Yield and seed quality of two N<Subscript>2</Subscript>-fixing common bean cultivars grown on calcareous soil

Legume seeds such as common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are of major importance for human nutrition in the Mediterranean region, owing to their high protein and iron contents. Iron deficiency is a major agricultural issue limiting crop yields, especially on calcareous soils which represent more than 30% of the world’s land surface. In the present study, we compared the effect of iron deficiency on the yield and the seed quality of two common bean cultivars, contrasting in their tolerance ability to iron deficiency. Seedlings were inoculated with an efficient strain of Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899 and were grown on either non-calcareous or calcareous soil. Seed and pod numbers, seed weight and quality were evaluated. On the calcareous soil, iron deficiency decreased the plant yield, reduced the weight and the number of seeds and impaired the seed quality as expressed by seed mineral composition, protein and soluble sugar contents. The tolerant cultivar, Flamingo, grew better and produced seeds with higher protein and mineral contents than the sensitive cultivar, Coco blanc.     

A multitechnique approach to probe the interaction of a therapeutic tyrosine kinase inhibitor nintedanib and bovine serum albumin

Drug and protein interaction provides a structural guideline in the rational drug designing and in the synthesis of new and improved drugs with greater efficacy. We have examined here the interaction tendency and mechanism of nintedanib (NTB), an anticancer drug (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) with bovine serum albumin (BSA), by spectroscopic techniques. The decline in Stern–Volmer quenching constants and binding constant with the temperature rise suggests that BSA forms a complex with NTB. Binding constant obtained by modified Stern–Volmer equation at 3 temperatures was realized to be of the order of ~10⁴?M^?1. Negative ΔG (~?5.93?kcal?mol^?1), ΔH (?3.74?kcal?mol^?1), and ΔS (?1.50?kcal?mol^?1) values exhibited a spontaneous and exothermic reaction between BSA and NTB. NTB molecule interacts with BSA by forming hydrogen bonds, as elucidated by fluorescence results. Moreover, a minor increment in the helical conformation of BSA upon its binding to NTB was observed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The modification in protein’s symmetry and a decline in hydrodynamic radii were observed in the presence of NTB (from ~3.6 to ~3?nm) as obtained by the dynamic light scattering measurement results.     

Dopaminergic neurons in the brain and dopaminergic innervation of the albumen gland in mated and virgin helisoma duryi (mollusca: pulmonata)

Background

Dopamine was shown to stimulate the perivitelline fluid secretion by the albumen gland. Even though the albumen gland has been shown to contain catecholaminergic fibers and its innervation has been studied, the type of catecholamines, distribution of fibers and the precise source of this neural innervation has not yet been deduced. This study was designed to address these issues and examine the correlation between dopamine concentration and the sexual status of snails.

Results

Dopaminergic neurons were found in all ganglia except the pleural and right parietal, and their axons in all ganglia and major nerves of the brain. In the albumen gland dopaminergic axons formed a nerve tract in the central region, and a uniform net in other areas. Neuronal cell bodies were present in the vicinity of the axons. Dopamine was a major catecholamine in the brain and the albumen gland. No significant difference in dopamine quantity was found when the brain and the albumen gland of randomly mating, virgin and first time mated snails were compared.

Conclusions

Our results represent the first detailed studies regarding the catecholamine innervation and quantitation of neurotransmitters in the albumen gland. In this study we localized catecholaminergic neurons and axons in the albumen gland and the brain, identified these neurons and axons as dopaminergic, reported monoamines present in the albumen gland and the brain, and compared the dopamine content in the brain and the albumen gland of randomly mating, virgin and first time mated snails.     

A new approach for immobilization of oligonucleotides onto piezoelectric quartz crystal for preparation of a nucleic acid sensor for following hybridization

The aim of this study is to develop a nucleic acid sensor based on piezoelectric crystal microbalance system (QCM) for following hybridization. Piezoelectric quartz crystal surfaces were first treated in a glow-discharge apparatus with ethylene diamine (EDA) plasma at 15 W (discharge power), 2.5 min (incubation time) and 35 ml/min (monomer flow rate) to create amino groups on the crystal surfaces. The thickness of the EDA-plasma film formed was about 43+/-24 A. Then, the amino groups on the crystal surfaces were converted to aldehyde groups by reacting the amino groups with glutaraldehyde (GA) at different conditions. A GA concentration of 2.5% and an incubation time of 2 h were selected as optimal values at this step, corresponding to a GA surface concentration of about 270 ng/cm2. A double strand Oligonucleotides, having one extra base on 5'-end of one of the complementary strands, were immobilized through the amino groups of this base onto the GA-modified crystals. Optimal immobilization conditions were as follows: oligonucleotide concentration: 1 microg/ml; time: 3 h; pH: 9.2 carbonate buffer; ionic strength: 0.1; and temperature: 20 degrees C. The QCM sensor carrying the covalently bound strand was used in the hybridization experiments, which showed that equilibrium is achieved in about 5 min, and the frequency shift measured is related to the concentration of the target strand to be measured within the medium.     

