Cell membrane permeability and antioxidant activities in the rootstocks of Miscanthus x giganteus as an effect of cold and frost treatment

The aim of the study was to estimate the ability of Miscanthus x giganteus to acquire frost tolerance. Field grown rootstocks were transferred into pots and cultivated in a glasshouse at 20°C. After 5 weeks plants were pre-hardened at 12°C for a further 2 weeks and then hardened at 5°C for another 3 weeks. After this time, plants were frozen at -8°C or -15°C for 1, 3 or 5 days, after which their regrowth at 20°C was investigated. The membrane permeability (electrolyte leakage), activity of the catalase (CAT), non-specific peroxidase (PX), and protein content in stolons were measured, before and after pre-hardening, as well as after hardening and freezing. Both pre-hardening and hardening decreased membrane permeability of the rootstock cells, and this effect was observed further, after 5-week of regrowth at 20°C. Freezing at both temperatures increased ion leakage gradually over the period of treatment. On the basis of total ion content, damage to the cell membranes of frozen stolons after recovery was state. Prehardening increased CAT activity, while hardening did not alter it. However, after 5-week de-hardening, CAT activity decreased significantly. Freezing at -8°C for 5 days increased significantly the activity of this enzyme. At -15°C CAT activity was lower than in the control after only one day of freezing. PX activity decreased both in the rootstocks of cold (12°C and 5°C) and frost treated plants. Protein content increased significantly in the stolons of both pre-hardened and hardened plants, although not immediately after cold treatment, but only after a 5-week re-growth period in a glasshouse at 20°C. This phenomenon was observed also in the stolons of plants frozen at -15°C for 5 days. From frozen rootstocks no new stems in regrowth conditions were obtained. The results obtained indicated, that although frozen stolons cannot produce new shoots, they do demonstrate some metabolic vitality. So, it could be supposed that the frost susceptibility of studied plants resulted from the strong sensitivity of shoot apical meristems to the cold. Further studies will analyse the survival of Miscanthus in milder frost temperatures

Adverse effects of extra-articular corticosteroid injections: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To estimate the occurrence and type of adverse effects after application of an extra-articular (soft tissue) corticosteroid injection.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review of the literature was made based on a PubMed and Embase search covering the period 1956 to January 2010. Case reports were included, as were prospective and retrospective studies that reported adverse events of corticosteroid injection. All clinical trials which used extra-articular corticosteroid injections were examined. We divided the reported adverse events into major (defined as those needing intervention or not disappearing) and minor ones (transient, not requiring intervention).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The search yielded 87 relevant studies:44 case reports, 37 prospective studies and 6 retrospective studies. The major adverse events included osteomyelitis and protothecosis; one fatal necrotizing fasciitis; cellulitis and ecchymosis; tendon ruptures; atrophy of the plantar fat was described after injecting a neuroma; and local skin effects appeared as atrophy, hypopigmentation or as skin defect. The minor adverse events effects ranged from skin rash to flushing and disturbed menstrual pattern. Increased pain or steroid flare after injection was reported in 19 studies. After extra-articular injection, the incidence of major adverse events ranged from 0-5.8% and that of minor adverse events from 0-81%. It was not feasible to pool the risk for adverse effects due to heterogeneity of study populations and difference in interventions and variance in reporting.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this literature review it was difficult to accurately quantify the incidence of adverse effects after extra-articular corticosteroid injection. The reported adverse events were relatively mild, although one fatal reaction was reported.</p

A window to the sea: environmental indicators for coastal risk management under the RAIA observatory (NW-Iberian Peninsula)

ECSA 59 Using the best scientific knowledge for the sustainable management of estuaries and coastal seas, San Sebastian (Spain), 5th–8th September 2022The international RAIA Observatory (www.marnaraia.org) resulted from the effort of 12 research and academic institutions and public agencies (Spanish and Portuguese) working in the field of meteorology and oceanography. The RAIA Observatory serves the main maritime activities of the Galicia-Northern Portugal Euroregion and contributes to collaborative observational networks. Under the framework of coastal risk management, environmental indicators are fundamental tools for the evaluation and mitigation of environmental risks, showing the current state and helping to predict future changes on ecosystem health regarding environmental risks. In last years, the different partners of the RAIA Observatory have identified 38 environmental indicators, in which 12 key risks affecting the ecosystem services of the Galicia-Northern Portugal Euroregion are being evaluated. Data was analyzed and compiled by the various partners of the RAIA Observatory and the development and optimization of the environmental indicators has been done according to the specifications provided by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) and the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). The resulting environmental indicators are included and shared on a publicly-accessible Web service, georeferenced and accompanied by plots (https://marrisk.inesctec.pt/public/#!/indicators). So far, the current status of the indicators has allowed us to establish risk assessment protocols for the Euroregion, and identify critical gaps in a temporal and spatial coverage. The inclusion of the environmental indicators in the RAIA Observatory is of great relevance for national and international data exchange and promotes future collaborationsN

