Grain Yield,Biomass Accumulation,and Leaf Photosynthetic Characteristics of Rice under Combined Salinity-Drought Stress

Simultaneous stresses of salinity and drought often coincide during rice-growing seasons in saline lands,primarily due to insufficient water resources and inadequate irrigation facilities.Consequently,combined salinity-drought stress poses a major threat to rice production.In this study,two salinity levels(NS,non-salinity;HS,high salinity)along with three drought treatments(CC,control condition;DJ,drought stress imposed at jointing;DH,drought stress imposed at heading)were performed to investigate their combined influences on leaf photosynthetic characteristics,biomass accumulation,and rice yield formation.Salinity,drought,and their combination led to a shortened growth period from heading to maturity,resulting in a reduced overall growth duration.Grain yield was reduced under both salinity and drought stress,with a more substantial reduction under the combined salinity-drought stress.The combined stress imposed at heading caused greater yield losses in rice compared with the stress imposed at jointing.Additionally,the combined salinity-drought stress induced greater decreases in shoot biomass accumulation from heading to maturity,as well as in shoot biomass and nonstructural carbohydrate(NSC)content in the stem at heading and maturity.However,it increased the harvest index and NSC remobilization reserve.Salinity and drought reduced the leaf area index and SPAD value of flag leaves and weakened the leaf photosynthetic characteristics as indicated by lower photosynthetic rates,transpiration rates,and stomatal conductance.These reductions were more pronounced under the combined stress.Salinity,drought,and especially their combination,decreased the activities of ascorbate peroxidase,catalase,and superoxide dismutase,while increasing the contents of malondialdehyde,hydrogen peroxide,and superoxide radical.Our results indicated a more significant yield loss in rice when subjected to combined salinity-drought stress.The individual and combined stresses of salinity and drought diminished antioxidant enzyme activities,inhibited leaf photosynthetic functions,accelerated leaf senescence,and subsequently lowered assimilate accumulation and grain yield.

Heat stress induced hepatocyte apoptosis in largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides via IRE1α/TRAF2/ASK1/JNK pathway

Heat stress(HS)has been shown to adversely affect fish livers and can lead to extensive apoptosis.To investigate the relationship between endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress and HS-induced apoptosis in fish livers,we isolated and cultured primary hepatocytes of largemouth bass,Micropterus salmoides by trypsin method,then established an in-vitro model of liver cells under HS(35℃).The contents of lactic dehydrogenase(LDH)and hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)were determined to evaluate the effects of HS on hepatocyte injury and oxidative stress.RT-qPCR was performed to discover the key genes in unfolded protein response(UPR)pathways involved at different HS duration.ERS inhibitor 4-PBA and IRE1αinhibitor 4μ8C were used to further investigate the effects of HS on IRE1αapoptosis pathway in hepatocytes.Results show that HS led to significant increases in the release of LDH,the content of H2O2,and the expressions of oxidative protein folding genes(ero1αand pdi)under HS,suggesting severe hepatocyte injury and oxidative stress happened in heat-stressed largemouth bass hepatocytes.The continuous activation of IRE1αpathway genes(grp78,grp94,atf6,perk,eif2a,atf4,chop,ire1α,traf2,ask1,jnk1,and jnk2)indicated that HS led significantly to ER stress.In particular,the mRNA expression levels of ER stress-related genes(grp78,grp94,atf6,perk,ire1α,chop,jnk1,and jnk2)in the high temperature(HT)+4-PBA group and the HT+4μ8C group were significantly down-regulated under HS.After 4μ8C treatment,the expression levels of apoptosis-related genes(caspase-2,caspase-3,caspase-6,caspase-7,caspase-8,caspase-9,and caspase-10)and LDH content were significantly decreased,whereas the cell survival rate was significantly increased when given 4-PBA or 4μ8C treatment.These findings demonstrate that HS could induce liver apoptosis of largemouth bass through the IRE1αpathway,which may act as a key switch mediating liver apoptosis of largemouth bass under HS.

