The Conservation of VIT1-Dependent Iron Distribution in Seeds

One third of people suffer from anemia, with iron (Fe) deficiency being the most common reason. The human diet includes seeds of staple crops, which contain Fe that is poorly bioavailable. One reason for low bioavailability is that these seeds store Fe in cellular compartments that also contain antinutrients, such as phytate. Thus, several studies have focused on decreasing phytate concentrations. In theory, as an alternative approach, Fe reserves might be directed to cellular compartments that are free of phytate, such as plastids. However, it is not known if seed plastid can represent a major Fe storage compartment in nature. To discover distinct types of Fe storage in nature, we investigated metal localizations in the seeds of more than twenty species using histochemical or X-ray based techniques. Results showed that in Rosids, the largest clade of eudicots, Fe reserves were primarily confined to the embryo of the seeds. Furthermore, inside the embryos, Fe accumulated specifically in the endodermal cell layer, a well-known feature that is mediated by VACUOLAR IRON TRANSPORTER1 (VIT1) in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In rice, Fe enrichment is lost around the provasculature in the mutants of VIT1 orthologs. Finally, in Carica papaya, Fe accumulated in numerous organelles resembling plastids; however, these organelles accumulated reserve proteins but not ferritin, failing to prove to be plastids. By investigating Fe distribution in distinct plant lineages, this study failed to discover distinct Fe storage patterns that can be useful for biofortification. However, it revealed Fe enrichment is widely conserved in the endodermal cell layer in a VIT1-dependent manner in the plant kingdom

Generalised anxiety in Slovenian university students during the Covid-19 pandemic

Pandemija covida-19 je po vsem svetu povzročila negotovost, strahove in skrbi ter s tem povečala možnost pojavljanja anksioznosti. V spletni anketi, ki smo jo izvedli aprila 2020 na vzorcu Slovencev, starih 18 let in več, smo zbrali podatke o generalizirani anksioznosti, nevroticizmu, psihosocialni ranljivosti, izgubi zaznanega nadzora in vplivu različnih z epidemijo povezanih težav. Prispevek predstavlja rezultate 110 študentov (med njimi 78 % žensk) ter jih primerja z rezultati neštudentov (n = 779). Ugotovili smo, da so bili za študente v primerjavi z ostalimi udeleženci značilni višja gene-ralizirana anksioznost, večja izguba zaznanega nadzora in večji vpliv težav, povezanih z epidemijo. Pri študentih je bila generalizirana anksioznost pozitivno povezana z vplivom z epidemijo povezanih omejitev, izgubo zaznanega nadzora in nevroticizmom. Študija izpostavlja dejavnike tveganja za generalizirano anksioznost študentov med zdravstveno krizo in podaja možne usmeritve za razvoj preventivnih ukrepov.The Covid-19 pandemic has caused increased fears, worries and uncertainty worldwide, thus also increasing the potential for anxiety. Using an online survey conducted in April 2020 with a sample of Slovenian participants aged 18 and over, we collected data on generalised anxiety, neuroticism, psychosocial vulnerability, loss of perceived control and the impact of various difficulties encountered during the pandemic. This paper presents the results of 110 university students and compares these results with those of a non-student sample (n = 779). We found that students experienced higher levels of generalised anxiety, loss of perceived control and pandemic-related difficulties than non-students. Among students, generalised anxiety was positively associated with the perceived impact of pandemic--related restrictions, loss of perceived control and neuroticism. This study sheds light on risk factors for generalised anxiety among students during the health crisis and shows possible directions for the development of preventive interventions

Meaning in challenging times: Sense of meaning supports wellbeing despite pandemic stresses

The COVID-19 pandemic created stress and trauma for many individuals. Traumatic experiences often trigger reflection on meaning in life, with subsequent growth or despair. This study evaluates the role of meaning in life in buffering stressors in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the negative effects of COVID-19 stressors (self-perceived stress, emotional state, and cognitive adaptation to stress in the pandemic) are influenced by meaning in life in the context of the early stages of the pandemic. Further, this study described differences in meaning in life observed across demographic groups.Web-based surveys were completed by 831 Slovenian participants in April of 2020. Demographic data; perceptions of stressors related to lacking necessities, movement restrictions, and concerns at home; meaning in life; perceived overall health status; anxiety; emotional state; and perceived stress were measured.A moderately strong sense of meaning in life (M = 5.0, SD = 0.74, range 1–7) was reported by participants, and meaning in life was associated with enhanced wellbeing (B = 0.06-0.28, p < .01). Both direct and indirect relationships were observed between stressors and wellbeing outcomes. The indirect effects of meaning in life were especially prominent in the relationship between stressors related to lacking necessities and concerns at home and outcomes of anxiety, perceived stress, and negative emotions, contributing 13–27% of the total observed effects. Increased meaning in life was observed across older age groups (F(5, 825) = 4.8, p < .001) and for those in partnered relationships (t(829) = -3.397, p <.001).A strong sense of meaning in life was associated with improved well-being, even for individuals who experienced pandemic-related stressors. Public health initiatives and media may help improve resilience to pandemic trauma by emphasizing the collective meaning in challenging situations

The Relationship between perceived stress and subjective cognitive decline during the COVID-19 epidemic

