Influence of boundary conditions and anthropogenic emission inventories on simulated O3 and PM2.5 concentrations over Lebanon

AbstractThis study investigates the influence of boundary conditions and anthropogenic emission inventories on the simulated O3 and PM2.5 concentrations over a middle-eastern country – Lebanon. The Polyphemus chemical transport model (CTM) is used over Lebanon to simulate O3 and PM2.5 concentrations. Comparisons to measurements at a sub-urban site of Beirut between 2 and 13 July 2011 show that O3 is largely over-estimated when concentrations from a large-scale model are used as boundary conditions, as used in Waked et al. (2013). A global anthropogenic emission inventory (EDGAR-HTAP) is used with Polyphemus, in order to provide anthropogenic emissions for the Middle-East domain. Over Lebanon, sensitivity to emissions and to boundary conditions have been investigated. The comparison of EDGAR-HTAP to Waked et al. (2012) over Lebanon highlights high discrepancies between the inventories both in terms of emission estimates and spatial distribution. However, when studying the sensitivity to boundary conditions, O3 is well modeled when a Middle-East domain and the Lebanon domain are nested and thus achieves better statistics. The observed concentration is 48.8 μg m−3 and the respective concentrations for the simulation using MOZART4 and the one using the Polyphemus/Middle-East are 154.8 and 65.1 μg m−3. As for PM2.5 which is less sensitive to regional transport than O3, the influence of the boundary conditions on the PM2.5 concentrations at the site of comparison is low. The observed concentration is 20.7 μg m−3, while the modeled concentrations are 20.7 and 20.1 μg m−3 respectively

Expression of the Aeluropus littoralis AlSAP gene enhances rice yield under field drought at the reproductive stage

We evaluated the yields of Oryza sativa L. 'Nipponbare' rice lines expressing a gene encoding an A20/AN1 domain stress-associated protein, AlSAP, from the halophyte grass Aeluropus littoralis under the control of different promoters. Three independent field trials were conducted, with drought imposed at the reproductive stage. In all trials, the two transgenic lines, RN5 and RN6, consistently out-performed non-transgenic (NT) and wild-type (WT) controls, providing 50–90% increases in grain yield (GY). Enhancement of tillering and panicle fertility contributed to this improved GY under drought. In contrast with physiological records collected during previous greenhouse dry-down experiments, where drought was imposed at the early tillering stage, we did not observe significant differences in photosynthetic parameters, leaf water potential, or accumulation of antioxidants in flag leaves of AlSAP-lines subjected to drought at flowering. However, AlSAP expression alleviated leaf rolling and leaf drying induced by drought, resulting in increased accumulation of green biomass. Therefore, the observed enhanced performance of the AlSAP-lines subjected to drought at the reproductive stage can be tentatively ascribed to a primed status of the transgenic plants, resulting from a higher accumulation of biomass during vegetative growth, allowing reserve remobilization and maintenance of productive tillering and grain filling. Under irrigated conditions, the overall performance of AlSAP-lines was comparable with, or even significantly better than, the NT and WT controls. Thus, AlSAP expression inflicted no penalty on rice yields under optimal growth conditions. Our results support the use of AlSAP transgenics to reduce rice GY losses under drought conditions. (Résumé d'auteur

Pengukuran Tingkat Radioaktivitas 210pb dan 40k pada Tembakau Rokok Serta Estimasi Dosis Efektif yang Diterima dari Merokok

The radioactivity in tobacco leaves assessment collected from 14 popular brand in Indonesia. Cigarette was studied in order to find activity concentration of 210Pb and 40K in a cigarette sample, and the effective dose induced to smokers from cigarette tobacco due to the naturally occurring radionuclides, such as 210Pb and 40K. It was concluded that the activity consentration of radioisotope 210Pb varied from 2,22 Bq/kgto 5,56 Bq/kg with average 3,968 ± 1.042 Bq/kg, 210Pb originated from the air and was deposited onto the tobacco leaves and trapped by trichomes, while for 40K from 8,89 Bq/kgto 15,56Bq/kg with average11,75 ± 1,782 Bq/kg.40K in the tobacco leaves was due to root uptake either from soil or fertilizer. The annual effective dose do to inhalation for adults smokers for 210Pb from 16,47 µSv/year to 41,18 µSv/year with average 29,42 ± 7,772 µSv/year. This dose must be compared with the average worldwide exposure to natural radiation source 2,4 mSv/year and especially the part due to inhalation which is 1,26 mSv/year