Disturbance failure mechanism of highly stressed rock in deep excavation:Current status and prospects

This article reviews the current status on the dynamic behavior of highly stressed rocks under disturbances.Firstly,the experimental apparatus,methods,and theories related to the disturbance dynamics of deep,high-stress rock are reviewed,followed by the introduction of scholars’research on deep rock deformation and failure from an energy perspective.Subsequently,with a backdrop of highstress phenomena in deep hard rock,such as rock bursts and core disking,we delve into the current state of research on rock microstructure analysis and residual stresses from the perspective of studying the energy storage mechanisms in rocks.Thereafter,the current state of research on the mechanical response and the energy dissipation of highly stressed rock formations is briefly retrospected.Finally,the insufficient aspects in the current research on the disturbance and failure mechanisms in deep,highly stressed rock formations are summarized,and prospects for future research are provided.This work provides new avenues for the research on the mechanical response and damage-fracture mechanisms of rocks under high-stress conditions.

Brain region-specific roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in social stress-induced depressive-like behavior

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a key factor in stress adaptation and avoidance of a social stress behavioral response.Recent studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in stressed mice is brain region–specific,particularly involving the corticolimbic system,including the ventral tegmental area,nucleus accumbens,prefrontal cortex,amygdala,and hippocampus.Determining how brain-derived neurotrophic factor participates in stress processing in different brain regions will deepen our understanding of social stress psychopathology.In this review,we discuss the expression and regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in stress-sensitive brain regions closely related to the pathophysiology of depression.We focused on associated molecular pathways and neural circuits,with special attention to the brain-derived neurotrophic factor–tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling pathway and the ventral tegmental area–nucleus accumbens dopamine circuit.We determined that stress-induced alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are likely related to the nature,severity,and duration of stress,especially in the above-mentioned brain regions of the corticolimbic system.Therefore,BDNF might be a biological indicator regulating stress-related processes in various brain regions.

Overexpression of the transcription factor MdWRKY115 improves drought and osmotic stress tolerance by directly binding to the MdRD22 promoter in apple

Abiotic stress reduces plant yield and quality.WRKY transcription factors play key roles in abiotic stress responses in plants,but the molecular mechanisms by which WRKY transcription factors mediate responses to drought and osmotic stresses in apple(Malus×domestica Borkh.)remain unclear.Here,we functionally characterized the apple GroupⅢWRKY gene MdWRKY115.qRT-PCR analysis showed that MdWRKY115 expression was up-regulated by drought and osmotic stresses.GUS activity analysis revealed that the promoter activity of MdWRKY115 was enhanced under osmotic stress.Subcellular localization and transactivation assays indicated that MdWRKY115 was localized to the nucleus and had a transcriptional activity domain at the N-terminal region.Transgenic analysis revealed that the overexpression of MdWRKY115 in Arabidopsis plants and in apple callus markedly enhanced their tolerance to drought and osmotic stresses.DNA affinity purification sequencing showed that MdWRKY115 binds to the promoter of the stress-related gene MdRD22.This binding was further verified by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Collectively,these findings suggest that MdWRKY115 is an important regulator of osmotic and drought stress tolerance in apple.

Upregulation of the glycine-rich protein-encoding gene GhGRPL enhances plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stressors by promoting secondary cell wall development

Abiotic and biotic stressors adversely affect plant survival,biomass generation,and crop yields.As the global availability of arable land declines and the impacts of global warming intensify,such stressors may have increasingly pronounced effects on agricultural productivity.Currently,researchers face the overarching challenge of comprehensively enhancing plant resilience to abiotic and biotic stressors.The secondary cell wall plays a crucial role in bolstering the stress resistance of plants.To increase plant resistance to stress through genetic manipulation of the secondary cell wall,we cloned a cell wall protein designated glycine-rich protein-like(GhGRPL)from cotton fibers,and found that it is specifically expressed during the period of secondary cell wall biosynthesis.Notably,this protein differs from its Arabidopsis homolog,AtGRP,since its glycine-rich domain is deficient in glycine residues.GhGRPL is involved in secondary cell wall deposition.Upregulation of GhGRPL enhances lignin accumulation and,consequently,the thickness of the secondary cell walls,thereby increasing the plant’s resistance to abiotic stressors,such as drought and salinity,and biotic threats,including Verticillium dahliae infection.Conversely,interference with GhGRPL expression in cotton reduces lignin accumulation and compromises that resistance.Taken together,our findings elucidate the role of GhGRPL in regulating secondary cell wall development through its influence on lignin deposition,which,in turn,reinforces cell wall robustness and impermeability.These findings highlight the promising near-future prospect of adopting GhGRPL as a viable,effective approach for enhancing plant resilience to abiotic and biotic stress factors.

