Highest Level Of Activity Research Articles

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BOOKLET ON HENDLING EMERGENCIES DUE TO STINGS FROM VENOMOUS MARINE ANIMALS ON TOURISTS AT TRIKORA BEACH, BINTAN REGENCY

The high level of beach tourism activities in Indonesia, especially at Trikora Beach, Bintan district, also increases incidents/accidents related to beach activities, including diving, swimming and fishing. One incident that occurs quite often is being stung by venomous marine animals. The need for fast treatment before the victim is transferred to the hospital. Therefore, tourists need adequate knowledge to prevent complications from occurring. The aim of this research is to see the effectiveness of booklet media regarding handling stings from venomous marine animals at Trikora Beach, Bintan district. Quasi experimental research design with a pre and posttest design approach. This research was conducted from June - November 2022 at Trikora Beach, Kawal Health Center working area, Bintan Regency. The population in this study were all tourists who visited Trikora Beach, Bintan Regency in the Kawal Health Center working area. The sample in this study was 68 samples in the intervention group and control group. The research results showed that there was a difference in tourists' knowledge about handling the effects of venomous marine animal stings, with a P-value of 0.003 (< 0.05), so Ho was rejected. And in the control group, the p-value was 0.041 (< 0.05). Conclusion: Media booklet about handling emergencies due to stings from venomous marine animals is effective in increasing tourists' knowledge of this matter. It is hoped that the Kwal Community Health Center can make the booklet one of the service standards in increasing the knowledge of the community, especially tourists, about handling emergencies due to stings from venomous marine animals.

Mitigation effect of alpha-tocopherol and thermo-priming in Brassica napus L. under induced mercuric chloride stress

Soil pollution with heavy metals has grown to be a big hassle, leading to the loss in farming production particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, where no proper channel is present for irrigation and extraction of these toxic heavy metals. The present study aims to ameliorate the damages caused by heavy metal ions (Hg-Mercury) on rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) via a growth regulator (α-tocopherol 150 mg/L) and thermopriming technique at 4 °C and 50 °C to maintain plant agronomical and physiological characteristics. In pot experiments, we designed total of 11 treatments viz.( T0 (control), T1 (Hg4ppm), T2 (Hg8ppm), T3 (Hg4ppm + 4 °C), T4 (Hg4ppm + 4 °C + tocopherol (150 m/L)), T5 (Hg4ppm + 50 °C), T6 (Hg4ppm + 50 °C + tocopherol (150 mg/L)), T7 (Hg8ppm + 4 °C), T8 (Hg8ppm + 4 °C + tocopherol (150 mg/L)), T9 (Hg8ppm + 50 °C), T10 (Hg8ppm + 50 °C + tocopherol (150 mg/L) the results revealed that chlorophyll content at p < 0.05 with growth regulator and antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and malondialdehyde enhanced up to the maximum level at T5 = Hg4ppm + 50 °C (50 °C thermopriming under 4 ppm mercuric chloride stress), suggesting that high temperature initiate the antioxidant system to reduce photosystem damage. However, protein, proline, superoxide dismutase at p < 0.05, and carotenoid, soluble sugar, and ascorbate peroxidase were increased non-significantly (p > 0.05) 50 °C thermopriming under 8 ppm high mercuric chloride stress (T9 = Hg8ppm + 50 °C) representing the tolerance of selected specie by synthesizing osmolytes to resist oxidation mechanism. Furthermore, reduction in % MC (moisture content) is easily improved with foliar application of α-tocopherol and 50 °C thermopriming and 4 ppm heavy metal stress at T6 = Hg4ppm + 50 °C + α-tocopherol (150 mg/L), with a remarkable increase in plant vigor and germination energy. It has resulted that the inhibitory effect of only lower concentration (4 ppm) of heavy metal stress was ameliorated by exogenous application of α-tocopherol and thermopriming technique by synthesizing high levels of proline and antioxidant activities in maintaining seedling growth and development on heavy metal contaminated soil.

