The role and mechanism of cinnamaldehyde in cancer.

As cancer continues to rise globally, there is growing interest in discovering novel methods for prevention and treatment. Due to the limitations of traditional cancer therapies, there has been a growing emphasis on investigating herbal remedies and exploring their potential synergistic effects when combined with chemotherapy drugs. Cinnamaldehyde, derived from cinnamon, has gained significant attention for its potential role in cancer prevention and treatment. Extensive research has demonstrated that cinnamaldehyde exhibits promising anticancer properties by modulating various cellular processes involved in tumor growth and progression. However, challenges and unanswered questions remain regarding the precise mechanisms for its effective use as an anticancer agent. This article aims to explore the multifaceted effects of cinnamaldehyde on cancer cells and shed light on these existing issues. Cinnamaldehyde has diverse anti-cancer mechanisms, including inducing apoptosis by activating caspases and damaging mitochondrial function, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, anti-proliferation, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In addition, cinnamaldehyde also acts as a reactive oxygen species scavenger, reducing oxidative stress and preventing DNA damage and genomic instability. This article emphasizes the promising therapeutic potential of cinnamaldehyde in cancer treatment and underscores the need for future research to unlock novel mechanisms and strategies for combating cancer. By providing valuable insights into the role and mechanism of cinnamaldehyde in cancer, this comprehensive understanding paves the way for its potential as a novel therapeutic agent. Overall, cinnamaldehyde holds great promise as an anticancer agent, and its comprehensive exploration in this article highlights its potential as a valuable addition to cancer treatment options.

Demographic characteristics and trends of cell phone use while driving citations in selected states in the United States, 2010-2020.

OBJECTIVE: Distracted driving is a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes, and cell phone use is a major source of in-vehicle distraction. Many states in the United States have enacted cell phone use laws to regulate drivers' cell phone use behavior to enhance traffic safety. Numerous studies have examined the effects of such laws on drivers' cell phone use behavior based on self-reported and roadside observational data. However, little was known about who actually violated the laws at the enforcement level. This study sought to uncover the demographic characteristics of drivers cited for cell phone use while driving and whether these characteristics changed over time since the enactment of cell phone laws. METHODS: We acquired useable traffic citation data for 7 states in the United States from 2010 to 2020 and performed descriptive and regression analyses. RESULTS: Male drivers were cited more for cell phone use while driving. Handheld and texting bans were associated with a greater proportion of cited drivers aged 40 and above, compared to texting-only bans. Trends in the citations issued based on drivers' age group following the enactment of different cell phone laws were also uncovered. The proportion of citations issued to drivers aged 60 and above increased over time but the temporal trend remained insignificant when population effect was considered. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined the demographic characteristics of drivers cited for cell phone use while driving in selected states with texting-only bans or handheld and texting bans. The results reveal policy-based differences in trends in the proportion of citations issued to drivers in different age groups.

Mandatory Vision Test for Driver License Renewal in Association With Traffic Fatality and Injury Among Older Road Users in Utah.

In 2011, Utah began requiring that drivers aged 65 years and older pass a vision test at each license renewal. This study aims to investigate if the mandatory vision test associated with motor vehicle fatality and injury rates in older road users. We fit controlled interrupted time series analysis models to compare fatality and injury rates for older adults (65+) affected by the law to younger adults (45-64) unaffected by the law. The models yielded estimates of differential level and slope changes in fatality and injury rates, which we used to estimate policy associations. We did not find evidence that implementing an accelerated vision test for older adults in Utah was associated with a reduction in injury or fatality rates among older (65+) drivers and non-drivers relative to those aged 45-64. Other strategies might be considered to prevent fatal motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) in older adults.

