Stress Resistance Factor Research Articles

The internal factors of stress resistance as elements of future psychologists’ professional resourcefulness

The proposed article analyzes a part of the dissertation research results on the psychological features of resource provision for future psychologists' professional development, specifically the role of internal stress resistance (resilience) factors in the professional resourcefulness of higher education psychology students. These factors encompass constructive coping strategies as behavioural techniques for stress management, psyche’s defence mechanisms as their foundation, and the unconscious basis of overall personal resilience and tolerance to uncertainty. In the current context of traumatic and crisis events in Ukraine, there is a growing priority for cultivating resilience and resistance to traumatic events, behavioural flexibility, and adaptability among the population. These individual-psychological traits are especially crucial for professionals in socionomic fields, particularly consultant psychologists. The professional effectiveness of these experts will depend on the formation and development of these dispositions, hence they have been incorporated into the structure of the future psychologists’ professional resourcefulness. According to the theoretical model of our research, the central characteristic of this structure is the self-assessment of the professional development level. The interconnections of resilience internal factors with this self-assessment were examined through a mathematical-statistical analysis of the results. The study was conducted on the basis of two higher education institutions – Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University and Khmelnytskyi National University. It involved 197 psychology students from the 2nd to 4th year of the bachelor's degree program and the 1st year of the master's degree program. Based on the results of the empirical research, in particular the factor analysis, we determined that the most significant internal factors of stress resistance in the professional resourcefulness structure of future psychologists are constructive coping strategies "positive reinterpretation and growth", "active coping" and "planning". Additionally, the psyche’s defense mechanism of "intellectualization" was also found to be significant.

The Mutation of the DNA-Binding Domain of Fur Protein Enhances the Pathogenicity of Edwardsiella piscicida via Inducing Overpowering Pyroptosis.

Edwardsiella piscicida is an important fish pathogen with a broad host that causes substantial economic losses in the aquaculture industry. Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is a global transcriptional regulator and contains two typical domains, the DNA-binding domain and dimerization domain. In a previous study, we obtained a mutant strain of full-length fur of E. piscicida, TX01Δfur, which displayed increased siderophore production and stress resistance factors and decreased pathogenicity. To further reveal the regulatory mechanism of Fur, the DNA-binding domain (N-terminal) of Fur was knocked out in this study and the mutant was named TX01Δfur2. We found that TX01Δfur2 displayed increased siderophore production and enhanced adversity tolerance, including a low pH, manganese, and high temperature stress, which was consistent with the phenotype of TX01Δfur. Contrary to TX01Δfur, whose virulence was weakened, TX01Δfur2 displayed an ascended invasion of nonphagocytic cells and enhanced destruction of phagocytes via inducing overpowering or uncontrollable pyroptosis, which was confirmed by the fact that TX01Δfur2 induced higher levels of cytotoxicity, IL-1β, and p10 in macrophages than TX01. More importantly, TX01Δfur2 displayed an increased global virulence to the host, which was confirmed by the result that TX01Δfur2 caused higher lethality outcomes for healthy tilapias than TX01. These results demonstrate that the mutation of the Fur N-terminal domain augments the resistance level against the stress and pathogenicity of E. piscicida, which is not dependent on the bacterial number in host cells or host tissues, although the capabilities of biofilm formation and the motility of TX01Δfur2 decline. These interesting findings provide a new insight into the functional analysis of Fur concerning the regulation of virulence in E. piscicida and prompt us to explore the subtle regulation mechanism of Fur in the future.

Diversity of antimicrobial resistance, stress resistance, and virulence factors of Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes from produce, spices, and tree nuts by whole genome sequencing