Riceberry bran as a potential source of anti-diabetic agents and its Riceberry bran powder

This study evaluated the anti-a-glucosidase effect, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic compounds of Riceberry bran extracts prepared by the extraction of Riceberry bran with distilled water, ethanol, or hexane using a maceration technique. The ethanolic extract resulted in the significantly highest a-glucosidase inhibitory activity, at 64.13±1.09%. The highest levels of antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals were found in the aqueous extract with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.26±0.001 and 0.13±0.001 mg/mL, respectively. Likewise, the total phenolic compounds of the aqueous extract were the highest at 36.20±1.80 mg GAE/g of extract. The Riceberry bran powder obtained by double drum drying was also examined for its physical and chemical properties. It was found that the Riceberry bran powder was of good quality and provided high levels of a-glucosidase inhibition (20.24±0.47%), antioxidant activities (IC50 for DPPH = 4.19±0.08 mg/mL, IC50 for ABTS = 1.57±0.07 mg/mL), and total phenolic compounds (31.25±1.32 mg GAE/g of powder). The overall results indicated the potential of Riceberry bran to provide a-glucosidase inhibitors, antioxidants, and phenolic compounds, which can be used as useful health promoters and nutraceuticals to combat diabetes, and its powder also had potential in the functional food industry.

Implementation of LEAN Warehousing to Reduce Waste in Warehouse CV.X

CV. X is a company engaged in the manufacturing of various types of clothing. CV. X produces various types of clothing such as shirts, jackets, pants, and accessories. The warehouse at CV. X shows an increase when storing warehouse goods. There is waste in the form of waiting caused by goods waiting for operators to move them. There is another indication of waste in the form of a high level of transportation activities in the warehouse. The aim of this research is to help the company minimize waste in the warehouse process. This research uses the Lean Warehousing method, and improvement proposals involve implementing the 5S methodology. From the waste in the warehouse process at CV. X, the highest type of waste is waiting, with an average weighting score of 4.4, followed by excess inventories with an average weighting score of 4, and transportation with an average weighting score of 3.6. One improvement proposal suggested is to clean and rearrange the items stored in the warehouse.

Network analysis of neuropsychiatric, cognitive, and functional complications of stroke: implications for novel treatment targets.

Recovery from stroke is adversely affected by neuropsychiatric complications, cognitive impairment, and functional disability. Better knowledge of their mutual relationships is required to inform effective interventions. Network theory enables the conceptualization of symptoms and impairments as dynamic and mutually interacting systems. We aimed to identify interactions of poststroke complications using network analysis in diverse stroke samples. Data from 2185 patients were sourced from member studies of STROKOG (Stroke and Cognition Consortium), an international collaboration of stroke studies. Networks were generated for each cohort, whereby nodes represented neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognitive deficits, and disabilities on activities of daily living. Edges characterized associations between them. Centrality measures were used to identify hub items. Across cohorts, a single network of interrelated poststroke complications emerged. Networks exhibited dissociable depression, apathy, fatigue, cognitive impairment, and functional disability modules. Worry was the most central symptom across cohorts, irrespective of the depression scale used. Items relating to activities of daily living were also highly central nodes. Follow-up analysis in two studies revealed that individuals who worried had more densely connected networks than those free of worry (CASPER [Cognition and Affect after Stroke: Prospective Evaluation of Risks] study: S = 9.72, P = 0.038; SSS [Sydney Stroke Study]: S = 13.56, P = 0.069). Neuropsychiatric symptoms are highly interconnected with cognitive deficits and functional disabilities resulting from stroke. Given their central position and high level of connectedness, worry and activities of daily living have the potential to drive multimorbidity and mutual reinforcement between domains of poststroke complications. Targeting these factors early after stroke may have benefits that extend to other complications, leading to better stroke outcomes.

Влияние стажа службы на стрессоустойчивость, стратегии копинг поведения и карьерные ориентации руководителей ОВД

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the high stress level of the work activities of employees of internal affairs bodies and especially heads of departments, who bear a large burden of responsibility both for their subordinates and for the success and efficiency of the department as a whole. The main goal of this study is to study changes in stress resistance, coping behavior strategies and career orientations of heads of internal affairs bodies with different length of service in a leadership position in conditions of highly stressful work activities. To achieve the goal of the study, 276 heads of internal affairs bodies were examined, divided into three groups according to length of service in a leadership position. The main psychodiagnostic tools were the “Prognoz-2” method for studying neuropsychic stability, the SRRSYu scale for assessing stress resistance and social adaptation, the SACS method for studying leading coping behavior strategies, and the “Career Anchors” questionnaire. According to the results of the study, a decrease in the stress resistance of heads of internal affairs bodies was established when they reach more than 10 years of service in a leadership position; there is also an increase in professionalism, independence and confidence in their actions, while at the same time a decrease in reliance on the social environment and the desire to maintain the current situation. Managers with a high intensity of professional stress have a predominant focus on work activity and the stability of their official position to the detriment of other areas of life, with a decrease in reliance on the social environment, which causes a decrease in stress resistance and an increase in the level of professional stress and neuropsychic tension. The results obtained indicate the need for targeted psychological work with heads of internal affairs bodies with more than 10 years of service, aimed at improving social adaptation and correcting career orientations in order to reduce the level of professional stress and neuropsychic tension.

