Relationship between parenting style and internet addiction: Interpersonal relationship problem as a mediator and gender as a moderator.

Purpose: This study assessed the moderating effect of gender on the indirect effects of positive and negative parenting styles on Internet addiction through interpersonal relationship problem. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of randomly sampled 1194 college students recruited voluntarily from three universities in China was conducted to assess the variables of positive and negative parenting styles, interpersonal relationship problem, and Internet addiction. Results: Positive parenting style, such as emotional warmth, was a protective factor for the development of Internet addiction, whereas negative parenting style, such as rejection and overprotection, was a potential risk factor for Internet addiction. Furthermore, interpersonal relationship problem completely mediated the association between positive parenting style and Internet addiction but partially mediated the relationship between negative parenting style and Internet addiction. Finally, gender moderated the indirect effect of parenting style on Internet addiction through interpersonal relationship problem. Conclusion: The correlation between positive parenting style and interpersonal relationship problem was considerably weaker among females, whereas the association between interpersonal relationship problem and Internet addiction was much stronger among females. For the prevention and intervention of Internet addiction, it is important to increase positive parenting style for males while enhancing interpersonal skills training for females. Further longitudinal studies should discuss the effects of paternal and maternal parenting styles on Internet addiction.

CD147 induces asthmatic airway remodeling and activation of circulating fibrocytes in a mouse model of asthma.

BACKGROUND: Airway remodeling is a poorly reversible feature of asthma which lacks effective therapeutic interventions. CD147 can regulate extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and tissue fibrosis, and participate in the pathogenesis of asthma. In this study, the role of CD147 in airway remodeling and activation of circulating fibrocytes was investigated in asthmatic mice. METHODS: Asthmatic mouse model was established by sensitizing and challenging mice with ovalbumin (OVA), and treated with anti-CD147 or Isotype antibody. The number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was examined by microscope, and the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The number of CD45+ and collagen I (COL-I)+ circulating fibrocytes in BALF was detected by flow cytometry. Lung tissue sections were respectively stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) or Masson trichrome staining, or used for immunohistochemistry of CD31 and immunohistofluorescence of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), CD45 and COL-I. The protein expression of α-SMA, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), Fibronectin, and COL-I was determined by western blotting. RESULTS: Anti-CD147 treatment significantly reduced the number of eosinophils and the levels of IL-4, IL-13, and IL-5 in BALF, and repressed airway inflammatory infiltration and airway wall thickening in asthmatic mice. Anti-CD147 treatment also reduced airway goblet cell metaplasia, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis in asthmatic mice, accompanied by inhibition of VEGF and α-SMA expression. The number of CD45+COL-I+ circulating fibrocytes was increased in BALF and lung tissues of OVA-induced asthmatic mice, but was decreased by anti-CD147 treatment. In addition, anti-CD147 treatment also reduced the protein expression of COL-I, fibronectin, and TGF-ß1 in lung tissues of asthmatic mice. CONCLUSION: OVA-triggered airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthmatic mice can be repressed by anti-CD147 treatment, along with inhibiting the accumulation and activation of circulating fibrocytes.

The effects of object size on spatial orientation: an eye movement study.

Introduction: The processing of visual information in the human brain is divided into two streams, namely, the dorsal and ventral streams, object identification is related to the ventral stream and motion processing is related to the dorsal stream. Object identification is interconnected with motion processing, object size was found to affect the information processing of motion characteristics in uniform linear motion. However, whether the object size affects the spatial orientation is still unknown. Methods: Thirty-eight college students were recruited to participate in an experiment based on the spatial visualization dynamic test. Eyelink 1,000 Plus was used to collect eye movement data. The final direction difference (the difference between the final moving direction of the target and the final direction of the moving target pointing to the destination point), rotation angle (the rotation angle of the knob from the start of the target movement to the moment of key pressing) and eye movement indices under conditions of different object sizes and motion velocities were compared. Results: The final direction difference and rotation angle under the condition of a 2.29°-diameter moving target and a 0.76°-diameter destination point were significantly smaller than those under the other conditions (a 0.76°-diameter moving target and a 0.76°-diameter destination point; a 0.76°-diameter moving target and a 2.29°-diameter destination point). The average pupil size under the condition of a 2.29°-diameter moving target and a 0.76°-diameter destination point was significantly larger than the average pupil size under other conditions (a 0.76°-diameter moving target and a 0.76°-diameter destination point; a 0.76°-diameter moving target and a 2.29°-diameter destination point). Discussion: A relatively large moving target can resist the landmark attraction effect in spatial orientation, and the influence of object size on spatial orientation may originate from differences in cognitive resource consumption. The present study enriches the interaction theory of the processing of object characteristics and motion characteristics and provides new ideas for the application of eye movement technology in the examination of spatial orientation ability.