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to analyze antimicrobial resistance (AMR), stress resistance, and virulence factors through whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 192 isolates comprising 164 Salmonella isolates, 8 non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates, and 20 Listeria monocytogenes isolates.MethodsThese isolates were sourced from a national survey conducted between 2010 and 2017, involving 31,322 samples of produce (31 isolates), nuts (43 isolates), and spices (118 isolates).ResultsThe findings yielded several key insights: (1) Within all Salmonella isolates studied, the most prevalent Salmonella serotypes included Give, Kentucky, Senftenberg, Mbandaka, Anatum, Newport, and Weltevreden. (2) All eight non-O157 STEC isolates were found to carry the genes blaEC, acrF, and mdtM, while all 20 L. monocytogenes isolates possessed fosX and lin genes. The Salmonella isolates displayed diverse AMR gene profiles, with 3.65% exhibiting multi-drug resistance. (3) Both Salmonella and non-O157 STEC isolates were discovered to carry stress genes associated with acid resistance, but none of the L. monocytogenes isolates carried an acid resistance gene. Salmonella isolates were found to carry multiple metal-resistance genes. The non-O157 STEC isolates universally exhibited acid resistance genes, and 4 out of the 20 L. monocytogenes isolates were equipped with resistance genes against biocides. (4) All of the STEC isolates (100%) carried stx1 and stx2 genes, while none of them carried eae and wyz genes. Most L. monocytogenes isolates were found to contain 29 virulence genes and 1 pathogenicity island. All Salmonella isolates carried SPI-9, but lacked SPI-7, SPI-10, SPI-11, SPI-12, mig-5, prefA, tviA, and viaB genes.ConclusionThese findings on AMR, stress resistance, and virulence factors among the investigated isolates highlight the potential risks they pose to public health and provide the scientific foundation for the development of preventative and control strategies and guidance pertaining to these major foodborne pathogens.

The effect of deletions of genes encoding Pho3p and Bgl2p on the polyphosphate level, stress adaptation and attachment of these proteins in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> cell wall

Inorganic polyphosphates (polyP), according to literature data, are involved in the regulatory processes of molecular complex of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall (CW). The aim of the work was to reveal relationship between polyP, acid phosphatase Pho3p, and the major CW protein, glucanosyl transglycosylase Bgl2p, which is the main glucan-remodelling enzyme with amyloid properties. It has been shown that the yeast cells with deletion of the PHO3 gene contain more high molecular alkali-soluble polyP and are also more resistant to exposure to alkali and manganese ions compared to the wild type strain. This suggests that Pho3p is responsible for hydrolysis of the high molecular polyP on the surface of yeast cells, and these polyP belong to the stress resistance factors. The S. cerevisiae strain with deletion of the BGL2 gene is similar to the Δpho3 strain both in the level of high molecular alkali-soluble polyP and in the increased resistance to alkali and manganese. Comparative analysis of the CW proteins demonstrated correlation between the extractability of the acid phosphatase and Bgl2p, and also revealed a change in the mode of Bgl2p attachment to the CW of the strain lacking Pho3p. It has been suggested that Bgl2p and Pho3p are able to form a metabolon or its parts that connects biogenesis of the main structural polymer of the CW, glucan, and catabolism of an important regulatory polymer, polyphosphates.

Effect of Deletions of the Genes Encoding Pho3p and Bgl2p on Polyphosphate Level, Stress Adaptation, and Attachments of These Proteins to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cell Wall.

Inorganic polyphosphates (polyP), according to literature data, are involved in the regulatory processes of molecular complex of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall (CW). The aim of the work was to reveal relationship between polyP, acid phosphatase Pho3p, and the major CW protein, glucanosyltransglycosylase Bgl2p, which is the main glucan-remodelling enzyme with amyloid properties. It has been shown that the yeast cells with deletion of the PHO3 gene contain more high molecular alkali-soluble polyP and are also more resistant to exposure to alkali and manganese ions compared to the wild type strain. This suggests that Pho3p is responsible for hydrolysis of the high molecular polyP on the surface of yeast cells, and these polyP belong to the stress resistance factors. The S. cerevisiae strain with deletion of the BGL2 gene is similar to the Δpho3 strain both in the level of high molecular alkali-soluble polyP and in the increased resistance to alkali and manganese. Comparative analysis of the CW proteins demonstrated correlation between the extractability of the acid phosphatase and Bgl2p, and also revealed a change in the mode of Bgl2p attachment to the CW of the strain lacking Pho3p. It has been suggested that Bgl2p and Pho3p are able to form a metabolon or its parts that connects biogenesis of the main structural polymer of the CW, glucan, and catabolism of an important regulatory polymer, polyphosphates.

