Stress Conditions Research Articles

Assessing cardiovascular stress based on heart rate variability in female shift workers: a multiscale-multifractal analysis approach.

Sleep-wake cycle disruption caused by shift work may lead to cardiovascular stress, which is observed as an alteration in the behavior of heart rate variability (HRV). In particular, HRV exhibits complex patterns over different time scales that help to understand the regulatory mechanisms of the autonomic nervous system, and changes in the fractality of HRV may be associated with pathological conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or even psychological stress. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the multifractal-multiscale structure of HRV during sleep in healthy shift and non-shift workers to identify conditions of cardiovascular stress that may be associated with shift work. The whole-sleep HRV signal was analyzed from female participants: eleven healthy shift workers and seven non-shift workers. The HRV signal was decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using the empirical mode decomposition method, and then the IMFs were analyzed using the multiscale-multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MMF-DFA) method. The MMF-DFA was applied to estimate the self-similarity coefficients, α(q, τ), considering moment orders (q) between -5 and +5 and scales (τ) between 8 and 2,048 s. Additionally, to describe the multifractality at each τ in a simple way, a multifractal index, MFI(τ), was computed. Compared to non-shift workers, shift workers presented an increase in the scaling exponent, α(q, τ), at short scales (τ < 64 s) with q < 0 in the high-frequency component (IMF1, 0.15-0.4 Hz) and low-frequency components (IMF2-IMF3, 0.04-0.15 Hz), and with q> 0 in the very low frequencies (IMF4, < 0.04 Hz). In addition, at large scales (τ> 1,024 s), a decrease in α(q, τ) was observed in IMF3, suggesting an alteration in the multifractal dynamic. MFI(τ) showed an increase at small scales and a decrease at large scales in IMFs of shift workers. This study helps to recognize the multifractality of HRV during sleep, beyond simply looking at indices based on means and variances. This analysis helps to identify that shift workers show alterations in fractal properties, mainly on short scales. These findings suggest a disturbance in the autonomic nervous system induced by the cardiovascular stress of shift work.

Plaque Ruptures Are Related to High Plaque Stress and Strain Conditions: Direct Verification by Using In Vivo OCT Rupture Data and FSI Models.

While it has been hypothesized that high plaque stress and strain may be related to plaque rupture, its direct verification using in vivo coronary plaque rupture data and full 3-dimensional fluid-structure interaction models is lacking in the current literature due to difficulty in obtaining in vivo plaque rupture imaging data from patients with acute coronary syndrome. This case-control study aims to use high-resolution optical coherence tomography-verified in vivo plaque rupture data and 3-dimensional fluid-structure interaction models to seek direct evidence for the high plaque stress/strain hypothesis. In vivo coronary plaque optical coherence tomography data (5 ruptured plaques, 5 no-rupture plaques) were acquired from patients using a protocol approved by the local institutional review board with informed consent obtained. The ruptured caps were reconstructed to their prerupture morphology using neighboring plaque cap and vessel geometries. Optical coherence tomography-based 3-dimensional fluid-structure interaction models were constructed to obtain plaque stress, strain, and flow shear stress data for comparative analysis. The rank-sum test in the nonparametric test was used for statistical analysis. Our results showed that the average maximum cap stress and strain values of ruptured plaques were 142% (457.70 versus 189.22 kPa; P=0.0278) and 48% (0.2267 versus 0.1527 kPa; P=0.0476) higher than that for no-rupture plaques, respectively. The mean values of maximum flow shear stresses for ruptured and no-rupture plaques were 145.02 dyn/cm2 and 81.92 dyn/cm2 (P=0.1111), respectively. However, the flow shear stress difference was not statistically significant. This preliminary case-control study showed that the ruptured plaque group had higher mean maximum stress and strain values. Due to our small study size, larger scale studies are needed to further validate our findings.

