Integrated Evaluation of Vegetation Drought Stress through Satellite Remote Sensing

In the coming decades, Bulgaria is expected to be affected by higher air temperatures and decreased precipitation, which will significantly increase the risk of droughts, forest ecosystem degradation and loss of ecosystem services (ES). Drought in terrestrial ecosystems is characterized by reduced water storage in soil and vegetation, affecting the function of landscapes and the ES they provide. An interdisciplinary assessment is required for an accurate evaluation of drought impact. In this study, we introduce an innovative, experimental methodology, incorporating remote sensing methods and a system approach to evaluate vegetation drought stress in complex systems (landscapes and ecosystems) which are influenced by various factors. The elevation and land cover type are key climate-forming factors which significantly impact the ecosystem’s and vegetation’s response to drought. Their influence cannot be sufficiently gauged by a traditional remote sensing-based drought index. Therefore, based on differences between the spectral reflectance of the individual natural land cover types, in a near-optimal vegetation state and divided by elevation, we assigned coefficients for normalization. The coefficients for normalization by elevation and land cover type were introduced in order to facilitate the comparison of the drought stress effect on the ecosystems throughout a heterogeneous territory. The obtained drought coefficient (DC) shows patterns of temporal, spatial, and interspecific differences on the response of vegetation to drought stress. The accuracy of the methodology is examined by field measurements of spectral reflectance, statistical analysis and validation methods using spectral reflectance profiles

Computer vision syndrome in the nurse`s daily activities

Новите технологии наложиха ежедневна работа с компютър във всички сфери на производството, услугите и образованието. Компютърният зрителен синдром (КЗС) представлява комплекс от негативни усещания и включва намаляване на броя на премигванията и понижена слъзна секреция.Компютърната грамотност е част от квалификационната характеристика на медицинската сестра, a работата пред монитор е ежедневие в сестринската практика. Това довежда до често срещани оплаквания: сълзене на очите, парене, усещане за „пясък в очите`, зрителна умора, главоболие. За появата на тези симптоми в голяма степен допринасят и постоянното префокусиране на погледа от клавиатурата върху екрана или печатни документи.Целта на настоящото проучване е да се установи степента на информираност относно очното здраве и профилактичната дейност на медицинските сестри, свързани с КЗС.Материали и методи: В периода 13-20.06.2016 г. е проучено мнението на 40 студенти първокурсници от специалности „Медицинска сестра` и „Акушерка`, обучаващи се в МУ-Варна, Филиал Велико Търново, и 30 медицински сестри от МОБАЛ „Д-р Стефан Черкезов` АД, гр. Велико Търново.Проведена бе анкета с 15 въпроса, от които 14 затворени и 1 отворен. Проучването бе анонимно.Резултатите сочат, че работата с компютър е съществена част от ежедневието на анкетираните. Разнообразните субективни симптоми, които се установиха, са резултат от неспазването на нормите за хигиена при работа с компютър. 49% от анкетираните не са информирани за нормите на хигиена, 39% ги познават и едва 20% - отчасти.Изводи: Необходимо е медицинските сестри да са запознати с „компютърния зрителен синдром`, за да могат да извършват ефективни дейности по превенция и профилактика на очните заболявания и обучение на пациенти в тази насока.New technologies have imposed the use of computers in all spheres of production, services and education on a daily basis. Computer vision syndrome is a complex of negative sensations and includes decreased blinking rate and tear production.Computer literacy is a necessary qualification in the nurse profession and the work before a computer screen is an everyday activity. It results in frequent complaints, such as watery eyes, burning eyes, sandy feeling in the eye, eye fatigue and headaches. A constant gaze shift from the keyboard to the screen or any printed material aggravates such symptoms. The purpose of the current survey is to evaluate the level of information about eye health and prophylactic activities of nurses related to CVS.Materials and Methods: The opinions of 40 firstyear students from the Nurse and Midwife programs of the Medical University of Varna at its Veliko Tarnovo Affiliate, and 30 nurses from the Regional Hospital Dr Stefan Cherkezov (MOBAL), Veliko Tarnovo, were surveyed in the period 13-20 June, 2016. They were asked 15 questions, 14 of which were closed-ended questions and one was open-ended. The survey was anonymous.The results show that the work done on a computer is an essential part of the surveyed people`s everyday routine. The different personal symptoms that were identified are the result of breaking the norms of hygiene in working on a computer. Of the surveyed, 49% are clueless about the hygienic norms; 39% are familiar with them and only 20% of the people are partially familiar.Conclusions: It is necessary for nurses to know about the computer vision syndrome so that they can work effectively towards prevention and prophylaxis of eye diseases and training patients in this direction

