Water-use efficiency and transpiration efficiency of wheat under rain-fed conditions and supplemental irrigation in a Mediterranean-type environment

Growth and water use were measured in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in northern Syria in a typical Mediterranean climate over five seasons 1991/92–1995/96. Water use was partitioned into transpiration (T) and soil evaporation (E_s) using Ritchie's model, and water-use efficiency (WUE) and transpiration efficiency (TE) were calculated. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of irrigation and nitrogen on water use, WUE and TE. By addition of 100 kg N ha^-1, E_s was reduced from 120 mm to 101 mm under rain-fed conditions and from 143 mm to 110 mm under irrigated conditions, and T was increased from 153 mm to 193 mm under rain-fed conditions and from 215 mm to 310 mm under irrigated conditions. Under rain-fed conditions, about 35% of evapotranspiration (ET) may be lost from the soil surface for the fertilized crops and 44% of ET for the unfertilized crops. Transpiration accounted for 65% of ET for the fertilized crops and 56% for the unfertilized crops under rain-fed. As a result of this, WUE was increased by 44% for dry matter and 29% for grain yield under rain-fed conditions, and by 60% for dry matter and 57% for grain yield under irrigated conditions. Transpiration efficiency for the fertilized crops was 43.8 kg ha^-1 mm^-1 for dry matter and 15 kg ha^-1 mm^-1 for grain yield, while TE for the unfertilized crops was 33.6 kg ha^-1 mm^-1 and 12.2 kg ha^-1 mm^-1 for dry matter and grain yield, respectively. Supplemental irrigation significantly increased post-anthesis water use, transpiration, dry matter and grain yield. Water-use efficiency for grain yield was increased from 9.7 to 11.0 kg ha^-1 mm^-1 by supplemental irrigation, although WUE for dry matter was not affected by it. Irrigation did not affect transpiration efficiency for grain yield, but decreased transpiration efficiency for dry matter by 16%. This was associated with higher harvest index as a result of good water supply in the post-anthesis period and increased transpiration under irrigated conditions.     

Possible activation of human prorenin by contact with the cell membrane

Semipurified human kidney prorenin was exposed in vitro to a mixture of lipids mimicking the composition of the inner leaflet of the cell membrane, in the presence of semipurified human angiotensinogen at a concentration of 1/4 Km. Prorenin was activated in a time-dependent manner over a period of 60 min. This lipid-dependent activation was completely reversed thereafter. Pre-incubation with anti-renin serum completely prevented this activated prorenin-dependent generation of angiotensin I. Our data suggest that human prorenin can be reversibly activated by contact with the cell membrane.     

Erythrocyte cation transport in arterial hypertension: interrelation with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and the atrial natriuretic factor

Red cell membrane Na(+)-K+ transport systems, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) were studied in a group of 50 mild essential hypertensive patients (n = 25 for each group) age, sex and blood pressure matched. Na(+)-K+ ATPase and intracellular Na+ (Na+ i) were significantly different between the two groups (p less than 0.01). A slight difference was also seen for the Na(+)-K+ cotransport (p less than 0.05) as a likely consequence of the differences in the methodology of Na+ charge to study its efflux from the red cells in vitro. A negative correlation (r = -0.47, p less than 0.01) was observed between ANF and Na(+)-K+ cotransport suggesting an interrelationship of the two systems in the homeostasis in body fluid and electrolytes.     

Regulation of CCN2 mRNA expression and promoter activity in activated hepatic stellate cells

The matricellular protein connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) is considered a faithful marker of fibroblast activation in wound healing and in fibrosis. CCN2 is induced during activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Here, we investigate the molecular basis of CCN2 gene expression in HSC. Fluoroscence activated cell sorting was used to investigate CCN2 expression in HSC in vivo in mice treated with CCl(4). CCN2 and TGF-beta mRNA expression were assessed by polymerase chain reaction as a function of culture-induced activation of HSC. CCN2 promoter/reporter constructs were used to map cis-acting elements required for basal and TGFbeta-induced CCN2 promoter activity. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to further clarify signaling pathways required for CCN2 expression in HSC. CCl(4) administration in vivo increased CCN2 production by HSC. In vitro, expression of CCN2 and TGF-beta mRNA were concommitantly increased in mouse HSC between days 0 and 14 of culture. TGFbeta-induced CCN2 promoter activity required the Smad and Ets-1 elements in the CCN2 promoter and was reduced by TGFbeta type I receptor (ALK4/5/7) inhibition. CCN2 overexpression in activated HSC was ALK4/5/7-dependent. As CCN2 overexpression is a faithful marker of fibrogenesis, our data are consistent with the notion that signaling through TGFbeta type I receptors such as ALK5 contributes to the activation of HSC and hence ALK4/5/7 inhibition would be expected to be an appropriate treatment for liver fibrosis.     