Three-dimensional stress variation characteristics in deep hard rock of CJPL-Ⅱ project based on in-situ monitoring

In deep hard rock excavation, stress plays a pivotal role in inducing stress-controlled failure. While the impact of excavation-induced stress disturbance on rock failure and tunnel stability has undergone comprehensive examination through laboratory tests and numerical simulations, its validation through insitu stress tests remains unexplored. This study analyzes the three-dimensional stress changes in the surrounding rock at various depths, monitored during the excavation of B2 Lab in China Jinping Underground Laboratory Phase Ⅱ(CJPL-Ⅱ). The investigation delves into the three-dimensional stress variation characteristics in deep hard rock, encompassing stress components and principal stress. The results indicate changes in both the magnitude and direction of the principal stress during tunnel excavation. To quantitatively describe the degree of stress disturbance, a series of stress evaluation indexes are established based on the distances between stress tensors, including the stress disturbance index(SDI), the principal stress magnitude disturbance index(SDIm), and the principal stress direction disturbance index(SDId). The SDI indicates the greatest stress disturbance in the surrounding rock is 4.5 m from the tunnel wall in B2 Lab. SDIm shows that the principal stress magnitude disturbance peaks at2.5 m from the tunnel wall. SDId reveals that the largest change in principal stress direction does not necessarily occur near the tunnel wall but at a specific depth from it. The established relationship between SDI and the depth of the excavation damaged zone(EDZ) can serve as a criterion for determining the depth of the EDZ in deep hard rock engineering. Additionally, it provides a reference for future construction and support considerations.

Lactobacillus plantarum AR113 attenuates liver injury in D-galactose-induced aging mice via the inhibition of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress

Probiotics could effectively eliminate excess reactive oxygen species(ROS)generated during aging or lipid metabolism disorders,but their mechanism is unclear.The major purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of Lactiplantibacillus plantarun AR113 alleviating oxidative stress injury in the D-galactose induced aging mice.The result showed that pretreatment with L.plantarun AR113 significantly relieving H_(2)O_(2)induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells by maintain cell membrane integrity and increasing antioxidant enzyme activities.In D-galactose induced aging mice,L.plantarun AR113 could significantly attenuate liver damage and inflammatory infiltration by promoting endogenous glutathione(GSH)synthesis and activating the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway in mice,and increasing the expression of regulated phaseⅡdetoxification enzymes and antioxidant enzymes.Further analysis shown that gavage of L.plantarun AR113 could significantly reduce the expression of G protein-coupled receptor 78(GPR78)and C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP)proteins,and promote the restoration of endoplasmic reticulum(ER)homeostasis,thereby activating cell anti-apoptotic pathways.These results were also confirmed in H_(2)O_(2)-treated HepG2 experiments.It indicated that L.plantarun AR113 could inhibit D-galactose-induced liver injury through dual inhibition of ER stress and oxidative stress.L.plantarun AR113 have good application potential in anti-aging and alleviating metabolic disorders.

Effect of organic mineral supplementation in reducing oxidative stress in Holstein calves during short‑term heat stress and recovery conditions