Time - sensitive effects of Zhuang medicated thread moxibustion on estrogen level in female perimenopausal model rats / Efectos sensibles al tiempo de la moxibustión con hilo medicado de Zhuang sobre el nivel de estrógeno en ratas modelo perimenopáusicas hembras

The present study was conducted to ascertain the estrogenic effect of Zhuang Medicated Thread Moxibustion (ZMTM) and explore its time - sensitive impact on estradiol (E2) in female perimenopausal rats. 40 female rats were randomized into four gr oups: the control, model, ZMTM, and acupuncture groups. The perimenopausal syndrome was induced in the last three groups with a daily subcutaneous dose of 80 mg/kg of 4 - vinylcyclohexene diepoxide for 15 days. Afterward, rats in the model and control group s were fed routinely, while rats in the ZMTM and acupuncture groups were treated with six ZMTM and acupuncture courses, respectively. Results of the study suggested that following the six courses of treatment, the E2 level in the model group was significan tly the lowest, while the regular group was the highest (P < 0.05). There was also a gradual increase in the E2 level of the ZMTM group compared to the model and acupuncture groups, e.g. after the 5th and 6th courses of treatment, their E2 level was signif icantly higher than the model and acupuncture groups. The ZMTM group was better than the model and acupuncture groups. In summary, ZMTM can improve perimenopausal induced rats' estrogen level.

El presen te estudio se llevó a cabo para determinar el efecto estrogénico de la moxibustión con hilo medicado Zhuang (ZMTM) y explorar su impacto sensible al tiempo en el estradiol (E2) en ratas hembras perimenopáusicas. Se dividió al azar una muestra de 40 ratas h embras en cuatro grupos: control, modelo, ZMTM y acupuntura. El síndrome perimenopáusico se indujo en los últimos tres grupos con una dosis subcutánea diaria de 80 mg/kg de diepóxido de 4 - vinilciclohexeno durante 15 días. Después, las ratas en los grupos m odelo y control fueron alimentadas rutinariamente, mientras que las ratas en los grupos ZMTM y acupuntura recibieron seis cursos de ZMTM y acupuntura, respectivamente. Los resultados del estudio sugieren que después de los seis cursos de tratamiento, el ni vel de E2 en el grupo modelo fue significativamente más bajo, mientras que el grupo regular fue más alto ( p < 0,05). También hubo un aumento gradual en el nivel de E2 del grupo ZMTM en comparación con los grupos modelo y acupuntura, por ejemplo, desp ués del quinto y sexto cursos de tratamiento, su nivel de E2 fue significativamente más alto que los grupos modelo y acupuntura. El grupo ZMTM fue mejor que los grupos modelo y acupuntura. En resumen, el ZMTM puede mejorar el nivel de estrógeno de las rata s inducidas por la perimenopausia.

Molecular insights into the responses of barley to yellow mosaic disease through transcriptome analysis.

BACKGROUND: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) represents the fourth most essential cereal crop in the world, vulnerable to barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and/or barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV), leading to the significant yield reduction. To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms regarding barley crop tolerance to virus infection, we employed a transcriptome sequencing approach and investigated global gene expression among three barley varieties under both infected and control conditions. RESULTS: High-throughput sequencing outputs revealed massive genetic responses, reflected by the barley transcriptome after BaYMV and/or BaMMV infection. Significant enrichments in peptidase complex and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum were clustered through Gene ontology and KEGG analysis. Many genes were identified as transcription factors, antioxidants, disease resistance genes and plant hormones and differentially expressed between infected and uninfected barley varieties. Importantly, general response genes, variety-specific and infection-specific genes were also discovered. Our results provide useful information for future barley breeding to resist BaYMV and BaMMV. CONCLUSIONS: Our study elucidates transcriptomic adaptations in barley response to BaYMV/BaMMV infection through high-throughput sequencing technique. The analysis outcome from GO and KEGG pathways suggests that BaYMV disease induced regulations in multiple molecular-biology processes and signalling pathways. Moreover, critical DEGs involved in defence and stress tolerance mechanisms were displayed. Further functional investigations focusing on these DEGs contributes to understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant response to BaYMV disease infection, thereby offering precious genetic resources for breeding barley varieties resistant to BaYMV disease.

Dielectric barrier discharge plasma for the remediation of microplastic-contaminated soil from landfill.