Reshifting Na+ from Shoots into Long Roots Is Associated with Salt Tolerance in Two Contrasting Inbred Maize (Zea mays L.) Lines.

Maize, as a glycophyte, is hypersensitive to salinity, but the salt response mechanism of maize remains unclear. In this study, the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of two contrasting inbred lines, the salt-tolerant QXH0121 and salt-sensitive QXN233 lines, were investigated in response to salt stress. Under salt stress, the tolerant QXH0121 line exhibited good performance, while in the sensitive QXN233 line, there were negative effects on the growth of the leaves and roots. The most important finding was that QXH0121 could reshift Na+ from shoots into long roots, migrate excess Na+ in shoots to alleviate salt damage to shoots, and also improve K+ retention in shoots, which were closely associated with the enhanced expression levels of ZmHAK1 and ZmNHX1 in QXH0121 compared to those in QXN233 under salt stress. Additionally, QXH0121 leaves accumulated more proline, soluble protein, and sugar contents and had higher SOD activity levels than those observed in QXN233, which correlated with the upregulation of ZmP5CR, ZmBADH, ZmTPS1, and ZmSOD4 in QXH0121 leaves. These were the main causes of the higher salt tolerance of QXH0121 in contrast to QXN233. These results broaden our knowledge about the underlying mechanism of salt tolerance in different maize varieties, providing novel insights into breeding maize with a high level of salt resistance.

The interplay of personality traits, anxiety, and depression in Chinese college students: a network analysis.

Background: Anxiety and depression are among the greatest contributors to the global burden of diseases. The close associations of personality traits with anxiety and depression have been widely described. However, the common practice of sum scores in previous studies limits the understanding of the fine-grained connections between different personality traits and anxiety and depression symptoms and cannot explore and compare the risk or protective effects of personality traits on anxiety and depression symptoms. Objective: We aimed to determine the fine-grained connections between different personality traits and anxiety and depression symptoms and identify the detrimental or protective effects of different personality traits on anxiety and depression symptoms. Methods: A total of 536 college students from China were recruited online, and the average age was 19.98 ± 1.11. The Chinese version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to investigate the personality traits and symptoms of anxiety and depression of participants after they understood the purpose and filling method of the survey and signed the informed consent. The demographic characteristics were summarized, and the scale scores were calculated. The network model of personality traits and symptoms of anxiety and depression was constructed, and bridge expected influence (BEI) was measured to evaluate the effect of personality traits on anxiety and depression. The edge accuracy and BEI stability were estimated, and the BEI difference and the edge weight difference were tested. Results: In the network, 29 edges (indicating partial correlations between variables) bridged the personality community and the anxiety and depression community, among which the strongest correlations were extraversion-fatigue, agreeableness-suicidal ideation, conscientiousness-uncontrollable worry, neuroticism-excessive worry, neuroticism-irritability, and openness-feelings of worthlessness. Neuroticism had the highest positive BEI value (0.32), agreeableness had the highest negative BEI value (-0.27), and the BEI values of neuroticism and agreeableness were significantly different from those of most other nodes (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There are intricate correlations between personality traits and the symptoms of anxiety and depression in college students. Neuroticism was identified as the most crucial risk trait for depression and anxiety symptoms, while agreeableness was the most central protective trait.

Cloning and expression analysis of VrNAC13 gene in mung bean.