Formation integrity evaluation for geosequestration of CO2 in depleted petroleum reservoirs under cyclic stress conditions

The geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2), also referred to as CO2 geosequestration, represents one of the most promising options for reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. However, most of the time, CO2 is captured with small amounts of other industrial gases such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which might be compressed together and stored in depleted petroleum reservoirs or aquifers. Moreover, during CO2 geosequestration in reservoirs, pressure variations during injection could force some amount of CO2 (with or without other acid gas impurities) into the caprock; thereby, altering the petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical properties of the caprock. Thus, the brittleness index of the reservoir and caprock might be impacted during CO2 geosequestration due to the chemical reactions between the rock minerals and the formation fluid. Furthermore, to meet the world net-zero carbon target, the promotion of CO2 utilization is paramount. This could be possible by developing an effective technology for cyclic CO2 geosequestration (with or without gas impurities). Therefore, studies on the co-injection of CO2 with other acid gases from industrial emissions, their withdrawal from the porous medium, and their impact on reservoir and caprock integrity are paramount. In this study, a dual-tubing string well completion technology was designed for cyclic injection and withdrawal of CO2 (with or without another acid gas), and numerical simulations were performed using TOUGHREACT codes, to model the cyclic process and investigate the co-injection of SO2 and H2S (separately) with CO2 in sandstone formations overlain by shale caprock. A novel technique of converting the volume fraction of minerals to their weight fraction was developed in this study, to evaluate the brittleness index of the sandstone reservoir and shale caprock during CO2 geosequestration. The findings of the study indicate that the porosity and permeability increase for the CO2 only and CO2–H2S injection cases, in the shale caprock; while for the CO2–SO2 injection case, porosity and permeability only decreased in the layers of the shale caprock contacted by SO2 and due to anhydrite precipitation. In all the injection cases, the porosity and permeability of the sandstone reservoir decreased in a few layers directly below the perforation interval of the production zone. However, in other regions in the sandstone reservoir, the porosity and permeability increased for the CO2 only and CO2–H2S injection cases. In contrast, for the CO2–SO2 co-injection case, porosity and permeability decreased in the layers of the sandstone rock contacted by SO2. In all the CO2 geosequestration cases, the brittleness of the shale and sandstone rocks investigated decreased slightly, except in the CO2–SO2 co-injection case where the brittleness of the sandstone rock decreased significantly. Based on the mineralogical composition of the formations in this study, co-injection of SO2 gas with CO2 gas, only decreased the brittleness index of the shale caprock slightly, but significantly decreased the brittleness of the sandstone reservoir.

Effect of Compressive Stress on Copper Bonding Quality and Bonding Mechanisms in Advanced Packaging.

The thermal expansion behavior of Cu plays a critical role in the bonding mechanism of Cu/SiO2 hybrid joints. In this study, artificial voids, which were observed to evolve using a focused ion beam, were introduced at the bonded interfaces to investigate the influence of compressive stress on bonding quality and mechanisms at elevated temperatures of 250 °C and 300 °C. The evolution of interfacial voids serves as a key indicator for assessing bonding quality. We quantified the bonding fraction and void fraction to characterize the bonding interface and found a notable increase in the bonding fraction and a corresponding decrease in the void fraction with increasing compressive stress levels. This is primarily attributed to the Cu film exhibiting greater creep/elastic deformation under higher compressive stress conditions. Furthermore, these experimental findings are supported by the surface diffusion creep model. Therefore, our study confirms that compressive stress affects the Cu-Cu bonding interface, emphasizing the need to consider the depth of Cu joints during process design.

Ribosome Assembly and Repair

Ribosomes synthesize protein in all cells. Maintaining both the correct number and composition of ribosomes is critical for protein homeostasis. To address this challenge, cells have evolved intricate quality control mechanisms during assembly to ensure that only correctly matured ribosomes are released into the translating pool. However, these assembly-associated quality control mechanisms do not deal with damage that arises during the ribosomes’ exceptionally long lifetimes and might equally compromise their function or lead to reduced ribosome numbers. Recent research has revealed that ribosomes with damaged ribosomal proteins can be repaired by the release of the damaged protein, thereby ensuring ribosome integrity at a fraction of the energetic cost of producing new ribosomes, appropriate for stress conditions. In this article, we cover the types of ribosome damage known so far, and then we review the known repair mechanisms before surveying the literature for possible additional instances of repair.