An Assessment of Two Types of Industrially Produced Municipal Green Waste Compost by Quality Control Indices

Municipal green waste (MGW) has significantly increased with the development of urban green areas, and its utilization by composting is a good alternative to solve the problem. This paper presents the results from the quality assessment of two industrial composts (from the composting facility of a regional nonhazardous waste landfill) based on their physicochemical properties, hygienic safety (microbiological parameters), fertilizing potential (by fertilizing index, FI) and heavy metal polluting potential (by clean index, CI). Compost 1 (C1) was made from MGW (100%) and Compost 2 (C2) was made from MGW (75%) and discarded green peppers (25%). The evaluation of physicochemical parameters was conducted according to Bulgarian Standards (BDS) methods and microbiological analysis using selective, chromogenic detection systems. It was found that the EC, P, K, Mg, Cu, Cr and Ni were lower for C1 (p p E. coli were very low for both composts; presence of Salmonella was not detected. The estimated quality indexes (FI and CI) classified C1 as Class B compost (very-good-quality compost with medium fertilizing potential) and C2 as Class A compost (best-quality compost with high soil fertility potential and low heavy metal content). The C1 and C2 composts meet the requirements of EU and Bulgarian legislation and can be used as soil fertilizers

Inducible expression of (pp)pGpp synthetases in Staphylococcus aureus is associated with activation of stress response genes

The stringent response is characterized by the synthesis of the messenger molecules pppGpp, ppGpp or pGpp (here collectively designated (pp)pGpp). The phenotypic consequences resulting from (pp)pGpp accumulation vary among species and can be mediated by different underlying mechanisms. Most genome-wide analyses have been performed under stress conditions, which often mask the immediate effects of (pp)pGpp-mediated regulatory circuits. In Staphylococcus aureus, (pp)pGpp can be synthesized via the RelA-SpoT-homolog, RelSau upon amino acid limitation or via one of the two small (pp)pGpp synthetases RelP or RelQ upon cell wall stress. We used RNA-Seq to compare the global effects in response to induction of the synthetase of rel-Syn (coding for the enzymatic region of RelSau) or relQ without the need to apply additional stress conditions. Induction of rel-Syn resulted in changes in the nucleotide pool similar to induction of the stringent response via the tRNA synthetase inhibitor mupirocin: a reduction in the GTP pool, an increase in the ATP pool and synthesis of pppGpp, ppGpp and pGpp. Induction of all three enzymes resulted in similar changes in the transcriptome. However, RelQ was less active than Rel-Syn and RelP, indicating strong restriction of its (pp)pGpp-synthesis activity in vivo. (pp)pGpp induction resulted in the downregulation of many genes involved in protein and RNA/DNA metabolism. Many of the (pp)pGpp upregulated genes are part of the GTP sensitive CodY regulon and thus likely regulated through lowering of the GTP pool. New CodY independent transcriptional changes were detected including genes involved in the SOS response, iron storage (e.g. ftnA, dps), oxidative stress response (e.g., perR, katA, sodA) and the psmα1-4 and psmß1-2 operons coding for cytotoxic, phenol soluble modulins (PSMs). Analyses of the ftnA, dps and psm genes in different regulatory mutants revealed that their (pp)pGpp-dependent regulation can occur independent of the regulators PerR, Fur, SarA or CodY. Moreover, psm expression is uncoupled from expression of the quorum sensing system Agr, the main known psm activator. The expression of central genes of the oxidative stress response protects the bacteria from anticipated ROS stress derived from PSMs or exogenous sources. Thus, we identified a new link between the stringent response and oxidative stress in S. aureus that is likely crucial for survival upon phagocytosis

Phytochemical and biological investigations on Centranthus kellereri (Stoj., Stef. & T. Georgiev) Stoj. & Stef. and C. ruber (L.) DC. and their potential as new medicinal and ornamental plants.

