Synteny of Cotton SSR Markers Genomes Paves the Way for Resistance Against Black Root Rot Disease in Cotton

Background: Black root rot disease is documented for substantial reducing cotton yield and fiber quality. The isolation of candidate resistant genes in tetraploid genome AADD cotton species (2n=4x=52) remains challenging in the absence of research of black root rot resistance on progenitor DD genome diploid cotton. In this study, by exploiting Phytozome database, a comparative map of the black root rot-resistance quantitative trait loci in DD genome was constructed.Methods: Simple sequence repeats markers associated with these three quantitative trait loci in the AA genome were used as “anchored-probes” frameworks for establishing relationships between the two cotton genomes AA and DD.Results: Our findings showed that there was conserved orders among mapped simple sequence repeats markers on AA genome and the physical map of these simple sequence repeats markers on DD genome.Conclusion: It was suggested that the syntenic loci on chromosome 2, 7 and 11 on DD genome could harbor the resistance gene against the black root rot disease. This study could serve as a fundamental step in isolating and introducing the resistance gene against black root rot into elite cotton cultivars.Keywords: Comparative mapping; Resistance gene; Phytozome; Simple sequence repeats; Quantitative trait loci    

Overexpression of RsMYB1 Enhances Anthocyanin Accumulation and Heavy Metal Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Petunia

The RsMYB1 transcription factor (TF) controls the regulation of anthocyanin in radishes (Raphanus sativus), and its overexpression in tobacco and petunias strongly enhances anthocyanin production. However, there are no data on the involvement of RsMYB1 in the mechanisms underlying abiotic stress tolerance, despite strong sequence similarity with other MYBs that confer such tolerance. In this study, we used the anthocyanin-enriched transgenic petunia lines PM6 and PM2, which overexpress RsMYB1. The tolerance of these lines to heavy metal stress was investigated by examining several physiological and biochemical factors, and the transcript levels of genes related to metal detoxification and antioxidant activity were quantified. Under normal conditions (control conditions), transgenic petunia plants (T2-PM6 and T2-PM2) expressing RsMYB1, as well as wild-type (WT) plants, were able to thrive by producing well-developed broad leaves and regular roots. In contrast, a reduction in plant growth was observed when these plants were exposed to heavy metals (CuSO4, ZnSO4, MnSO4, or K2Cr2O7). However, T2-PM6 and T2-PM2 were found to be more stress tolerant than the WT plants, as indicated by superior results in all analyzed parameters. In addition, RsMYB1 overexpression enhanced the expression of genes related to metal detoxification [glutathione S-transferase (GST) and phytochelatin synthase (PCS)] and antioxidant activity [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POX)]. These results suggest that enhanced expression levels of the above genes can improve metal detoxification activities and antioxidant activity, which are the main components of defense mechanism included in abiotic stress tolerance of petunia. Our findings demonstrate that RsMYB1 has potential as a dual-function gene that can have an impact on the improvement of anthocyanin production and heavy metal stress tolerance in horticultural crops

Perceptions of Aging and Disability among College Students in Japan

Japan launched the Long-term Care Insurance program in 2000, and ratified the United Nations` Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2014. Japan has been taking significant steps to support their elderly population and individuals with disabilities. However, information is lacking on the understanding and opinions of either of these groups among Japanese college students, many of whom will have significant impact on the development of relevant programs in the future. The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of the elderly, individuals with a physical disability, and individuals with a mental disability. Three focus groups were held with a total of 20 college students throughout June and July 2015 in Japan. Lack of formal and human resources are issues for the elderly and people with physical disabilities. It is important to increase awareness of struggles related to physical and mental disabilities. Images of physical and mental disabilities in society and media need to be improved. Future studies need to expand in the following areas: 1) to examine the issues of lack of formal and human resources and its impact on the elderly, families and society; 2) to develop programs to increase awareness of the issues of disabilities and evaluate the effectiveness of the programs; and 3) to examine the impact of media on perceptions of people with a disability. Keywords: aging, disability, perceptions, college students, Japa

SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES DOPED IN THE ZEOLITE FRAMEWORK BY CHEMICAL REDUCTION METHOD

ABSTRACT Silver ions (Ag+) were introduced at first into the porous zeolite 4A lattice by an ion-exchange route. And then silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in the zeolite framework by chemical reduction method using hydrazine hydrate (N2H4. H2O) as reducing agent. The synthesized AgNPs/zeolite product was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results showed the maximum absorption wavelength (lmax) of AgNPs/zeolite at 427 nm and the average size of the metallic AgNPs doped in the zeolite of about 30 nm. The synthesis process has been considered as suitable one to prepare AgNPs/zeolite with AgNPs content in zeolite of about 1.2% on large scale. The obtained AgNPs/zeolite product has been used for production of porous ceramic water filters with efficiently bacterial disinfection effect for treatment of drinking water

Expression of RsMYB1 in chrysanthemum regulates key anthocyanin biosynthetic genes