The role of reduced graphene oxide on mitigation of lead phytotoxicity in Triticum aestivum L.plants at morphological and physiological levels

Rapid global industrialization and an increase in population have enhanced the risk of heavy metals accumulation in plant bodies to disrupt the morphological, biochemical, and physiological processes of plants. To cope with this situation, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) NPs were used first time to mitigate abiotic stresses caused in plant. In this study, rGO NPs were synthesized and reduced with Tecoma stans plant leave extract through modified Hummer's methods. The well prepared rGO NPs were characterized by ultra-violet visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Zeta potential, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). However, pot experiment was conducted with four different concentrations (15, 30, 60, 120 mg/L) of rGO NPs and three different concentrations (300, 500,700 mg/L) of lead (Pb) stress were applied. To observe the mitigative effects of rGO NPs, 30 mg/L of rGO NPs and 700 mg/L of Pb were used in combination. Changes in morphological and biochemical characteristics of wheat plants were observed for both Pb stress and rGO NPs treatments. Pb was found to inhibit the morphological and biochemical characteristics of plants. rGO NPs alone as well as in combination with Pb was found to increase the chlorophyll content of wheat plants. Under Pb stress conditions and rGO NPs treatments, antioxidant enzyme activities like ascorbate peroxidases (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) were observed. Current findings revealed that greenly reduced graphene oxide NPs can effectively promote growth in wheat plants under Pb stress by elevating chlorophyll content of leaves, reducing the Pb uptake, and suppressing ROS produced due to Pb toxicity.

Identification and functional analysis of the DOF gene family in Populus simonii: implications for development and stress response.

Populus simonii, a notable native tree species in northern China, demonstrates impressive resistance to stress, broad adaptability, and exceptional hybridization potential. DOF family is a class of specific transcription factors that only exist in plants, widely participating in plant growth and development, and also playing an important role in abiotic stress response. To date, there have been no reported studies on the DOF gene family in P. simonii, and the expression levels of this gene family in different tissues of poplar, as well as its expression patterns under cold, heat, and other stress conditions, remain unclear. In this study, DOF gene family were identified from the P. simonii genome, and various bioinformatics data on the DOF gene family, gene structure, gene distribution, promoters and regulatory networks were analyzed. Quantitative real time PCR technology was used to verify the expression patterns of the DOF gene family in different poplar tissues. This research initially pinpointed 41 PSDOF genes in P. simonii genome. The chromosomal localization results revealed that the PSDOF genes is unevenly distributed among 19 chromosomes, with the highest number of genes located on chromosomes 4, 5, and 11. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the homology between Arabidopsis thaliana and P. simonii, dividing the 41 PSDOF genes into seven subgroups. The expression patterns of PSDOF genes indicated that specific genes are consistently upregulated in various tissues and under different stress conditions, suggesting their pivotal involvement in both plant development and response to stress. Notably, PSDOF35 and PSDOF28 serve as pivotal hubs in the interaction network, playing a unique role in coordinating with other genes within the family. The analysis enhances our comprehension of the functions of the DOF gene family in tissue development and stress responses within P. simonii. These findings provide a foundation for future exploration into the biological roles of DOF gene family.

LC and LC-MS/MS Studies for the Separation and Identification of Impurities and Degradation Products of Betaxolol.

