Attentional bias modification in male college smokers: The changes of facilitated attention, difficulty in disengagement and the transfer effects of training.

BACKGROUND: Attentional bias modification (ABM) has been used to modify the attentional bias (AB) towards smoking-related cues. Still, the effects of ABM are extensively controversial. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of ABM on AB and its two sub-processes named facilitated attention and difficulty in disengagement at two different stimulus durations, as well as test whether the effects of ABM could transfer to new measures of AB. METHOD: Forty-six male college smokers were allocated to either ABM group using a modified visual probe task (n = 24), or the corresponding placebo training (PT) group (n = 22). Participants performed three sessions of training in one week. The pre- and post-training AB and its sub-processes were measured using visual probe task. Cue-target task and pictorial Stroop task were used for testing the transfer effects of ABM. RESULTS: The AB in ABM group was significantly decreased compared with the PT group. Specifically, the facilitated attention was significantly reduced at 200 ms stimulus duration, while the difficulty in disengagement was significantly decreased at 500 ms stimulus duration. The benefit of ABM training could transfer to the cue-target task, but not to the pictorial Stroop task. Meanwhile, no effects of ABM were observed on smoking craving and nicotine dependence. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that the stimulus duration is a crucial factor for the efficacy of ABM on the facilitated attention and the difficulty in disengagement in male college smokers and detected the transfer effects between different measures of AB to some extent. Future studies need to further explore the influence mechanism in distinct stimulus durations.

Achieving Highly Proton-Resistant Zn-Pb Anode through Low Hydrogen Affinity and Strong Bonding for Long-Life Electrolytic Zn//MnO2 Battery.

High-energy electrolytic Zn//MnO2 batteries show potential for grid-scale energy storage, but the severe hydrogen evolution corrosion (HEC) caused by acidic electrolytes results in subdued durability. Here, an all-around protection strategy is reported for achieving stable Zn metal anodes. First, a proton-resistant Pb-containing (Pb and Pb(OH)2 ) interface is constructed on a Zn anode (denoted as Zn@Pb), which in situ forms PbSO4 during H2 SO4 corrosion and protects the Zn substrate from HEC. Second, to improve the plating/stripping reversibility of Zn@Pb, Pb(CH3 COO)2 an additive (denoted as Zn@Pb-Ad) is introduced, which triggers PbSO4 precipitation and releases trace Pb2+ that can dynamically deposit a Pb layer on the Zn plating layer to suppress HEC. The superior HEC resistance stems from the low affinity of PbSO4 and Pb for H+ , as well as strong bonding between Pb-Zn or Pb-Pb, which increase the hydrogen evolution reaction overpotential and the H+ corrosion energy barrier. Consequently, the Zn@Pb-Ad//MnO2 battery runs stably for 630 and 795 h in 0.2 and 0.1 m H2 SO4 electrolytes, respectively, which are >40 times better than that of bare Zn. The as-prepared A h-level battery achieves a one-month calendar life, opening the door to the next generation of high-durable grid-scale Zn batteries.

Safety and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine(Vero cells)in people aged 60 and above with hypertension and/or diabetes / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine(Vero cells)for people aged 60 and above with hypertension and/or diabetes. Methods In Songtao Miao Autonomous County,Guizhou Province,hypertensive and diabetic patients aged 60 and above and healthy people were selected as the research objects. They were divided into hypertension group,diabetes group,combined disease group(suffering from hypertension and diabetes simultaneously)and healthy people control group,and injected intramuscularly with SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine(Vero cells)through the lateral deltoid muscle of upper arm at 0 and 21 d respectively,with a dose of 0. 5 mL each time. Adverse events in ≤ 30 min,0 ～ 7 d and 8 ～ 21 d after immunization were recorded and followed up to 6 months after vaccination. Venous blood samples of 5. 0 mL were collected before vaccination and 28 d after vaccination. The sera were separated,detected for neutralizing antibody levels by cytopathic assay and calculated for the geometric mean titers(GMTs)of neutralizing antibody and antibody seroconversion rate. Blood pressure of patients was measured in fixed time before vaccination and 30 min and 1 ～ 7 d after vaccination in hypertension group and combined disease group respectively;The fasting blood glucose was measured before vaccination and 2 h postprandial blood glucose was measured once on the day of vaccination. The fasting blood glucose and 2 h postprandial blood glucose were measured on 1,3,5 and 7 d after vaccination respectively. Results There was no significant difference in the incidence of solicited adverse events among hypertension group,diabetes group,combined disease group and healthy control group（χ2= 1. 790,P = 0. 617）;There was no significant difference in the incidence of non-solicitation adverse events(P = 0. 412). A total of 5 serious adverse events occurred,all of which were judged to be unrelated to vaccines. No abnormal fluctuation of blood pressure and blood glucose was observed. The lower limits of 95% CI of the rate difference of hypertension,diabetes and combined disease groups were all greater than-10%,and the lower limits of 95% CI of the neutralizing antibody GMT ratio were greater than 0. 67,all of which were not inferior to the healthy control group. Conclusion SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine(Vero cells)has good safety and immunogenicity for people aged 60 and above with hypertension and/or diabetes.

