Multi-Omics Analysis of the Effects of Soil Amendment on Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Photosynthesis under Drip Irrigation with Brackish Water.

Drip irrigation with brackish water increases the risk of soil salinization while alleviating water shortage in arid areas. In order to alleviate soil salinity stress on crops, polymer soil amendments are increasingly used. But the regulation mechanism of a polymer soil amendment composed of polyacrylamide polyvinyl alcohol, and manganese sulfate (PPM) on rapeseed photosynthesis under drip irrigation with different types of brackish water is still unclear. In this field study, PPM was applied to study the responses of the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) phenotype, photosynthetic physiology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics at the peak flowering stage under drip irrigation with water containing 6 g·L-1 NaCl (S) and Na2CO3 (A). The results showed that the inhibitory effect of the A treatment on rapeseed photosynthesis was greater than that of the S treatment, which was reflected in the higher Na+ content (73.30%) and lower photosynthetic-fluorescence parameters (6.30-61.54%) and antioxidant enzyme activity (53.13-77.10%) of the A-treated plants. The application of PPM increased the biomass (63.03-75.91%), photosynthetic parameters (10.55-34.06%), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (33.83-62.52%), leaf pigment content (10.30-187.73%), and antioxidant enzyme activity (28.37-198.57%) under S and A treatments. However, the difference is that under the S treatment, PPM regulated the sulfur metabolism, carbon fixation and carbon metabolism pathways in rapeseed leaves. And it also regulated the photosynthesis-, oxidative phosphorylation-, and TCA cycle-related metabolic pathways in rapeseed leaves under A treatment. This study will provide new insights for the application of polymer materials to tackle the salinity stress on crops caused by drip irrigation with brackish water, and solve the difficulty in brackish water utilization.

Protective effects of polymer amendment on specific metabolites in soil and cotton leaves under cadmium contamination.

Polymer materials have great potential for soil heavy metal contamination remediation, but the metabolic mechanism by which polymer amendments regulate the responses of soil-plant systems to cadmium (Cd) stress is still unclear. To clarify the metabolic mechanism by which a self-developed soluble polymer amendment (PA) remediates Cd contamination in cotton fields, the common and differential metabolites in soil and cotton leaves were analyzed during the critical period of cotton growth (flowering and bolling stage) in a field experiment. The results showed that Cd stress increased Cd concentration in the soil-cotton system, and reduced enzyme activity in soil and cotton leaves. Besides, Cd stress also reduced the abundance of α-linolenic acid in soil and the abundance of 2-Oxoarginine and S-Adenosylmethionine in cotton leaves. These ultimately led to reductions in weight, boll number, yield, and fiber elongation. However, the application of PA to the Cd-contaminated soil significantly reduced the soil exchangeable Cd (Ex-Cd) concentration by 41.43%, and increased the boll number, yield, and fiber strength by 14.17%, 21.04%, and 19.89%, respectively compared with the Cd treatment. The results of metabolomic analysis showed that PA application mainly affected the Nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism pathway, Lysine degradation pathway, and Arginine and proline metabolism pathway in cotton leaves and soil. Besides, in these metabolic pathways, succinic acid semialdehyde of cotton leaves, saccharopine of soil, and S-Adenosylmethionine of soil and cotton had the most significant response to PA application. Therefore, the application of PA to Cd-contaminated soil can increase soil and cotton leaf enzyme activity and cotton yield (boll number and seed cotton yield) and quality (fiber strength), and maintain soil-plant material balance by regulating the distribution of Cd ions and key metabolites in the soil-cotton system. This study will deepen our understanding of the metabolic mechanism of PA remediating Cd-contaminated cotton fields, and provide a technical reference for the remediation of heavy metal contamination in drip-irrigated cotton fields in arid areas.

Deficit irrigation combined with nitrogen application in the early growth stage of sugar beet increases the production capacity of canopy and avoids yield loss.

