and the pandemic of COVID-19 worsened the situation. However, internal relationships and co-occurrence of psychopathologies were scarcely examined. Therefore, in the current study, through network analysis, we inspected relationships among symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance and identified key symptoms that espoused the disease. Methods: We asked 1,302 elderly adults to fill in Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (depressive symptoms), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (anxiety symptoms), and the Youth Self-rating Insomnia Scale (sleep disturbance) and then constructed three networks for elderly adults, male elderly, and female elderly. Via network analysis, we accomplished four goals. First, we identified symptom with the highest centrality (i.e., strength) index for each network; then, we found the strongest correlation (i.e., edges) in each network; thirdly, we confirmed specific nodes that could bridge anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance; the last was to compare networks based on genders. Network stability and accuracy tests were performed. Results: Networks of elderly adults, male elderly, and female elderly were stable, accurate, and intelligible. Among all networks, "Nervousness"- "Excessive worry" (GAD-1- GAD-2) had the strongest correlation, and "Nervousness" (GAD-1) had the highest strength and bridge strength value. When we made a comparison between female elderly's and male elderly's networks, except for the significant difference in the mean value of "Difficulty initiating sleep" (YSIS-3), the findings showed that the two networks were similar. Network stability and accuracy proved to be reliable. Conclusions: In networks of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance, anxiety played a conspicuous role in comorbidity, which could be a target for practical intervention and prevention.

Encapsulation of Volatile Monoterpene Fragrances in Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles and Potential Application in Fruit Preservation.

In this work, we synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles containing bridging groups of ethylene (E-PMO) and phenylene (P-PMO) and compared their adsorption properties using D-limonene (Lim), myrcene (Myr), and cymene (Cym) as model guest molecules. For the selected nanoparticles of ~100 nm in diameter, the loading capacity to the volatile fragrances was in the order of P-PMO < E-PMO < MSN, consistent with the trend of increasing total pore volume. For example, P-PMO, E-PMO, and MSN had a Lim uptake of 42.2 wt%, 47.3 wt%, and 62.7 wt%, respectively, which was close to their theoretical adsorption capacity. Under isothermal thermogravimetric analysis conditions (30 °C, a N2 flow of 1 mL min−1), the lowest fragrance release of ~56% over 24 h was observed for P-PMO, followed by E-PMO (74−80%), and MSN (~89%). The release kinetics of the fragrant molecules from MSN and PMO materials can be well described by first-order and Weibull models, respectively. Moreover, the incorporation of Lim-loaded P-PMO NPs in an aqueous solution of regenerated silk fibroin provided a composite coating material suitable for perishable fruit preservation. The active layer deposited on fruit peels using dip coating showed good preservation efficacy, enabling the shelf-life of mangoes in a highly humid and hot atmosphere (30−35 °C, 75−85% RH) to be extended to 6 days.

The positive effects of inoculation using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and/or dark septate endophytes on the purification efficiency of CuO-nanoparticles-polluted wastewater in constructed wetland.

The extent to which, and mechanisms by which, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophytes (DSE) purify wetlands polluted by metallic nanoparticles (metallic NPs) are not well understood. In this study, micro-vertical flow constructed wetlands (MVFCWs) with the Phragmites australis (reeds)-AMF/DSE symbiont were used to treat CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs)-polluted wastewater. The results showed that (1) the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and CuO-NPs in three inoculated groups significantly exceeded those in the control check (CK) groups by 28.94-98.72%, 16.63-47.66%, and 0.53-19.12%, respectively; (2) inoculation with AMF and/or DSE significantly promoted the growth, nutrient content, and photosynthesis of reeds, increased the osmoregulation substance content and antioxidant enzyme activities, and decreased the malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species contents of reeds under CuO-NPs stress; (3) higher Cu accumulation and smaller transport coefficients were found in the inoculated groups than in the CK group; (4) inoculation with AMF and/or DSE changed the subcellular structure distribution and chemical form of Cu in reeds. We therefore conclude that inoculation with AMF and/or DSE in MVFCWs improves the purification of CuO-NPs-polluted wastewater, and the MVFCW-reeds-AMF/DSE associations exhibit great potential for application in remediation of metallic-NPs-polluted wastewater.

Diverse and abundant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in ecological floating beds used to treat eutrophic water.

An increasing number of investigations have shown the universal existence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in aquatic ecosystems. However, little is known about the accurate distribution and function of AMF inhabiting aquatic ecosystems, especially ecological floating beds (EFBs), which are constructed for the remediation of polluted water bodies. In this study, we collected root samples of Canna generalis, Cyperus alternifolius, and Eichhornia crassipes from three EFBs on two eutrophic lakes in Wuhan, China. We aimed to investigate the resources and distribution of AMF in EFBs using Illumina Mi-seq technology. A total of 229 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 21 taxa from 348,799 Glomeromycota sequences were detected. Glomus and Acaulospora were the most dominant and second most dominant genera of AMF in the three EFBs, respectively. Different aquatic plant species showed varying degrees of AMF colonization (3.83-71%), diversity (6-103 OTUs, 3-15 virtual taxa), and abundance (14-57,551 sequences). Low AMF abundance, but relatively high AMF diversity, was found in C. alternifolius, which is usually considered non-mycorrhizal. This finding indicated the high accuracy of Illumina sequencing. Our results also revealed a lognormal species abundance distribution that was observed across AMF taxa in the three plant species. The AMF community composition was closely related to nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Overall, our data show that EFBs harbor diverse and abundant AMF communities. Additionally, the AMF community composition is closely related to the water quality of eutrophic lakes treated by the EFBs, indicating the potential application of AMF in plant-based bioremediation of wastewater. KEYPOINTS: • Aquatic plants in EFBs harbor diverse (229 OTUs) and abundant (348,799 sequences) AMF. • Different plant species host different taxa of AMF. Cyperaceae, originally considered non-mycorrhizal, may in fact be a variable mycorrhizal plant family. • The AMF community composition in EFBs is closely related to nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus).

