Computational analysis and expression profiling of NAC transcription factor family involved in biotic stress response in Manihot esculenta.

The Nascent polypeptide-Associated Complex (NAC) family is among the largest plant-specific TF families and plays an important role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. NAC TFs have been extensively studied in plants such as rice and Arabidopsis; however, their characterization, functions, evolution, and expression patterns in Manihot esculenta (cassava) under environmental stress remain largely unexplored. Here, we used bioinformatic analyses and biotic stress responses to investigate the physicochemical properties, chromosome location, phylogeny, gene structure, expression patterns, and cis-elements in promoter regions of the NAC TFs in cassava. We identified 119 M. esculenta NAC (MeNAC) gene families, unevenly distributed on 16 chromosomes. We investigated expression patterns of all identified MeNAC TFs under Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam) infection, strain CHN11, at different time points. Only 20 MeNAC TFs showed expression of significant bacterial resistance. Six MeNACs (MeNAC7, 26, 63, 65, 77, and 113) were selected for functional analysis. qRT-PCR assays revealed that MeNAC7, 26, 63, 65, 77, and 113 were induced in response to XamCHN11 infection and may participate in the molecular interaction of cassava and bacterial blight. Interestingly, MeNAC26, MeNAC63, MeNAC65, and MeNAC113 responded to XamCHN11 infection at 3 h post-inoculation. Furthermore, we identified 13 stress-related cis-elements in promoter regions of the MeNAC genes that are involved in diverse environmental stress responses. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MeNAC genes with similar structures and motif distributions were grouped. This study provides valuable insights into the evolution, diversity, and characterization of MeNAC TFs. It lays the groundwork for a better understanding of their biological roles and molecular mechanisms in cassava.

Diagnostic pattern for neuroses in China, Japan, and the United States.

To investigate the diagnostic patterns for neuroses in China, Japan, and the United States, the authors showed videotapes and brief written case histories of six Chinese patients to psychiatrists and psychiatrists-in-training in Beijing, Tokyo, and Honolulu. In cases with a well-distinguished clinical picture the diagnoses were congruent in the three countries. Diagnostic disagreement occurred in cases with symptoms of decline in mental function, which were overwhelmingly diagnosed as neurasthenia by the Chinese clinicians, and cases with situational stress, which were diagnosed as adjustment reaction by the Americans. This illustrates that different professional concepts and classification systems are used in different countries.