Morpho-anatomical and physiological responses to waterlogging stress in different barley (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hordeum vulgare</Emphasis> L.) genotypes

Waterlogging is one of the major stresses limiting crop production worldwide. The understanding of the mechanisms of plant adaptations to waterlogging stress helps improve plant tolerance to stress. In this study, physiological responses and morpho-anatomical adaptations of seven different barley genotypes were investigated under waterlogging stress. The results showed that the waterlogging-tolerant varieties (TX9425, Yerong, TF58) showed less reduction in plant height, SPAD (soil–plant analyses development analyses) value, tillers, shoot and root biomasses than did the waterlogging-sensitive varieties (Franklin, Naso Nijo, TF57). Under waterlogging stress condition, the tolerant genotypes also showed a much larger number of adventitious roots than did the sensitive genotypes. More intercellular spaces and better integrated chloroplast membrane structures were observed in the leaves of the waterlogging-tolerant cultivars, which is likely due to increased ethylene content, decreased ABA content and less accumulation of O₂^.?. The ability to form new adventitious roots and intercellular spaces in shoots can also be used as selection criteria in breeding barley for waterlogging tolerance.     

Body Image Change in Obese and Overweight Persons Enrolled in Weight Loss Intervention Programs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To report the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis examining whether weight loss interventions improve body image in obese/overweight individuals. Medline, Current Contents, and the Cochrane database were searched to identify studies involving obese/overweight adults who were enrolled in weight loss interventions in which body image was quantitatively assessed. Outcomes assessed were changes in body shape concern, body size dissatisfaction, and body satisfaction (intervention vs comparator/control group). Seven studies were included in the systematic review (4 in the meta-analysis). All but 1 study involved female participants only. The type of weight loss intervention varied between studies as did the type of control/comparator group. In 3 studies, there was no significant difference in body image outcomes, whereas in 4 studies, improvement in body image was significantly more pronounced in the intervention vs the control/comparator group. Meta-analysis revealed that improvements in body shape concern (standardized difference: -0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.04 to 0.00), body size dissatisfaction (standardized difference: -0.66; 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.45), and body satisfaction (standardized difference: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.09 to 1.38) significantly favored the intervention over the comparator/control group (P<0.05). The results of this systematic review/meta-analysis lend support to the notion that weight loss interventions may improve body image. This is a noteworthy finding that has clear clinical applicability because body image affects psychological well-being and the ability of an individual to maintain weight loss. Future research should determine which weigh loss interventions are associated with optimal improvements in body image and maintenance of weight loss.     

Screening of significant biomarkers related with prognosis of liver cancer by lncRNA-associated ceRNAs analysis

This study aimed to identify significant biomarkers related to the prognosis of liver cancer using long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-associated competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) analysis. Differentially expressed mRNA and lncRNAs between liver cancer and paracancerous tissues were screened, and the functions of these mRNAs were predicted by gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses. A ceRNA network consisting of differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs was constructed. LncRNA FENDRR and lncRNA HAND2-AS1 were hub nodes in the ceRNA network. A risk score assessment model consisting of eight genes (PDE2A, ESR1, FBLN5, ALDH8A1, AKR1D1, EHHADH, ADRA1A, and GNE) associated with prognosis were developed. Multivariate Cox regression suggested that both pathologic_T and risk group could be regarded as independent prognostic factors. Furthermore, a nomogram model consisting of pathologic_T and risk group showed a good prediction ability for predicting the survival rate of liver cancer patients. The nomogram model consisting of pathologic_T and a risk score assessment model could be regarded as an independent factor for predicting prognosis of liver cancer.