To explore the role of NAC transcription factors in mung bean (Vigna ratiata), we here comprehensively analyzed VrNAC13 structure and expression patterns in the mung bean cultivar "Yulin No.1". The nucleotide sequence of VrNAC13 (GenBank accession number xp014518431.1) was determined by cloning and sequencing the gene. A predicted transcriptional activation domain in VrNAC13 was validated with a yeast one-hybrid assay. The composition and functional characteristics of VrNAC13 were analyzed using basic bioinformatics techniques, and the expression characteristics of VrNAC13 were analyzed via quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. The results showed that VrNAC13 was 1,068 bp in length and encoded a product of 355 amino acids. VrNAC13 was predicted to contain a NAM domain and to belong to the NAC transcription factor family. The protein was hydrophilic and contained several threonine phosphorylation sites. Phylogenetic analysis showed that VrNAC13 was highly similar in sequence to two Arabidopsis thaliana NAC proteins; we hypothesize that VrNAC13 may perform functions in mung bean similar to those of the two closely related proteins in Arabidopsis. Promoter analysis of VrNAC13 revealed cis-acting elements predicted to respond to abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin, auxin, light, drought, low temperature, and other stressors. VrNAC13 was most highly expressed in the leaves and expressed at very low levels in the stem and root. It was experimentally determined to be induced by drought and ABA. Based on these results, VrNAC13 appears to regulate stress resistance in mung bean.

Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of drought response mechanism in mung bean (Vignaradiata (L.) Wilczek) leaves.

Drought is a major factor that limiting mung bean development. To clarify the molecular mechanism of mung bean in response to drought stress, 2 mung bean groups were established, the experimental group (drought-treated) and the control group (normal water management). With prominent difference of 2 groups in stomatal conductance, relative water content and phenotype, leaf samples were collected at 4 stages, and the physiological index of MDA, POD, chlorophyll, and soluble proteins were estimated. RNA-seq was used to obtain high quality data of samples, and differentially expressed genes were identified by DESeq2. With GO and KEGG analysis, DEGs were enriched into different classifications and pathways. WGCNA was used to detect the relationship between physiological traits and genes, and qPCR was performed to confirm the accuracy of the data. We obtained 169.49 Gb of clean data from 24 samples, and the Q30 of each date all exceeded 94%. In total, 8963 DEGs were identified at 4 stages between the control and treated samples, and the DEGs were involved in most biological processes. 1270 TFs screened from DEGs were clustered into 158 TF families, such as AP2, RLK-Pelle-DLSVA, and NAC TF families. Genes related to physiological traits were closely related to plant hormone signaling, carotenoid biosynthesis, chlorophyll metabolism, and protein processing. This paper provides a large amount of data for drought research in mung bean.

Effects of audiovisual interactions on working memory: Use of the combined N-back + Go/NoGo paradigm.

Background: Approximately 94% of sensory information acquired by humans originates from the visual and auditory channels. Such information can be temporarily stored and processed in working memory, but this system has limited capacity. Working memory plays an important role in higher cognitive functions and is controlled by central executive function. Therefore, elucidating the influence of the central executive function on information processing in working memory, such as in audiovisual integration, is of great scientific and practical importance. Purpose: This study used a paradigm that combined N-back and Go/NoGo tasks, using simple Arabic numerals as stimuli, to investigate the effects of cognitive load (modulated by varying the magnitude of N) and audiovisual integration on the central executive function of working memory as well as their interaction. Methods: Sixty college students aged 17-21 years were enrolled and performed both unimodal and bimodal tasks to evaluate the central executive function of working memory. The order of the three cognitive tasks was pseudorandomized, and a Latin square design was used to account for order effects. Finally, working memory performance, i.e., reaction time and accuracy, was compared between unimodal and bimodal tasks with repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: As cognitive load increased, the presence of auditory stimuli interfered with visual working memory by a moderate to large extent; similarly, as cognitive load increased, the presence of visual stimuli interfered with auditory working memory by a moderate to large effect size. Conclusion: Our study supports the theory of competing resources, i.e., that visual and auditory information interfere with each other and that the magnitude of this interference is primarily related to cognitive load.

Isolation, Identification and Pollution Prevention of Bacteria and Fungi during the Tissue Culture of Dwarf Hygro (Hygrophila polysperma) Explants.