Betaxolol (Bx) is a selective β1 receptor blocker used in the treatment of hypertension and glaucoma. The aim of the present work was to demonstrate an approach involving use of liquid chromatography (LC) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS) for the simultaneous separation, identification and characterization of impurities and of degradation products of betaxolol without their isolation from the reaction mixtures. At optimum condition, and according to ICH guidelines, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for Bx are found to be 5.46 and 16.54μgmL-1, respectively. However, the LOD and LOQ for the major degradation product P6 were 2.15 and 6.53μgmL-1. Betaxolol was subjected to hydrolytic (acidic and basic) and oxidative, stress conditions according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guideline Q1A (R2), and as results, the drug was found to be labile in acidic, basic and oxidative stress conditions. Based on LC-ESI/MS analysis, the found results revealed that Bx decomposes in acidic, basic and oxidizing environments. All degradation products were identified with the help of their fragmentation pattern and the masses obtained upon the MS analysis.

The Coupling Effects of PGPR Inoculation and Foliar Spraying of Strigolactone in Mitigating the Negative Effect of Salt Stress in Wheat Plants: Insights from Phytochemical, Growth, and Yield Attributes

Salt stress has detrimental effects on wheat plants at several physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. This stress leads to suppressed growth, reduced grain yield, and poor quality of harvested grains. However, two approaches have shown promise for improving wheat salt tolerance: using a synthetic strigolactone analog called GR24 and applying plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). GR24 plays a vital role in regulating plant growth and development and in defense against various stresses. Conversely, PGPR are beneficial bacteria that colonize the rhizosphere of plants and promote their growth through multiple mechanisms. In our study, we investigated the effects of salinity on the growth and yield traits of two different wheat cultivars and explored the combined role of PGPR and GR24 in mitigating the impact of salt stress. We created three different salinity levels using NaCl in pots (original, 5 dS m−1, and 10 dS m−1) and inoculated wheat seeds with a salt-tolerant Bacillus velezensis UTB96 strain. In addition, we applied 10 μM GR24 via foliar application during the pollination stage. Our observations showed that salt stress negatively affected wheat’s growth, yield, and phytochemical properties compared to the control. However, both single and combined applications of PGPR and GR24 mitigated the adverse effects of salinity. The combined treatment had a more substantial impact than either alone in inducing and improving biochemical and ionic characteristics. These included decreasing Na+ content in both leaves and roots, and EL, H2O2, and MDA content in leaves while increasing K+ content in both leaves and roots, growth and yield-related traits, RWC, chlorophyll pigments, total protein, soluble sugar, starch, proline, GB, and antioxidant enzyme activity (APX, POX, and CAT) of leaves. In conclusion, integrating PGPR and GR24 can efficiently induce salt tolerance and improve plant growth under stressed conditions. This combined approach has the potential for broad applicability in supporting plant growth in the presence of salt stress.

Adverse childhood experiences, perceived stress, and chronic diseases among older adults: A cross-sectional study in Mexico

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that cause a condition of chronic stress in the body and that are related to subsequent cognitive decline and the development of psychiatric disorders and chronic diseases. ObjectiveThe objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between ACEs, stress, and chronic diseases in older adults. MethodsThis work was a cross-sectional study. We analyzed 450 participants aged 65 and older. To measure ACE, we used the ACE questionnaire that is a 10-item scale to measure the occurrence of a set of experiences during childhood and adolescence. In addition, the perceived stress scale was used as screening tool for stress. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between overall ACE score and individual ACE component scores and risk stress/comorbidities in adulthood after controlling for potential confounders. ResultsThe overall prevalence of perceived stress among older adults was 79.1%. Almost 76% of the sample reported being diagnosed with four or more chronic diseases. We found that the risk of stress increased in case of exposure to one-three ACEs (OR = 1.42, CI = [1.19–1.93]) and in case of experiencing at least four or more ACEs (OR = 1.43, CI = [1.23–1.82]). There was a statistical non-significant association between ACE exposure and the presence of chronic diseases. ConclusionTogether our findings demonstrate clear links between ACEs and negative mental health outcomes. Future work will assess these issues in longitudinal studies to examine the long-term impact of ACEs on health outcomes. Physicians should be able to provide clinical interventions for trauma-focused care.