Enterprises Patents and Marketing Capabilities

The literature generally agrees with the close relationship between the level of economic and technological development, but there are different views on how to define and measure the level of technological development. The traditional theory holds that the relationship between capital and labor force is the dominant factor determining the level of technological development, while the technology gap theorists link innovation activities with the level of technological development. A high level of innovation activities means a higher per capita value-added level. The standards of measuring technology level and or innovation activities can be divided into technology input measures and technology output measures. This paper aims to explore the relationship between the number of patents owned by enterprises and marketing ability, including the relationship between the number of patents and enterprise income, the advantages and disadvantages of measuring patents for enterprise development, the advantages of multiple patents for enterprises, and the classification of patent dependent enterprises and non patent dependent enterprises.

Application Of Spatial Analysis To Detect The Focal Density Of Drug Users In The Rusafa Side Of Baghdad City

The research aims to identify and analyze the concentration of drug users, pinpoint areas with high levels of criminal activities, understand the work environments of criminals, and determine their motivations. The study focused on the city of Baghdad, covering both the Karkh and Rusafa sides of the Tigris River, with a particular emphasis on the Rusafa side. Data from the ten months of 2022 was used to analyze drug dealers and users. The study utilized Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to geographically locate the samples, and the GIS V10.4 software was employed for data storage, processing, and analysis, along with various statistical analysis tools. The research identified hotspots of drug user prevalence based on statistical methods and theories, distinguishing the most influential hotspots and the least influential cold spots. Notable hotspots included Sadr City, Al-Shaab, Al-Kifah, Al-Fadl, New Baghdad, Municipalities, and Al-Obeidi, predominantly in the Rusafa side, encompassing slum areas and transgressions. An important aspect of the study was the creation of various spatial analysis maps, aiding decision-makers in implementing suitable measures for controlling and detecting drug users early.

Evaluation of the probiotic potential of yeast isolated from kombucha in New Zealand

The current study investigated the in vitro probiotic potential of yeast isolated from kombucha, a tea beverage fermented with a symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria and yeast. A total of 62 yeast strains were previously isolated from four different commercial kombucha samples sold in New Zealand. Fifteen representative isolates belonging to eight different species were evaluated for their growth under different conditions (temperature, low pH, concentrations of bile salts, and NaCl). Cell surface characteristics, functional and enzymatic activities of the selected strains were also studied in triplicate experiments. Results showed that six strains (Dekkera bruxellensis LBY1, Sachizosaccharomyces pombe LBY5, Hanseniaspora valbyensis DOY1, Brettanomyces anomalus DOY8, Pichia kudraivzevii GBY1, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae GBY2) were able to grow under low-acid conditions (at pH 2 and pH 3) and in the presence of bile salts. This suggests their potential to survive passage through the human gut. All 15 strains exhibited negative enzymatic activity reactions (haemolytic, gelatinase, phospholipase, and protease activities), and thus, they can be considered safe to consume. Notably, two of the fifteen strains (Pichia kudraivzevii GBY1 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae GBY2) exhibited desirable cell surface hydrophobicity (64.60–83.87%), auto-aggregation (>98%), co-aggregation, resistance to eight tested antibiotics (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, colistin sulphate, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, streptomycin, and tetracycline), and high levels of antioxidant activities (>90%). Together, our data reveal the probiotic activities of two yeast strains GBY1 and GBY2 and their potential application in functional food production.