A briefly overview of the research progress for the abscisic acid analogues.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important plant endogenous hormone that participates in the regulation of various physiological processes in plants, including the occurrence and development of somatic embryos, seeddevelopment and dormancy. ABA is called “plant stress resistance factor”, while with the limitation of the rapid metabolic inactivation and photoisomerization inactivation of ABA for its large-scale use. Understanding the function and role of ABA in plants is of great significance to promote its application. For decades, scientists have conducted in-depth research on its mechanism of action and signaling pathways, a series of progress were achieved, and hundreds of ABA analogues (similar in structure or function) have been synthesized to develop highly active plant growth regulators and tools to elucidate ABA perception. In this review, we summarize a variety of ABA analogues, especially the ABA receptor analogues, and explore the mechanisms of ABA action and catabolism, which will facilitate the development of novel ABA analogues with high biological activities.

Exogenous brassinosteroids promotes root growth, enhances stress tolerance, and increases yield in maize

ABSTRACT Brassinosteroids (BRs) regulate of maize (Zea mays L.) growth, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we used a multi-disciplinary approach to determine how BRs regulate maize morphology and physiology during development. Treatment with the BRs promoted primary root the elongation and growth during germination, and the early development of lateral roots. BRs treatment during the middle growth stage increased the levels of various stress resistance factors, and enhanced resistance to lodging, likely by protecting the plant against stem rot and sheath rot. BRs had no significant effect on plant height during late growth, but it increased leaf angle and photosynthetic efficiency, as well as yield and quality traits. Our findings increase our understanding of the regulatory effects of BR on maize root growth and development and the mechanism by which BR improves disease resistance, which could further the potential for using BR to improve maize yield.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactococcus lactis Subsp. cremoris WA2-67: A Promising Nisin-Producing Probiotic Strain Isolated from the Rearing Environment of a Spanish Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) Farm.

Probiotics are a viable alternative to traditional chemotherapy agents to control infectious diseases in aquaculture. In this regard, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris WA2-67 has previously demonstrated several probiotic features, such as a strong antimicrobial activity against ichthyopathogens, survival in freshwater, resistance to fish bile and low pH, and hydrophobicity. The aim of this manuscript is an in silico analysis of the whole-genome sequence (WGS) of this strain to gain deeper insights into its probiotic properties and their genetic basis. Genomic DNA was purified, and libraries prepared for Illumina sequencing. After trimming and assembly, resulting contigs were subjected to bioinformatic analyses. The draft genome of L. cremoris WA2-67 consists of 30 contigs (2,573,139 bp), and a total number of 2493 coding DNA sequences (CDSs). Via in silico analysis, the bacteriocinogenic genetic clusters encoding the lantibiotic nisin Z (NisZ) and two new bacteriocins were identified, in addition to several probiotic traits, such as the production of vitamins, amino acids, adhesion/aggregation, and stress resistance factors, as well as the absence of transferable antibiotic resistance determinants and genes encoding detrimental enzymatic activities and virulence factors. These results unveil diverse beneficial properties that support the use of L. cremoris WA2-67 as a probiotic for aquaculture.

Impact of the Resistance Responses to Stress Conditions Encountered in Food and Food Processing Environments on the Virulence and Growth Fitness of Non-Typhoidal Salmonellae.

The success of Salmonella as a foodborne pathogen can probably be attributed to two major features: its remarkable genetic diversity and its extraordinary ability to adapt. Salmonella cells can survive in harsh environments, successfully compete for nutrients, and cause disease once inside the host. Furthermore, they are capable of rapidly reprogramming their metabolism, evolving in a short time from a stress-resistance mode to a growth or virulent mode, or even to express stress resistance and virulence factors at the same time if needed, thanks to a complex and fine-tuned regulatory network. It is nevertheless generally acknowledged that the development of stress resistance usually has a fitness cost for bacterial cells and that induction of stress resistance responses to certain agents can trigger changes in Salmonella virulence. In this review, we summarize and discuss current knowledge concerning the effects that the development of resistance responses to stress conditions encountered in food and food processing environments (including acid, osmotic and oxidative stress, starvation, modified atmospheres, detergents and disinfectants, chilling, heat, and non-thermal technologies) exerts on different aspects of the physiology of non-typhoidal Salmonellae, with special emphasis on virulence and growth fitness.