IntroductionCentranthus kellereri is a Bulgarian endemic plant species, found only in two locations in the world: The Balkans Mountains (Stara Planina), above the town of Vratsa, and The Pirin Mountains, above the town of Bansko, Bulgaria. Being endemic and endangered species precluded any significant research on it. The hypothesis of this study was that the populations of C. kellereri may represent genetically, phytochemically, and morphologically distinct forms and these will differentiate from C. ruber. Furthermore, C. kellereri possibly imperfect embryology may preclude its more widespread distribution under natural conditions.ResultsThis study revealed the phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, embryology, surface microstructural morphological traits, and genetic differences between the C. kellereri plants from the only two natural populations and compares them to the ones of the related and better-known plant C. ruber. The essential oil (EO) content in aboveground plant parts and in roots was generally low and the EO composition varied significantly as a function of plant part, year of sampling, location, and species. Methylvaleric acid was a major EO constituent in the C. kellereri EO, ranging between 60.2% and 71.7% of the total EO. The EO included monoterpenes, sequiterpenes, long-chain alkanes and fatty acids. Phytochemical analyses of plant tissue revealed the occurrence of 32 compounds that were tentatively identified as 6 simple phenolics, 18 flavonoids, 1 quinone, 1 lipid, 1 alkaloid, 2 diterpenes, and 3 triterpenes. There were differences in detected compounds between the C. kellereri plants at the two locations and between the roots and shoots in both species. The total phenols and flavonoids varied between the two species but were also dissimilar between the plants from the two populations of C. kelleri. Free radical scavenging activity, measured with ABTS and DPPH in aqueous and methanol extracts, had similar values; however, overall, C. kellereri from Vratsa showed the highest antioxidant activity while C. ruber had the lowest activity. Genetic analyses showed a clear differentiation between C. kellereri and C. ruber, and between the two populations of C. kellereri. Embryological studies revealed the peculiarities of the male and female generative spheres of the two species that were defined as being sexually reproducing. The pollen had high viability; however, the low viability of seeds demonstrated possible high sensitivity of C. kellereri to the environmental conditions, perhaps the main factor modifying and restricting the population sizes. The SEM analyses exposed differences in surface microstructural traits between the species (C. kellereri and C. ruber) but also between the two populations of C. kellereri. The observed dissimilarities in genetic makeup, micromorphological characteristics, and phytochemical composition strongly indicate that the two populations can be classified as distinct subspecies or varieties of C. kellereri; var. pirinensis and var. balkanensis. Further research is needed to introduce C. kellereri into culture and develop it as a high-value specialty crop or ornamental in order to conserve C. kellereri natural populations. C. kellereri may be utilized as a source for phytochemicals of interest and as an ornamental plant like C. ruber; however, it may have a greater environmental plasticity and adaptation as evidenced by its current locations

Split chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase assay reveals self-ubiquitylation-dependent regulation of UBE3B

Split reporter protein-based genetic section systems are widely used to identify and characterize protein-protein interactions (PPI). Assembly of split markers that antagonize toxins, rather than required for synthesis of missing essential metabolites, facilitate the seeding of high density of cells and selective growth. Here we present adeveloped split chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (split-CAT) -based genetic selection system. The N-terminus fragment of CAT is fused downstream of the protein of interest and the C-terminus fragment is tethered upstream of a postulated protein partner. We demonstrate the system's advantages for the study of PPIs. Moreover, we show that co-expression of a functional ubiquitylation cascade where the target and ubiquitin are tethered to the split-CAT fragments results in ubiquitylation-dependent growth on selective media. The fact that proteins do not have to be purified from bacteria and the high sensitivity of the split-CAT reporter, enable the detection of challenging protein cascades and post-translation modifications. In addition, we demonstrate that the split- CAT system responds to small molecule inhibitors and molecular glues (GLUTACs). The absence of ubiquitylation-dependent degradation and deubiquitylation in E. coli significantly simplify the interpretation of the results. We demonstrate that the spit-CAT system provides a readout for the known self-ubiquitylation-dependent inactivation of NEDD4. Subsequently, we harnessed the system to explore if UBE3B, a HECT ligase not belonging to the Nedd4 subfamily, is also regulated by self-ubiquitylation. We found that self-ubiquitylation of UBE3B at residue K665 inactivates the enzyme in the E. coli system and in mammalian cells due to its oligomerization

The Role of Agriculture in Central and Eastern European Rural Development: Engine of Change or Social Buffer?

Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Farm Management, Food Security and Poverty, International Development, Labor and Human Capital,