BACKGROUND: Properly reduced irrigation combined with nitrogen (N) application can be used to improve crop water use efficiency (WUE) in arid regions, but its effect on sugar beet is unknown at present. A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of N application (N0, 0; N1, 150; N2, 225 kg N ha-1 ) on the canopy production capacity (CPC), yield and WUE of sugar beet under normal irrigation (W1, 70% of field capacity (FC)) and deficit irrigation (DI) (W2, 50% FC) in the early growth stage (EGS). RESULTS: The results showed that the W2 treatment reduced the CPC by reducing gas exchange, leaf area index (LAI) and chlorophyll content (SPAD value) of sugar beet leaves compared to the W1 treatment. However, DI combined with N application increased these parameters. Specifically, N application increased the net photosynthetic rate by 40.7% by increased gas exchange, SPAD and LAI compared to the N0 treatment. In addition, N application increased WUE by 12.5% by increasing thickness of upper surface, stomatal aperture and cross-sectional area of petiole. This ultimately led to a significant increase in taproot yield (TY; 19.7%) and sugar yield (SY; 57.6%). Although the TY of the N2 treatment was higher than that of the N1 treatment, the SY and WUE did not increase significantly and the harvest index decreased significantly by 9.3%. CONCLUSION: DI combined with 150 kg N ha-1 in the EGS of sugar beet increases the WUE in arid areas while avoiding yield loss by improving the CPC. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Incidence risk of peripheral edema in cancer patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors: A PRISMA guideline systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To elucidate the relationship between peripheral edema and programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors, the meta-analysis was performed. METHOD: Following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, all-grade and grade 3-5 of peripheral edema data extracted from clinical trials were taken into account for the final comprehensive assessments. RESULTS: Twenty-seven PD-1/PD-L1-related clinical trials with peripheral edema data were collected. Compared with chemotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1 vs chemotherapy), the risk of developing peripheral edema for all-grade was much lower (odds ratio [OR] = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.23, 0.56], Z = 4.55 [P < .00001]). When PD-1/PD-L1 plus chemotherapy were compared with chemotherapy, no significant analysis results for all-grade was found (OR = 1.15, 95% CI:[0.93, 1.44], I2 = 25%, Z = 1.27 [P = .20]). Similar risk trends could also be found when the incidence risk of peripheral edema for grade 3-5 was evaluated. No obvious publication bias was identified throughout the total analysis process. CONCLUSION: The effect of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor on the risk of developing peripheral edema was weaker than that of chemotherapy, and the combination with chemotherapy slightly increased the incidence risk of developing peripheral edema without statistical significance.

The Influence of Different Modes of Exercise on Healthy and Injured Tendons.

Tendons are essential components of the musculoskeletal system that links the skeletal muscle to the skeleton. This dense connective tissue exhibits great plasticity. Therefore, research on the influence of types of exercise, including acute and long-term training, on the structural and mechanical properties of tendons in athletic and sedentary populations is of critical importance in the design of scientific-based exercise plans and effective tendinopathy treatment. Here, we review recent studies on the relationship between exercise and tendon health and tendinopathy repair to provide a general understanding of how exercise may reshape tendons.

Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis of the Mechanism of Foliar Application of Hormone-Type Growth Regulator in the Improvement of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Coloration in Saline-Alkaline Soil.

(1) Background: To solve the problems of incomplete coloration and quality decline caused by unreasonable use of regulators in grapes, this study clarified the differences in the effects of a hormone-type growth regulator (AUT) and two commercial regulators on grape coloration and quality through field experiments. (2) Methods: The color indexes (brightness (L*), red/green color difference (a*), yellow/blue color difference (b*), and color index for red grapes (CIRG)) of grape fruit were measured using a CR-400 handheld color difference meter. The titratable acid content, total phenol content, and total sugar content were measured using anthrone colorimetry, folinol colorimetry, and NaOH titration, respectively, and the chalcone isomerase activity, phenylalanine ammoniase activity, dihydroflavol reductase activity, and anthocyanin content were measured using a UV spectrophotometer. (3) Results: The a*, total sugar and total phenol contents, and chalcone isomerase (CHI) and phenylalanine ammoniase (PAL) activities of grape fruit in the AUT treatment significantly increased, while the titratable acid content significantly decreased, compared to those in the CK treatment. The expressions of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) trpB and argJ in AUT treatment were significantly up-regulated. The expressions of the differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) phenylalanine and 4-oxoproline were significantly up-regulated, while those of 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and N-acetyl glutamate were significantly down-regulated. The CIRG significantly increased by 36.4% compared to that in the CK, indicating improved fruit coloration. (4) Conclusion: The AUT could shorten the color conversion period of grape fruit and improve the coloration, taste, and tolerance to saline and alkaline stresses.

