Search

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), an economically important cold-water fish cultured worldwide, suffers from infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) infection, resulting in huge financial losses. In order to understand the immune response of rainbow trout during virus infection, we explored trout intestine transcriptome profiles following IHNV challenge, and identified 3355 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 80 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Transcriptome analysis revealed numerous DEGs involved in immune responses, such as toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8), tripartite motif-containing 25 (TRIM25), DExH-Box helicase 58 (DHX58), interferon-induced with helicase C domain 1 (IFIH1), interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3/7), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and heat shock protein 90-alpha 1 (HSP90A1). Integrated analysis identified five key miRNAs (miR-19-y, miR-181-z, miR-203-y, miR-143-z and miR-206-y) targeting at least two important immune genes (TRIM25, DHX58, STAT1, TLR7/8 and HSP90A1). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses showed that DEGs and target genes were significantly enriched in various immune-related terms including immune system process, binding, cell part and pathways of Toll-like receptor signalling, RIG-I-like receptor signalling, NOD-like receptor signalling, JAK-STAT signalling, PI3K-Akt signalling, NF-kappa B signalling, IL-17 signalling and AGE-RAGE signalling. In addition, protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) was used to display highly interactive DEG networks involving eight immune-related pathways. The expression trends of 12 DEGs and 10 DEMs were further verified by quantitative real-time PCR, which confirmed the reliability of the transcriptome sequencing results. This study expands our understanding of the immune response of rainbow trout infected with IHNV, and provides valuable resources for future studies on the immune molecular mechanism and disease resistance breeding.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in the stress response in animals. The rainbow trout is a widely cultivated cold-water fish species that usually encounters heat stress, which affects its growth and may cause diseases. However, there is limited information on the miRNAs involved in heat stress in this species. To identify the heat-responsive miRNAs at the genome level in rainbow trout, we conducted high-throughput sequencing of 6 small RNA libraries from the liver tissues of rainbow trout specimens under control and heat-treated conditions. A total of 363 conserved miRNAs and 638 novel miRNAs were identified, among which 39 (21 conserved and 18 novel) miRNAs were differentially expressed in response to heat stress. Eight important miRNAs were further validated using quantitative real-time PCR. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses of the potential target genes of the DE miRNAs, revealed DNA replication and protein folding and unfolding were affected by heat stress. Several key pathways involved in the heat stress response were characterized, such as protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. In addition, 20 important functional interaction pairs among the 65 negatively correlated miRNA-mRNA pairs were identified using integrated miRNA-mRNA analysis and miRNA prediction algorithms, which including potential important miRNAs and target genes such as miR-301a, miR-301d, let-7c, novel_1181 and HSP90BA, HSP90BB, HSP40, PDIA3. This study showed that the identified miRNAs probably play important roles in the heat stress response and lay a foundation for further studies on the thermal adaptation mechanisms in rainbow trout.

Research has demonstrated that the safety climate is a robust predictor of safety behaviors and workplace incidents. However, previous studies primarily focused on safety climate as a whole and overlooked distinct configurations of safety climate dimensions as well as their antecedents and outcomes. The present research examined safety climate profiles with 2421 remote workers on 183 teams. In addition, this study investigated the roles of leader–member exchange and psychological ownership as antecedents of safety climate profiles and whether safety climate profiles were associated with work engagement and safety behaviors. Latent profile analysis revealed five safety climate profiles: group-focused, conflicted, organization-focused, comprehensive, and outstanding. Results also showed that low leader–member exchange was associated with membership in group-focused and organization-focused profiles rather than comprehensive profiles, while low ownership was associated with an increased likelihood of membership in the group-focused profile compared to the comprehensive profile. Furthermore, only the organization-focused profile was associated with undesirable levels of engagement and safety behaviors, in contrast to a comprehensive profile. This study contributes to the safety climate literature by identifying safety climate profiles and their implications in remote worker teams. The findings call for the fine-tuned assessment and analysis of safety climate for effective workplace safety promotion.