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, fear of disease and its consequences, recommended lifestyle changes, and severe restrictions set by governments acted as stressors and affected people\u27s mood, emotions, mental health, and wellbeing. Many studies conducted during this crisis focused on affective and physiological responses to stress, but few studies examined how the crisis affected cognition. The present cross-sectional study examined the relationship between physiological, affective, and cognitive responses to the epidemic. In an online survey conducted at the height of the first wave of the epidemic in Slovenia (April 15-25, 2020), 830 Slovenian residents aged 18-85 years reported the effects of stressors (confinement, problems at home, problems at work, lack of necessities, and increased workload), experienced emotions, generalized anxiety, perceived stress, changes in health, fatigue and sleep quality, and perceived changes in cognition during the epidemic. Risk factors for stress (neuroticism, vulnerability, general health, gender, and age) were also recorded. We hypothesized that stressors and stress risk factors will be related to subjective cognitive decline, with negative emotions, generalized anxiety, perceived stress, and physical symptoms acting as mediator variables. On average, the results showed a mild subjective cognitive decline during the epidemic. In structural equation modeling, 34% of its variance was predicted by the mediator variables, with negative emotions and physical symptoms having the largest contribution. Stress risk factors were predictably related to the four mediator variables. Among the stressors, confinement showed the strongest effect on the four mediator variables, implying the importance of thoughtful communication about necessary restrictive measures during emergency circumstances. The results of this study indicate that the possibility of altered cognitive function should be considered when planning work and study activities during the epidemic

Effects of COVID‐19 on cognition of older African Americans

BackgroundThe Covid‐19 pandemic, with its diverse effects (e.g., on quality of life, health and illness, physical and psychological well‐being, social and economic life), has also been suggested to effect cognitive functioning. To better understand the possible effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic, we examined cognitive functioning of older African Americans.MethodStudy included 164 community‐dwelling older African Americans (mean age= 75.6, range=64‐94) recruited from the Wayne State Institute of Gerontology Healthier Black Elders Center and general Detroit area. Responses were gathered over the phone between 7/28/2020 to 1/14/2021. Change in cognitive functioning was evaluated with the newly developed Cognitive Change Questionnaire (CCQ) in which participants self‐evaluated their cognition related to daily activities (e.g., memorizing, paying attention, task switching) on a 5‐point scale (1–Much easier, 3–No difference, to 5–Much harder), comparing it to the pre‐pandemic time. In addition, all participants received the TICSm phone‐based cognitive screen. Responses to COVID‐19 were measured on these scales: positive emotions (e.g., gratitude, happiness), negative emotion (e.g., anger, fear), unmet needs (e.g., food, medical care), and personal issues (e.g., economic problems, reduced privacy).ResultFindings showed that 106 (65%) participants did not report any COVID‐19 related cognitive changes, 7 (4%) indicated improved cognitive functioning, and 50 (31%) indicated that their cognitive functioning was worse as compared to pre‐COVID‐19 times. Average CCQ scale score (range 8‐40) was 26.86. CCQ scale showed good psychometric properties (Cronbach alpha=.84). Significant correlations were obtained between CCQ and TICSm subscales: r=–.16 (p=.05) with total score, r=–.19 (p=.01) with immediate recall, and r=–.24 (p=.002) with delayed recall. Stepwise regression analysis showed that COVID‐19 related responses explained 24% of variability on CCQ: participants reported greater cognitive decline if they expressed greater level of negative emotions (21% explained variance) and higher anxiety (3% explained variance).ConclusionThese results demonstrate that a sizeable percentage of older community‐dwelling African Americans do self‐report cognitive decline following COVID‐19, associated with increased presence of negative emotions and anxiety. The possibility of altered cognitive function should be considered not only for quality‐of‐care issues, but also when recruiting for research trials during and after the pandemic.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171182/1/alz056240.pd

The Conservation of VIT1-Dependent Iron Distribution in Seeds

WOS: 000475430000002PubMed ID: 31354774One third of people suffer from anemia, with iron (Fe) deficiency being the most common reason. The human diet includes seeds of staple crops, which contain Fe that is poorly bioavailable. One reason for low bioavailability is that these seeds store Fe in cellular compartments that also contain antinutrients, such as phytate. Thus, several studies have focused on decreasing phytate concentrations. In theory, as an alternative approach, Fe reserves might be directed to cellular compartments that are free of phytate, such as plastids. However, it is not known if seed plastid can represent a major Fe storage compartment in nature. To discover distinct types of Fe storage in nature, we investigated metal localizations in the seeds of more than twenty species using histochemical or X-ray based techniques. Results showed that in Rosids, the largest clade of eudicots, Fe reserves were primarily confined to the embryo of the seeds. Furthermore, inside the embryos, Fe accumulated specifically in the endodermal cell layer, a well-known feature that is mediated by VACUOLAR IRON TRANSPORTER1 (VIT1) in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In rice, Fe enrichment is lost around the provasculature in the mutants of VIT1 orthologs. Finally, in Carica papaya, Fe accumulated in numerous organelles resembling plastids; however, these organelles accumulated reserve proteins but not ferritin, failing to prove to be plastids. By investigating Fe distribution in distinct plant lineages, this study failed to discover distinct Fe storage patterns that can be useful for biofortification. However, it revealed Fe enrichment is widely conserved in the endodermal cell layer in a VIT1-dependent manner in the plant kingdom.ARRS (Slovenian Research Agency)Slovenian Research Agency - Slovenia [P1-0212, J7-9418, J7-9398]This study was partially supported by the ARRS (Slovenian Research Agency) (P1-0212, J7-9418, and J7-9398) and internal fundings

The Conservation of VIT1-Dependent Iron Distribution in Seeds (vol 10, 907, 2019)

[Abstract Not Available]project CALIPSOplus under EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation HORIZON 2020The research leading to this result has been supported by the project CALIPSOplus under Grant Agreement 730872 from the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation HORIZON 2020.The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.WOS:0005615437000012-s2.0-85088963794PubMed: 3276557