Exploring phosphorus starvation tolerance in aus (Oryza sativa L.) rice: An analysis of stress tolerance attributes and understanding the effect of PSTOL1 gene

AbstractThe limited availability of Phosphorus (P) in the soil poses a significant challenge to of rice productivity in rainfed tropical regions. There has been a constant demand of diverse donors for enhancing tolerance to P‐deficient soils. In this study, we evaluated 181 aus rice accessions of the 3000 Rice Genome Project (3 K‐RGP) for grain yield and six other agronomical traits under control (~20 mg kg−1 available P) and low‐P (8–10 mg kg−1 available P) field trials. The objectives were to assess the level of low‐P tolerance in the aus germplasm and select stable high‐yielding accessions using stress tolerance attributes. We also surveyed the presence of PSTOL1 gene and Pup1 polymorphisms to find the effect of PSTOL1 as well as t Pup1 haplotypes on low‐P tolerance. Principal component analysis (PCA) using five stress tolerance attributes revealed that attributes like mean productivity (MP) and stress tolerance index (STI) are useful for selecting high‐yielding accessions with stable yield under stress and control conditions. Notably, accessions like Kalabokari, Devarasi, ARC 12021, Jasure Aus, ARC 7336 and ARC 12101 had higher level of tolerance than the check varieties Vandana and Sahbhagi Dhan. Majority of aus accessions carried the PSTOL1 gene (73%) and had the tolerant haplotype of Pup1 (65%) like the tolerant checks. Although, at large, the PSTOL1‐positive accessions were more vigorous, and high yielding under low‐P, there were a few PSTOL1‐negative aus accessions showing higher level of tolerance. The findings suggest that non‐PSTOL1 type tolerance exists in aus rice which needs to be substantiated through further studies.

Reproductive Activity of Socorro Island Merino Ewes and Their Crosses with Pelibuey under Heat Stress Conditions.

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of spring and autumn seasons on the reproductive activity of Merino Socorro Island ewes and their crosses with Pelibuey under heat stress (HS) conditions in the tropics. All ewes (n = 80) were randomly assigned to one of two breeds during the first and second periods, respectively: (1) Twenty Socorro Island Merino ewes (SIM) and (2) 20 Pelibuey Crossbred ewes (PBC). Animals were fed the same diet and given water ad libitum. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS statistical software 9.12 procedures. In both seasons, a mean of more than 80 U of maximum THI was obtained, while in spring and autumn, the minimum THI exceeded 30 and 40 U, respectively. All animals were in oestrus and ovulated in both seasons. The frequency of animals in spring during the first 48 h of oestrus expression was greater (p < 0.05) than 48-55 h but similar (p > 0.05) than 55-65 h; in autumn during the first 48 h and 48-55 h were similar (p > 0.05), but different (p < 0.05) than 55-65 h. The duration of oestrus expression was longer in the spring than in the autumn (p < 0.05). The frequency of animals was higher (p < 0.05) in SIM than in PBC ewes during the first oestrus cycle (1-17 d) and was also higher (p < 0.05) in PBC than in SIM ewes during the second oestrus cycle (18-35 d). The SIM ewes produced more (p < 0.05) progesterone (P4) than the PBC ewes. During the sampling days of the oestrus cycle, more P4 was created in autumn than in spring (p < 0.05). Both breeds showed severe HS. In the future, ewes treated under assisted reproductive programs in the tropics may improve reproductive efficiency.

Functional transcriptome analysis revealed upregulation of MAPK-SMAD signalling pathways in chronic heat stress in crossbred cattle.