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are widely cultured throughout the word for commercial aquaculture. However, as a cold-water species, rainbow trout are highly susceptible to heat stress, which may cause pathological signs or diseases by alleviating the immune roles and then lead to mass mortality. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that occur in the rainbow trout in response to heat stress will be useful to decrease heat stress-related morbidity and mortality in trout aquaculture. In the present study, we conducted transcriptome analysis of head kidney tissue in rainbow trout under heat-stress (24 °C) and control (18 °C) conditions, to identify heat stress-induced genes and pathways. More than 281 million clean reads were generated from six head kidney libraries. Using an adjusted P-value of P < 0.05 as the threshold, a total of 443 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including members of the HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, and HSP40 family and several cofactors or cochaperones. The RNA-seq results were confirmed by RT-qPCR. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis of DEGs were performed. Many genes involved in maintaining homeostasis or adapting to stress and stimuli were highly induced in response to high temperature. The most significantly enriched pathway was "Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)", a quality control system that ensures correct protein folding or degradation of misfolded polypeptides by ER-associated degradation. Other signaling pathways involved in regulation of immune system and post-transcriptional regulation of spliceosome were also critical for thermal adaptation. These findings improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of heat stress responses and are useful to develop strategies for the improvement of rainbow trout survival rate during summer high-temperature period.

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is an important economic fish in China. Skin color affects the economic value of trout. However, the molecular mechanism of the skin color variation between wild-type (WR) and yellow mutant rainbow trout (YR) is unclear. We sequenced mRNAs and miRNAs of dorsal skin to identify key color variation-associated mRNAs and miRNAs between WR and YR. Overall, 2060 out of 3625 differentially expressed genes were upregulated in YR, and 196 out of 275 differentially expressed miRNAs were downregulated in WR. We identified three key YR-upregulated genes related to the formation of xanthophores (GCH1, SLC2A11, and SOX10). Interestingly, several genes related to melanogenesis (TYR, TYRP1, TYRP2, MC1R, MITF, PMEL, SLC45A2, and OCA2) were downregulated in WR. Integrated analysis identified five miRNAs that target at least two skin color-related genes (miR-495-y, miR-543-y, miR-665-z, miR-433-y, and miR-382-x). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of target genes identified noncoding RNA metabolic process as the most significantly enriched GO term, and several metabolic pathways associated with skin color were enriched significantly, such as tyrosine metabolism, histidine metabolism, and vitamin B6 metabolism. Quantitative real-time PCR of selected mRNAs and miRNAs validated the reliability of the integrated analysis. This study provides in-depth insights into the molecular mechanism of skin color variation between WR and YR, which will accelerate the genetic selection and breeding of rainbow trout with consumer-favored traits.

This study aimed to examine the effects of both hindrance and challenge demands on driving anger within the framework of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. We collected self-reported data from 411 office workers driving to and from work each day in five cities in China. The results from a structural equation modeling analysis indicated that both hindrance and challenge demands were positively related to emotional exhaustion, which was in turn positively correlated with driving anger. Moreover, work engagement was positively correlated with driving anger. Implications of the present findings regarding both the JD-R model and driving safety research are discussed.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary arginine levels on growth performance, body composition, serum biochemical indices and resistance ability against ammonia-nitrogen stress in juvenile yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco). Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets (42% protein and 9% lipid) were formulated to contain graded levels of arginine (2.44%, 2.64%, 2.81%, 3.01% and 3.23% of diet), by supplementing L-Arginine HCl. Seven hundred juvenile yellow catfish with an initial average body weight of 1.13 ± 0.02 g were randomly divided into 5 groups with 4 replicates of 35 fish each and each group was fed one of the diets. After 56 d feeding, fish were exposed to 100 mg/L of ammonia-nitrogen for 72 h. The results showed that weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) in 2.64% and 2.81% groups were significantly higher than those in 3.23% group (P 0.05). After the fish were challenged to ammonia-nitrogen for 72 h, their cumulative mortality rate in 2.81% group was significantly lower than that in 2.44% group (P