Background This study investigated the effects of inorganic and organic minerals on physiological responses,oxidative stress reduction,and rumen microbiota in Holstein bull calves(123.81±9.76 kg;5 months old)during short-term heat stress(HS)and recovery periods.Eight Holstein calves were randomly assigned to four treatment groups:no mineral supplementation(Con),inorganic minerals(IM),organic minerals(OM),and high-concentration organic minerals(HOM)and two thermal environments(HS and recovery)using 4×2 factorial arrangement in a crossover design of four periods of 35 d.Calves were maintained in a temperature-controlled barn.The experimental period consisted of 14 d of HS,14 d of recovery condititon,and a 7-d washing period.Results Body temperature and respiration rate were higher in HS than in the recovery conditions(P<0.05).Selenium concentration in serum was high in the HOM-supplemented calves in both HS(90.38μg/dL)and recovery periods(102.00μg/dL)(P<0.05).During the HS period,the serum cortisol was 20.26 ng/mL in the HOM group,which was 5.60 ng/mL lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The total antioxidant status was the highest in the OM group(2.71 mmol Trolox equivalent/L),followed by the HOM group during HS,whereas it was highest in the HOM group(2.58 mmol Trolox equivalent/L)during the recovery period(P<0.05).Plasma malondialdehyde and HSP70 levels were decreased by HOM supplementation during the HS and recovery periods,whereas SOD and GPX levels were not significantly affected(P>0.05).The principal coordinate analysis represented that the overall rumen microbiota was not influenced by mineral supplementation;however,temperature-induced microbial structure shifts were indicated(PERMANOVA:P<0.05).At the phylum level,Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased,whereas Fibrobacteres,Spirochaetes,and Tenericutes increased(P<0.05),under HS conditions.The genus Treponema increased under HS conditions,while Christensenella was higher in recovery conditions(P<0.05).Conclusion HOM supplementation during HS reduced cortisol concentrations and increased total antioxidant status in Holstein bull calves,suggesting that high organic mineral supplementation may alleviate the adverse effects of HS.

CORRELATION BETWEEN STRESS COMPONENTS AND STRESS CORROSION CRACKS IN BRASS Lecturer,Department of Materials Physics,University of Science and Technology Beijing,Beijing 100083,China

The effects of stress components on nucleation sites and propagation directions of stress cor- rosion cracks in brass were investigated with specimens under mode Ⅱ and mode Ⅲ loadings. The results indicated that under mode Ⅱ loading,stress corrosion cracks nucleated on the site with maximum normal stress component and propagated along the plane perpendieular to the maximum normal stress,under mode Ⅲ loading,the stress corrosion crack was not evident on the 45°plane due to the general corrosion in aqueous solution with high NH_4OH concentra- tion,while stress corroded in aqueous solution with low NH_4OH concentration, numerous cracks with spacings of 10—150μm were found on the 45°plane with maximum normal stress and no stress corrosion cracks was observed on the plane with maximum shear stress.

Effect of Blasting Stress Wave on Dynamic Crack Propagation

Stress waves affect the stress field at the crack tip and dominate the dynamic crack propagation.Therefore,evaluating the influence of blasting stress waves on the crack propagation behavior and the mechanical characteristics of crack propagation is of great significance for engineering blasting.In this study,ANSYS/LS-DYNA was used for blasting numerical simulation,in which the propagation characteristics of blasting stress waves and stress field distribution at the crack tip were closely observed.Moreover,ABAQUS was applied for simulating the crack propagation path and calculating dynamic stress intensity factors(DSIFs).The universal function was calculated by the fractalmethod.The results show that:the compressive wave causes the crack to close and the reflected tensile wave drives the crack to initiate and propagate,and failure mode is mainly tensile failure.The crack propagation velocity varies with time,which increases at first and then decreases,and the crack arrest occurs due to the attenuation of stress waves and dissipation of the blasting energy.In addition,crack arrest toughness is smaller than the crack initiation toughness,applied pressure waveforms(such as the peak pressure,duration,waveforms,wavelengths and loading rates)have a great influence on DSIFs.It is conducive to our deep understanding or the study of blasting stress waves dominated fracture,suggesting a broad reference for the further development of rock blasting in engineering practice.

Support design method for deep soft-rock tunnels in non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field

Due to the long-term plate tectonic movements in southwestern China,the in-situ stress field in deep formations is complex.When passing through deep soft-rock mass under non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field,tunnels will suffer serious asymmetric deformation.There is no available support design method for tunnels under such a situation in existing studies to clarify the support time and support stiffness.This study first analyzed the mechanical behavior of tunnels in non-hydrostatic in-situ stress field and derived the theoretical equations of the ground squeezing curve(GSC)and ground loosening curve(GLC).Then,based on the convergence confinement theory,the support design method of deep soft-rock tunnels under non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field was established considering both squeezing and loosening pressures.In addition,this method can provide the clear support time and support stiffness of the second layer of initial support.The proposed design method was applied to the Wanhe tunnel of the China-Laos railway in China.Monitoring data indicated that the optimal support scheme had a good effect on controlling the tunnel deformation in non-hydrostatic high in-situ stress field.Field applications showed that the secondary lining could be constructed properly.