The huge amount of plastic waste accumulated in landfills has caused serious microplastic (MP) pollution to the soil environment, which has become an urgent issue in recent years. It is challenging to deal with the non-biodegradable MP pollutants in actual soil from landfills. In this study, a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system was proposed to remediate actual MP-contaminated landfill soil due to its strong oxidation capacity. The influence of carrier gas type, applied voltage, and air flow rate was investigated, and the possible degradation pathways of MP pollutants were suggested. Results showed the landfill soil samples contained four common MP pollutants, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with sizes ranging from 50 to 1500 µm. The MP pollutants in the soil were rapidly removed under the action of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by DBD plasma. Under the air flow rate of 1500 mL min-1, the maximum remediation efficiency represented by mass loss reached 96.5% after 30 min treatment. Compared with nitrogen, when air was used as the carrier gas, the remediation efficiency increased from 41.4% to 81.6%. The increased applied voltage from 17.5 to 24.1 kV could also promote the removal of MP contaminants. Sufficient air supply was conducive to thorough removal. However, when the air flow rate reached 1500 mL min-1 and continued to rise, the final remediation efficiency would be reduced due to the shortened residence time of ROS. The DBD plasma treatment proposed in this study showed high energy efficiency (19.03 mg kJ-1) and remediation performance (96.5%). The results are instructive for solving MP pollution in the soil environment.

Seat belt laws and prevalence of use among high school students in the United States.

PURPOSE: To examine the association between state seat belt laws and the prevalence of seat belt use among a nationally representative sample of teenagers in the United States, taking into consideration state-specific child restraint laws that could affect teenagers of different ages. METHODS: Data were from the 2019 state Youth Risk Behavior Survey. We estimated prevalence ratios using modified Poisson regression with robust variance estimates to evaluate associations between state seat belt laws and seat belt use. RESULTS: Among, 81,929 high school students under 18 from 36 states, 56% always wore a seat belt when someone else was driving. Relative to students in states with secondary enforcement of seat belt laws, students living in states with primary enforcement were 5% more likely (aPR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.11), and students covered by a child restraint law were 6% more likely to always wear a seat belt (aPR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.12) after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and graduated driver licensing laws. CONCLUSIONS: States with secondary seat belt enforcement should consider upgrading seat belt laws to potentially improve the prevalence of seat belt use among adolescents, potentially reducing injuries and deaths due to motor vehicle crashes.

Grazing and global change factors differentially affect biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships in grassland ecosystems.

Grazing and global change (e.g., warming, nitrogen deposition, and altered precipitation) both contribute to biodiversity loss and alter ecosystem structure and functioning. However, how grazing and global change interactively influence plant diversity and ecosystem productivity, and their relationship remains unclear at the global scale. Here, we synthesized 73 field studies to quantify the individual and/or interactive effects of grazing and global change factors on biodiversity-productivity relationship in grasslands. Our results showed that grazing significantly reduced plant richness by 3.7% and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) by 29.1%, but increased belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) by 9.3%. Global change factors, however, decreased richness by 8.0% but increased ANPP and BNPP by 13.4% and 14.9%, respectively. Interestingly, the strength of the change in biodiversity in response to grazing was positively correlated with the strength of the change in BNPP. Yet, global change flipped these relationships from positive to negative even when combined with grazing. These results indicate that the impacts of global change factors are more dominant than grazing on the belowground biodiversity-productivity relationship, which is contrary to the pattern of aboveground one. Therefore, incorporating global change factors with herbivore grazing into Earth system models is necessary to accurately predict climate-grassland carbon cycle feedbacks in the Anthropocene.

Analysis of individual-level data from 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The 2018-2020 Ebola virus disease epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) resulted in 3481 cases (probable and confirmed) and 2299 deaths. In this paper, we use a novel statistical method to analyze the individual-level incidence and hospitalization data on DRC Ebola victims. Our analysis suggests that an increase in the rate of quarantine and isolation that has shortened the infectiousness period by approximately one day during the epidemic's third and final wave was likely responsible for the eventual containment of the outbreak. The analysis further reveals that the total effective population size or the average number of individuals at risk for the disease exposure in three epidemic waves over the period of 24 months was around 16,000-a much smaller number than previously estimated and likely an evidence of at least partial protection of the population at risk through ring vaccination and contact tracing as well as adherence to strict quarantine and isolation policies.