Background: Several MYB genes belonging to R2R3 MYB transcription factors have been used in several plant species to enhance anthocyanin production, and have shown various expression or regulation patterns. This study focused on the effect of ectopic expression of an RsMYB1 isolated from radish ( Raphanus sativa ) on chrysanthemum cv. \u2018Shinma\u2019. Results: The RT-PCR results confirmed that RsMYB1 regulated the expression of three key biosynthetic genes (CmF3H, CmDFR, and CmANS) that are responsible for anthocyanin production in transgenic chrysanthemum, but were not detected in the non-transgenic line. In all transgenic plants, higher expression levels of key biosynthetic genes were observed in flowers than in leaves. However, the presence of RsMYB1 in chrysanthemum did not affect any morphological characteristics, such as plant height, leaf shape or size, and number of flowers. Furthermore, no anthocyanin accumulation was visually observed in the leaves and floral tissue of any of the transgenic lines, which was further confirmed by anthocyanin content estimation. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first time the role of an MYB transcription factor in anthocyanin production has been investigated in chrysanthemum

EVALUATION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF THE BLACK GLUTINOUS RICE BASED ON AGRO-MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS

The study assessed the variations in nine agro-morphological characters among and within the black glutinous rice (Oryza sativa) population from Chau Thanh District, Tra Vinh Province. The nine quantitative agromorphological characters that were measured include culm length, leaf length, leaf width, number of panicles, panicle length, grain length, grain width, number of firm grain, and number of grain per panicle. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean method and principal coordinate analysis by the NTSYS program were applied in this study to classify the nine agro-morphological characters. In addition, to compare the variations in quantitative characters between O. sativa populations, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. The results showed significant differences between the black glutinous rice populations for all quantitative agro-morphological characters. Moreover, some agro-morphological characters showed positive correlations to each other. The dendrogram generated from the analysis process of the agromorphological data divided the O. sativa populations into two groups with unfamiliar features. However, the O. sativa populations assessed exhibited a wide range of variations in morphological characteristics, both within the same population and among other populations with the same strains

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed

A Decision Support Model for Measuring Technological Progress and Productivity Growth: The Case of Commercial Banks in Vietnam

The interactive relationship between the banking system and enterprise makes up the role that affects a national economy. Significantly, the relationship between banking and technology has become tighter over the past few decades. An assessment of bank performance is critical for understanding their position and provides valuable information to practitioners. In this paper, we assess the performance of the top 18 commercial banks in Vietnam during 2015–2019. The assessment utilizes two data envelopment analysis (DEA) models while involving the banks’ performance in six dimensions, including assets, deposits, operating expenses, liabilities as inputs, while treating loans and net income as outputs. Using the Malmquist measurement, the total productivity growth indexes of the banks are obtained, which are decomposed into technical and technological evolutions. Window analysis is used to compute the efficiencies of the banks in every single year in 2015–2019. From the results of Malmquist, most banks are found to decrease their Malmquist productivity indexes from 2015 to 2019, wherein both of their technical and technological indexes declined. Window analysis indicates B6-SHBank, B1-Vietinbank, and B18-PetrolimexGroup as the most efficient banks during 2015–2019, and in the interim, B16-BaoVietBank, B11-NationalCitizen, and B13-VietnamMaritime ranked on the bottom line. The managerial implications of this research help to reflect the comprehensive insights of the top Vietnamese commercial bank performance and offer a strategic guideline for decision-makers toward sustainable development in the banking industry

Sodium Nitroprusside Stimulates Growth and Shoot Regeneration in Chrysanthemum

In this study, we demonstrate that the nitric oxide (NO) donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) improves plant regeneration in chrysanthemums. Internode explants of three different chrysanthemum cultivars, ‘White ND’,‘White wing × Peach ND’, and ‘Hunt × Lemon ND’, were cultured on shoot induction medium (SIM) containing various concentrations of N6–benzyladenine (2.22 or 4.44 μM BA) and SNP (0.83–6.71 μM) individually and in combination. Most combinations of BA and SNP significantly improved the morphogenetic potential of internode explants and enhanced shoot regeneration in all three chrysanthemum cultivars compared to treatment with BA alone. The cultivar ‘White wing × Peach ND’ displayed the highest regeneration response (98.3%) and shoot regeneration rate (27.3 shoots/explant) in SIM containing optimal BA (4.44 μM) and SNP (0.83 μM) concentrations within 30 days of culture. Individual shoots of 'White wing × Peach ND' were transferred to root induction medium (RIM) containing various concentrations of SNP (0.83–6.71 μM) alone. Shoots rooted in the presence of SNP resulted in healthy plantlets within 30 days of culture with improved root (number of roots/shoot, root length, and fresh weight) and shoot (number of leaves, shoot length, and fresh weight) growth characteristics compared to the control. In addition, the regeneration procedure described in this study only requires a short duration (60 days) to obtain rooted plantlets from internode explants of chrysanthemums. Our results suggest that supplementation of chrysanthemum regeneration medium with SNP enhances shoot regeneration and improves plant growth, overcoming problems associated with propagation and genetic transformation