Analytical investigations of in situ stress inversion from borehole breakout geometries

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of deriving in situ horizontal stresses from the breakout width and depth using the analytical method.Twenty-three breakout data with different borehole sizes were collected and three failure criteria were studied.Based on the Kirsch equations,relatively accurate major horizontal stress(sH)estimations from known minor horizontal stress(sh)were achieved with percentage errors ranging from 0.33%to 44.08%using the breakout width.The Mogi-Coulomb failure criterion(average error:13.1%)outperformed modified Wiebols-Cook(average error:19.09%)and modified Lade(average error:18.09%)failure criteria.However,none of the tested constitutive models could yield reasonable sh predictions from known sH using the same approach due to the analytical expression of the redistributed stress and the nature of the constitutive models.In consideration of this issue,the horizontal stress ratio(sH/sh)is suggested as an alternative input,which could estimate both sH and sh with the same level of accuracy.Moreover,the estimation accuracies for both large-scale and laboratory-scale breakouts are comparable,suggesting the applicability of this approach across different breakout sizes.For breakout depth,conformal mapping and complex variable method were used to calculate the stress concentration around the breakout tip,allowing the expression of redistributed stresses using binomials composed of sH and sh.Nevertheless,analysis of the breakout depth stabilisation mechanism indicates that additional parameters are required to utilise normalised breakout depth for stress estimation compared to breakout width.These parameters are challenging to obtain,especially under field conditions,meaning utilising normalised breakout depth analytically in practical applications faces significant challenges and remains infeasible at this stage.Nonetheless,the normalised breakout depth should still be considered a critical input for any empirical and statistical stress estimation method given its significant correlation with horizontal stresses.The outcome of this paper is expected to contribute valuable insights into the breakout stabilisation mechanisms and estimation of in situ stress magnitudes based on borehole breakout geometries.

Genome-Wide Exploration of the Grape GLR Gene Family and Differential Responses of VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 to Low Temperature and Salt Stress

Grapes,one of the oldest tree species globally,are rich in vitamins.However,environmental conditions such as low temperature and soil salinization significantly affect grape yield and quality.The glutamate receptor(GLR)family,comprising highly conserved ligand-gated ion channels,regulates plant growth and development in response to stress.In this study,11 members of the VvGLR gene family in grapes were identified using whole-genome sequence analysis.Bioinformatic methods were employed to analyze the basic physical and chemical properties,phylogenetic trees,conserved domains,motifs,expression patterns,and evolutionary relationships.Phylogenetic and collinear analyses revealed that the VvGLRs were divided into three subgroups,showing the high conservation of the grape GLR family.These members exhibited 2 glutamate receptor binding regions(GABAb and GluR)and 3-4 transmembrane regions(M1,M2,M3,and M4).Real-time quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated the sensitivity of all VvGLRs to low temperature and salt stress.Subsequent localization studies in Nicotiana tabacum verified that VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 proteins were located on the cell membrane and cell nucleus.Additionally,yeast transformation experiments confirmed the functionality of VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 in response to low temperature and salt stress.Thesefindings highlight the significant role of the GLR family,a highly conserved group of ion channels,in enhancing grape stress resistance.This study offers new insights into the grape GLR gene family,providing fundamental knowledge for further functional analysis and breeding of stress-resistant grapevines.

Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress scoring system for predicting complications following abdominal surgery: A metaanalysis spanning 2004 to 2022