Копийность рибосомной ДНК (рДНК) в геномах женщин как фактор успешности ЭКО и наличия осложнений беременности

Определено количество копий рибосомных повторов (рДНК) в геномах женщин с нормальной и осложненной беременностью, а также женщин, подвергшихся процедуре экстракорпорального оплодотворения (ЭКО). Кроме того, измеряли содержание GC-богатой рДНК в образцах внеклеточной ДНК (вкДНК), полученных от женщин с нормальной и осложненной беременностью. Показано, что геномы более половины женщин с патологией беременности содержали либо больше, либо меньше копий рДНК, чем у любой женщины из контрольной группы. Также обнаружено более высокое содержание рДНК во вкДНК пациенток с осложненной беременностью, что свидетельствует о наличии хронического процесса аномальной гибели клеток в группе женщин с патологией беременности. Можно сделать принципиальный вывод: поскольку беременность является тяжелой нагрузкой на организм женщины, для успешного вынашивания требуется сбалансированный биогенез рибосом. Женщины как с низкой, так и с очень высокой копийностью рДНК имеют более высокую вероятность повышенного уровня апоптоза и попадания в группу риска. Параметр «число копий рДНК в геноме женщины» может служить дополнительным прогностическим маркером потенциальных осложнений беременности у женщины. Женщины с низким или высоким количеством копий рибосомных генов в геноме нуждаются в более внимательном ведении беременности. Показатели количества копий рДНК в геномах женщин с неудачными попытками ЭКО были значимо ниже, чем в геномах двух остальных групп. Этот факт говорит о том, что копийность рДНК в геноме является одним из факторов, влияющих на успех процедуры ЭКО. Если индвивидуальное число копий рДНК в геноме женщины меньше, чем 330, высок риск неудачного ЭКО. Необходимы дальнейшие исследования данного вопроса. As pregnancy is a stressful load for a woman, any stress-resistance factor is relevant to it. According to recent reports, ribosomal gene copy number in the genome is associated with the individual stress-resistance. We determined copy numbers of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) in genomes of pregnant women with normal and complicated pregnancy, and women after in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure. We also measured the contents of GC-rich rDNA in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) derived from normal controls and complicated pregnancy cases. We have shown that genomes of more than a half of DNA samples from women with pregnancy pathology harbor either more, or less rDNA copies than any woman from the control group. We also found higher rDNA contents in cfDNA isolated from complicated pregnancy cases suggesting the presence of a permanent cell death process in pathology cases. A principal conclusion can be made: women with low rDNA copy numbers and with very high numbers can have higher cell death rates and belong to the risk group. The parameter «rDNA copy number in woman’s genome» can be an additional prognostic marker for eventual pregnancy complications in the woman. The numbers of rDNA copies in the genomes of women with failed IVF attempts was significantly lower than in the genomes of patients with succesfull outcome, suggesting that rDNA copy number in the genome is one of the factors that affect the success of the IVF procedure. If the individual rDNA copy number is under 330, the risk of IVF failure is high. Further studies are warranted.

Prominent action of butyrate over \u03b2-hydroxybutyrate as histone deacetylase inhibitor, transcriptional modulator and anti-inflammatory molecule