A window to the sea: environmental indicators for coastal risk management under the RAIA observatory (NW-Iberian Peninsula)

Poster.-- International Ocean Data Conference 2022, Sopot, Poland, 14-16 February 2022Environmental indicators are fundamental tools for the evaluation and mitigation of environmental risks, showing the current state and helping to predict future changes on ecosystem health regarding environmental risks The framework of the RAIA observatory www marnaraia org identified 38 environmental indicators, in which 12 key risks affecting the ecosystem services of the Euroregion Galicia Northern Portugal have been evaluated The objective of this initiative is to optimize and analyze the environmental indicators identified for the Euroregion and make them available through a Web service that allows users to get information on the current state and evolution of the ecosystem healthThis contribution has been funded by the European Union MarRISK project Adaptación costera ante el Cambio Climático conocer los riesgos y aumentar la resiliencia (0262_MarRISK1_E) through EP-INTERREG V A España-Portugal (POCTEP) programN

Scientific achievements of Professor Adam Markowski

Naukowa aktywność Profesora Adama Markowskiego obejmuje okres niemal 50 lat (od 1952 do 1999 roku). W tym okresie opublikował on 65 publikacji, nie licząc wielu komunikatów konferencyjnych. Jego zainteresowania objęły wiele dziedzin z szeroko rozumianej fizjologii roślin. W pierwszych latach zajmował się dynamiką wernalizacji pszenicy ozimej, a jego prace przyczyniły się do negatywnej weryfikacji stadialnej teorii rozwoju roślin. W kolejnych pracach opisał fizjologiczne i metaboliczne procesy towarzyszące wernalizacji i różnicujące ozime i jare odmiany pszenicy. W ramach tych badan opisał metabolizm kwasów nukleinowych i enzymów nukleolitycznych podczas wernalizacji. Wszystkie odkryte różnice metaboliczne pomiędzy ozimymi i jarymi roślinami wykazały jednak ilościowy a nie jakościowy charakter. Ważnym etapem badań było określenie ekofizjologicznych czynników warunkujących stopień wrażliwości blaszek liściowych różnych gatunków roślin uprawnych na uszkodzenia spowodowane obecnością dwutlenku siarki w powietrzu, jak również określenie możliwości ograniczenia szkodliwego działania tego gazu po jego neutralizacji amoniakiem na nieszkodliwy aerozol, stanowiący czynnik dolistnego nawożenia roślin. Kolejną dziedziną zainteresowań Profesora było zbadanie czynników kontrolujących dystrybucję asymilatów w roślinie i na tej podstawie określanie strategii formowania plonu u różnych odmian roślin uprawnych. Profesor Markowski pracował także nad techniką kontrolowanego powolnego pęcznienia nasion (tzw. kondycjonowania) w celu ograniczenia wielkości uszkodzeń nasion i siewek następujących w wyniku pęcznienia i kiełkowania w warunkach chłodnej i wilgotnej gleby. Ostatnim etapem jego pracy badawczej było badanie zmian w składzie błon komórkowych następujących w wyniku działania chłodu, a także pomiar elektrycznej przewodności dyfuzatów tkankowych jako miary wielkości uszkodzeń chłodowych. Podsumowując, można stwierdzić, że badania prowadzone przez Profesora Markowskiego rozszerzyły naszą wiedzę w wielu kierunkach fizjologii roślin uprawnychScientific activity of Professor Adam Markowski covers a period of almost 50 years (from 1952 until 1999). During this time he published 65 scientific papers apart from numerous short communications from scientific conferences. His scientific works cover numerous fields of the general crop plant physiology. During his early works he studied the dynamics of vernalization of winter wheat plants, and these investigations contributed to negative verifying of the socalled stadial theory of plant development. In following studies he described the physiological and metabolic processes accompanying vernalization and differentiation of winter and spring wheat cultivars. In the frame of the studies he described the metabolism of nucleic acids as well as the nucleolytic enzymes that took place during vernalization of winter wheat. Unfortunately all the metabolic differences between winter and spring plants were of quantitative but not qualitative nature. An important stage of his investigations was establishing ecophysiological factors that control the sensitivity level of leaf blades of various crop species to injury caused by the presence of sulfur dioxide in atmosphere as well as description of the perspectives of the limitiation of the pollutant concentration in the air after neutralisation with ammonia and forming harmless aerosol being also a plant leaf fertilizer. Another topic of Professor's studies was investigation of factors controlling the assimilates distribution to particular plant organs and on that way describing the specific strategy used by various cultivars of crop plants. Professor Markowski also worked on the technique of controlled and slow seed imbibition (called also conditioning) as the method that limits the seed and seedling injury taking place as a result of the imbibition and germination in cold and wet soil. The final stage of his scientific activity was the study of changes in composition of cell membranes being a result of the cold, and also measurements of the electric conductivity of tissue diffusâtes as the measure of cold injures in these membranes. To sum up, we can say that the research conducted by Professor Markowski have extended our knowledge in numerous disciplines of crop plants physiology