Risk of Rash in PD-1 or PD-L1-Related Cancer Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Given that immune-related rash was the most frequently reported PD-1 or PD-L1-related skin toxicity, this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to elucidate its incidence risk. Methods: The meta-analysis was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines. The random effect model was used in the process of all analyses. Skin rash of all grades and grades 3-5 were calculated and gathered in the final comprehensive analyses. Results: The study included 86 clinical trials classified into 15 groups. Compared with chemotherapy, PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors significantly strengthened the risk of developing rash across all grades (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: [1.31, 2.11]; p < 0.0001). This trend was significantly stronger when the control group was placebo (OR = 2.62, 95% CI: [1.88, 3.65]; p < 0.00001). Similar results were observed when PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors were given together with chemotherapy (OR = 1.87, 95% CI: [1.59, 2.20]; p < 0.00001), even in patients with grades 3-5. As with other combination therapies, the risk of developing rash for all grades was enhanced when PD-1 or PD-L1 was given together with chemotherapy as the second-line option (OR = 2.98, 95% CI: [1.87, 4.75]; p=0.05). No statistically significant differences could be found in skin rash between the PD-1 and PD-L1-related subgroups. Conclusion: Whether PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors were given alone or together with others, the risk of developing rash would be enhanced. Furthermore, the risk of developing rash appeared to be higher when PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors together with other antitumor drugs were given as the second-line options. No statistically significant results of developing rash between PD-1 and PD-L1 subgroups were obtained owing to the participation of PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors.

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Differential Regulatory Mechanisms of Compound Material on the Responses of Brassica campestris to Saline and Alkaline Stresses.

Oilseed rape not only has the function of improve saline and alkaline soils, but also alleviate the local feed shortage. However, medium- and high-degree soil salinization and alkalinization always inhibit the growth of oilseed rape. Studies have shown that compound material can improve the tolerance to saline and alkaline stress of crops, but the difference in the regulation mechanism of compound material on oilseed rape in saline and alkaline soils is not clear. This study explored the difference through determining the leaf ion contents, physiological indexes, transcriptomics, and metabolomics of oilseed rape in salinized soil (NaCl 8 g kg-1) and alkalinized soil (Na2CO3 8 g kg-1) at full flowering stage, respectively after the application of compound material. The results showed that in salinized and alkalinized soil, the compound material upregulated the genes related to the regulation of potassium ion transport, and changed the amino acid metabolic pathway, which reduced the contents of Na+, malondialdehyde (MDA), and relative conductivity (REC) in leaves, and increased the contents of K+ and Mg2+ and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). However, there were differences in the regulation mechanism of compound material in salinized and alkalinized soil. In salinized soil, the compound material improved the tolerance of oilseed rape to saline stress by upregulating transcription factors mannose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase (GPMM) and Glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate transaminase (GFPT) and downregulating phosphomannomutase (PMM) to change nucleotide metabolism pathway and lipid metabolism pathway. In alkalized soil, the compound material improved the tolerance of oilseed rape to alkaline stress by upregulating transcription factors Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) to change the biosynthesis pathway of other secondary metabolites. Therefore, the compound material can improve the tolerance of oilseed rape to saline and alkaline stress by regulating the genetic adaptability and apparent plasticity, but the mechanisms were different. This study provides a practical method for the ecological environment restoration and the development of animal husbandry.

Polymer amendment regulates cadmium migration in cadmium contaminated cotton field: Insights from genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity.