Investigation of complexation of immobilized metallothionein with Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions using piezoelectric crystals

The aim of this study is to investigate complexation of metallothionein (MT) with cadmium and zinc ions. An oligopeptide (i.e. Lys-Cys-Thr-Cys-Cys-Ala), a fragment of MT was covalently immobilized onto piezoelectric crystals, which were first treated with ethylene diamine plasma in a glow-discharge apparatus, and then were chemically reacted with glutaraldehyde. Complexation of the immobilized MT with Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions in aqueous media was followed by recording the changes of the frequency shifts of the piezoelectric quartz crystals. The amount of Cd(II) ions interacted with the immobilized MT molecules was the highest at pH 7.4, and decreased with an increase in the pH of the medium, in parallel to the decrease in the amount of immobilized MT. The number of Zn(II) ions interacted with the immobilized MT molecules was higher than the number of Cd(II) ions when the adsorption was from solutions containing a single-metal ion with the same ion concentrations. In consecutive adsorption studies, we observed that the type of metal ions used in the first interaction is important. These experiments showed also that there is an exchange between the metal ions, and competition provokes adsorption of both ions due to synergistic-antagonistic effects.     

NCF2, MYO1F,S1PR4, and FCN1 as potential noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers in patients with obstructive coronary artery: A weighted gene co-expression network analysis

This study aims to explore the predictive noninvasive biomarker for obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). By using the data set GSE90074, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and protein–protein interactive network, construction of differentially expressed genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was conducted to identify the most significant gene clusters associated with obstructive CAD. Univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses and receiver operating characteristic analysis were used to predicate the diagnostic accuracy of biomarker candidates in the detection of obstructive CAD. Furthermore, functional prediction of candidate gene biomarkers was further confirmed in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients or stable CAD patients by using the datasets of GSE62646 and GSE59867. We found that the blue module discriminated by WGCNA contained 13 hub-genes that could be independent risk factors for obstructive CAD (P < .05). Among these 13 hub-genes, a four-gene signature including neutrophil cytosol factor 2 (NCF2, P = .025), myosin-If (MYO1F, P = .001), sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 4 (S1PR4, P = .015), and ficolin-1 (FCN1, P = .012) alone or combined with two risk factors (male sex and hyperlipidemia) may represent potential diagnostic biomarkers in obstructive CAD. Furthermore, the messenger RNA levels of NCF2, MYO1F, S1PR4, and FCN1 were higher in STEMI patients than that in stable CAD patients, although S1PR4 showed no statistical difference (P > .05). This four-gene signature could also act as a prognostic biomarker to discriminate STEMI patients from stable CAD patients. These findings suggest a four-gene signature (NCF2, MYO1F, S1PR4, and FCN1) alone or combined with two risk factors (male sex and hyperlipidemia) as a promising prognostic biomarker in the diagnosis of STEMI. Well-designed cohort studies should be implemented to warrant the diagnostic value of these genes in clinical purpose.     

Inflammatory response and genotoxicity of seven wood dusts in the human epithelial cell line A549