Microbial contamination causes serious damage in plant tissue culture, and attention is always being paid regarding how to control and prevent the unwanted pollution. Dwarf hygro (Hygrophila polysperma) is a popular ornamental aquatic plant and its tissue culture has been reported, but the microbial pollution and the cure of microbial pollution was unknown. In this study, a number of bacteria and fungi were isolated from contaminants in MS culture media. Based on the 16S rDNA and ITS sequencing, it was identified that fifteen bacteria belong to Bacillus, Enterobacter, Pantoea, Kosakonia, Ensifer and Klebsiella, and three fungi belong to Plectosphaerella, Cladosporium and Peniophora, respectively. In addition, some drugs were further tested to be free of the bacteria and fungi pollution. The results revealed that 10 µg/mL of kanamycin, 5 µg/mL of chloramphenicol, and 0.015625% potassium sorbate could be applied jointly in MS media to prevent the microbial pollution, and the survival rate of H. polysperma explants was highly improved. This study reveals the bacteria and fungi species from the culture pollution of H. polysperma and provides a practical reference for optimizing the tissue culture media for other aquatic plants.

PINK1/Parkin-Mediated Mitophagy Partially Protects against Inorganic Arsenic-Induced Hepatic Macrophage Polarization in Acute Arsenic-Exposed Mice.

Inorganic arsenic is a well-known environmental toxicant and carcinogen, and there is overwhelming evidence for an association between this metalloid poisoning and hepatic diseases. However, the biological mechanism involved is not well characterized. In the present study, we probed how inorganic arsenic modulates the hepatic polarization of macrophages, as well as roles of PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin-mediated mitophagy participates in regulating the metalloid-mediated macrophage polarization. Our results indicate that acute arsenic exposure induced macrophage polarization with up-regulated gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (Inos) and arginase-1 (Arg1), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (Mcp-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (Mip-2), tumor necrosis factor (Tnf)-α, interleukin (Il)-1ß and Il-6, as well as anti-inflammatory factors Il-4 and Il-10. In parallel, we demonstrated the disrupted hepatic redox balance typically characterized by the up-regulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and glutathione (GSH), and activation of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in the livers of acute arsenic-exposed mice. In addition, our results demonstrate that it might be the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy that renders hepatic macrophage refractory to arsenic-induced up-regulation of the genes Inos, Mcp-1, Mip-2, Tnf-α, Il-1ß, Il-6 and Il-4. In this regard, this is the first time the protective effects of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in inorganic arsenic-induced hepatic macrophage polarization in vivo have been reported. These findings add novel insights into the arsenical immunotoxicity and provide a basis for the preve.ntive and therapeutic potential of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in arsenic poisoning.

Experimental Studies of the Attention Processing Model in Multiple Object Tracking Task.

(1) Background: Attention is an important cognitive process in daily life. However, limited cognitive resources have been allocated to attention, especially for multiple objects and its mechanism is still unclear. Most of the previous studies have been based on the static attention paradigms with relatively lower ecological validity. Thus, we aimed to explore the attention processing mechanism in a multiple object tracking (MOT) task by using a dynamic attention paradigm. Two experiments were conducted to assess whether there was a multi-focus attention processing model, and whether the processing model changes with the number of target balls. (2) Methods: During the experiments, 33 university students completed MOT combined with the simultaneous-sequential paradigm, with tracking accuracy and reaction time of correct reaction as indicators. (3) Results: (i) When there were two target balls, an obvious bilateral field advantage was apparent. (ii) When there were four target balls, participants' performance was significantly better when stimuli were presented simultaneously than when they were presented sequentially, showing a multi-focus attention processing model. (4) Conclusion: Attention processing is characterized by flexibility, providing strong evidence to support the multi-focus theory.

Effects of Audiovisual Interactions on Working Memory Task Performance-Interference or Facilitation.