ЛІСОВІ РЕСУРСИ ЯК ЧАСТИНА ЕКОНОМІЧНОГО ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ КРАЇНИ

Forests are extremely important for the planet ecosystem and perform a number of ecological functions: they provide oxygen, regulate the climate, protect the soil from erosion, regulate water flows and contribute to the purification of the natural environment, and they are a habitat for numerous living creatures. But besides, forestry is characterized as a significant part of the country's economy. The purpose of the article is to study the role of forest resources in the economic potential of the national economy, to identify the current state and problems of forestry in Ukraine. In the work the attention is paid to the influence of forest resources on logging, hunting, various branches of the wood processing manufacturing, on food, pharmaceutical, energy, and tourism industries, as well as on science, education, and culture. Among other things, the infrastructural, export and international potential of forest ecosystems is highlighted. It is emphasized that irresponsible forest use can lead to catastrophic environmental consequences, including floods, landslides, destruction of buildings and disruption of the balance of ecosystems, etc. For this reason, it is justified that the forestry industry requires a rational and careful approach, as well as compliance with the principles of sustainable forestry. The article lists the pre-war problems of forestry: imperfect distribution of management functions, complications in property rights realization, high level of corruption and illegal activities in forests, shortage of relevant specialists in the field, deterioration of the sanitary condition of forests, lack of incentives for the introduction of nature-saving technologies, etc. A special place is given to the assessment of the impact of a full-scale war on forestry: the occupation of large forest areas, soil and water pollution, a significant increase in the number of fires, mining of territories, illegal felling of trees, stoppage of hunting activities, damage to forest infrastructure, inability to carry out normal forest protection activities, etc. It was concluded that all these problems have an extremely negative impact on the state of Ukraine's forest resources, but the final assessment of damage to forest ecosystems can be established after surveys, which will actually be conducted only after the end of the war. But despite the war, forestry is trying to continue fulfilling its obligations to the national economy and society. Therefore, state, public and international support, implementation of effective management of forest resources are an extremely important tasks in modern conditions.

The Effect of Conventional and Conservative Tillage Systems on Microbial Community Composition and Physiological Activity in Soils from Bărăgan Plain

The paper aimed to present the results of research carried out on size, taxonomic composition and physiological activity of soil microbiota for assessing the effect of classic (conventional) and conservative (minimum tillage) agriculture systems applied in a zone affected by aridification from Bărăgan Plain. Significant differences concerning the quantitative parameters characterizing the bacterial and fungal communities from the two soil systems of tillage have been evidenced. Total counts of bacteria doubled and total counts of fungi was with one order of magnitude higher in soil minimum-tilled than in soil under conventional tillage system. Soil respiration values registered for both conservative and conventional systems are considered to characterize high levels of microbial physiological activities, with slightly higher values for minimum tillage system application than for conventional system. The beneficial effect of conservative system was evidenced by higher values of diversity indices registered for both bacterial and, especially fungal communities, as compared with those characterizing the communities from soil under conventional tillage system. The minimum tillage system favoured the increasing of abundance and diversity of actinomycetes, the dominance of Pseudomonas and Bacillus bacterial species and fungal species belonging to genera Aspergillus, Trichoderma, Mortierella and Paecilomyces in composition of soil microbiota, with multiple roles in main soil processes: decomposition of vegetal residues, synthesis of humus precursors, carbon sequestration, alleviation of various abiotic stress (drought, salinity), increasing accessibility of nutrients for plants, yields, biocontrol of plant pathogens.

The Second Hip Fracture is not an Independent Predictor of Poor Outcomes in Elderly Patients - A Case-Control Study.

Hip fracture is particularly seen in elderly patients with frailty and osteoporosis and leads to diminished functional independence and quality of life. Despite the susceptibility of these patients to a second hip fracture (SHF), the literature insufficiently discussed its impact leading to poor outcomes. This study aims to directly assess the outcomes of elderly patients with initial hip fractures (IHF) vs those experiencing an SHF within a well-matched group with similar characteristics. This case-control study gathered data from the clinical hip fracture registry at a medical center from 2019 to 2022. Patients with SHF were matched with those with IHF in a 1:2 ratio according to the similarity of age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index classification. Demographics at admission, baseline characteristics, and 1-year postoperative outcome were compared between the SHF and IHF groups. Thirty-two SHF patients were matched with 64 IHF patients (81.25% of women, median age of 86 years). Anthropometric measurements and socioeconomic factors were not significantly different between the two groups. No differences in baseline characteristics were observed, except IHF patients had a significantly lower T-score than SHF patients (-3.98 vs. -3.31, P = 0.016). At one-year follow-up, despite a notable decrease in Barthel Index scores and an uptick in EQ-5D measures among the patients, the IHF and SHF groups demonstrated similar quality of life and a high level of activities of daily living. In this case-control study, after matching for age, sex, and comorbidities, an SHF did not indicate poorer outcomes than an IHF, providing a more optimistic outlook for the patients and healthcare providers. Despite the significant challenges presented by hip fracture, the one-year postoperative outcomes did not differ between IHF and SHF patients, suggesting that SHF is not an independent predictor of poor outcomes following hip fracture in the elderly population.