Animal geneticists and breeders have the impending challenge of enhancing the resilience of Indian livestock to heat stress through better selection strategies. Climate change's impact on livestock is more intense in tropical countries like India where dairy cattle crossbreeds are more sensitive to heat stress. The main reason for this study was to find the missing relative changes in transcript levels in thermo-neutral and heat stress conditions in crossbred cattle through whole-transcriptome analysis of RNA-Seq data. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified based on the minimum log twofold change value and false discovery rate 0.05 revealed 468 up-regulated genes and 2273 down-regulated significant genes. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of these significant DEGs were compared based on Gene Ontology (Biological process), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG), and Reactome pathways using g: Profiler, ShinyGO v0.76, and iDEP.951 web tools. On finding network visualization, the most over-represented and correlated pathways were neuronal and sensory organ development, calcium signalling pathway, Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Smad signalling pathway, Ras-proximate-1, or Ras-related protein 1 (Rap 1) signalling pathway, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Similarly, down-regulated genes were most expressed in mRNA processing, immune system, B-cell receptor signalling pathway, Nucleotide oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) signalling pathway and nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway. The heat stress-responsive genes identified in this study will facilitate our understanding of the molecular basis for climate resilience and heat tolerance in Indian dairy crossbreeds.

Modulation of rhizosphere microbial community and metabolites by bio-functionalized nanoscale silicon oxide alleviates cadmium-induced phytotoxicity in bayberry plants

Cadmium (Cd) is an extremely toxic heavy metal that can originate from industrial activities and accumulate in agricultural soils. This study investigates the potential of biologically synthesized silicon oxide nanoparticles (Bio-SiNPs) in alleviating Cd toxicity in bayberry plants. Bio-SiNPs were synthesized using the bacterial strain Chryseobacterium sp. RTN3 and thoroughly characterized using advanced techniques. A pot experiment results demonstrated that Cd stress substantially reduced leaves biomass, photosynthesis efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, and induced oxidative damage in bayberry (Myrica rubra) plants. However, Bio-SiNPs application at 200 mg kg−1 significantly enhanced plant biomass, chlorophyll content (26.4 %), net photosynthetic rate (8.6 %), antioxidant enzyme levels, and mitigated reactive oxygen species production under Cd stress. Bio-SiNPs modulated key stress-related phytohormones by increasing salicylic acid (13.2 %) and abscisic acid (13.7 %) contents in plants. Bio-SiNPs augmented Si deposition on root surfaces, preserving normal ultrastructure in leaf cells. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated that Bio-SiNPs treatment favorably reshaped structure and abundance of specific bacterial groups (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota) in the rhizosphere. Notably, Bio-SiNPs application significantly modulated the key metabolites (phenylacetaldehyde, glycitein, maslinic acid and methylmalonic acid) under both normal and Cd stress conditions. Overall, this study highlights that bio-nanoremediation using Bio-SiNPs enhances tolerance to Cd stress in bayberry plants by beneficially modulating biochemical, microbial, and metabolic attributes.

Potential of amino acids-modified biochar in mitigating the soil Cu and Ni stresses – Targeting the tomato growth, physiology and fruit quality

Trace heavy metals (HMs) such as copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) are toxic to plants, especially tomato at high levels. In this study, biochar (BC) was treated with amino acids (AA) to enhance amino functional groups, which effectively alleviated the adverse effects of heavy metals (HMs) on tomato growth. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of glycine and alanine modified BC (GBC/ABC) on various tomato growth parameters, its physiology, fruit yield and Cu/Ni uptake under Cu and Ni stresses. In a pot experiment, there was 21 treatments with three replications having two rates of simple BC and glycine/alanine enriched BC (0.5% and 1% (w/w). Cu and Ni stresses were added at 150 mg kg−1 respectively. Plants were harvested after 120 days of sowing and subjected to various analysis. Under Cu and Ni stresses, tomato roots accumulated more Cu and Ni than shoots and fruits, while GBC and ABC application significantly enhanced the root and shoot dry weight irrelevant to the stress conditions. Both rates of GBC decreased the malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels in plants. The addition of 0.5% GBC with Cu enhanced the tomato fruit dry weight by 1.3 folds in comparison to the control treatment; while tomato fruit juice content also increased (50%) in the presence of 0.5% GBC with Ni as compared to control. In summary, these results demonstrated that lower rate of GBC∼0.5% proved to be the best in mitigating the Cu and Ni stress on tomato plant growth by enhancing the fruit production.

