Effects of Ca addition on the uptake, translocation, and distribution of Cd in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cadmium (Cd) pollution poses a risk to human health for its accumulation in soil and crops, but this can be alleviated by calcium (Ca) addition. However, its mechanism remains unclear yet. In this study, Arabidopsis thaliana was used to explore the alleviating effects of Ca on Cd toxicity and its specific function during uptake, upward-translocation, and distribution of Cd. Supplementing plants with 5 mM CaCl2 alleviated the intoxication symptoms caused by 50 μM CdCl2, such as smaller leaves, early bolting and root browning. Ca addition decreased uptake of Cd, possibly by reducing the physical adsorption of Cd since the root cell membrane was well maintained and lignin deposition was decreased as well, and by decreasing symplastic Cd transport. Expression of the genes involved (AtZIP2 and AtZIP4) was also decreased. In addition, Ca accumulated in the plant shoot to help facilitating the upward-translocation of Cd, with evidence of higher translocation factor and expression of genes that were involved in Ca transport (AtPCR1) and Cd xylem loading (AtHMA2 and AtHMA4). Dithizone-staining of Cd in leaves showed that in Cd+Ca-treated plants, Ca addition initially protected the leaf stomata by preventing Cd from entering guard cells, but with prolonged Cd treatment facilitated the Cd accumulation around trichomes and maybe its excretion. We conclude that Ca promotes the upward-translocation of Cd and changes its distribution in leaves. The results may have relevance for bioremediation

Abnormal Degree Centrality Associated With Cognitive Dysfunctions in Early Bipolar Disorder

Delayed diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) is common. However, diagnostic validity may be enhanced using reliable neurobiological markers for BD. Degree centrality (DC) is one such potential marker that enables researchers to visualize neuronal network abnormalities in the early stages of some neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, we measured resting-state DC abnormalities and cognitive deficits in order to identify early neurobiological markers for BD. We recruited 23 patients with BD who had recently experienced manic episodes (duration of illness <2 years) and 46 matched healthy controls. Our findings indicated that patients with BD exhibited DC abnormalities in frontal areas, temporal areas, the right postcentral gyrus, and the posterior lobe of the cerebellum. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that psychomotor speed indicators were associated with DC in the superior temporal and inferior temporal gyri, while attention indicators were associated with DC in the inferior temporal gyrus, in patients with early BD. Our findings suggest that DC abnormalities in neural emotion regulation circuits are present in patients with early BD, and that correlations between attention/psychomotor speed deficits and temporal DC abnormalities may represent early markers of BD

Proteomic analysis of Allium cepa var. agrogarum L. roots under copper stress

Aims: In the present study, the effects of Cu (2.0 and 8.0 μM) on root growth of Allium cepa var. agrogarum L. were addressed and protein abundance levels were analyzed using the technology of proteomics combined with transcriptomics, in order to go deeper into the understanding of the mechanism of Cu toxicity on plant root systems at the protein level and to provide valuable information for monitoring and forecasting the effects of exposure to Cu in real scenarios conditions.Methods: Protein extraction; Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis; Mass spectrometry analysis;Establishment of the in-house database; Restriction enzyme map of the in-house database and proteinidentification.Results Root growth was dramatically inhibited after 12 h Cu treatment. By establishing an in-house database and using mass spectrometry analysis, 27 differentially abundant proteins were identified. These 27 proteins were involved in multiple biological processes including defensive response, transcription regulation and protein synthesis, cell wall synthesis, cell cycle and DNA replication, and other important functions.Conclusions: Our results provide new insights at the proteomic level into the Cu-induced responses, defensive responses and toxic effects, and provide new molecular markers of the early events of plant responses to Cu toxicity. Moreover, the establishment of an in-house database provides a big improvement for proteomicsresearch on non-model plants

Application of in-house virtual protein database performed in genomic-proteomic combined research on heavy-metal stressed onion roots

Objectives To establish an in-house virtual protein database that can be employed in proteomic research on non-model plants. Results A total of 87,430 unigenes were obtained through transcriptome sequencing from onion roots. Of these, 24,305 unigenes were annotated and their nucleotide sequences of coding regions were translated into amino acid sequences. The corresponding 24,305 amino acid sequences were considered as an in-house virtual protein database. Thirty-two protein spots with significant differential abundance were selected. Their MS data were submitted to a restriction enzyme map which was converted from the in-house virtual protein database. A total of 27 proteins were finally matched.Conclusions The in-house protein database is afeasible and innovative strategy for proteomicresearch on non-model plants

Major depressive disorder and suicide risk among adult outpatients at several general hospitals in a Chinese Han population

<div><p>Background</p><p>Somatic complaints are often the presenting symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) in the outpatient context, because this may go unrecognized. It is well understood that MDD carries an increased risk of suicide. This study aimed to identify the risk factors and association with both MDD and suicidality among Han Chinese outpatients.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A multicenter study was carried out in 5189 outpatient adults (≥18 years old) in four general hospitals in Guangzhou, China. The 1392 patients who had the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score ≥ 5, indicating depressive symptoms were offered an interview with a psychiatrist by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI); 819 patients consented and completed the MINI interview. MINI module B was used to assess suicidality. Stepwise binary logistic models were used to estimate the relationship between a significant risk factor and suicide or MDD. According to with or without MDD, the secondary analysis was performed using the logistic regression model for the risk of suicidility.</p><p>Results</p><p>The current prevalence of MDD and the one month prevalence of suicidality were 3.7% and 2.3% respectively. The odds ratio of suicidality in women was more than twice that in men (OR = 2.62; 95% CI 1.45–4.76). Other risk factors which were significantly associated with suicidality were: living alone, higher education, self-reported depression, getting psychiatric diagnoses (MDD, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorders). Significant risk factors for MDD were also noticed, such as comorbid anxiety disorders, self-reported anxiety, insomnia, suicidal ideation.</p><p>Limitation</p><p>It’s a cross-sectional study in outpatient clinics using self-report questionnaires.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>This study provides valuable data about the risk factors and association of MDD and suicide risk in adult outpatients in Han Chinese. Those factors allow better the employment of preventative measures.</p></div

The secondary logistic regression results for factors associated with suicide risk.

<p>The secondary logistic regression results for factors associated with suicide risk.</p

The proportion of suicidal ideation, plan and attempt in all subjects and MDD.

<p>The proportion of suicidal ideation, plan and attempt in all subjects and MDD.</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of subjects according to major depressive disorder and suicide risk (N = 5189).

<p>Demographic and clinical characteristics of subjects according to major depressive disorder and suicide risk (N = 5189).</p

Characteristics of the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population (N = 5189).

<p>Characteristics of the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population (N = 5189).</p