Screening of stable resistant accessions and identification of resistance loci to Barley yellow mosaic virus disease.

Background: The disease caused by Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) infection is a serious threat to autumn-sown barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production in Europe, East Asia and Iran. Due to the rapid diversification of BaYMV strains, it is urgent to discover novel germplasm and genes to assist breeding new varieties with resistance to different BaYMV strains, thus minimizing the effect of BaYMV disease on barley cropping. Methods: A natural population consisting of 181 barley accessions with different levels of resistance to BaYMV disease was selected for field resistance identification in two separate locations (Yangzhou and Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, China). Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis was used to identify accessions with stable resistance. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) of BaYMV disease resistance was broadly performed by combining both single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and specific molecular markers associated with the reported BaYMV disease resistance genes. Furthermore, the viral protein genome linked (VPg) sequences of the virus were amplified and analyzed to assess the differences between the BaYMV strains sourced from the different experimental sites. Results: Seven barley accessions with lower standardized Area Under the Disease Progress Steps (sAUDPS) index in every environment were identified and shown to have stable resistance to BaYMV disease in each assessed location. Apart from the reported BaYMV disease resistance genes rym4 and rym5, one novel resistance locus explaining 24.21% of the phenotypic variation was identified at the Yangzhou testing site, while two other novel resistance loci that contributed 19.23% and 19.79% of the phenotypic variation were identified at the Yancheng testing site, respectively. Further analysis regarding the difference in the VPg sequence of the predominant strain of BaYMV collected from these two testing sites may explain the difference of resistance loci differentially identified under geographically distinct regions. Our research provides novel genetic resources and resistance loci for breeding barley varieties for BaMYV disease resistance.

Identification and Optimization of a Novel HIV-1 Integrase Inhibitor.

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV-1, like all retroviruses, stably integrates its vDNA copy into host chromatin, a process allowing for permanent infection. This essential step for HIV-1 replication is catalyzed by viral integrase (IN) and aided by cellular protein LEDGF/p75. In addition, IN is also crucial for proper virion maturation as it interacts with the viral RNA genome to ensure encapsulation of ribonucleoprotein complexes within the protective capsid core. These key functions make IN an attractive target for the development of inhibitors with various mechanisms of action. We conducted a high-throughput screen (HTS) of ∼370,000 compounds using a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence-based assay capable of capturing diverse inhibitors targeting multifunctional IN. Our approach revealed chemical scaffolds containing diketo acid moieties similar to IN strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) as well as novel compounds distinct from all current IN inhibitors including INSTIs and allosteric integrase inhibitors (ALLINIs). Specifically, our HTS resulted in the discovery of compound 12, with a novel IN inhibitor scaffold amenable for chemical modification. Its more potent derivative 14e similarly inhibited catalytic activities of WT and mutant INs containing archetypical INSTI- and ALLINI-derived resistant substitutions. Further SAR-based optimization resulted in compound 22 with an antiviral EC50 of ∼58 µM and a selectivity index of >8500. Thus, our studies identified a novel small-molecule scaffold for inhibiting HIV-1 IN, which provides a promising platform for future development of potent antiviral agents to complement current HIV-1 therapies.

Influencing factors and reduction of domestic solid waste at university dormitory in Shanghai, China.