Use of Union Funds in Developing Agricultural Entrepreneurship between 2014 and 2020 in Poland

The purpose of this paper was to examine the differences in using agricultural entrepreneurship support and how it relates to characteristics such as the agrarian structure, socioeconomic development level, and land use across the Polish territory. The analyses were carried out at the district (poviat) level which is an intermediate administrative unit. This study found that the decisions on co-financing the measures dedicated to non-agricultural economic activity heavily depended on the agrarian structure. The highest levels of activity were witnessed in districts where the agrarian structure was particularly fragmented.

A Glycosyl Hydrolase 30 Family Xylanase from the Rumen Metagenome and Its Effects on In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation of Wheat Straw.

The challenge of wheat straw as a ruminant feed is its low ruminal digestibility. This study investigated the impact of a xylanase called RuXyn, derived from the rumen metagenome of beef cattle, on the in vitro ruminal fermentation of wheat straw. RuXyn encoded 505 amino acids and was categorized within subfamily 8 of the glycosyl hydrolase 30 family. RuXyn was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and displayed its highest level of activity at pH 6.0 and 40 °C. RuXyn primarily hydrolyzed xylan, while it did not show any noticeable activity towards other substrates, including carboxymethylcellulose and Avicel. At concentrations of 5 mM, Mn2+ and dithiothreitol significantly enhanced RuXyn's activity by 73% and 20%, respectively. RuXyn's activity was almost or completely inactivated in the presence of Cu2+, even at low concentrations. The main hydrolysis products of corncob xylan by RuXyn were xylopentose, xylotriose, and xylotetraose. RuXyn hydrolyzed wheat straw and rice straw more effectively than it did other agricultural by-products. A remarkable synergistic effect was observed between RuXyn and a cellulase cocktail on wheat straw hydrolysis. Supplementation with RuXyn increased dry matter digestibility; acetate, propionate, valerate, and total volatile fatty acid yields; NH3-N concentration, and total bacterial number during in vitro fermentation of wheat straw relative to the control. RuXyn's inactivity at 60 °C and 70 °C was remedied by mutating proline 151 to phenylalanine and aspartic acid 204 to leucine, boosting activity to 20.3% and 21.8% of the maximum activity at the respective temperatures. As an exogenous enzyme preparation, RuXyn exhibits considerable potential to improve ruminal digestion and the utilization of wheat straw in ruminants. As far as we know, this is the first study on a GH30 xylanase promoting the ruminal fermentation of agricultural straws. The findings demonstrate that the utilization of RuXyn can significantly enhance the ruminal digestibility of wheat straw by approximately 10 percentage points. This outcome signifies the emergence of a novel and highly efficient enzyme preparation that holds promise for the effective utilization of wheat straw, a by-product of crop production, in ruminants.

Effect of integrated soil fertility management on water retention, productivity and physiological parameters of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) without and under deficit irrigation

The use of subpar agricultural techniques in arid regions is causing depletion of fresh water reservoirs and soil fertility, which has serious implications for the environment and food productivity. Although numerous studies have examined the effects and benefits of biochar as a soil supplement, particularly on soil water holding capacity, plant productivity, and soil fertility, limited information exists on the effects of biochar at different doses with biocompost on the productivity and physiological parameters of alfalfa compared to conventional agricultural practices under water stress in the field. This field study at three repetitions aimed to investigate how biochar made from tomato waste and date seeds pyrolyzed at a temperature around 540 °C affects soil chemical composition, water retention capacity, photosynthesis, protein levels, enzymatic activity, productivity, maturity, and stomatal traits in alfalfa under and without deficit water compared to conventional agricultural practices based on manure and chemical fertilizer. The results showed that biochar significantly increased the water retention capacity, especially when mixed with biocompost. The highest water retention capacity was observed in the 6 % biochar 3 % biocompost and 6 % biochar 6 % biocompost treatments, which exceeded 0.7 g H2O/g dw. The high productivity and maturity were observed with manure at medium doses combined with chemical fertilizers and at high doses of munure alone, but these results were unstable with time and with the irrigation regime. On the other hand, the fluctuation of these data was minimal for the 3 % biochar 0 % biocompost treatment under and without water stress. In addition, the low dose treatment of manure with chemical fertilizers resulted in high levels of proteins, photosynthetic activities, and low enzymatic activities, indicating that this treatment is better adapted to stress conditions. The treatments with biocompost alone yielded low results on all the parameters studied. To conclude, incorporating biochar and biocompost, especially in synergistic combinations, enhances water retention capacity and sustains alfalfa productivity under both stressed and unstressed conditions. These findings suggest a promising alternative to traditional manure and chemical fertilizers, showcasing the potential of biochar-based strategies for resilient and sustainable agricultural practices.