Polymer materials have been widely used in the remediation of soil heavy metal contamination for their good performance in the absorption of metal ions. To reveal the effect of polymer amendment (PA) on the remediation of cadmium-contaminated cotton fields, the cadmium (Cd) fractions in soil, Cd concentration in cotton organs, bioconcentration factor (BCF) of Cd, translocation factor (TF) of Cd, and the antioxidant capacity and photosynthesis of functional leaves were evaluated combining with the transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, in barrel experiments in the field at the flowering and boll-forming stage of cotton. The results showed that, cotton improved the tolerance to Cd through self-regulation in Cd-contaminated soil. The expression of oxoglutaric acid and jasmonic acid were down-regulated by the application of PA to improve the photosynthetic rate (7.71%-46.20%), chlorophyll content (17.59%-63.18%), chlorophyll fluorescence (7.66%-32.25%), and antioxidant enzyme activity (15.49%-45.50%) of functional leaves, and the down-regulation of the expression of jasmonic acid and up-regulation of the expression of stearic acid reduced the exchangeable Cd concentration in the soil, which reduced the transport of Cd from the root to the bolls (54.39%). Thereby, the balance of the genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity of cotton was achieved, and the cell structure of leaves was restored. This study deepens our understanding of the molecular mechanism of PA in the remediation of Cd contamination in cotton fields, and provides guidance for the remediation of heavy metal contamination in farmland soil and agricultural safety under drip irrigation.

Quantifying influences of administrative division adjustment on PM2.5 pollution in China's mega-urban agglomerations.

China's mega-urban agglomerations have experienced severe particulate matter pollution that is accompanied by rapid economic growth and extensive administrative division adjustment (ADA). However, the precise roles of ADA on the environmental quality are unknown. Using the geographical detector and evolution tree model, this study quantifies the effects and mechanisms of ADA on the changes in PM2.5 concentration in three mega-urban agglomerations: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD) during 2000-2017. Our results showed that: (1) ADA had strong positive effects on PM2.5 concentrations in the 0-6 years lag and negative effects in the 7-10 years lag; (2) During 2000-2009, ADA elevated PM2.5 concentration by 5.93% via stimulating the development and transfer of heavy industry and urban sprawl in the BTH; (3) YRD and PRD respectively reduced the ADA's exacerbating effect to 5.26% and 4.98% via reasonable industrial structures and comprehensive cooperation mechanisms; (4) During 2009-2017, BTH and YRD integrated industrial transformation and environmental protection services through ADA, which alleviated 9.51% and 8.49% of PM2.5 pollution. PRD, meanwhile, accomplished orderly population dispersal and urban expansion by combining ADA with urban planning, thus reducing the PM2.5 concentration by 8.01%. We located three agglomerations in the evolution tree, which provide a basis for formulating relevant policies and region-oriented air pollution joint prevention control strategies.

Metabolic regulation in soil microbial succession and niche differentiation by the polymer amendment under cadmium stress.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination seriously threatens the agricultural production, so exploring the response of soil microenvironment to amendments in Cd-contaminated soils is of importance. In this study, the mechanism of remediation of Cd-contaminated soil using the polymer amendment was studied in cotton flowering stage. The results showed that the concentration of Cd in cotton root and various Cd forms in Cd-contaminated soils were obviously high. High concentration of Cd, especially exchangeable Cd, could seriously affect the soil microenvironment. The root growth of cotton could be promoted, the carbon and nitrogen concentration and storage in soil were increased by 21.72-50.00%, while the exchangeable Cd concentration in soil were decreased by 41.43%, after applying the polymer amendment. In addition, the polymer amendment affected the soil microbial niche, increased the relative abundance of soil bacteria (Flaviaesturariibacter, Rubellimicrobium, and Cnuella), fungi (Verticillium and Tricharina), actinomycetes (Blastococcus and Nocardioides), and fungivores nematodes (Aphelenchus), and improved soil microbial metabolic functions (metabolism of nucleotides and carbohydrates). Therefore, this polymer amendment could be used to remediate severe Cd-contaminated soils, and the changes in the microbial and nematode communities help us understand the detoxification mechanism of the polymer amendment in Cd-contaminated soils.

Urban ecological land and natural-anthropogenic environment interactively drive surface urban heat island: An urban agglomeration-level study in China.