Exposure to wood dust is common in many workplaces. Epidemiological studies indicate that occupational exposure to hardwood dusts is more harmful than to softwood dusts. In this study, human epithelial cell line A549 was incubated with well-characterized dusts from six commonly used wood species and from medium density fibreboard (MDF), at concentrations between 10 and 300microg/ml. After 3 and 6h of incubation, genotoxicity was assessed by measurement of DNA damage with the single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay and inflammation was measured by the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA and by the amount of IL-8 protein. There was a 1.2-1.4-fold increase in DNA strand breaks after incubation with beech, teak, pine and MDF dusts compared with the levels in untreated cells, but after 6h only the increase induced by the MDF dust remained. Increased expression of cellular IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA was induced by all of the wood dusts at both times. Similar to IL-8 mRNA expression, the amounts of secreted IL-8 protein were elevated, except after incubation with oak dust, where a marginal reduction was seen. On the basis of the effects on IL-8 mRNA expression, the wood dusts could be divided into three groups, with teak dust being the most potent, MDF, birch, spruce and pine being intermediate, and beech and oak being the least potent. The induction of DNA strand breaks did not correlate well with the interleukin response. In conclusion, all wood dusts induced cytokine responses, and some dusts induced detectable DNA damage. The inflammatory potency seemed intermediate for dusts from the typical softwoods spruce and pine, whereas the dusts from species linked to cancer, beech and oak, were the least inflammatory. The variation of the effects induced by different wood dusts over time indicates that the DNA damage was not secondary to the cytokine response. Although hardwoods are often considered more harmful than softwoods by regulatory agencies, the current experiments do not provide evidence for a clear-cut distinction between toxicities of hardwood and softwood dust.     

Dilemma of Dilemmas: How Collective and Individual Perspectives Can Clarify the Size Dilemma in Voluntary Linear Public Goods Dilemmas

Empirical findings on public goods dilemmas indicate an unresolved dilemma: that increasing size—the number of people in the dilemma—sometimes increases, decreases, or does not influence cooperation. We clarify this dilemma by first classifying public goods dilemma properties that specify individual outcomes as individual properties (e.g., Marginal Per Capita Return) and group outcomes as group properties (e.g., public good multiplier), mathematically showing how only one set of properties can remain constant as the dilemma size increases. Underpinning decision-making regarding individual and group properties, we propose that individuals are motivated by both individual and group preferences based on a theory of collective rationality. We use Van Lange''s integrated model of social value orientations to operationalize these preferences as an amalgamation of outcomes for self, outcomes for others, and equality of outcomes. Based on this model, we then predict how the public good''s benefit and size, combined with controlling individual versus group properties, produce different levels of cooperation in public goods dilemmas. A two (low vs. high benefit) by three (2-person baseline vs. 5-person holding constant individual properties vs. 5-person holding constant group properties) factorial experiment (group n = 99; participant n = 390) confirms our hypotheses. The results indicate that when holding constant group properties, size decreases cooperation. Yet when holding constant individual properties, size increases cooperation when benefit is low and does not affect cooperation when benefit is high. Using agent-based simulations of individual and group preferences vis-à-vis the integrative model, we fit a weighted simulation model to the empirical data. This fitted model is sufficient to reproduce the empirical results, but only when both individual (self-interest) and group (other-interest and equality) preference are included. Our research contributes to understanding how people''s motivations and behaviors within public goods dilemmas interact with the properties of the dilemma to lead to collective outcomes.     

Effects of bone marrow-derived cells on monocrotaline- and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice

Background

Bone marrow -derived cells (BMDCs) can either limit or contribute to the process of pulmonary vascular remodeling. Whether the difference in their effects depends on the mechanism of pulmonary hypertension (PH) remains unknown.

Objectives

We investigated the effect of BMDCs on PH induced in mice by either monocrotaline or exposure to chronic hypoxia.

Methods

Intravenous administration of the active monocrotaline metabolite (monocrotaline pyrrole, MCTp) to C57BL/6 mice induced PH within 15 days, due to remodeling of small distal vessels. Three days after the MCTp injection, the mice were injected with BMDCs harvested from femurs and tibias of donor mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (3.5 mg IP/animal) to deplete mature cells and to allow proliferation of progenitor cells.

Results

BMDCs significantly attenuated PH as assessed by reductions in right ventricular systolic pressure (20 ± 1 mmHg vs. 27 ± 1 mmHg, P ≤ 0.01), right ventricle weight/left ventricle+septum weight ratio (0.29 ± 0.02 vs. 0.36 ± 0.01, P ≤ 0.03), and percentage of muscularized vessels (26.4% vs. 33.5%, P ≤ 0.05), compared to control animals treated with irradiated BMDCs. Tracking cells from constitutive GFP-expressing male donor mice with anti-GFP antibodies or chromosome Y level measurement by quantitative real-time PCR showed BMDCs in the lung. In contrast, chronically hypoxic mice subjected to the same procedure failed to show improvement in PH.

Conclusion

These results show that BMDCs limit pulmonary vascular remodeling induced by vascular injury but not by hypoxia.