Variation in metabolic rate during low tide aerial exposure in the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Intertidal animals deal with physical gradients daily that create stressful conditions across the shore. These physical gradients influence the physiological performance of organisms, requiring responses that may differ with height on the shore. We examined the respiratory response to aerial exposure in the invasive Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus during periods of low tide emersion using two field experiments. The first experiment simultaneously measured respiration of individuals collected from different heights on the shore, which had therefore been emersed for different lengths of time. The second experiment measured respiration of individuals collected at different times from the same tidal height. Respiration rates of crabs in both experiments increased immediately after emersion, nearly doubling by and peaking at ~ 1.5 h of aerial exposure, before decreasing again over the next 1.5 h. These results suggest that the energetic cost of low tide exposure is greatest shortly after emersion during the first half of the typical low tide period, but then decreases thereafter. These respiration patterns facilitate the broad intertidal distribution of this species on rocky shores throughout its range.

The Potential of Selenium-Based Therapies for Ocular Oxidative Stress.

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the development of chronic ocular conditions including cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. There is a need to explore the potential of topical antioxidants to slow the progression of those conditions by mediating oxidative stress and maintaining ocular health. Selenium has attracted considerable attention because it is a component of selenoproteins and antioxidant enzymes. The application of selenium to a patient can increase selenoprotein expression, counteracting the effect of reactive oxygen species by increasing the presence of antioxidant enzymes, and thus slowing the progression of chronic ocular disorders. Oxidative stress effects at the biomolecular level for prevalent ocular conditions are described in this review along with some of the known defensive mechanisms, with a focus on selenoproteins. The importance of selenium in the eye is described, along with a discussion of selenium studies and uses. Selenium's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities may prevent or delay eye diseases. Recent breakthroughs in drug delivery methods and nanotechnology for selenium-based ocular medication delivery are enumerated. Different types of selenium may be employed in formulations aimed at managing ocular oxidative stress conditions.

THE INFLUENCE OF MILITARY EVENTS AS A SOCIALLY STRESS FACTOR ON THE SUICIDE MORTALITY RATE

Introduction. Russia's aggression, which began in 2014 with the occupation of Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, is considered a powerful long-term socially stressful factor. The suicide rate, as an indicator of troubles in society and its health as a whole, helps to identify a vulnerable contingent of the population and evaluate the effectiveness of state preventive measures implemented in socially stressful conditions. The aim: to investigate the dynamics of suicide mortality in Ukraine for the period 2005-2021. and the impact on this indicator of a socially stressful factor – Russian aggression in order to determine the stability of Ukrainian society in the conditions of war, identify the most vulnerable contingent of the population and evaluate the state's multi-selective approach aimed at preventing suicide. Materials and methods. The research materials were official statistical data from the "Population of Ukraine" reports of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine for 2005-2021. Cases of suicide of men and women in the period 2005-2013 served as a comparison group. The analysis provided for the clarification of annual rates and dynamics of suicide mortality and its gender characteristics during the period of the social stress factor in 2014-2021, in comparison with the control period and world indicators (WHO). Bibliographic, epidemiological, analytical, statistical methods were used in the research. Results. In Ukraine, as well as in the world, in the period 2005-2021, a decrease in the death rate due to suicides is noted, however, the Ukrainian rates significantly exceed the world rates. In a relatively prosperous period, the mortality rate due to suicide was 20.8±0.3, and it decreased statistically significantly (p&lt;0.001) to 16.1±0.36 in the socially stressful period of 2014-2021. The number of suicides among the male population significantly exceeds its number among the female population and is significantly higher than the world indicators, in contrast to the female population, where the indicators are even lower. During the socially stressful period, the number of suicides among men remains reduced to 28.76±0.92 (р&lt;0.001) and among women to 5.64±0.3 (р&lt;0.05), with more stable rates of decline among women. Conclusions. In Ukraine, there is a dynamic decrease in the number of deaths due to suicides, which correlates with global indicators. However, our country, despite the faster rate of decline of this indicator, still belongs to the countries with a high rate of suicide mortality. During the military events of 2014-2021, the death rate from suicides decreased significantly, compared to the previous relatively prosperous period of 2005-2013 (p&lt;0.001), which indicates the stability of Ukrainian society in war conditions. Mortality due to suicides in Ukraine significantly prevails among men (p&lt;0.001) and significantly exceeds global indicators, which makes them a vulnerable contingent of the population that needs socially oriented support. The positive dynamics of the decrease in the number of suicides among men (p&lt;0.001) and women (p&lt;0.05) in the conditions of war testifies to the effectiveness of the state's multi-selective approach aimed at preventing suicide.