Promoting Reversible Dissolution/Deposition of MnO2 for High-Energy-Density Zinc Batteries via Enhancing Cut-Off Voltage.

Zn//MnO2 batteries based on the MnO2 /Mn2+ conversion reaction mechanism featuring high energy density, safety, and affordable cost are promising in large-scale energy storage application. Nonetheless, the continuous H+ intercalation at low potential reduces the average output voltage and the energy efficiency, impeding the development of the high-performance zinc battery. In this work, a strategy was proposed of enhancing the cut-off voltage from the perspective of electrochemical parameters, toward high energy efficiency and stable output voltage of the Zn//MnO2 battery. This strategy was beneficial to promoting MnO2 dissolution/deposition through the increase of acidity caused by the constant accumulation of MnO2 and inhibiting H+ (de)intercalation during cycling process, thereby improving the energy efficiency (83.5 %) along with the stable average output voltage (1.88 V) under the cut-off voltage of 1.8 V. This work provides a new pathway to promote aqueous zinc batteries with high energy density and stable output voltage.

Discovery of Quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione Derivatives Containing 3-Substituted Piperizines as Potent PARP-1/2 Inhibitors─Design, Synthesis, In Vivo Antitumor Activity, and X-ray Crystal Structure Analysis.

Inhibiting PARP-1/2 offered an important arsenal for cancer treatments via interfering with DNA repair of cancer cells. Novel PARP-1/2 inhibitors were designed by capitalizing on methyl- or ethyl-substituted piperizine ring to capture the characteristics of adenine-ribose binding site (AD site), and their unique binding features were revealed by the cocrystal structures of compounds 4 and 6 in PARP-1. The investigation on structure-activity relationship resulted in compounds 24 and 32 with high enzymatic potency, binding selectivity, and significantly longer residence time for PARP-1 over PARP-2 (compound 24, PARP-1: IC50 = 0.51 nM, PARP-2: IC50 = 23.11 nM; compound 32, PARP-1: IC50 = 1.31 nM, PARP-2: IC50 = 15.63 nM). Furthermore, compound 24 was determined to be an attractive candidate molecule, which possessed an acceptable pharmacokinetic profile and produced remarkable antitumor activity in both breast cancer xenograft model and glioblastoma orthotopic model in mice, either alone or in combination treatment.

Highly Conductive, Flexible, and Nonflammable Double-Network Poly(ionic liquid)-Based Ionogel Electrolyte for Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The solid-state lithium-ion battery is proposed as the ultimate form of battery and has rapidly become an updated attentive research field due to its high safety and extreme temperature tolerance. However, current solid-state electrolytes hardly meet the requirement in practical applications due to its low ionic conductivity, weak mechanical properties, and poor interfacial contact between the electrolyte and the electrode. In this work, we developed a double-network-supported poly(ionic liquid)-based ionogel electrolyte (DN-Ionogel) via a one-step method. Due to its compact cross-linking structure, the leakage-free DN-Ionogel electrolyte exhibits outstanding flexibility and favorable mechanical properties. In this ionogel electrolyte, the double network favors dissociation of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfony)imide (LiTFSI), further resulting in remarkable ionic conductivity (1.8 × 10-3 S/cm, room temperature), wide electrochemical window (up to 5.0 V), and high lithium-ion transference number (0.33). Furthermore, the cell (LiFePO4||DN-Ionogel||Lithium) delivers a discharge capacity as high as 150.5 mAh/g, stable cyclic performance (over 200 cycles), and superior rate behavior.