Focal adhesion kinase/Src suppresses early chondrogenesis: central role of CCN2

Adhesive signaling plays a key role in cellular differentiation, including in chondrogenesis. Herein, we probe the contribution to early chondrogenesis of two key modulators of adhesion, namely focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src and CCN2 (connective tissue growth factor, CTGF). We use the micromass model of chondrogenesis to show that FAK/Src signaling, which mediates cell/matrix attachment, suppresses early chondrogenesis, including the induction of Ccn2, Agc, and Sox6. The FAK/Src inhibitor PP2 elevates Ccn2, Agc, and Sox6 expression in wild-type mesenchymal cells in micromass culture, but not in cells lacking CCN2. Our results suggest a reduction in FAK/Src signaling is a critical feature permitting chondrogenic differentiation and that CCN2 operates downstream of this loss to promote chondrogenesis.     

Contrasting views over a hybrid complex: Between speciation and evolutionary "dead-end"

The Squalius alburnoides complex, of hybrid origin, comprises diploid, triploid and tetraploid forms and has a widespread distribution in the Iberian waters. The southern populations of this complex, sympatric with S. pyrenaicus, show high genetic variability, diversity of forms and reproductive modes which create pathways that may allow for the establishment of a new species in the future. Here we report a contrasting view over the S. alburnoides complex: in the Mondego River basin (northern Portugal), nuclear "non-hybrid" and tetraploid forms are absent and a clearly impoverished genetic diversity is observed, contributing to a general scarcity of possibilities of generating novel genetic material. Moreover, the bisexual species involved in the maintenance of the complex in this basin (S. carolitertii) exhibits a considerably lower genetic variability, when compared with S. pyrenaicus. The observed differences suggest that, despite being originated by similar hybridization events and maintained by analogous reproductive mechanisms, different populations of the complex were exposed to distinct evolutionary constrains, which in some cases resulted in diversification and speciation while in others led to a compromising situation in terms of evolutionary potential. Additionally, and for the first time all forms were used in the calculation of genetic distances and diversity indices, widening the possibilities of analysis of the complex by allowing the inclusion of a large part of the available data, irrespective of ploidy level.     

Plant-based diet, serum fatty acid profile, and free radicals in postmenopausal women: the diet and androgens (DIANA) randomized trial

High calorie and fat consumption and the production of free radicals are two major mechanistic pathways between diet and disease. In this study we evaluated the effect of a plant-based diet poor in animal fat and rich in (n-3) fatty acids on fatty acids of serum phospholipids and on the production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs). One hundred and four healthy female postmenopausal volunteers were recruited and randomized to a dietary intervention or a control group. Dietary intervention included a program of food education and biweekly common meals for 18 weeks. When the intervention and control groups were compared, it was seen that dietary intervention resulted in a significant reduction of saturated fatty acids (-1.5%) and a significant increase in (n-3) fatty acids (+20.6%), in particular docosahexaenoic acid (+24.8%). We observed that arachidonic acid decreased (-7.7%), while (n-6) fatty acids did not, and the (n-3)/(n-6) polyunsaturated ratio increased significantly (+24.1%). As expected, ROMs decreased significantly in the intervention group (-6%). The results indicated that a plant-based diet can improve the serum fatty acid profile and decrease ROMs production. These results suggest that a plant-based diet may reduce the body's exposure to oxidative stress.     

Low frequency ultrasound induces aggregation of porcine fumarase by free radicals production

Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl-free radicals determine a diffuse aggregation of porcine fumarase and a loss of its enzymatic activity. In this study, hydroxyl-free radicals were generated "in situ" by irradiation with ultrasound (US) at 38 kHz. The structural characteristics of aggregated fumarase were studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) and steady state fluorescence spectroscopy. Enzyme aggregation is caused by the formation of intermolecular disufide bridges, originated by the oxidation of cysteine residues, together with a diffuse increase in beta-turn in the protein's secondary structure. These conformational changes lead to a fibrous, amyloid-like aggregation which appears ordered and regular under TEM microscopy.