Butyrate and R-β-hydroxybutyrate are two related short chain fatty acids naturally found in mammals. Butyrate, produced by enteric butyric bacteria, is present at millimolar concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract and at lower levels in blood; R-β-hydroxybutyrate, the main ketone body, produced by the liver during fasting can reach millimolar concentrations in the circulation. Both molecules have been shown to be histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, and their administration has been associated to an improved metabolic profile and better cellular oxidative status, with butyrate inducing PGC1α and fatty acid oxidation and R-β-hydroxybutyrate upregulating oxidative stress resistance factors FOXO3A and MT2 in mouse kidney. Because of the chemical and functional similarity between the two molecules, we compared here their impact on multiple cell types, evaluating i) histone acetylation and hydroxybutyrylation levels by immunoblotting, ii) transcriptional regulation of metabolic and inflammatory genes by quantitative PCR and iii) cytokine secretion profiles using proteome profiling array analysis. We confirm that butyrate is a strong HDAC inhibitor, a characteristic we could not identify in R-β-hydroxybutyrate in vivo nor in vitro. Butyrate had an extensive impact on gene transcription in rat myotubes, upregulating PGC1α, CPT1b, mitochondrial sirtuins (SIRT3-5), and the mitochondrial anti-oxidative genes SOD2 and catalase. In endothelial cells, butyrate suppressed gene expression and LPS-induced secretion of several pro-inflammatory genes, while R-β-hydroxybutyrate acted as a slightly pro-inflammatory molecule. Our observations indicate that butyrate induces transcriptional changes to a higher extent than R-β-hydroxybutyrate in rat myotubes and endothelial cells, in keep with its HDAC inhibitory activity. Also, in contrast with previous reports, R-β-hydroxybutyrate, while inducing histone β-hydroxybutyrylation, did not display a readily detectable HDAC inhibitor activity and exerted a slight pro-inflammatory action on endothelial cells.

LuxS/AI-2 in Streptococcus agalactiae reveals a key role in acid tolerance and virulence

LuxS-mediated autoinducer-2 (AI-2) directly or indirectly regulates important physiologic function in a variety of bacteria. We found a luxS homologue in the genome of Streptococcus agalactiae, an important pathogen of tilapia. To investigate the relationship between luxS/AI-2 and pathogenicity for tilapia, its bioluminescent activity, acid resistance, cell adherence, virulence, and regulation of virulence gene were evaluated. Compared with the wild-type strain, the bioluminescent activity lost in the luxS mutant, its resistance to acid (pH2.8) was significantly decreased 33.8 times, and furthermore, its adherence to the NGF-2 cell line was dramatically reduced 3 times in the mutant strain. The virulence of the mutant strain was decreased in the tilapia infection model, exogenous AI-2 molecule (7.4nM) and luxS gene complementation with plasmid could complement the deficiencies of function in the luxS mutant strain. These results showed that inactivation of luxS gene caused a significant decrease of bioluminance, acid resistance, cell adhesion, virulence to tilapia and transcription levels of many virulence genes in S. agalactiae. Expression of the known stress resistance factors DnaK and GroEL, relative regulator factors CovR/CovS and virulence factor cpsE verified above results. These findings suggest that luxS may be involved in the interruption of bacterial virulence and resistance to environmental factors.

Outlining Core Pathways of Amyloid Toxicity in Bacteria with the RepA-WH1 Prionoid.

The synthetic bacterial prionoid RepA-WH1 causes a vertically transmissible amyloid proteinopathy in Escherichia coli that inhibits growth and eventually kills the cells. Recent in vitro studies show that RepA-WH1 builds pores through model lipid membranes, suggesting a possible mechanism for bacterial cell death. By comparing acutely (A31V) and mildly (ΔN37) cytotoxic mutant variants of the protein, we report here that RepA-WH1(A31V) expression decreases the intracellular osmotic pressure and compromise bacterial viability under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Both are effects expected from threatening membrane integrity and are in agreement with findings on the impairment by RepA-WH1(A31V) of the proton motive force (PMF)-dependent transport of ions (Fe3+) and ATP synthesis. Systems approaches reveal that, in aerobiosis, the PMF-independent respiratory dehydrogenase NdhII is induced in response to the reduction in intracellular levels of iron. While NdhII is known to generate H2O2 as a by-product of the autoxidation of its FAD cofactor, key proteins in the defense against oxidative stress (OxyR, KatE), together with other stress-resistance factors, are sequestered by co-aggregation with the RepA-WH1(A31V) amyloid. Our findings suggest a route for RepA-WH1 toxicity in bacteria: a primary hit of damage to the membrane, compromising bionergetics, triggers a stroke of oxidative stress, which is exacerbated due to the aggregation-dependent inactivation of enzymes and transcription factors that enable the cellular response to such injury. The proteinopathy caused by the prion-like protein RepA-WH1 in bacteria recapitulates some of the core hallmarks of human amyloid diseases.