The surface urban heat island effect (SUHI) that occurs during rapid urbanization increases the health risks associated with high temperatures. Urban ecological land (UEL) has been shown to play an important role in improving urban heat stress, however, the impact of UEL interactions with the natural-anthropogenic environment on SUHI at the urban agglomeration-scale is less explored. In this study, the Google Earth Engine and GeoDetector were applied to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of UEL and SUHI in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area from 2000 to 2020 by extracting major built-up urban areas and quantifying the impacts of UEL and its interactions with the natural-anthropogenic factors on SUHI. The results show that the evolution of the UEL landscape structure exhibits clear spatiotemporal coupling with SUHI. Specifically, the UEL underwent a dispersion and degradation process in 2000-2015 and a convergence and restoration process in 2015-2020, the SUHI correspondingly transitioned from intensification and continuity to mitigation and contraction. The UEL landscape structure showed a notable impact on the SUHI reduction, and the dominance and richness of the patches explained an average of 19.95% and 16.03% of the SUHI, respectively. Moreover, the interaction between UEL and land urbanization rate and anthropogenic heat release had a dominant effect on SUHI, but this effect significantly declined from 2015 to 2020. With the implementation of ecological restoration projects, the interaction of UEL with topography rapidly increased and the SUHI gradually dominated by the joint interaction of UEL and natural-anthropogenic factors. A synthesis of the varying effects of several factors showed that the dynamic relationship between the development stages of the urban agglomeration's regional system and SUHI may conform to the Environmental Kuznets Curve. SUHI reduction strategies should therefore comprehensively optimize the rational allocation of UEL landscape structures and natural-human elements to promote the well-being of residents.

Spatial-temporal patterns and influencing factors of ecological land degradation-restoration in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Despite the fact that urban agglomerations have undergone extensive ecological land coverage modifications, exploration of the patterns and driving mechanisms associated with ecological land degradation (ELD) and ecological land restoration (ELR) in urban agglomerations is still limited. This study combined remote sensing technology, as well as landscape index and geographical detector to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of ELD (isolating, adjacent, and enclosing degradation) and ELR (outlying, edge-expansion, and infilling restoration) in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) from 1990 to 2019. Subsequently, the contributions, interactions, and driver changes were quantified. The results showed an ecological land shift from over-exploitation to balanced co-existence, which was facilitated by a spatiotemporal pattern transition from adjacent degradation-led (1990-2010) to edge-expansion restoration-led (2010-2019). Land urbanization rate and population density showed a stronger promoting effect on ELD than natural factors, while tertiary industry, topography, and soil conditions were more significant in ELR. The factors' nonlinear interaction enhanced the degradation-restoration pattern evolution and continued to increase over time-particularly the interaction between construction land expansion and other drivers. Additionally, from 2010 to 2019, 80% of the ELR socio-economic factors turned from negative to positive and gradually became to play a significant role. This study is expected to help ecological protection and restoration planners/managers recognize the factors' interactions and variations, and ultimately improve the ecological network structure that is designed to integrate the city with the ecosystem.

Effects of Organic Polymer Compound Material on K+ and Na+ Distribution and Physiological Characteristics of Cotton Under Saline and Alkaline Stresses.

Soil salinization and alkalization greatly restrict crop growth and yield. In this study, NaCl (8 g kg-1) and Na2CO3 (8 g kg-1) were used to create saline stress and alkaline stress on cotton in pot cultivation in the field, and organic polymer compound material (OPCM) and stem girdling were applied before cotton sowing and at flowering and boll-forming stage, respectively, aiming to determine the effects of OPCM on K+ and Na+ absorption and transport and physiological characteristics of cotton leaf and root. The results showed that after applying the OPCM, the Na+ content in leaf of cotton under saline stress and alkaline stress were decreased by 7.72 and 6.49%, respectively, the K+/Na+ ratio in leaf were increased by 5.65 and 19.10%, respectively, the Na+ content in root were decreased by 9.57 and 0.53%, respectively, the K+/Na+ ratio in root were increased by 65.77 and 55.84%, respectively, and the transport coefficients of K+ and Na+ from leaf to root were increased by 39.59 and 21.38%, respectively. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), and the relative electrical conductivity (REC) in cotton leaf were significantly increased, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased; but the changes in those in root were not significant. The boll weights were increased by 11.40 and 13.37%, respectively, compared with those for the control. After stem girdling, the application of OPCM still promoted the ion transport of cotton organs; moreover, the CAT activity in root was increased by 25.09% under saline stress, and the SOD activity in leaf and CAT in root were increased by 42.22 and 6.91%, respectively under alkaline stress. Therefore, OPCM can significantly change the transport of K+ and Na+ to maintain the K+ and Na+ homeostasis in leaf and root, and regulate physiological and biochemical indicators to alleviate the stress-induced damage. Besides, the regulation effect of OPCM on saline stress was better than that on alkaline stress.