Increasing domestic solid waste (DSW) is becoming one of the most serious challenges for city and regional environment. As an epitome of the society, the investigation on the influencing factors and reduction of DSW of university students can not only provide policy suggestions for the waste management in the university campus, but also can achieve demonstration effect to other communities due to its high social status and wide impacts. This research combined direct weighing, questionnaire surveys, and regression analysis to quantify the influencing factors of DSW at East China Normal University's dormitory in Shanghai. Direct weighting and questionnaire survey were conducted in 112 randomly selected dormitory rooms. Totally 523 valid questionnaires were collected. It is found that the average waste generation was 0.275 kg/day/cap, in which residual waste accounted for 64% of total, followed by household food waste (29%), and recyclable waste (7%). Regressions based on ordinary least square method suggested that students' attitude towards waste played the most important role in affecting the waste reduction with its elasticity - 0.195. Lower educational level and better financial condition would lead to more waste generation, whose elasticity was 0.148 and 0.098 respectively. The influences of gender and major varied from waste types. Policies implications for university administration departments for sustainable waste and resource management include developing personalized and humanized waste management policies, enhancing environmental awareness through diverse educational activities, and expanding the publicity role of campus cultural activities on waste reduction.

Genomic and Pathogenic Diversity of Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus and Barley Mild Mosaic Virus Isolates in Fields of China and Their Compatibility with Resistance Genes of Cultivated Barley.

Plant viruses transmitted by the soilborne plasmodiophorid Polymyxa graminis constantly threaten global production of cereal crops. Although the yellow mosaic virus disease of barley has been known to be present for a long time in China, the understanding of the diversity of the viral pathogens and their interactions with host resistance remains limited. In this study, we conducted a nationwide survey of P. graminis and the barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV) it transmits, followed by genomic and pathogenic diversity analyses of both viruses. BaYMV and BaMMV were found exclusively in the region downstream of the Yangtze River, despite the national distribution of its transmission vector P. graminis. Analysis of the genomic variations of BaYMV and BaMMV revealed an elevated rate of nonsynonymous substitutions in the viral genome-linked protein (VPg), in which most substitutions were located in its interaction surface with the host eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E). VPg sequence diversity was associated with the divergence in virus pathogenicity that was identified through multiple field trials. The majority of the resistance genes, including the widely applied rym4 and rym5 (alleles of eIF4E), as well as the combination of rym1/11 and rym5, are not sufficient to protect cultivated barley against viruses in China. Collectively, these results provide insights into virulence specificity and interaction mode with host resistance in cultivated barley, which has significant implications in breeding for the broad-spectrum resistance barley varieties.

The effect of the secondary reactions on volatile composition during the pyrolysis treatment of scrap tires.

The phenomenon of the secondary reactions of volatiles prevails during the pyrolysis process of scrap tires, but less is known about the influence of volatiles' residence time and temperature on the pyrolytic oil compositions. Experiments on the secondary reactions caused by residence time and temperature of volatiles were carried out on a lab-scale fixed bed reactor. The regularity of the secondary reactions was presented in detail according to the distribution of liquid and gaseous pyrolytic products. Considering the inadequacy of lab-to-industry research, experiments were further carried out on a pilot-scale auger reactor. The results of the pilot-scale system were corresponding well to the regularity obtained in lab-scale experiment, demonstrating the universality of the regularity in this work. At in situ pyrolysis condition without any secondary reactions, limonene content reached up to 46.24% while a high yield of BTEX (50.55%) was obtained at 700℃/60 s. A remarkable increase of methane and ethane was observed at 700℃/60 s, reaching 0.058 and 0.040 g·(g scrap tire)-1, respectively. This paper provided a novel strategy to selectively produce target products in a simple and economical method. The results were of great significance for guiding the optimisation of pyrolysis parameters in industrial equipment to obtain desired valuable products.

Identification of novel QTL contributing to barley yellow mosaic resistance in wild barley (Hordeum vulgare spp. spontaneum).