Using energy to go downhill—a genoprotective role for ATPase activity in DNA topoisomerase II

Type II topoisomerases effect topological changes in DNA by cutting a single duplex, passing a second duplex through the break, and resealing the broken strand in an ATP-coupled reaction cycle. Curiously, most type II topoisomerases (topos II, IV and VI) catalyze DNA transformations that are energetically favorable, such as the removal of superhelical strain; why ATP is required for such reactions is unknown. Here, using human topoisomerase IIβ (hTOP2β) as a model, we show that the ATPase domains of the enzyme are not required for DNA strand passage, but that their loss elevates the enzyme's propensity for DNA damage. The unstructured C-terminal domains (CTDs) of hTOP2β strongly potentiate strand passage activity in ATPase-less enzymes, as do cleavage-prone mutations that confer hypersensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide. The presence of either the CTD or the mutations lead ATPase-less enzymes to promote even greater levels of DNA cleavage in vitro, as well as in vivo. By contrast, aberrant cleavage phenotypes of these topo II variants is significantly repressed when the ATPase domains are present. Our findings are consistent with the proposal that type II topoisomerases acquired ATPase function to maintain high levels of catalytic activity while minimizing inappropriate DNA damage

Alterations of metabolic activity in human osteoarthritic osteoblasts by lipid peroxidation end product 4-hydroxynonenal

4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE), a lipid peroxidation end product, is produced abundantly in osteoarthritic (OA) articular tissues, but its role in bone metabolism is ill-defined. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that alterations in OA osteoblast metabolism are attributed, in part, to increased levels of HNE. Our data showed that HNE/protein adduct levels were higher in OA osteoblasts compared to normal and when OA osteoblasts were treated with H(2)O(2). Investigating osteoblast markers, we found that HNE increased osteocalcin and type I collagen synthesis but inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity. We next examined the effects of HNE on the signaling pathways controlling cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression in view of their putative role in OA pathophysiology. HNE dose-dependently decreased basal and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced IL-6 expression while inducing COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E(2 )(PGE(2)) release. In a similar pattern, HNE induces changes in osteoblast markers as well as PGE(2 )and IL-6 release in normal osteoblasts. Upon examination of signaling pathways involved in PGE(2 )and IL-6 production, we found that HNE-induced PGE(2 )release was abrogated by SB202190, a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor. Overexpression of p38 MAPK enhanced HNE-induced PGE(2 )release. In this connection, HNE markedly increased the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, JNK2, and transcription factors (CREB-1, ATF-2) with a concomitant increase in the DNA-binding activity of CRE/ATF. Transfection experiments with a human COX-2 promoter construct revealed that the CRE element (-58/-53 bp) was essential for HNE-induced COX-2 promoter activity. However, HNE inhibited the phosphorylation of IκBα and subsequently the DNA-binding activity of nuclear factor-κB. Overexpression of IKKα increased TNF-α-induced IL-6 production. This induction was inhibited when TNF-α was combined with HNE. These findings suggest that HNE may exert multiple effects on human OA osteoblasts by selective activation of signal transduction pathways and alteration of osteoblastic phenotype expression and pro-inflammatory mediator production

First Trimester Prediction of Uteroplacental Disease- Results of the Prospective Handle Study

To assess the ability of non-invasive cardiac output monitoring (NICOM), a novel method of non-invasive maternal hemodynamic assessment using bioreactance, in combination with first trimester biomarkers to predict the evolution of gestational hypertension (GH), pre-eclampsia (PE) and normotensive fetal growth restriction (FGR)