Identification of Salt Stress Biomarkers in Romanian Carpathian Populations of Picea abies (L.) Karst

The Norway spruce (Picea abies), the most important tree species in European forests, is relatively sensitive to salt and does not grow in natural saline environments. Yet many trees are actually exposed to salt stress due to the common practice of de-icing of mountain roads in winter, using large amounts of NaCl. To help develop strategies for an appropriate use of reproductive seed material on reforestation sites, ensuring better chances of seedling survival in salt-affected areas, we have studied the responses of young spruce seedlings to salt treatments. The specific aim of the work was to identify the optimal salt stress biomarkers in Picea abies, using as experimental material seedlings obtained by germination of seeds with origin in seven populations from the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. These responses included general, conserved reactions such as the accumulation of ions and different osmolytes in the seedlings needles, reduction in photosynthetic pigments levels, or activation of antioxidant systems. Although changes in the contents of different compounds involved in these reactions can be associated to the degree of stress affecting the plants, we propose that the (decreasing) levels of total phenolics or total carotenoids and the (increasing) levels of Na+ or K+ ions in Picea abies needles, should be considered as the most reliable and useful biomarkers for salt stress in this species. They all show very high correlation with the intensity of salt stress, independently of the genetic background of the seeds parental population, and relatively easy, quantitative assays are available to determine their concentrations, requiring simple equipment and little amount of plant material.Funding: Sorin Schiop is a PhD student at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. This paper was published under the frame of European Social Found, Human Resources Development Operational Programme 2007-2013, project no. POSDRU/159/1.5/S/132765. Mohamad Al Hassan is a recipient of an Erasmus Mundus pre-doctoral scholarship financed by the European Commission (Welcome Consortium).Schiop, ST.; Al Hassan, M.; Sestras, AF.; Boscaiu Neagu, MT.; Sestras, RE.; Vicente Meana, Ó. (2015). Identification of Salt Stress Biomarkers in Romanian Carpathian Populations of Picea abies (L.) Karst. PLoS ONE. 10(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0135419Se013541910

An atlas of over 90.000 conserved noncoding sequences provides insight into crucifer regulatory regions

Despite the central importance of noncoding DNA to gene regulation and evolution, understanding of the extent of selection on plant noncoding DNA remains limited compared to that of other organisms. Here we report sequencing of genomes from three Brassicaceae species (Leavenworthia alabamica, Sisymbrium irio and Aethionema arabicum) and their joint analysis with six previously sequenced crucifer genomes. Conservation across orthologous bases suggests that at least 17% of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome is under selection, with nearly one-quarter of the sequence under selection lying outside of coding regions. Much of this sequence can be localized to approximately 90,000 conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) that show evidence of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. Population genomics analyses of two crucifer species, A. thaliana and Capsella grandiflora, confirm that most of the identified CNSs are evolving under medium to strong purifying selection. Overall, these CNSs highlight both similarities and several key differences between the regulatory DNA of plants and other species

EMG profiles during able-bodied walking

Locomotion is the general definition of all the movements that cause transferring of the body weight. Normal bipedal gait is the most common human activity that is achieved due to the coordination within changes of mutual body segments displacement and muscles work. Systematic study of walking confirmed its complex nature that apparently seems to be very simple. Current technology involving more sophisticated and advanced instruments permits dynamic recording of many specific gait characteristics. In recent years surface electromyography (EMG) has become an important toll in establishing the role of muscles in the specific activities. The first recording of this electrical activity was made by Marey in 1890, who also introduced the term “electromyography” [1]. This method is a proper way to obtain a description of muscle coordination patterns during human walking. On the basis of this information we can answer the fundamental question about the onset and offset times of muscle activity. Besides, having also muscles length profiles we can assume the contraction level of muscles. That is why the purpose of our study was to determine timing of the muscle activation patterns and joints angular motion in the lower extremities during gait in able-bodied. METHODS All data were collected in the Biomechanics Laboratory of the Faculty of Sport Science (Bologna, Italy). The subjects of the study were 3 adults: (2 women and 1 man) between 23-33 years old. Inclusion criteria aimed at selecting only subjects without any locomotor’s disorders: no history of orthopedic or neurosensory disorders that would affect the results of the study. Gait cycles with normal stabilized velocity for each subject were recorded. The study was based on the mean values of angle ranges in sagittal plane in the following joints: ankle joint, knee joint and hip joint; changes of the muscle lengths (Rectus and Biceps Femoris) and their electrical activity. Kinematic data Eighteen spherical markers, 14 mm in diameter were attached to the subject’s body with double-sided tape according to PlugInGait model. A Vicon system (Vicon 460) that consists of strobe, infrared light and six cameras operating at 120 Hz, was used to capture the 3D kinematic data. Subjects walked on a 6 m walkway. All subjects were tested in one session encompassing three trials at a self-selected (natural) speed. Prior to data collection, the following physical measurements of the subjects were recorded: height, weight, left and right leg length, left and right knee width, right and left ankle width. EMG Data Proper EMG signal requires respecting some rules. In order to achieve the right placement of the electrodes and to lower the level of artefacts (electrical interference) and noise we followed “Seniam” recommendations (www.seniam.com). As the type of electrodes depends on the investigation, in our study – like in most kinesiological studies, surface electrodes were applied as they are non-invasive. Proper skin preparation is very important to improve the electrode-skin contact and better EMG recordings simultaneously. That is why we shaved the hair from the area of our interest, then the skin was cleaned with alcohol and dried. Afterwards we used Ag/AgCl surface circular electrodes (diameter 10 mm distance 3 cm). The activity of four muscles (bilaterally Rectus Femoris (RF) and Biceps Femoris (BF)) was studied during walking with natural speed. Amplified EMG signals were collected by the Noraxon Tele Myo 2400R with high pass filters set to 10 Hz +/- 10% cut off. The raw EMG signal was processed by filtering (High pass filter 20Hz), rectification, filtering (Low pass filter 25 Hz). The accuracy and validity of any Onset/Offset calculation depends on an appropriate threshold definition. Several methods can be applied to define the onset and offset of muscle activity. In our study determined it using the visual method. It was a result of our previous investigations focu..