BACKGROUND: Barley yellow mosaic disease (BYMD) caused by Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV) seriously threatens the production of winter barley. Cultivating and promoting varieties that carry disease-resistant genes is one of the most powerful ways to minimize the disease's effect on yield. However, as the BYMD virus mutates rapidly, resistance conferred by the two cloned R genes to the virus had been overcome by new virus strains. There is an urgent need for novel resistance genes in barley that convey sustainable resistance to newly emerging virus strains causing BYMD. RESULTS: A doubled haploid (DH) population derived from a cross of SRY01 (BYMD resistant wild barley) and Gairdner (BYMD susceptible barley cultivar) was used to explore for QTL of resistance to BYMD in barley. A total of six quantitative trait loci (qRYM-1H, qRYM-2Ha, qRYM-2Hb, qRYM-3H, qRYM-5H, and qRYM-7H) related to BYMD resistance were detected, which were located on chromosomes 1H, 2H, 3H, 5H, and 7H. Both qRYM-1H and qRYM-2Ha were detected in all environments. qRYM-1H was found to be overlapped with rym7, a known R gene to the disease, whereas qRYM-2Ha is a novel QTL on chromosome 2H originated from SRY01, explaining phenotypic variation from 9.8 to 17.8%. The closely linked InDel markers for qRYM-2Ha were developed which could be used for marker-assisted selection in barley breeding. qRYM-2Hb and qRYM-3H were stable QTL for specific resistance to Yancheng and Yangzhou virus strains, respectively. qRYM-5H and qRYM-7H identified in Yangzhou were originated from Gairdner. CONCLUSIONS: Our work is focusing on a virus disease (barley yellow mosaic) of barley. It is the first report on BYMD-resistant QTL from wild barley accessions. One novel major QTL (qRYM-2Ha) for the resistance was detected. The consistently detected new genes will potentially serve as novel sources for achieving pre-breeding barley materials with resistance to BYMD.

BTEX recovery from waste rubbers by catalytic pyrolysis over Zn loaded tire derived char.

Recovering valuable chemicals (BTEX: Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) via catalytic pyrolysis of waste tires is a promising and sustainable approach. Zinc loaded tire derived char (TDC) was used as cheap catalyst for recovering valuable BTEX products from waste tire through pyrolysis in this study. The catalytic capability of TDC on BTEX production were experimentally investigated with respect to Zn content, catalytic temperature, and catalyst-to-tire ratio. Due to the abundant acid sites on the surface, the TDC showed notable catalytic capability for improving BTEX yield which was 2.4 times higher than that from uncatalyzed case. The loading of additional Zn increased the acid sites on the TDC and the catalytic performance was further improved. The increase of catalytic temperature and catalyst-to-tire ratio favored the formation of BTEX, but it also brought undesirable consequences, such as the mass loss of tire pyrolysis oil (TPO) and the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The optimal TPO products were obtained at 600 °C with catalyst-to-tire ratio of 20. At this condition, the relative content of BTEX reached 54.70% and the cumulative BTEX yield was 10.13 wt%, increasing by 5.95 times compared to that of non-catalytic condition. This work provided a novel strategy of replacing traditional expensive catalysts with low-cost and effective carbon-based materials in the field of catalytic pyrolysis of waste tires.

Spatiotemporal Trends in Opioid Overdose Deaths by Race for Counties in Ohio.

BACKGROUND: The opioid epidemic continues to be an ongoing public health crisis in the United States. Initially, large increases in overdose death rates were observed in largely rural, White communities, leading to the initial perception that the opioid epidemic was primarily a problem for the White population. Recent findings have shown increasing rates of overdose death among Blacks. We compare overdose rates between Blacks and Whites and explore county-level spatiotemporal heterogeneity in Ohio. METHODS: We obtained county-level opioid overdose death counts for Whites and Blacks from 2007 to 2018 in Ohio. We fit a Bayesian multivariate spatial rates model to estimate annual standardized mortality ratios for Whites and Blacks for each county. We accounted for correlation between racial groups in the same county and across space and time. We also estimated differences in the mean trends between urban and rural counties for each racial group. RESULTS: The overall overdose death rate in the state was increasing until 2018. County-level death rates for Whites were higher than Blacks throughout the state early in the study period. Death rates for Blacks increased throughout the study period and were comparable to the rates for Whites by the end of the study in many counties. CONCLUSIONS: County-level opioid overdose death rates increased faster for Blacks than Whites during the study. By 2018, death rates were comparable for Blacks and Whites in many counties. The opioid epidemic spans racial groups in Ohio and trends indicate that overdose is a growing problem among Blacks.