Boron and nitrogen co-doped double-layered mesopore-rich hollow carbon microspheres as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors.

In this paper, double-layered mesopore-rich hollow carbon microspheres (DHCM) were prepared by a Stöber method using tetraethyl orthosilicate, resorcinol and formaldehyde as precursor materials, and further utilized as carbon sources to prepare the boron and nitrogen co-doped double-layered mesopore-rich hollow carbon microspheres (B, N-DHCM) by hydrothermal approach utilizing ammonium tetraborate tetrahydrate (NH4B5O8·4H2O) as boron and nitrogen sources. Compared with the undoped DHCM, the as-obtained B, N-DHCM displays improved capacitive properties with a high specific capacitance (221.5 F g-1 at 1 A g-1), good rate performance (104.1 F g-1 at 20 A g-1) and superior cycle life (91% of capacitance retention at 3 A g-1 after 10,000 cycles). The outstanding capacitive performances result from the synergistic effect of the unique double-layered mesopore-rich hollow structure contributing to the rate property and cycle stability and the modification of B and N co-doping providing pseudocapacitance for the enhancement of specific capacitance. Therefore, the excellent capacitive behaviors render the B, N-DHCM promising electrode materials for application in supercapacitors and other energy storage systems.

A Bioinspired Ultratough Multifunctional Mica-Based Nanopaper with 3D Aramid Nanofiber Framework as an Electrical Insulating Material.

The rapid development of modern electrical equipment toward miniaturization and high power puts forward stringent requirements to the mechanical reliability, dielectric property, and heat resistance of electrical insulating materials. Simultaneous integration of all these properties for mica-based materials remains unresolved. Herein, inspired by the three-dimensional (3D) chitin nanofiber framework within the layered architecture of natural nacre, we report a large-area layered mica-based nanopaper containing a 3D aramid nanofiber framework, which is prepared by a sol-gel-film transformation process. The coupling of 3D aramid nanofiber framework and oriented mica nanoplatelets imparts the nanopaper with good mechanical strength, particularly outstanding ductility (close to 80%) and toughness (up to 109 MJ m-3), which are 4-240 and 6-220 times higher than those of all other nacre-mimetics. Meanwhile, the excellent mechanical properties are integrated with high dielectric strength (164 kV mm-1), excellent heat resistance (Tg = 268 °C), good solvent resistance, and nonflammability, much better than conventional mica-based materials. Additionally, we successfully demonstrate its continuous production in the form of nanotape. The fabulous multiproperty combination and continuous production capability render the mica-based nanopaper a very promising electrical insulating material in miniaturized high-power electrical equipment.

Fabrication and characterization of a high performance polyimide ultrafiltration membrane for dye removal.

Membrane separation technology is one of the cost effective and most efficient technologies for treatment of wastewater from textile industry. However, development of membranes with better performance and thermal stability is still a highly challenging task. In this study, successful preparation of a novel thermally stable polyimide (PI) polymer was demonstrated using 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine, 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic dianhydride components. PI was selected as representative candidate because of its excellent thermal stability (decomposition temperature of 529 °C), as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis. Furthermore, PI polymer was used to fabricate ultrafiltration (UF) membrane by phase inversion process. This UF membrane is especially interesting as it allowed for almost complete penetration of monovalent (NaCl) and divalent (Na2SO4) inorganic salts because of its molecular weight cut off of 9320 Da. Moreover, the membrane exhibited very good surface hydrophilicity with the water contact angle of 67.6°. This PI-based UF membrane was found to be substantially effective as it showed high pure-water and dye-permeation fluxes of 345.10 and 305.58 L m-2 h-1 at 0.1 MPa, respectively. Besides, the membrane exhibited a rejection of 98.65% toward the direct red 23 dye (100 ppm) at 0.1 MPa. Thus, this PI-based UF membrane is highly beneficial and acts as a potential candidate for dye removal from wastewater produced by textile industry.