An Investigation on the Effects of Dietary Vitamin E on Juvenile Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius): Growth, Intestinal Microbiota, Immune Response, and Related Gene Expression.

A 90 d feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of vitamin E (VE) on growth, intestinal microbiota, immune response, and related gene expression of juvenile sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus intermedius). Six dry feeds were made to contain graded levels of VE (78, 105, 152, 235, 302, and 390 mg/kg); these were named E78, E105, E152, E235, E302, and E390, respectively. Dry feed E50 and fresh kelp (HD) were used as the control diets. There were six replicates of cages in each dietary group, and each cage held 20 sea urchins with an initial body weight of approximately 1.50 g. Results exhibited that weight gain rate and gonadosomatic index (GSI) of the sea urchins were not significantly affected by dietary VE ranging from 78 to 390 mg/kg. Sea urchins in the dry feed groups showed poorer growth performance, but significantly higher GSI than those in the fresh kelp groups. The pepsin and lipase activities were not significantly promoted by low or moderate VE, but were inhibited by a high level of VE (302-390 mg/kg), while amylase and cellulase activities were significantly increased by low or moderate VE, with the highest values observed in the E105 and E235 groups, respectively. VE addition at a low dosage (105-152 mg/kg) showed inhibitory effects on immune and antioxidant enzyme activities and expression of inflammation-related genes, but showed no beneficial effects at moderate or high dosage (235-390 mg/kg), while a moderate or relatively higher level of VE (235-302 mg/kg) significantly increased the expression of several immune-related genes. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Ruegeria, and Maliponia in the intestine of the sea urchins increased with the increase in VE in the dry feeds. On the contrary, the relative abundance of the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Escherichia-Shigella, Bacteroides, and Clostridium sensu stricto 1 gradually decreased as VE content increased. These results indicated that a moderate level of VE (172.5-262.4) can achieve ideal digestive enzyme activities and growth performance, but a relatively higher level of VE (235-302 mg/kg) was beneficial for maintaining the immune and antioxidant capacity of juvenile S. intermedius by regulating the expression of inflammation- and immune-related genes and abundance of some bacteria to a healthy state.

Two Arabidopsis promoters drive seed-coat specific gene expression in pennycress and camelina

BackgroundPennycress and camelina are two important novel biofuel oilseed crop species. Their seeds contain high content of oil that can be easily converted into biodiesel or jet fuel, while the left-over materials are usually made into press cake meals for feeding livestock. Therefore, the ability to manipulate the seed coat encapsulating the oil- and protein-rich embryos is critical for improving seed oil production and press cake quality.ResultsHere, we tested the promoter activity of two Arabidopsis seed coat genes, AtTT10 and AtDP1, in pennycress and camelina by using eGFP and GUS reporters. Overall, both promoters show high levels of activities in the seed coat in these two biofuel crops, with very low or no expression in other tissues. Importantly, AtTT10 promoter activity in camelina shows differences from that in Arabidopsis, which highlights that the behavior of an exogenous promoter in closely related species cannot be assumed the same and still requires experimental determination.ConclusionOur work demonstrates that AtTT10 and AtDP1 promoters are suitable for driving gene expression in the outer integument of the seed coat in pennycress and camelina.

Enhanced alloresponse to platelet transfusion due to immune dysregulation following ablative chemotherapy in mice.