Effects of working pressure and power on photovoltaic and defect properties of magnetron sputtered Sb2Se3 thin-film solar cells.

Antimony selenide (${\text{Sb}_2}{\text{Se}_3}$Sb2Se3) is an emerging material with potential applications in photovoltaics, while magnetron sputtering is an important method in material growth. In this study, ${\text{Sb}_2}{\text{Se}_3}$Sb2Se3 thin films, prepared by the magnetron sputtering technique with varied working pressures and sputtering powers, were fabricated into solar cells with a structure of $\text{glass}/\text{ITO}/\text{CdS}/{\text{Sb}_2}{\text{Se}_3}/\text{Au}$glass/ITO/CdS/Sb2Se3/Au. The current density versus voltage measurements and x-ray diffraction were introduced to compare the photovoltaic and structural properties of the cell samples. Characterization and identification of the defects in ${\text{Sb}_2}{\text{Se}_3}$Sb2Se3 thin films were investigated by admittance measurements. The ${\text{Sb}_2}{\text{Se}_3}$Sb2Se3 cell samples prepared with appropriate sputtering power (about 60 W) or working pressure (about 0.4 Pa) were found to own better crystal qualities and lower defect densities, which may be the reason for better efficiency.

Overexpression of Barley Transcription Factor HvERF2.11 in Arabidopsis Enhances Plant Waterlogging Tolerance.

Waterlogging stress significantly affects the growth, development, and productivity of crop plants. However, manipulation of gene expression to enhance waterlogging tolerance is very limited. In this study, we identified an ethylene-responsive factor from barley, which was strongly induced by waterlogging stress. This transcription factor named HvERF2.11 was 1158 bp in length and encoded 385 amino acids, and mainly expressed in the adventitious root and seminal root. Overexpression of HvERF2.11 in Arabidopsis led to enhanced tolerance to waterlogging stress. Further analysis of the transgenic plants showed that the expression of AtSOD1, AtPOD1 and AtACO1 increased rapidly, while the same genes did not do so in non-transgenic plants, under waterlogging stress. Activities of antioxidant enzymes and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were also significantly higher in the transgenic plants than in the non-transgenic plants under waterlogging stress. Therefore, these results indicate that HvERF2.11 plays a positive regulatory role in plant waterlogging tolerance through regulation of waterlogging-related genes, improving antioxidant and ADH enzymes activities.

Elucidating the hypoxic stress response in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) during waterlogging: A proteomics approach.

Waterlogging is one of the major abiotic stresses that affects barley production and yield quality. Proteomics techniques have been widely utilized to explore the mechanisms involved in the responses to abiotic stress. In this study, two barley genotypes with contrasting responses to waterlogging stress were analyzed with proteomic technology. The waterlogging treatment caused a greater reduction in biomass and photosynthetic performance in the waterlogging-sensitive genotype TF57 than that in the waterlogging-tolerant genotype TF58. Under waterlogging stress, 30, 30, 20 and 20 differentially expressed proteins were identified through tandem mass spectrometry analysis in the leaves, adventitious roots, nodal roots and seminal roots, respectively. Among these proteins, photosynthesis-, metabolism- and energy-related proteins were differentially expressed in the leaves, with oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 1, ATP synthase subunit and heat shock protein 70 being up-regulated in TF58. Pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), 1-amino cyclopropane 1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutathione S-transferases (GST) and beta-1, 3-glucanase in adventitious, nodal and seminal roots were more abundant in TF58 than those in TF57 under waterlogging stress. Ten representative genes were selected for validation by qRT-PCR in different genotypes with known waterlogging tolerance, and the expression levels of three candidate genes (PDC, ACO and GST) increased in the roots of all genotypes in response to the waterlogging stress. These three genes might play a significant role in the adaptation process of barley under waterlogging stress. The current results partially determined the mechanisms of waterlogging tolerance and provided valuable information for the breeding of barley with enhanced tolerance to waterlogging.