The success of photothermal therapy (PTT) is often hampered by the thermo-resistance of tumor cells mediated by over-expressed heat shock proteins (HSPs). Herein, we developed a guanidine-rich, spherical helical polypeptide (DPP) with multivalency-assisted strong membrane penetrating capability, which mediated effective RNAi against tumor glycolysis metabolism to sensitize PTT. ICG was loaded into the internal cavity of DPP, and siRNA against pyruvate kinase M2 (siPKM2) was condensed by DPP to form positively charged nanocomplexes (NCs). The NCs were further coated with human serum albumin to enhance serum stability, prolong blood circulation, and improve tumor targeting. Due to its multivalent topology, DPP exhibited stronger membrane activity yet lower cytotoxicity than its linear analogue (LPP), thus enabling efficient PKM2 silencing in MCF-7 cells in vitro (~75%) and in vivo (~70%). The PKM2 silencing inhibited tumor glycolysis metabolism and further depleted the energy supply for HSPs production, thus overcoming the heat endurance of tumor cells to strengthen ICG-mediated photothermal ablation. Additionally, siPKM2-mediated energy depletion led to tumor cell starvation, which imparted synergistic anti-cancer effect with PTT. This study therefore provides a promising strategy for designing membrane-penetrating siRNA delivery materials, and it renders a unique RNAi-mediated anti-metabolic mechanism in sensitizing PTT and enabling starvation therapy.

Job engagement has received widespread attention in organizational research but has rarely been empirically investigated in the context of safety. In the present study, we examined the mediating role of job engagement in the relationships between job characteristics and safety performance using self-reported data collected at a coal mining company in China. Most of our study hypotheses were supported. Job engagement partially mediated the relationships between job resources and safety performance dimensions. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are also discussed.

The buffering effect of core self-evaluation (CSE) in stress research has received academic attention. However, most research in this area focused on its moderating effect on well-being. In the present study, we take a closer look at the moderating role of CSE in the relationship between challenge/hindrance stress and safety performance. Results indicated that challenge and hindrance stress were both negatively related to safety performance. More importantly, CSE acted as a buffer in the negative relationships between challenge stress and safety compliance and between hindrance stress and safety participation. Contrary to our prediction, the negative relationship between hindrance stress and safety participation was stronger for people higher on CSE. Based on our findings, we discuss the theoretical implications for personality and safety research. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In this study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Driving Anger Scale (DAS; Deffenbacher, Oetting, & Lynch, 1994) and its relationship with aggressive driving in Chinese context. A total of 411 drivers from five cities in China completed the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the fit of the original six-dimension solution was good. Chinese drivers reported lower level of anger than their American counterparts on all six subscales, as well as New Zealand and Spanish drivers on discourtesy and illegal driving. No gender effects were revealed on driving anger. Those drivers reporting a higher level of anger on some subscales tended to be younger, from a more congested city, reporting a lower weekly mileage, and more experienced. The overall driving anger was significantly related to aggressive driving. Further relative importance analysis showed that anger from slow driving, police presence and hostile gestures contributed to most of variances in aggressive driving.

Safety studies have primarily focused on how explicit processes and measures affect safety behavior and subsequent accidents and injuries. Recently, safety researchers have paid greater attention to the role of implicit processes. Our research focuses on the role of attentional bias toward safety (ABS) in workplace safety. ABS is a basic, early-stage cognitive process involving the automatic and selective allocation of attentional resources toward safety cues, which reflect the implicit motivational state of employees regarding safety goal. In this study, we used two reaction time-based paradigms to measure the ABS of employees in three studies: two modified Stroop tasks (Studies 1 and 2) and a visual dot-probe task (Study 3). Results revealed that employees with better safety behavior showed significant ABS (Study 2), and greater ABS than employees with poorer safety behavior (Studies 1 and 2). Moreover, ABS was positively associated with the perceived safety climate and safety motivation of employees, both of which mediate the effect of ABS on safety behavior (Study 3). These results contributed to a deeper understanding of how early-stage automatic perceptual processing affects safety behavior. The practical implications of these results were also discussed.