(1) Background: The combined n-back + Go/NoGo paradigm was used to investigate whether audiovisual interactions interfere with or facilitate WM. (2) Methods: College students were randomly assigned to perform the working memory task based on either a single (visual or auditory) or dual (audiovisual) stimulus. Reaction times, accuracy, and WM performance were compared across the two groups to investigate effects of audiovisual interactions. (3) Results: With low cognitive load (2-back), auditory stimuli had no effect on visual working memory, whereas visual stimuli had a small effect on auditory working memory. With high cognitive load (3-back), auditory stimuli interfered (large effect size) with visual WM, and visual stimuli interfered (medium effect size) with auditory WM. (4) Conclusions: Audiovisual effects on WM follow the resource competition theory, and the cognitive load of a visual stimulus is dominated by competition; vision always interferes with audition, and audition conditionally interferes with vision. With increased visual cognitive load, competitive effects of audiovisual interactions were more obvious than those with auditory stimuli. Compared with visual stimuli, audiovisual stimuli showed significant interference only when visual cognitive load was high. With low visual cognitive load, the two stimulus components neither facilitated nor interfered with the other in accordance with a speed-accuracy trade-off.

Processing Self-Related Information Under Non-attentional Conditions Revealed by Visual MMN.

Mismatch negativity (MMN) of event-related potentials (ERPs) is a biomarker reflecting the preattentional change detection under non-attentional conditions. This study was performed to explore whether high self-related information could elicit MMN in the visual channel, indicating the automatic processing of self-related information at the preattentional stage. Thirty-five participants were recruited and asked to list 25 city names including the birthplace. According to the difference of relevance reported from the participants, we divided names of the different cities into high (birthplace as deviants), medium (Xi'an, where participants' university is located, as deviants), and low (totally unrelated cities as standard stimuli) self-related information. Visual MMN (vMMN) was elicited by high self-related information but not by medium self-related information, with an occipital-temporal scalp distribution, indicating that, under non-attentional condition, high self-related information can be effectively processed automatically in the preattentional stage compared with low self-related information. These data provided new electrophysiological evidence for self-related information processing.

Proangiogenic functions of osteopontin-derived synthetic peptide RSKSKKFRR in endothelial cells and postischemic brain.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of a newly discovered osteopontin-derived synthetic peptide "RSKKFRR" in a rat model of ischemic stroke. METHODS: A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups. The model of ischemic stroke was made up of the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MACO). The rats were divided into sham operation group (Sham), control group (MACO + PBS) and treatment group (MACO + OPNpt9), eight rats in each group. In the control group and the treatment group, PBS or OPNpt9 was injected into the nasal cavity after MACO once a day, and the area of new blood vessels and the recovery of nerve function were observed 14 days later. Whether the proliferation, migration and tube formation of HUVECs were promoted by OPNpt9 was tested. The expression levels of related proangiogenic factors were also detected. RESULTS: OPNpt9 was found to contribute to cerebral microvascular remodeling and neurological improvement in ischemic rats while promoting endothelial cell migration, proliferation and tube formation in vitro. These effects were mediated by activation of the p-ERK/MMP-9/VEGF pathway. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, OPNpt9 promotes angiogenesis and neurological recovery after ischemic stroke.

Application value of goal-directed fluid therapy with ERAS in patients undergoing radical lung cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) in the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) of patients undergoing radical lung cancer surgery (RLCS). METHODS: A total of 74 patients undergoing elective RLCS based on the enhance recovery after surgery (ERAS) concept in the HanDan Central Hospital between December 2016 and December 2019 were enrolled and assigned to a group treated by regular conventional liquids (regular group, n=34) and a group treated by goal-directed fluid (GDFT group, n=40) according to the fluid infusion scheme. The two groups were compared in intraoperative fluid inflow and outflow, hemodynamic indexes at 30 min (T0) before operation, 4 h (T1) and 24 h (T2) after operation, postoperative complications, postoperative recovery, inflammatory factors at 1 day (d 0) before operation, and at 1 day (d 1) and 7 days (d 3) after operation, as well as for postoperative life quality. RESULTS: Crystalloid fluid input, fluid infusion, and urine output of the GDFT group were all significantly less than those of the regular group (all P<0.05), and the GDFT group showed significantly lower fluctuations of MAP, cardiac index, and stroke volume (SV) than the regular group (all P<0.05). Additionally, the GDFT group showed a significantly lower overall complication rate and experienced notably earlier time to flatus and getting out-of-bed time and notably shorter hospitalization time than the regular group (all P<0.05). Moreover, the GDFT group presented with less fluctuation of IL-10, IL-6, and TNF-α levels and experienced notably higher life quality scores than the regular group. CONCLUSION: GDFT is beneficial to the rapid recovery of patients after RLCS, because it can exert a positive effect on maintaining the stability of hemodynamic indexes and reducing inflammation and postoperative complications.