[How Different Ratios of Straw Incorporation to Nitrogen Fertilization Influence Endogenous and Exogenous Carbon Release from Agricultural Soils].

The adjustment of the C/N ratio by straw combined with fertilizer nitrogen (N) not only affects straw decomposition but also affects soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, i.e. the priming effects. Therefore, it is doubly important to study how the ratios of straw to N fertilizer influence the release of endogenous and exogenous C for greenhouse gas emission reduction and soil fertility improvement. We conducted a 32-week laboratory incubation experiment with 13C labeled maize straw under different N levels in farmland soil collected from fields in Huantai County to investigate the effect of the ratios of straw to N fertilizer on straw decomposition and the priming effects. Four treatments were set up, including CK, corn straw (S), corn straw+low urea rates (SN1), and corn straw+high urea rates (SN2). Dynamic sampling was conducted during the early stage (0-10 d), the middle stage (11-43 d), and the later stage (44-224 d) of straw decomposition. The approach was based on using a two-source mixing model to differentiate two sources of soil CO2 (straw and soil-derived C). With an increase in the incubation time, the contribution of SOC decomposition to soil CO2 emissions first decreased and then increased. On the contrary, the contribution of straw mineralization to soil CO2 emissions first increased and then decreased. By the end of the incubation time, the contribution of SOC and straw decomposition to soil CO2 emissions was 0.84-0.86 and 0.14-0.16, respectively. Over the whole incubation period, the effects of N fertilization on straw decomposition first increased and then decreased. The promotion degree of high and low N fertilization on straw decomposition was up to 15.8% and 7.9%, respectively. Over the whole incubation period, the inhibition degree of low N fertilization reached up to 7.1%, while high N fertilization showed a slight promotion trend of 0.7%. Therefore, the regulation of C:N by straw combined with fertilizer N not only affected the contribution of exogenous straw to SOC but also influenced the decomposition of endogenous SOC, and then influenced soil C fixation. Over the whole incubation period, straw C retention could not compensate for CO2 released by the priming effects, which led to a net loss of SOC.

Application of compound material alleviates saline and alkaline stress in cotton leaves through regulation of the transcriptome.

BACKGROUND: Soil salinization and alkalinization are the main factors that affect the agricultural productivity. Evaluating the persistence of the compound material applied in field soils is an important part of the regulation of the responses of cotton to saline and alkaline stresses. RESULT: To determine the molecular effects of compound material on the cotton's responses to saline stress and alkaline stress, cotton was planted in the salinized soil (NaCl 8 g kg- 1) and alkalized soil (Na2CO3 8 g kg- 1) after application of the compound material, and ion content, physiological characteristics, and transcription of new cotton leaves at flowering and boll-forming stage were analyzed. The results showed that compared with saline stress, alkaline stress increased the contents of Na+, K+, SOD, and MDA in leaves. The application of the compound material reduced the content of Na+ but increased the K+/Na+ ratio, the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and REC. Transcriptome analysis revealed that after the application of the compound material, the Na+/H+ exchanger gene in cotton leaves was down-regulated, while the K+ transporter, K+ channel, and POD genes were up-regulated. Besides, the down-regulation of genes related to lignin synthesis in phenylalanine biosynthesis pathway had a close relationship with the ion content and physiological characteristics in leaves. The quantitative analysis with PCR proved the reliability of the results of RNA sequencing. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the compound material alleviated saline stress and alkaline stress on cotton leaves by regulating candidate genes in key biological pathways, which improves our understanding of the molecular mechanism of the compound material regulating the responses of cotton to saline stress and alkaline stress.

Study on the effects of polymer modifiers and phloem girdling on cotton in cadmium-contaminated soil in Xinjiang Province, China.

