Characterization of a wheat HSP70 gene and its expression in response to stripe rust infection and abiotic stresses

Members of the family of 70-kD heat shock proteins (HSP70 s) play various stress-protective roles in plants. In this study, a wheat HSP70 gene was isolated from a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library of wheat leaves infected by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici. The gene, that was designated as TaHSC70, was predicted to encode a protein of 690 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 73.54 KDa and a pI of 5.01. Further analysis revealed the presence of a conserved signature that is characteristic for HSP70s and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that TaHSC70 is a homolog of chloroplast HSP70s. TaHSC70 mRNA was present in leaves of both green and etiolated wheat seedlings and in stems and roots. The transcript level in roots was approximately threefold less than in leaves but light–dark treatment did not charge TaHSC70 expression. Following heat shock of wheat seedlings at 40°C, TaHSC70 expression increased in leaves of etiolated seedlings but remained stable at the same level in green seedlings. In addition, TaHSC70 was differentially expressed during an incompatible and compatible interaction with wheat-stripe rust, and there was a transient increase in expression upon treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments had no influence on TaHSC70 expression. These results suggest that TaHSC70 plays a role in stress-related responses, and in defense responses elicited by infection with stripe rust fungus and does so via a JA-dependent signal transduction pathway

Electrochemical capacitance of a leaky nano-capacitor

We report a detailed theoretical investigation on electrochemical capacitance of a nanoscale capacitor where there is a DC coupling between the two conductors. For this ``leaky'' quantum capacitor, we have derived general analytic expressions of the linear and second order nonlinear electrochemical capacitance within a first principles quantum theory in the discrete potential approximation. Linear and nonlinear capacitance coefficients are also derived in a self-consistent manner without the latter approximation and the self-consistent analysis is suitable for numerical calculations. At linear order, the full quantum formula improves the semiclassical analysis in the tunneling regime. At nonlinear order which has not been studied before for leaky capacitors, the nonlinear capacitance and nonlinear nonequilibrium charge show interesting behavior. Our theory allows the investigation of crossover of capacitance from a full quantum to classical regimes as the distance between the two conductors is changed

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010–19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND: Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. METHODS: The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk–outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. FINDINGS: Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4·45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4·01–4·94) deaths and 105 million (95·0–116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44·4% (41·3–48·4) of all cancer deaths and 42·0% (39·1–45·6) of all DALYs. There were 2·88 million (2·60–3·18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50·6% [47·8–54·1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1·58 million (1·36–1·84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36·3% [32·5–41·3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20·4% (12·6–28·4) and DALYs by 16·8% (8·8–25·0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34·7% [27·9–42·8] and 33·3% [25·8–42·0]). INTERPRETATION: The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden

Examining social support, psychological status and health‐related quality of life in people receiving haemodialysis

Background: Being on haemodialysis can lead to many burdens on patients' lives. Social support for patients is crucial; however, whether social support affects health outcomes including both depression, anxiety and health-related quality of life is not well understood. Objectives: To explore the relationship between social support, psychological status and health-related quality of life of people undergoing haemodialysis. Design: A cross-sectional study. Participants: Convenience sampling recruited 388 patients from one dialysis centre. Measurements: Survey data collected included demographic and clinical data, the Medical Outcomes Social Support Survey, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and Short-Form Health Survey 36. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the direct and mediation effects of social support on health outcomes. Results: Participants' ages ranged from 19 to 84 years and most had undergone haemodialysis for more than 5 years (53.2%). Overall, there was a moderate level of social support, and although tangible support was high, emotional-oriented support functions were missing. Participants reported a high level of anxiety, moderate levels of depression, mild levels of stress and impaired physical and mental health. Greater social support independently and positively affected mental health, and also reduced the negative influences of depression on the mental health component but not the physical health component. Social support, depression, anxiety and participation in social groups explained 48% of the variance in mental health. Conclusions: People undergoing haemodialysis require both tangible and emotional social support. When there is enough social support, there are positive effects on reducing depression and improving mental, but not physical health.</p

Stripe rust resistance in wheat breeding lines developed for central Shaanxi, an overwintering region for <i>Puccinia striiformis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i> in China

<p>China is one of the largest stripe rust epidemic areas in the world. Central Shaanxi, an important overwintering region, serves as a ‘bridge’ between the western over-summering and eastern epidemic regions. Understanding of resistance levels and <i>Yr-</i>gene distribution in regional wheat breeding lines may provide valuable recommendations for releasing resistant cultivars for managing the disease. A total of 183 wheat breeding lines developed for central Shaanxi were tested for seedling resistance to nine Chinese races of <i>Puccinia striiformis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i> (<i>Pst</i>) in the greenhouse. In field tests, entries were evaluated for stripe rust resistance in Yangling, Shaanxi, an overwintering region for the pathogen and artificially inoculated with selected races. In Tianshui, Gansu Province, an over-summering region, entries were evaluated under natural infection of <i>Pst</i>. Molecular markers for <i>Yr5, Yr9, Yr10, Yr15, Yr17, Yr18, Yr26</i> and <i>Yr61</i> were used to determine the presence and absence of the genes. Among the 183 entries, 4 (2.2%) entries had effective all-stage resistance; 15 (8.2%) entries had adult-plant resistance; and 164 (89.6%) entries were susceptible to one or more races, especially to the potentially important races V26/CM42 and V26/Gui22. Over 95% of entries showed seedling stage susceptibility in Tianshui across years. Resistance genes <i>Yr9, Yr17</i> and <i>Yr24/Yr26</i> were postulated in some of the breeding lines based on the seedling responses and molecular markers. <i>Yr5, Yr10, Yr15, Yr18</i> and <i>Yr61</i> were not present in any of the breeding lines. These results suggest that, when multiple races of <i>Pst</i> disperse into Shaanxi from southern Gansu Province, over 90% of wheat breeding lines are susceptible. Based on the results, recommendations are made for releasing or not releasing the individual lines, and a strategy of combining genes for effective all-stage and adult-plant resistance is proposed for developing wheat cultivars with high-level durable resistance to stripe rust.</p