The WRKY transcription factor GhWRKY27 coordinates the senescence regulatory pathway in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

BACKGROUND: Premature senescence can reduce the yield and quality of crops. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play important roles during leaf senescence, but little is known about their ageing mechanisms in cotton. RESULTS: In this study, a group III WRKY TF, GhWRKY27, was isolated and characterized. The expression of GhWRKY27 was induced by leaf senescence and was higher in an early-ageing cotton variety than in a non-early-ageing cotton variety. Overexpression of GhWRKY27 in Arabidopsis promoted leaf senescence, as determined by reduced chlorophyll content and elevated expression of senescence-associated genes (SAGs). Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays showed that GhWRKY27 interacted with an MYB TF, GhTT2. Putative target genes of GhWRKY27 were identified via chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq). Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) revealed that GhWRKY27 binds directly to the promoters of cytochrome P450 94C1 (GhCYP94C1) and ripening-related protein 2 (GhRipen2-2). In addition, the expression patterns of GhTT2, GhCYP94C1 and GhRipen2-2 were identified during leaf senescence. Transient dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that GhWRKY27 could activate the expression of GhCYP94C1 and GhRipen2-2. CONCLUSIONS: Our work lays the foundation for further study of the functional roles of WRKY genes during leaf senescence in cotton. In addition, our data provide new insights into the senescence-associated mechanisms of WRKY genes in cotton.

The synthesis of a Cu(ii) Schiff base complex using a bidentate N2O2 donor ligand: crystal structure, photophysical properties, and antibacterial activities.

In this paper, a new mononuclear Cu(ii) complex was synthesized by using a bidentate N2O2 Schiff base ligand, (E)-2-bromo-4-chloro-6-[(2,6-dimethylphenylimino)methyl]phenol (HL), with a copper(ii) salt in a methanol solvent. The structures of the HL ligand and the complex were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXD), and elemental analysis (EA). The Cu(ii) center in the complex is four-coordinated by a bidentate N2O2 donor ligand, forming slightly distorted square planar geometry. The detailed studies of their photophysical properties such as UV-Vis and fluorescence were done and the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were investigated in the powder forms. Density functional theory calculations were carried out on both the HL ligand and the Cu(ii) complex to investigate the changes in the structural parameters and energies of the HOMO and LUMO. The results demonstrated that the HOMO and LUMO were effectively separated with the benzene ring of 2,6-dimethylbenzenamine as the donor unit and the benzene ring of 3-bromo-5-chlorosalicylaldehyde as well as the chelate ring as the acceptor unit. The effective HOMO-LUMO separation helps induce intramolecular charge transfer from the HOMO to the LUMO. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap become smaller when the Schiff base ligand coordinated with Cu(ii) ions, which was most likely due to the Cu(ii) perturbation effect. These theoretical calculations supported the experimentally observed results. The antibacterial activities of the HL ligand and the Cu(ii) complex were studied on Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. The obtained data confirmed their potent antimicrobial activity and the Cu(ii) complex had the MIC value of 1.25 mmol L-1 against Escherichia coli.