BACKGROUND Postoperative complications remain a paramount concern for surgeons and healthcare practitioners.AIM To present a comprehensive analysis of the Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress(E-PASS)scoring system’s efficacy in predicting postoperative complications following abdominal surgery.METHODS A systematic search of published studies was conducted,yielding 17 studies with pertinent data.Parameters such as preoperative risk score(PRS),surgical stress score(SSS),comprehensive risk score(CRS),postoperative complications,post-operative mortality,and other clinical data were collected for meta-analysis.Forest plots were employed for continuous and binary variables,withχ2 tests assessing heterogeneity(P value).RESULTS Patients experiencing complications after abdominal surgery exhibited significantly higher E-PASS scores compared to those without complications[mean difference and 95%confidence interval(CI)of PRS:0.10(0.05-0.15);SSS:0.04(0.001-0.08);CRS:0.19(0.07-0.31)].Following the exclusion of low-quality studies,results remained valid with no discernible heterogeneity.Subgroup analysis indicated that variations in sample size and age may contribute to hetero-geneity in CRS analysis.Binary variable meta-analysis demonstrated a correlation between high CRS and increased postoperative complication rates[odds ratio(OR)(95%CI):3.01(1.83-4.95)],with a significant association observed between high CRS and postoperative mortality[OR(95%CI):15.49(3.75-64.01)].CONCLUSION In summary,postoperative complications in abdominal surgery,as assessed by the E-PASS scoring system,are consistently linked to elevated PRS,SSS,and CRS scores.High CRS scores emerge as risk factors for heightened morbidity and mortality.This study establishes the accuracy of the E-PASS scoring system in predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality in abdominal surgery,underscoring its potential for widespread adoption in effective risk assessment.

U-Net Models for Representing Wind Stress Anomalies over the Tropical Pacific and Their Integrations with an Intermediate Coupled Model for ENSO Studies

El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)is the strongest interannual climate mode influencing the coupled ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific,and numerous dynamical and statistical models have been developed to simulate and predict it.In some simplified coupled ocean-atmosphere models,the relationship between sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies and wind stress(τ)anomalies can be constructed by statistical methods,such as singular value decomposition(SVD).In recent years,the applications of artificial intelligence(AI)to climate modeling have shown promising prospects,and the integrations of AI-based models with dynamical models are active areas of research.This study constructs U-Net models for representing the relationship between SSTAs andτanomalies in the tropical Pacific;the UNet-derivedτmodel,denoted asτUNet,is then used to replace the original SVD-basedτmodel of an intermediate coupled model(ICM),forming a newly AI-integrated ICM,referred to as ICM-UNet.The simulation results obtained from ICM-UNet demonstrate their ability to represent the spatiotemporal variability of oceanic and atmospheric anomaly fields in the equatorial Pacific.In the ocean-only case study,theτUNet-derived wind stress anomaly fields are used to force the ocean component of the ICM,the results of which also indicate reasonable simulations of typical ENSO events.These results demonstrate the feasibility of integrating an AI-derived model with a physics-based dynamical model for ENSO modeling studies.Furthermore,the successful integration of the dynamical ocean models with the AI-based atmospheric wind model provides a novel approach to ocean-atmosphere interaction modeling studies.

Ferroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress in ischemic stroke

Ferroptosis is a form of non-apoptotic programmed cell death,and its mechanisms mainly involve the accumulation of lipid peroxides,imbalance in the amino acid antioxidant system,and disordered iron metabolism.The primary organelle responsible for coordinating external challenges and internal cell demands is the endoplasmic reticulum,and the progression of inflammatory diseases can trigger endoplasmic reticulum stress.Evidence has suggested that ferroptosis may share pathways or interact with endoplasmic reticulum stress in many diseases and plays a role in cell survival.Ferroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress may occur after ischemic stroke.However,there are few reports on the interactions of ferroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress with ischemic stroke.This review summarized the recent research on the relationships between ferroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress and ischemic stroke,aiming to provide a reference for developing treatments for ischemic stroke.

Synergistic effects of carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage under salt stress

Chinese cabbage(Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) has a long cultivation history and is one of the vegetable crops with the largest cultivation area in China. However, salt stress severely damages photosynthesis and hormone metabolism, nutritional balances, and results in ion toxicity in plants. To better understand the mechanisms of salt-induced growth inhibition in Chinese cabbage, RNA-seq and physiological index determination were conducted to explore the impacts of salt stress on carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage. Here, we found that the number of thylakoids and grana lamellae and the content of starch granules and chlorophyll in the leaves of Chinese cabbage under salt stress showed a time-dependent response, first increasing and then decreasing. Chinese cabbage increased the transcript levels of genes related to the photosynthetic apparatus and carbon metabolism under salt stress, probably in an attempt to alleviate damage to the photosynthetic system and enhance CO_(2) fixation and energy metabolism. The transcription of genes related to starch and sucrose synthesis and degradation were also enhanced;this might have been an attempt to maintain intracellular osmotic pressure by increasing soluble sugar concentrations. Soluble sugars could also be used as potential reactive oxygen species(ROS) scavengers, in concert with peroxidase(POD)enzymes, to eliminate ROS that accumulate during metabolic processes. Our study characterizes the synergistic response network of carbon metabolism and photosynthesis under salt stress.