Effects of Wind Exposure and Deficit Irrigation on Vegetative Growth, Yield Components and Berry Composition of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The impact of global warming on Argentine viticulture may result in a geographical shift, with wine-growing regions potentially moving towards the southwest, known as one of the windiest regions in the world. Deficit irrigation is a widely used strategy to control the shoot growth and improve fruit quality attributes, such as berry skin polyphenols. The present study aimed to assess the effects of different wind intensities and irrigation levels, as well as their interactions, on field-grown Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. The experiment was conducted during two growing seasons with two wind treatments (sheltered and exposed) and two irrigation treatments (well-watered and moderate deficit irrigation) in a multifactorial design. Vegetative growth, stomatal conductance, shoot biomass partition, fruit yield components and berry skin phenolics were evaluated. Our study found that, generally, wind exposure reduced vegetative growth, and deficit irrigation increased the proportion of smaller berries within the bunches. Meanwhile, deficit irrigation and wind exposure additively increased the concentration of berry skin phenolics. Combined stressful conditions enhance biomass partition across the shoot to fruits in Malbec, increasing the weight of bunches and the number of berries. Our findings offer practical implications for vineyard managers in windy regions, providing actionable insights to optimize grapevine cultivation and enhance wine quality.

IDENTIFICATION, SEPARATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DEGRADATION PRODUCTS OF TRIAMCINOLONE HEXACETONIDE USING LC AND LC-MS/MS

Objective: The study aimed to separate the forced degradation products of Triamcinolone hexacetonide using HPLC and characterize the degradation product by LC-MS/MS fragmentation pattern. Methods: Triamcinolone hexacetonide (THA) and its primary degradation products were identified using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/Mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach. The degradation study was based on in-depth stress testing with acid, base, peroxide, heat, and light. A Zorbax SB C18 column and a greener mobile phase composed of methanol and 10 mmol ammonium acetate buffer in water at pH 3 were employed to accomplish separation and quantitation at a flow rate of 0.7 ml/min in an isocratic mode with a 239 nm detection wavelength. Results: A major degradation product of the drug was obtained in acidic and alkaline stress conditions. The drug was found to be stable for all other stress conditions. The LC-MS/MS analysis results of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and resulting product after degradation were interpreted to identify the novel degradation product and fragments. The developed method was validated as per International Council for Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. The square root of the correlation coefficients, which indicated linearity for THA in 50 to 150 % of the workload, was 0.99. Method Precision assay was performed on six different preparations, percentage relative standard deviation (% RSD) of assay value is 0.17 % and system precision is 0.30 %. In accuracy, overall % RSD of 50 %, 100 %, and 150 % in triplicate is 0.95. Conclusion: It is concluded that the drug is stable to all other stress conditions except for acidic and alkaline stress conditions and generates a novel degradation product. The developed LC (Liquid chromatography) method separates and identifies the degradation product.