An investigation of the mechanism of dexmedetomidine in improving postoperative cognitive dysfunction from the perspectives of alleviating neuronal mitochondrial membrane oxidative stress and electrophysiological dysfunction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of dexmedetomidine in improving postoperative cognitive dysfunction from the perspectives of alleviating neuronal mitochondrial membrane oxidative stress and electrophysiological dysfunction. A total of 120 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia from June 2013 to May, 2016 were selected as the subjects of the study and randomly divided into the propofol + remifentanil and dexmedetomidine groups. The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were performed at day 1 before operation and at day 1, 3, 5 and 15 after operation. The mitochondrial membrane potential was detected using a flow cytometer after staining and labeling for mitochondria in leukocytes via JC-1 fluorescence staining using a fluorescence probe at day 1 before operation and at day 1, 3, 5 and 15 after operation. The activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes at day 1 before and after operation were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the comparisons of general conditions (age, body weight, sex ratio, body mass index, anesthesia time, operation time, and length of stay in the ICU and hospital) for the dexmedetomidine and propofol + remifentanil groups (P>0.05). At day 3 and 5 after operation, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and AVLT scores in the two groups were decreased in different degrees, but the decrease range in the dexmedetomidine group was smaller than that in the propofol + remifentanil group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). At day 3, 5 and 15 after operation, the BDI scores of the two groups were increased in different degrees, but the increase range in the dexmedetomidine group was smaller than that in the propofol + remifentanil group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). At day 1, 3 and 5 after operation, the mitochondrial membrane potentials of the two groups were decreased in different degrees, but the decrease range in the dexmedetomidine group was smaller than that in the propofol + remifentanil group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The mitochondrial membrane potentials of the two groups returned to the preoperative levels at day 15 after operation. The activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I-IV in the propofol + remifentanil group at day 1 after operation were significantly decreased compared with those before operation, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The decrease in activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I-IV in the propofol + remifentanil group at day 1 after operation was more significant than that in the dexmedetomidine group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The results suggest that dexmedetomidine can relieve neuronal damage that may be caused by mitochondrial membrane oxidative stress, alleviate the damage to mitochondrial related enzyme system activity, and reduce the damage to the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme complex I, II, III and IV, ultimately improving the postoperative cognitive dysfunction of patients.

Identification of the group IIa WRKY subfamily and the functional analysis of GhWRKY17 in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

WRKY transcription factors play important roles in plant defense, stress response, leaf senescence, and plant growth and development. Previous studies have revealed the important roles of the group IIa GhWRKY genes in cotton. To comprehensively analyze the group IIa GhWRKY genes in upland cotton, we identified 15 candidate group IIa GhWRKY genes in the Gossypium hirsutum genome. The phylogenetic tree, intron-exon structure, motif prediction and Ka/Ks analyses indicated that most group IIa GhWRKY genes shared high similarity and conservation and underwent purifying selection during evolution. In addition, we detected the expression patterns of several group IIa GhWRKY genes in individual tissues as well as during leaf senescence using public RNA sequencing data and real-time quantitative PCR. To better understand the functions of group IIa GhWRKYs in cotton, GhWRKY17 (KF669857) was isolated from upland cotton, and its sequence alignment, promoter cis-acting elements and subcellular localization were characterized. Moreover, the over-expression of GhWRKY17 in Arabidopsis up-regulated the senescence-associated genes AtWRKY53, AtSAG12 and AtSAG13, enhancing the plant's susceptibility to leaf senescence. These findings lay the foundation for further analysis and study of the functions of WRKY genes in cotton.

An NAM Domain Gene, GhNAC79, Improves Resistance to Drought Stress in Upland Cotton.

Plant-specific NAC proteins comprise one of the largest transcription factor families in plants and play important roles in plant development and the stress response. Gossypium hirsutum L. is a major source of fiber, but its growth and productivity are limited by many biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the NAC domain gene GhNAC79 was functionally characterized in detail, and according to information about the cotton genome sequences, it was located on scaffold42.1, containing three exons and two introns. Promoter analysis indicated that the GhNAC79 promoter contained both basic and stress-related elements, and it was especially expressed in the cotyledon of Arabidopsis. A transactivation assay in yeast demonstrated that GhNAC79 was a transcription activator, and its activation domain was located at its C-terminus. The results of qRT-PCR proved that GhNAC79 was preferentially expressed at later stages of cotyledon and fiber development, and it showed high sensitivity to ethylene and meJA treatments. Overexpression of GhNAC79 resulted in an early flowering phenotype in Arabidopsis, and it also improved drought tolerance in both Arabidopsis and cotton. Furthermore, VIGS-induced silencing of GhNAC79 in cotton led to a drought-sensitive phenotype. In summary, GhNAC79 positively regulates drought stress, and it also responds to ethylene and meJA treatments, making it a candidate gene for stress studies in cotton.