Pre‑hatch thermal manipulation of embryos and post‑hatch baicalein supplementation mitigated heat stress in broiler chickens

Background High environmental temperatures induce heat stress in broiler chickens,affecting their health and pro-duction performance.Several dietary,managerial,and genetics strategies have been tested with some success in mitigating heat stress(HS)in broilers.Developing novel HS mitigation strategies for sustaining broiler production is critically needed.This study investigated the effects of pre-hatch thermal manipulation(TM)and post-hatch baica-lein supplementation on growth performance and health parameters in heat-stressed broilers.Results Six hundred fertile Cobb 500 eggs were incubated for 21 d.After candling on embryonic day(ED)10,238 eggs were thermally manipulated at 38.5℃ with 55%relative humidity(RH)from ED 12 to 18,then transferred to the hatcher(ED 19 to 21,standard temperature)and 236 eggs were incubated at a controlled temperature(37.5℃)till hatch.After hatch,180-day-old chicks from both groups were raised in 36 pens(n=10 birds/pen,6 replicates per treatment).The treatments were:1)Control,2)TM,3)control heat stress(CHS),4)thermal manipulation heat stress(TMHS),5)control heat stress supplement(CHSS),and 6)thermal manipulation heat stress supplement(TMHSS).All birds were raised under the standard environment for 21 d,followed by chronic heat stress from d 22 to 35(32–33℃ for 8 h)in the CHS,TMHS,CHSS,and TMHSS groups.A thermoneutral(22–24℃)environment was maintained in the Control and TM groups.RH was constant(50%±5%)throughout the trial.All the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA in R and GraphPad software at P<0.05 and are presented as mean±SEM.Heat stress significantly decreased(P<0.05)the final body weight and ADG in CHS and TMHS groups compared to the other groups.Embryonic TM significantly increased(P<0.05)the expression of heat shock protein-related genes(HSP70,HSP90,and HSPH1)and antioxidant-related genes(GPX1 and TXN).TMHS birds showed a significant increment(P<0.05)in total cecal volatile fatty acid(VFA)concentration compared to the CHS birds.The cecal microbial analysis showed significant enrichment(P<0.05)in alpha and beta diversity and Coprococcus in the TMHSS group.Conclusions Pre-hatch TM and post-hatch baicalein supplementation in heat-stressed birds mitigate the detrimental effects of heat stress on chickens’growth performance,upregulate favorable gene expression,increase VFA produc-tion,and promote gut health by increasing beneficial microbial communities.

Adverse effects of early-life stress:focus on the rodent neuroendocrine system

Early-life stress is associated with a high prevalence of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorders,attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,and anxiety or depressive behavior,which constitute major public health problems.In the early stages of brain development after birth,events such as synaptogenesis,neuron maturation,and glial differentiation occur in a highly orchestrated manner,and external stress can cause adverse long-term effects throughout life.Our body utilizes multifaceted mechanisms,including neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter signaling pathways,to appropriately process external stress.Newborn individuals first exposed to early-life stress deploy neurogenesis as a stress-defense mechanism;however,in adulthood,early-life stress induces apoptosis of mature neurons,activation of immune responses,and reduction of neurotrophic factors,leading to anxiety,depression,and cognitive and memory dysfunction.This process involves the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and neurotransmitters secreted by the central nervous system,including norepinephrine,dopamine,and serotonin.The rodent early-life stress model is generally used to experimentally assess the effects of stress during neurodevelopment.This paper reviews the use of the early-life stress model and stress response mechanisms of the body and discusses the experimental results regarding how early-life stress mediates stress-related pathways at a high vulnerability of psychiatric disorder in adulthood.