Porous Fe2O3 Modified by Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Aerogel as a High-Capacity and High-Rate Anode Material for Alkaline Aqueous Batteries.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as novel types of emerging materials have aroused tremendous attention in recent years. Herein, we report for the first time a new application of 3D CQD-based composite aerogels as excellent electrode materials for alkaline aqueous batteries. The scalable graphitic CQDs are prepared with high yields (>40%) and further utilized to fabricate the novel nitrogen-doped CQDs/reduced graphene oxide/porous Fe2O3 (N-CQDs/rGO/Fe2O3) composite aerogels with different contents of Fe2O3. Benefiting from the unique 3D network composite aerogel structure with a high surface area and hierarchical porous structure as well as the synergistic effect of high-capacity Fe2O3 and highly conductive and stable N-CQDs/rGO, the composite aerogels achieve enhanced electrochemical properties with ultrahigh specific capacity, admirable rate property, and superior cycling performance. Furthermore, the N-CQDs/rGO/Fe2O3-1 electrode (Fe2O3, 34.9 wt %) exhibits the best rate capability (72.1, 58.9, and 46.2% capacity retention at 5, 50, and 100 A g-1, respectively) and cycle performance (80.4% capacity retention at 3 A g-1 over 5000 cycles), while the N-CQDs/rGO/Fe2O3-3 electrode (Fe2O3, 62.3 wt %) displays the highest specific capacity (274.1 mA h g-1 at 1 A g-1). The current research provides a valuable guidance for developing high-performance 3D CQD-based composite aerogels for application in energy storage systems.

Two Methods for Intercalation of Surfactants into Graphite Oxide.

The intercalation properties of graphite oxide are important; however, the specific processes and mechanisms associated with intercalation have rarely been elucidated. In this paper, two types of surfactants, polyvinylpyrrolidone and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, were used to thoroughly explore the intercalation properties of graphite oxide. The polyvinylpyrrolidone and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide-intercalated graphite oxide composites were synthesized under different conditions and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that polyvinylpyrrolidone could be directly intercalated into the graphite oxide layers and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide could not effectively react with the waterdispersed graphite oxide. With a low quantity of polyvinylpyrrolidone, only a part of the graphite oxide was intercalated, and the interlayer spacing of the polyvinylpyrrolidone-intercalated composites increased as the polyvinylpyrrolidone: graphite oxide mass ratio increased. When the graphite oxide was dispersed in a 0.05 N NaOH solution, the tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide rapidly reacted with the graphite oxide, while the mixture of polyvinylpyrrolidone and graphite oxide could not be effectively separated. The intercalated spacing of the tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromideintercalated graphite oxide increased with the tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide: graphite oxide mass ratio, but its crystalline structure was not as ordered as the polyvinylpyrrolidone-intercalated graphite oxide prepared in the water solution. The infrared spectra of the two surfactant-intercalated graphite oxide samples revealed that the polyvinylpyrrolidone is bonded to the graphite oxide via hydrogen bonding, while the tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide is bonded via ionic bonding. The mechanism analysis indicated that the polyvinylpyrrolidone could directly enter the graphite oxide layers in the water solution because of the driving force of hydrogen bonding. However, processes such as graphite oxide exfoliation, reactions between the graphite oxide and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, and reaggregation of the graphite oxide sheets are necessary for the formation of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide-intercalated graphite oxide.

Genotype-dependent alleviation effects of exogenous GSH on salinity stress in cotton is related to improvement in chlorophyll content, photosynthetic performance, and leaf/root ultrastructure.