РОЗРАХУНОК АДАПТАЦІЙНОГО ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ, ОЦІНКА АДАПТАЦІЙНИХ МОЖЛИВОСТЕЙ ОРГАНІЗМУ І РІВНІВ ЗДОРОВ’Я СТУДЕНТІВ ЛЬВІВСЬКОГО НАЦІОНАЛЬНОГО МЕДИЧНОГО УНІВЕРСИТЕТУ ІМЕНІ ДАНИЛА ГАЛИЦЬКОГО

Introduction. One of the most important problems of modern physiology and medicine is the investigation of adaptation abilities of human in a way of study the mechanism and the main regularities in the process of body adaptation to various conditions of the environment. During the whole life a modern personality constantly meets with different stressful factors which are connected to social, ecological, psychological and biological changes. The most vulnerable under such conditions are students as the life rhythm of modern students is characterized by a relative hypo dynamics together with considerable intellectual and emotional loading. All those factors together with unbalanced diet and sleep defi ciency have negative effect on psychical, physical and social health of students and also create preconditions for the decrease of adaptation abilities of the body. To deal with the problem of preservation and strengthening of the students’ health it is important to lead a complex examination with the purpose of evaluation of the functioning level of the body systems fi rst of all connected with it. It will give the reason to improve already existing and search for new methods of optimization of functional state, health prevention and future professional longevity of medical students. Aim: To calculate adaptation potential and evaluate adaptation abilities of students together with identifi cation of their health level. Materials and Methods: 98 third-year students of the stomatological faculty of Lviv National Medical University by Danylo Halytsky have taken part in the investigation, 37 of whom were male (37,76 %) and 61 (62,24 %) – female both of whom were nineteen years old at the time of research. All of them according to dispensary cards were not on dispensary registration in connection to any illness and belonged to a group of “almost healthy”. Adaptation potential of cardio-vascular system of the body was identifi ed by R. M. Bayevsky (1979) including the frequency of heart contractions, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, antropometric indices and coeffi cient of the level of plural regression. Results: It has been ascertained that in case of the majority of students under the investigation (57,14 %) the level of adaptation was satisfactory. Among males the quantity of students with satisfactory adaptation and tension of adaptation mechanism was practically the same, whereas in case of females the level of adaptation was satisfactory. It was confi rmed that 87,5 % of sportsmen were referred to the I health group and only 12,5 % to the II health group whereas the proportion to individuals that go in for sports was 63,51 % to 36, 49 %. Conclusion: In case with most students satisfactory level of adaptation is observed. The proportion between the levels of satisfactory adaptation and tension of adaptation mechanisms among boys and girls are different. To be more exact, there were more individuals with satisfactory adaptation among girls rather than boys. It is connected with hormonal differences, less people with harmful habits, more stress resistance and unsatisfactory factors of environment for girls. Individuals who regularly go in for sports have satisfactory adaptation in most cases in comparison to those who do not practice sports. Students included to the I health group were recommended to take general curative procedures such as: the increase of efferent activity, the use of hardening procedure, normalization of nutrition regime, work and rest, cycling, walking, swimming and denial of harmful habits. Those who are in the II health group need not only curative but also prophylactic measures oriented on the prevention of the development of different diseases individually and in every exceptional case. Paying attention to the fact that students are referred to the category of individuals with intensive brain work all of them were explained the necessity of use of psychological methods of rehabilitation such as autogenic trainings except medico biological ones.

Profiling of Up-Regulated Genes Response to Acute Hypo-Osmotic Stress in Hepatopancreas and Gill of the Pacific White Shrimps (Litopenaeus vannamei)