People with high level of trait mindfulness are more likely to maintain an open and present-focused awareness and attention. Whereas a positive link between trait mindfulness and well-being has been established, its influence on real-world performance has not been fully addressed. In Study 1, we validated the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) in a Chinese sample (N = 294) and found that a two-dimensional solution (a presence factor and an acceptance factor) best fit the data. In Study 2, using this validated scale, we directly investigated the influence of trait mindfulness on task and safety performance. In a sample of 136 Chinese nuclear power plant operators, it was found that trait mindfulness interacted with task complexity to influence performance. For high-complexity-task holders (the control room operators), the presence factor was positively related to their task and safety performance; for the low-complexity-task holders (the field operators), the presence factor had no influence on safety performance but a negative influence on task performance. The acceptance factor did not have any meaningful influences. These results suggest that the benefit of being mindful outweighs its cost for complex but not simple tasks. Implications are discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model in explaining the relationship of job demands and resources with safety outcomes (i.e., workplace injuries and near-misses). We collected self-reported data from 670 crude oil production workers from three subcompanies of a major oilfield company in China. The results of a structural equation analysis indicated that job demands (psychological and physical demands) and job resources (decision latitude, supervisor support and coworker support) could affect emotional exhaustion and safety compliance, and thus influence the occurrence of injuries and near-misses. The implications of the present findings regarding both the JD-R model and occupational safety research were discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The present study investigates the determining factors of Chinese pedestrians' intention to violate traffic laws using a dual-process model. This model divides the cognitive processes of intention formation into controlled analytical processes and automatic associative processes. Specifically, the process explained by the augmented theory of planned behavior (TPB) is controlled, whereas the process based on past behavior is automatic. The results of a survey conducted on 323 adult pedestrian respondents showed that the two added TPB variables had different effects on the intention to violate, i.e., personal norms were significantly related to traffic violation intention, whereas descriptive norms were non-significant predictors. Past behavior significantly but uniquely predicted the intention to violate: the results of the relative weight analysis indicated that the largest percentage of variance in pedestrians' intention to violate was explained by past behavior (42%). According to the dual-process model, therefore, pedestrians' intention formation relies more on habit than on cognitive TPB components and social norms. The implications of these findings for the development of intervention programs are discussed.

The growth cycle of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), Desulfovibrio caledoniensis, and the effect of SRB on the environmental parameters and corrosion behavior of Q235 steel during a growth cycle in aerobic (air- and O(2)-saturated culture solutions) and anaerobic (N(2)(-) saturated culture solutions) conditions were investigated. Oxygen dissolved in the culture solutions induced slow growth and fast decay of SRB. The growth process of SRB under anaerobic and aerobic conditions influenced sulphide anion concentration (C(s)(2-)), pH, and conductivity (kappa). The values of C(s)(2-) and kappa under aerobic conditions were lower than those under anaerobic conditions, and the pH values increased from O(2)(-) to air- to N(2)-saturated culture solutions. Aerobic conditions induced the open circuit potential (E(OC)) to shift in the positive direction after the stationary phase of SRB growth. The charge transfer resistance (R(ct)) increased quickly during the exponential growth phase, almost maintained stability during the stationary phase, and decreased after the stationary phase in all three conditions, and the impedance magnitude decreased from O(2)(-) to air- to N(2)-saturated culture solutions. The biofilms induced by SRB were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was performed in abiotic and SRB-containing systems to distinguish the corrosion products. The reasons for the effects of SRB on the environmental parameters and corrosion behavior of carbon steel are discussed. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.