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that is constraining crop growth and productivity. Greenhouse hydroponic experiments were performed using salt-sensitive (cv. Zhongmian 41) and tolerant (Zhong 9806) cotton seedlings to evaluate how different genotypes responded to salinity stress in the presence of exogenous GSH (reduced glutathione). Cotton plants grown in 150 mM NaCl showed severe reduction in plant height, root length, and shoot and root fresh/dry weight. Salinity also caused reduction in photosynthesis and chlorophyll content, but increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content. However, the reduction was more in Zhongmian 41 compared to Zhong 9806. Importantly, Sodium concentration was increased in the two genotypes and the induction was more in Zhongmian 41. Calcium and magnesium concentration was decreased in Zhongmian 41; however, in Zhong 9806 there were no significant differences relative to control. Addition of 50 mg L-1 GSH in150 mM NaCl solution (Na + GSH) significantly alleviated salinity stress. Compared with salinity treatment alone (NaCl), Na + GSH increased fresh and dry weight of the root, stem, and leaf, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content. Obvious ultrastructural alterations were observed in the saline-treated leaf- and root-tip cells. Exogenous GSH greatly ameliorated the salinity-induced damage on the leaf/root ultrastructure, especially in Zhongmian 41.These results advocate a positive role for GSH in alleviation of salinity, which is related to significant improvement in chlorophyll content, photosynthetic performance, and leaf/root ultrastructure.

Genotypic differences in photosynthetic performance, antioxidant capacity, ultrastructure and nutrients in response to combined stress of salinity and Cd in cotton.

Combined stress of salinity and heavy metal is a serious problem for crop production; however, physiological mechanisms of tolerance to such condition remain elusive in cotton. Here, we used two cotton genotypes differing in salt tolerance, to understand their response to salinity (NaCl) and cadmium (Cd) either alone or in combination (Cd + Na) via hydroponics. Results showed that salinity and/or Cd drastically reduced plant growth, chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, with greater effect observed in Zhongmian 41 (sensitive) than Zhong 9806 (tolerant). Although salinity and/or Cd induced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in Zhongmian 41 at 5 and 10 days after treatment, MDA content remained unchanged in Zhong 9806, implying that Zhongmian 41 but not Zhong 9806 faced oxidative stress following exposure to salinity and/or Cd. Differential responses of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase to Cd, NaCl and Cd + Na indicate genotype- and time course- dependent variations. In both genotypes, Cd content was decreased while Na concentration was increased under combined stress compared with Cd alone. Importantly, NaCl addition in Cd-containing medium caused remarkable reduction in Cd concentration, with the extent of reduction being also dependent on genotypes. The salt-tolerant genotypes had lower Na concentration than sensitive ones. Furthermore, obvious changes in leaf and root ultrastructure was observed under Cd, Na and Cd + Na stress, however Zhong 9806 was less affected compared with Zhongmian 41. These results may provide novel insight into the physiological mechanisms of Cd + Na stress tolerance in various cotton genotypes.

Relation of serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels to bone mineral density in southern Chinese postmenopausal women: A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent in postmenopausal women and has been related to low bone mineral density (BMD). However, controversial results have been reported for the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and BMD. This study was done to investigate whether serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with BMD in postmenopausal women living in Guangzhou in southern China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 119 asymptomatic postmenopausal women, aged 48-85 yr, who were consecutively selected from Guangzhou city. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. The correlation between serum 25(OH)D levels and BMD wes investigated. RESULTS: With increasing serum 25(OH)D levels categorized as <20, 20-30, and ≥ 30ng/ml, the PTH levels decreased gradually ( P=0.031). Bivariate correlation analyses showed an inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D and PTH levels after controlling for age and BMI (r=-0.209, P=0.023). Although subjects with vitamin D<30 ng/ml had significantly lower BMD, age- and BMI-adjusted serum 25(OH)D was weakly correlated with BMD at femoral neck (r=0.185, P0.045), and not at lumbar spine (r=0.172, p =0 0.063). In multiple regression analyses, serum 25(OH)D was a predictor for BMD at femoral neck (R 2= 0.424). However, serum ß-CTX was a determinant for BMD at lumbar spine (R 2= 0.361). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25(OH)D levels showed a positive correlation with BMD at femoral neck and serum ß-CTX levels were inversely correlated with BMD at lumbar spine in postmenopausal women. Further studies are needed to elucidate the clinical impact of these findings.