The effects of two liquid modifiers (polyacrylate compound modifier and organic polymer compound modifier) and phloem girdling (stem girdling and branch girdling) on cadmium (Cd) content, Cd transport, and photosynthetic parameters of cotton (Xinluzao 60) in Cd-contaminated soil (40 mg kg -1) were studied through barrel experiment. The results showed that the distribution ratios of Cd in stem, leaves, and bolls, leaf net photosynthetic rate (Pn), leaf stomatal conductance (Gs), leaf transpiration rate (Tr), and chlorophyll content were decreased after girdling; and the application of modifiers reduced the Cd content and the Cd transported to the shoot, while alleviating photosynthetic damage caused by girdling. In general, our results indicated that the inhibition of carbohydrate supply caused by girdling reduced the photosynthetic capacity of cotton, while the applications of the two liquid modifiers decrease the influence to cotton photosynthesis. Moreover, Cd and modifiers may be transported to the shoot through both phloem and xylem.

Precise large deviations for widely orthant dependent random variables with different distributions.

Let [Formula: see text] be a sequence of random variables with different distributions [Formula: see text]. The partial sums are denoted by [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. This paper mainly investigates the precise large deviations of [Formula: see text], for the widely orthant dependent random variables [Formula: see text]. Under some mild conditions, the lower and upper bounds of the precise large deviations of the partial sums [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], are presented.

Induction of autophagy by cystatin C: a potential mechanism for prevention of cerebral vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Studies have demonstrated that autophagy pathways are activated in the brain after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and this may play a protective role in early brain injury. However, the contribution of autophagy in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) following SAH, and whether up-regulated autophagy may contribute to aggravate or release CVS, remain unknown. Cystatin C (CysC) is a cysteine protease inhibitor that induces autophagy under conditions of neuronal challenge. This study investigated the expression of autophagy proteins in the walls of basilar arteries (BA), and the effects of CysC on CVS and autophagy pathways following experimental SAH in rats. METHODS: All SAH animals were subjected to injection of 0.3 mL fresh arterial, non-heparinized blood into the cisterna magna. Fifty rats were assigned randomly to five groups: control group (n = 10), SAH group (n = 10), SAH + vehicle group (n = 10), SAH + low dose of CysC group (n = 10), and SAH + high dose of CysC group (n = 10). We measured proteins by western blot analysis, CVS by H&E staining method, morphological changes by electron microscopy, and recorded neuro-behavior scores. RESULTS: Microtubule-associated protein light chain-3, an autophagosome biomarker, and beclin-1, a Bcl-2-interacting protein required for autophagy, were significantly increased in the BA wall 48 h after SAH. In the CysC-handled group, the degree of CVS, measured as the inner BA perimeter and BA wall thickness, was significantly ameliorated in comparison with vehicle-treated SAH rats. This effect paralleled the intensity of autophagy in the BA wall induced by CysC. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the autophagy pathway is activated in the BA wall after SAH and CysC-induced autophagy may play a beneficial role in preventing SAH-induced CVS.

Potential role of CD34 in cerebral vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats.

Inflammatory responses have been implicated in the elaboration of several forms of central nervous system injury, including cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A critical event participating in such responses is the recruitment of circulating leukocytes into the inflammatory site. CD34 is a key adhesion molecule responsible for recruitment of monocytes/macrophages and the attachment of leukocytes to endothelial cells. However, it has not been investigated whether, and to what degree, CD34 is induced by SAH and also the role of CD34 in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm following SAH remains unknown. Experiment 1 aimed to investigate the timecourse of the CD34 expression in the basilar artery after SAH. In experiment 2, we chose the maximum time point of vasospasm (day 3) and assessed the effect of monoclonal antibody against CD34 on regulation of cerebral vasospasm. As a result, the elevated expression of CD34 was detected in the basilar artery after SAH and peaked on day 3. After intracisternal administration of CD34 monoclonal antibody, the vasospasm was markedly attenuated after blood injection on day 3. Our results suggest that CD34 is increasingly expressed in a parallel time course to the development of cerebral vasospasm in a rat experimental model of SAH and administration of the specific CD34 antibody could prevent or reduce cerebral vasospasm caused by SAH.