Influence of sulfate supply on selenium uptake dynamics and expression of sulfate/selenate transporters in selenium hyperaccumulator and nonhyperaccumulator Brassicaceae

Summary Stanleya pinnata not only hyperaccumulates selenium (Se) to 0.5% of its dry weight, but also exhibits higher tissue Se‐to‐sulfur (S) ratios than other species and its surroundings. To investigate the mechanisms underlying this Se enrichment, we compared S. pinnata with the nonhyperaccumulators S. elata and Brassica juncea for selenate uptake in long‐ (9 d) and short‐term (1 h) assays, using different concentrations of selenate and competitor sulfate. Different sulfate pre‐treatments (0, 0.5, 5 mM, 3 d) were also tested for effects on selenate uptake and sulfate transporters' expression. Relative to nonhyperaccumulators, S. pinnata showed higher rates of root and shoot Se accumulation and less competitive inhibition by sulfate or by high‐S pretreatment. The selenate uptake rate for S. pinnata (1 h) was three‐ to four‐fold higher than for nonhyperaccumulators, and not significantly affected by 100‐fold excess sulfate, which reduced selenate uptake by 100% in S. elata and 40% in B. juncea. Real‐time reverse transcription PCR indicated constitutive upregulation in S. pinnata of sulfate transporters SULTR1;2 (root influx) and SULTR2;1 (translocation), but reduced SULTR1;1 expression (root influx). In S. pinnata, selenate uptake and translocation rates are constitutively elevated and relatively sulfate‐independent. Underlying mechanisms likely include overexpression of SULTR1;2 and SULTR2;1, which may additionally have evolved enhanced specificity for selenate over sulfate

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Abstracts from the 20th International Symposium on Signal Transduction at the Blood-Brain Barriers

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138963/1/12987_2017_Article_71.pd

Exploring the Potential Enhancing Effects of Trans-Zeatin and Silymarin on the Productivity and Antioxidant Defense Capacity of Cadmium-Stressed Wheat

Pot trials were performed to explore the impacts of seed priming (SPr) plus leaf treatment (LTr) with trans-zeatin-type cytokinin (tZck; 0.05 mM) and silymarin (Sim; 0.5 mM) on growth, yield, physio-biochemical responses, and antioxidant defense systems in Cd-stressed wheat. tZck + Sim applied as SPr + LTr was more effective than individual treatments, and the impacts were more pronounced under stress conditions. Cd stress (0.6 mM) severely declined growth and yield traits, and photosynthesis efficiency (pigment contents, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, and photochemical activity) compared to the control. These negative impacts coincided with increased levels of Cd2+, O2•− (superoxide), H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide), MDA (malondialdehyde), and EL (electrolyte leakage). Non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant activities, and tZck and Sim contents were also increased. However, tZck + Sim increased photosynthesis efficiency, and further boosted antioxidant activities, and contents of tZck and Sim, while minimizing Cd2+ levels in roots, leaves, and grains. The levels of O2•−, H2O2, MDA, and EL were also minimized, reflecting positively on growth and productivity. tZck + Sim applied as SPr + LTr was highly effective in promoting antioxidants and photosynthesis machineries, minimizing oxidative stress biomarkers and Cd2+ levels, boosting tolerance to Cd stress, and improving wheat productivity under Cd stress

The Efficacies of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Chitosan Nanoparticles in Preserving the Postharvest Quality of Damask Rose and Their Underlying Biochemical and Physiological Mechanisms

Preserving the flower shelf life of damask rose is a crucial matter in promoting its economic viability. Chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) may potentially decrease the postharvest loss of several horticultural commodities, but no findings on damask rose have been published. Therefore, the aim of this research was to study the effect of 1-MCP (400 mg m−3) and either the pre- or postharvest application of CSNPs (1%) on maintaining the quality of damask rose flowers during storage at 4 or 20 °C. The shelf life of damask rose has been significantly extended, along with a reduction in weight loss due to 1-MCP, CSNPs and pre-CSNP treatments. 1-MCP or CSNP applications have resulted in a higher relative water content, volatile oil, total anthocyanins, total carotenoids, total phenolics and antioxidant activity. Ethylene evolution, H2O2 generation and malondialdehyde content were significantly decreased due to 1-MCP or CSNPs treatment, and hence, the cell membrane functions have been maintained. The 1-MCP or CSNP-treated flowers have shown higher activities of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase and lower activities of polyphenol oxidase and lipoxygenase in comparison to untreated flowers. Our results showed that the postharvest application of 1-MCP or CSNPs is a very promising method to maintain the postharvest quality of damask rose during storage

Induction of Catharanthus roseus Secondary Metabolites When Calotropis procera Was Used as Bio-Stimulant

Available information associated with Calotropis procera posted its phytotoxic effect as bio-herbicide scarce works studied its stimulatory/nutritive effect. A pot experiment was performed to assess the validity of using Calotropis procera (C. procera) leaves extract as a bio-stimulant for the growth and quality of a medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) evaluated by some physio-biochemical indices. Different types of C. procera leaves extracts (CLEs) (methanolic, cold water and autoclaved water extracts) were delivered by two different modes of application. The results revealed that application of CLEs as irrigation or foliar spraying caused a stimulation effect on C. roseus plant. Root and shoot length, dry and fresh weight were significantly improved due to CLEs applications. C. roseus bioactive molecules such as anthocyanins, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione and α-tocopherol were abundance increased significantly with CLEs applications. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) decreased explaining the involvement of CLEs in induction of antioxidant enzymes catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase for modifying cell oxidative status witnessed by lower lipid peroxidation that kept below the untreated plants’ baseline reflected the improvement of growth and quality rather than phytotoxic effect. The promotion of wholesome-promoting secondary metabolites by CLEs was closely correlated to elevated phenylalanineammonialyase activity. The comparable efficient effect induced by all treatments might be judged by the relation between C. procera phytochemicals and C. roseus metabolism (donor-receiver relation). It is concluded that application of CLEs can be a promising approach for improving the yield and quality of plants despite using polluting fertilizers. The current investigation may provide a matrix for coming studies to seek illustration of numerous plants’ response to C. procera extracts