Effect of whole body vibration therapy on circulating serotonin levels in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE(S): Studies have reported that whole body vibration (WBV) played a vital role in bone remodeling. Circulating serotonin is also involved in negative regulating bone mass in rodents and humans. However, both WBV and inhibition of serotonin biosynthesis may suppress receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of WBV therapy on the levels of serum serotonin in ovariectomized rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats weighing 276.15±37.75 g were ovariectomized to induce osteoporosis, and another ten rats underwent sham operation to establish sham control (SHAM) group. After 3 months, ovariectomized rats were divided into three subgroups and then separately treated with WBV, Alendronate (ALN) and normal saline (OVX), SHAM group was given normal saline. After 6 weeks of treatment, rats were sacrificed. Serum serotonin, RANKL, bone turnover markers, and bone mineral density (BMD), bone strength were evaluated. RESULTS: The serum serotonin level was significantly lower in WBV group than OVX and ALN groups (P<0.05 and P<0.001). RANKL levels significantly decreased in WBV and ALN groups compared to OVX group (P<0.001 for both). BMD and biomechanical parameters of femur significantly increased (P<0.05 for both) and bone turnover levels decreased (P<0.001 for both) in WBV group compared to OVX group. CONCLUSION: These data indicated that WBV enhanced the bone strength and BMD in ovariectomized rats most likely by reducing the levels of circulating serotonin.

Difference in yield and physiological features in response to drought and salinity combined stress during anthesis in Tibetan wild and cultivated barleys.

Soil salinity and drought are the two most common and frequently co-occurring abiotic stresses constraining crop growth and productivity. Greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to investigate the tolerance potential and mechanisms of Tibetan wild barley genotypes (XZ5, drought-tolerant; XZ16, salinity/aluminum tolerant) during anthesis compared with salinity-tolerant cv CM72 in response to separate and combined stresses (D+S) of drought (4% soil moisture, D) and salinity (S). Under salinity stress alone, plants had higher Na(+) concentrations in leaves than in roots and stems. Importantly, XZ5 and XZ16 had substantially increased leaf K(+) concentrations; XZ16 was more efficient in restricting Na(+) loading in leaf and maintained a lower leaf Na(+)/K(+) ratio. Moreover, a significant decrease in cell membrane stability index (CMSI) and an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) were accompanied by a dramatic decrease in total biomass under D+S treatment. We demonstrated that glycine-betaine and soluble sugars increased significantly in XZ5 and XZ16 under all stress conditions, along with increases in protease activity and soluble protein contents. Significant increases were seen in reduced ascorbate (ASA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents, and in activities of H(+)K(+)-, Na(+)K(+)-, Ca(++)Mg(++)-, total- ATPase, and antioxidant enzymes under D+S treatment in XZ5 and XZ16 compared to CM72. Compared with control, all stress treatments significantly reduced grain yield and 1000-grain weight; however, XZ5 and XZ16 were less affected than CM72. Our results suggest that high tolerance to D+S stress in XZ5 and XZ16 is closely related to the lower Na(+)/K(+) ratio, and enhanced glycine-betaine and soluble protein and sugar contents, improved protease, ATPase activities and antioxidative capacity for scavenging reactive oxygen species during anthesis. These results may provide novel insight into the potential responses associated with increasing D+S stress in wild barley genotypes.

Comparative proteomic analysis of aluminum tolerance in tibetan wild and cultivated barleys.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major limiting factor for plant production in acid soils. Wild barley germplasm is rich in genetic diversity and may provide elite genes for crop Al tolerance improvement. The hydroponic-experiments were performed to compare proteomic and transcriptional characteristics of two contrasting Tibetan wild barley genotypes Al- resistant/tolerant XZ16 and Al-sensitive XZ61 as well as Al-resistant cv. Dayton. Results showed that XZ16 had less Al uptake and translocation than XZ61 and Dayton under Al stress. Thirty-five Al-tolerance/resistance-associated proteins were identified and categorized mainly in metabolism, energy, cell growth/division, protein biosynthesis, protein destination/storage, transporter, signal transduction, disease/defense, etc. Among them, 30 were mapped on barley genome, with 16 proteins being exclusively up-regulated by Al stress in XZ16, including 4 proteins (S-adenosylmethionine-synthase 3, ATP synthase beta subunit, triosephosphate isomerase, Bp2A) specifically expressed in XZ16 but not Dayton. The findings highlighted the significance of specific-proteins associated with Al tolerance, and verified Tibetan wild barley as a novel genetic resource for Al tolerance.