Effects of Aeration on the Formation of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza under a Flooded State and Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Removal in Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands.

In this study, six vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) planted with Phragmites australis were operated at different aeration times (4 h day-1 and 8 h day-1), aeration modes (continuous and intermittent), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation treatments (inoculation with Rhizophagus intraradices and no inoculation) to explore the effects of different aeration strategies on the formation of arbuscular mycorrhiza under a flooded state in VFCWs. In addition, these VFCWs were further used to treat copper oxide nanoparticle (CuO-NP) wastewater to evaluate the correlations among aeration, colonization, growth, and CuO-NP removal. The highest AMF 28S copy number (1.99×105) and colonization in reed roots, with values of 67%, 21%, and 1% for frequency (F%), intensity (M%), and arbuscule abundance (A%), were observed in the treatment with intermittent aeration for 4 h day-1. Aeration significantly increased the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and AMF colonization in VFCWs, thereby promoting plant growth and the purification of the CuO-NPs. However, excessive and continuous aeration had little positive effect on AMF colonization. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of AMF for improving pollutant removal performance in constructed wetlands.

Characterization of selected Harbin red sausages on the basis of their flavour profiles using HS-SPME-GC/MS combined with electronic nose and electronic tongue.

In this study, volatile profiles and taste properties of Harbin red sausages prepared with traditional and conventional processing methods were evaluated using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) coupled with electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue). Four varieties of traditional sausages and four varieties of conventional sausages were selected. A total of 131 volatiles were identified, of which 50 were found in all sausages, and of which 77 were significantly different between traditional sausages and conventional sausages. The total contents of aldehydes (211.32 µg/kg), ketones (404.28 µg/kg), phenols (1795.40 µg/kg) and furans (928.73 µg/kg) in the traditional sausages were significantly higher than those in the conventional sausages (P < 0.05). The results of GC/MS coupled with E-nose based on principal component analysis could discriminate the sausages well, but the E-tongue could not clearly distinguish them. The results of partial least square regression (P < 0.05, Q2 = 0.659) indicated that there was a high correlation between the E-nose sensors and volatiles of Harbin red sausages.

High-throughput sequencing approach to reveal the bacterial diversity of traditional yak jerky from the Tibetan regions.

A high-throughput sequencing approach was used to investigate the bacterial community diversity of traditional Tibetan yak jerky, which was collected from three different regions in Tibet and with different natural drying times. Tibetan yak jerky from different regions had different bacterial communities, which was mainly reflected in the relative abundance levels of unclassified Cyanobacteria, Psychrobacter and Acinetobacter. The unclassified Cyanobacteria was the dominant genus of Qamdo yak jerky, Acinetobacter was the dominant genus of Shigatse yak jerky, and Psychrobacteria was the dominant genus of Nyingchi yak jerky. With increasing natural drying time, the diversity of bacterial communities in yak jerky decreased, and unclassified Cyanobacteria become the dominant genus. Spearman's correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis revealed that physicochemical factors (moisture content, water activity, shear force and pH) were significantly correlated with bacterial community. Our results will be beneficial to improve and standardize the safety and quality of traditional Tibetan yak jerky.

Encapsulation of Highly Volatile Fragrances in Y Zeolites for Sustained Release: Experimental and Theoretical Studies.

Volatility is an inherent fragrance attribute and typically implies a reduced perception over time. One possibility to elongate odor perception is utilizing controlled fragrance-delivery systems. Herein, the Y type of faujasite with different extra-framework cations (abbreviated as ZY, where Z represents Na+, Ca2+, or La3+) was examined as potential carriers for fragrance entrapment and delivery. d-Limonene (Lim) and linalool (Lol) as model fragrances were loaded in the pore space of Y zeolites, yielding composites FG@ZY (FG = Lim, Lol). It was found that the fragrance release profiles correlate highly with the cationic species located in the nonframework. The retention of fragrances in matrices increases in the order NaY < CaY < LaY for either limonene or linalool. Interestingly, the release rate of limonene was significantly slower than that of linalool when encapsulated in the same zeolite, although neat limonene has a much higher saturated vapor pressure than linalool. For instance, the total fraction of aroma released from Lim@LaY over 30 days was about 10%, while the value was ∼20% for Lol@LaY. Based on the density functional theory calculations, the above results could be well rationalized by the electrostatic attraction and shape selectivity of microporous matrices to the dopant molecules.

Partially crystalline Zn2GeO4 nanorod/graphene composites as anode materials for high performance lithium ion batteries.

Zn2GeO4 nanorod/graphene composites (ZGCs) were yielded by a two-step hydrothermal processing. Crystalline and amorphous regions were found to coexist in a single Zn2GeO4 nanorod. The surface of the Zn2GeO4 nanorod was compactly covered and anchored by graphene sheets. The ZGCs were then utilized as anodes for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Intriguingly, partially crystalline ZGC containing 10.2 wt % graphene possessed excellent electrochemical performance, namely, high reversible capacity (1020 mA h g(-1) in the first cycle), favorable cyclic performance (768 mA h g(-1) after 50 cycles), and commendable rate capability (780 mA h g(-1) at the current density of 0.8A g(-1)). The amorphous region in partially crystalline Zn2GeO4 nanorods and the elastic graphene sheets provided the accommodation of volume change during the charge and discharge processes. These advantageous attributes make ZGCs the potential anode materials for LIBs.