Alloimmunization is common following platelet transfusion and can result in negative outcomes for recipients such as refractoriness to subsequent transfusions and rejection of transplants. Healthy people do not receive blood transfusions, and the diseases and therapies that result in a need to transfuse have significant impacts on the immunological environment to which these alloantigens are introduced. Ablative chemotherapies are common among platelet recipients and have potent immunological effects. In this study, we modeled the impact of chemotherapy on the alloresponse to platelet transfusion. As chemotherapies are generally regarded as immunosuppressive, we hypothesized that that they would result in a diminished alloresponse. Mice were given a combination chemotherapeutic treatment of cytarabine and doxorubicin followed by transfusion of allogeneic platelets, and compared to controls given no treatment, chemotherapy alone, or transfusion alone. Alloantibody responses were measured 2 weeks after transfusion, and cellular responses and growth factors were monitored over time. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that chemotherapy led to increased alloantibody responses to allogeneic platelet transfusion. This enhanced response was antigen-specific and was associated with increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Chemotherapy led to rapid lymphocyte depletion followed by reconstitution, non-specific activation of transitional B cells with the highest levels of activation in the least mature subsets, and increased serum levels of B cell activating factor (BAFF). These data suggest that ablative chemotherapy can increase the risk of alloimmunization and, if confirmed clinically, that additional measures to protect these patient populations may be warranted.

Purification and characterization of acid phosphatase from larvae of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii: inhibition kinetics by sodium fluoride

ABSTRACTAcid phosphatases (ACPs) perform a fundamental role in the digestion of egg proteins (vitellins), ensuring the survival of ticks by providing nutrients necessary for their oogenesis. Here, acid phosphatase activity is detected during embryogenesis of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii and reached its highest activity level in the larval stage. The tick larvae acid phosphatase which was named TLACP is homogeneously purified using CM cellulose cation exchange chromatography followed by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300 column. TLACP is purified to 11 times purification folds and 51.3% yield with a specific activity of 12.9 U mg−1 protein. The molecular weight of TLACP was derived from both the gel filtration column and SDS-PAGE as monomer protein of 40 kDa. The Km of TLACP for p-nitrophenyl phosphate (p-NPP) was 1.25 mM and Vmax was 6.4 Umg−1. TLACP exhibited its optimum enzymatic activity at pH 4.8. TLACP was found highly specific to p-NPP followed by ATP, ADP, glucose-6-phosphate, naphthyl phosphate, phospho-enol-pyruvate, creatine phosphate, AMP, and GMP. The ions of Ca2+, Co2+, Mg2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ motivated TLACP activity while Mn2+, Cu2+, and Fe2+ suppressed it. TLACP is noncompetitively inhibited with sodium fluoride with Ki value 0.15 mM. Thus, the presence of TLACP in tick embryonic and larval cells classifies this enzyme as an important molecular target for evolving potential vaccines in further studies aiming to find new strategies to control ticks.

Enriched endogenous free Spd and Spm in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under drought stress enhance drought tolerance by inhibiting H2O2 production to increase antioxidant enzyme activity

Drought stress is a major factor limiting agricultural development, and exogenous polyamines (PAs) can increase plant drought resistance by enhancing antioxidant activity, but few studies have examined whether endogenous PAs enhance the plant antioxidant system. Here, to investigate the effects of endogenous PAs on the antioxidant system of alfalfa under drought stress and the underlying mechanisms, two alfalfa cultivars, Longzhong (drought resistant) and Gannong No. 3 (drought sensitive), were used as test materials, and their seedlings were treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) for 8 days at −1.2 MPa to simulate drought stress. The levels of free PAs [putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm)], hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), key PA metabolism enzyme [arginine decarboxylase (ADC), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), polyamine oxidase (PAO), and diamine oxidase (DAO)] activities, and antioxidant enzyme [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD)] activities were measured. These physiological indicators were used for correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between PA metabolism and the antioxidant enzyme system. The results showed that PA synthesis in alfalfa under drought stress was dominated by the ADC pathway. Spd and Spm played an important role in improving drought tolerance. The high levels of ADC and SAMDC activities were facilitated by the conversion of Put to Spd and Spm. H2O2 generation by oxidative decomposition of PAs was mainly dependent on the oxidative decomposition of DAO but not PAO. Low DAO activity favored low H2O2 production. Spd, Spm, ADC, ODC and SAMDC were positively correlated with the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT and POD in both cultivars under drought. Therefore, we concluded that high ADC and SAMDC activities in alfalfa promoted the conversion of Put to Spd and Spm, leading to high accumulation of Spd and Spm and low Put accumulation. Low Put levels led to low H2O2 production through low DAO activity, and low H2O2 levels induced the expression of antioxidant enzyme-encoding genes to improve antioxidant enzyme activity and reduce MDA accumulation and thereby enhanced drought resistance in alfalfa.