A Systematic, Integrated Study on the Neuroprotective Effects of Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Revealed by (1)H NMR-Based Metabonomics and the NF-κB Pathway.

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is the main active component of the Chinese herb Carthamus tinctorius L.. Purified HSYA is used as a neuroprotective agent to prevent cerebral ischemia. Injectable safflor yellow (50 mg, containing 35 mg HSYA) is widely used to treat patients with ischemic cardiocerebrovascular disease. However, it is unknown how HSYA exerts a protective effect on cerebral ischemia at the molecular level. A systematical integrated study, including histopathological examination, neurological evaluation, blood-brain barrier (BBB), metabonomics, and the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway, was applied to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms of HSYA neuroprotection at the molecular level. HSYA could travel across the BBB, significantly reducing the infarct volume and improving the neurological functions of rats with ischemia. Treatment with HSYA could lead to relative corrections of the impaired metabolic pathways through energy metabolism disruption, excitatory amino acid toxicity, oxidative stress, and membrane disruption revealed by (1)H NMR-based metabonomics. Meanwhile, HSYA treatment inhibits the NF-κB pathway via suppressing proinflammatory cytokine expression and p65 translocation and binding activity while upregulating an anti-inflammatory cytokine.

Grain protein content variation and its association analysis in barley.

BACKGROUND: Grain protein content (GPC) is an important quality determinant for barley used as malt, feed as well as food. It is controlled by a complex genetic system. GPC differs greatly among barley genotypes and is also variable across different environments. It is imperative to understand the genetic control of barley GPC and identify the genotypes with less variation under the different environments. RESULTS: In this study, 59 cultivated and 99 Tibetan wild barley genotypes were used for a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a multi-platform candidate gene-based association analysis, in order to identify the molecular markers associated with GPC. Tibetan wild barley had higher GPC than cultivated barley. The significant correlation between GPC and diastatic power (DP), and malt extract confirmed the importance of GPC in determining malt quality. Diversity arrays technology (DArT) markers associated with barley GPC were detected by GWAS. In addition, GWAS revealed two HvNAM genes as the candidate genes controlling GPC. No association was detected between HvNAM1 polymorphism and GPC, while a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (798, P < 0.01), located within the second intron of HvNAM2, was associated with GPC. There was a significant correlation between haplotypes of HvNAM1, HvNAM2 and GPC in barley. CONCLUSIONS: The GWAS and candidate gene based-association study may be effectively used to determine the genetic variation of GPC in barley. The DArT markers and the polymorphism of HvNAM genes identified in this study are useful in developing high quality barley cultivars in the future. HvNAM genes could play a role in controlling barley GPC.

[Correlation of ABO groups to hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between ABO blood groups and hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH). METHODS: The clinical data of 425 patients with HICH admitted to Nanfang Hospital were collected to analyze the relationship between the ABO blood groups and the occurrence of HICH, with normal Han Chinese subjects serving as the controls. RESULTS: Compared to the officially documented distribution of ABO groups in Chinese population (O 34.11%, B 28.98%, A 28.29%, AB 8.69%) and in Guangzhou residents (O 46.00%, B 25.00%, A 23.00%, AB 6.00%), a significant difference was noted in the blood group distribution in this cohort (O 45.10%, A 26.00%, B 24.00%, AB 4.90%). O blood type individuals with HICH showed a higher morbidity than others. Th ABO blood type distribution in this cohort showed no significant difference from that in the control group (P>0.05), but differed significantly from the Chinese norm (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The ABO blood group is a factor contributing to the occurrence of HICH. O blood type is related to cerebral hemorrhage, and may serve as a risk factor for HICH.