<p class="1Body">Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was applied to screen responsively up-regulation genes in hepatopancreas and gill of Litopenaeus vannamei induced by acute hypo-osmotic stress. In the hepatopancreas, 196 clones were randomly selected and sequenced. 131 non-redundant transcripts, corresponding to 41 genes, were found with elevated expressions. They were functionally clustered into eight biological processes which were protein synthesis and processing, carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, transport, cell growth, apoptosis, cytoskeletal component, cell defense and homeostasis, signal transduction, accounting for 26.2%, 14.3%, 16.7%, 4.7%, 4.7%, 2.3%, 11.9% and 7.1%, respectively. When confirmed by real time qRT-PCR, the gene expression levels of MnSOD, glutathione and glutamine synthetase showed significant increases (2.64-folds, 3.44-folds and 2.16-folds, respectively) in hepatopancreas (<em>P</em><0.05). Totally 81 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained by random sequencing from the gill SSH cDNA library, and 52 unigenes, including 15 contigs and 37 singlets, after CP3 online matching were gained by clustering and assembling. The sequence alignment results revealed that 30 of them had significant homology to previously identified Genbank database sequences, while 22 unigenes did not match any sequence in the datebase and presumably represented unidentified cDNAs. Functionally, the unigenes were classified into six clusters, including ion channels and transport proteins (1); protein synthesis, translation and transcription factor (2); stress resistance and antioxidant factors (3); energy metabolism (4); signal receptor and transduction (5); cell fibrin and cytoskeletal proteins (6) with proportion of 23.3%, 20.0%, 20.0%, 16.7%, 10.0% and 10.0% respectively. Real time qRT-PCR confirmation revealed significant elevation of Arginine kinase, Carbonic anhydrase and NaK-ATPase-α-subunit expressions (3.73-folds, 2.55-folds and 5.83-folds, respectively) in the gill after acute low-osmotic stress (P < 0.05). These results provided insight into critical physiology processes and pathways constituting the hypo-osmotic stress adaption program in hepatopancreas and gill of <em>L. vannamei</em>.</p>

Internal harmony as a stress resistance factor

Internal harmony as a stress resistance factor

Redox-based regulation of neural stem cell function and Nrf2.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) play vital roles in the development and maintenance of brain tissues throughout life. They can also potentially act as powerful sources of regeneration and repair during pathology to replace degenerating cells and counteract deleterious changes in the tissue microenvironment. However, both aging and neurodegeneration involve an up-regulation of processes, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, somatic mutations, and reduction in growth factors in neural tissues, which threaten the robust functioning of NSCs. Nevertheless, recent evidence also indicates that NSCs may possess the intrinsic capability to cope with such stressors in their microenvironment. Whereas the mechanisms governing the responses of NSCs to stress are diverse, a common theme that is emerging suggests that underlying changes in intracellular redox status are crucial. Here we discuss such redox-based regulation of NSCs, particularly in relation to nuclear erythroid factor 2-like 2 (Nrf2), which is a key cellular stress resistance factor, and its implications for successfully harnessing NSC therapeutic potential towards developing cell-based therapeutics for nervous system disorders.

D-ß-hydroxybutyrate: an anti-aging ketone body

D-ß-hydroxybutyrate: an anti-aging ketone body

Enhanced oxidative stress resistance through activation of a zinc deficiency transcription factor in Brachypodium distachyon.

Identification of viable strategies to increase stress resistance of crops will become increasingly important for the goal of global food security as our population increases and our climate changes. Considering that resistance to oxidative stress is oftentimes an indicator of health and longevity in animal systems, characterizing conserved pathways known to increase oxidative stress resistance could prove fruitful for crop improvement strategies. This report argues for the usefulness and practicality of the model organism Brachypodium distachyon for identifying and validating stress resistance factors. Specifically, we focus on a zinc deficiency B. distachyon basic leucine zipper transcription factor, BdbZIP10, and its role in oxidative stress in the model organism B. distachyon. When overexpressed, BdbZIP10 protects plants and callus tissue from oxidative stress insults, most likely through distinct and direct activation of protective oxidative stress genes. Increased oxidative stress resistance and cell viability through the overexpression of BdbZIP10 highlight the utility of investigating conserved stress responses between plant and animal systems.

Closure to “Pile Setup in Cohesive Soil. I: Experimental Investigation” by Kam W. Ng, Matthew Roling, Sherif S. AbdelSalam, Muhannad T. Suleiman, and Sri Sritharan

Closure to “Pile Setup in Cohesive Soil. I: Experimental Investigation” by Kam W. Ng, Matthew Roling, Sherif S. AbdelSalam, Muhannad T. Suleiman, and Sri Sritharan