Organic Amendment and Mulching Enhanced the Growth and Fruit Quality of Squash Plants (Cucurbita pepo L.) Grown on Silty Loam Soils

Adoption of suitable organic fertilizers and soil mulching are useful tools to enhance soil quality, which will inevitably lead to improved growth and yield of crops. Little is known about the soil organic amendments and Azolla (Azolla pinnata) under soil organic mulching on the growth and yield of squash plant (Cucurbita pepo L.). A comparative study mainly focused on the impacts of organic fertilizer treatments on soil fertility and squash growth under wheat straw mulch was conducted on wooden boxes filled with silty loam soil. Wheat straw, as an organic mulch, and five organic-fertilization treatments were added to the soil. Wheat straw with a size of <2 cm was added to the soil surface with a 2 cm thickness. The fertilization treatments were: control (CO), chemical fertilizer (CF), compost (CT), vermicompost (VC), and dry Azolla (DA). Wheat straw mulch had positive effects on the soil properties, growth, and yield. The maximum fruit yield was obtained from the soil fertilized with DA under wheat straw mulch, while the lowest one was found in the control without mulching. Azolla and organic fertilizers showed a remarkable superiority over the mineral fertilization in increasing the soil fertility as well as the growth and quality of squash fruits; this superiority increased under the wheat straw mulching system. The application of recommended mineral fertilization (CF), compost (CT), vermicompost (VC), and dry Azolla (DA) under wheat straw mulch increased the soil available-N by 2, 20, 12, and 29%, respectively, above the control (CO), while these organic fertilizers without mulching increased the soil available-N by 11, 32, 26, and 48%, respectively. The production of vegetable crops such as squash plants requires the addition of organic fertilizers and mulching to increase yield and quality of fruits

Corn Cob-Derived Biochar Improves the Growth of Saline-Irrigated Quinoa in Different Orders of Egyptian Soils

Biochar is one of the important recycling methods in sustainable development, as it ensures the transformation of agricultural wastes into fertilizers and conditioners that improve soil properties and fertility. In the current study, corn cob-derived biochar (CB) was used to reduce the negative effects of saline water on quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa cv. Utosaya Q37) grown on Aridisols and Entisols, which are the major soil groups of Egyptian soils. Quinoa plants were cultivated in pot experiment and were irrigated with saline water (EC = 10 dS m−1). The experiment contained three treatments, including control without any treatment, biochar at a rate of 1% (w/w) (BC1), and biochar at a rate of 3% (w/w) (BC3). The findings of the current study showed that BC treatments realized significant effects on soil salinity, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and plant availability and nutrients’ uptake in the two soils types. BC3 increased the SOM in Entisols and Aridisols by 23 and 44%; moreover, the dry biomass of quinoa plants was ameliorated by 81 and 41%, respectively, compared with the control. Addition of biochar to soil increased the nutrients’ use efficiencies by quinoa plants for the two studied Egyptian soils. Biochar addition caused significant increases in the use efficiency of nitrogen (NUF), phosphorus (PUE), and potassium (KUE) by quinoa plants. BC3 increased NUE, PUE, and KUS by 81, 81, and 80% for Entisols, while these increases were 40, 41, and 42% in the case of Aridisols. Based on the obtained results, the application of corn cob biochar improves the soil quality and alleviates the negative effects of saline irrigation on quinoa plants grown on Aridisols and Entisols Egyptian soils. Biochar can be used as a soil amendment in arid and semi-arid regions to reduce the salinity hazards

Compost Enhances Forage Yield and Quality of River Saltbush in Arid Conditions

High temperatures and water scarcity are among the main obstacles to producing fodder in arid regions. Saltbush shrubs are used for livestock in many arid regions, especially in saline conditions, due to their high salt tolerance. The produced forage materials under these saline conditions are often low in quantity and quality. This article presents field studies that were conducted for two growing seasons to evaluate the forage yield and quality of river saltbush (Atriplex amnicola Paul G. Wilson) as a function of compost application. The plants were cultivated in saline soil (15 dS m−1), and compost was added at four rates (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha−1). River saltbush plant produced 9.23−15.60 t ha−1 of stems and 4.25−7.20 t ha−1 of leaves yearly (over all the treatments). The crude protein (CP) ranged between 48−70 g kg−1 in the stems and between 160−240 g kg−1 in the leaves (over all the treatments). The forage yield, crude protein, dry matter, and mineral contents of the tested plant increased significantly (p −1 of compost reduced the Na+ concentrations in the leaves by 14, 16, and 19% (as means of two years) compared with the control. In the same trend, these rates reduced the oxalate concentrations in the leaves by 38, 30, and 29% (as means of two years) compared with the control. Our results show that compost application improves the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and catalase (CAT). Compost reduces the adverse impacts of soil salinity by improving the photosynthesis process and increasing the activity of antioxidant defense. Compost also enhances the growth of river saltbush plants cultivated in saline soils, thus, enhancing their value as animal feed. Halophyte plants can be used to utilize saline soils that are not suitable for traditional production. Compost addition is a good agricultural strategy to increase growth and reduce the negative effects of salts