Roles and mechanisms of the CD38/cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose/Ca2+ signaling pathway

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NAADP/TPC2/Ca(2+) Signaling Inhibits Autophagy

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Impact of Row Spacing, Sowing Density and Nitrogen Fertilization on Yield and Quality Traits of Chia (\u3cem\u3eSalvia Hispanica\u3c/em\u3e L.) Cultivated in Southwestern Germany

To obtain high chia seed yields and seed qualities, a suitable crop management system needs to be developed for the given growing conditions in southwestern Germany. Field experiments were conducted at the experimental station Ihinger Hof in two consecutive years (2016, 2017). The study aimed to evaluate yield and quality traits of chia depending on different (i) row spacing (35, 50 and 75 cm), (ii) sowing densities (1, 1.5 and 2 kg ha−1) and, (iii) N-fertilization rates (0, 20 and 40 kg N ha−1). It consisted of three independent, completely randomized field experiments with three replications. Results showed that chia seed yields ranged from 618.39 to 1171.33 kg ha−1 and that a thousand seed mass of 1.14 to 1.24 g could be obtained. Crude protein-, crude oil- and mucilage contents varied from 18.11–23.91%, 32.16–33.78% and 10.00–13.74%, respectively. Results indicated that the year of cultivation and the accompanied environmental conditions, like precipitation or temperature, influenced the determined traits more than the applied agronomic practices. As average seed yields exceeded those obtained in the countries of origin (Mexico, Guatemala) while having comparable quality characteristics, chia holds great potential as an alternative crop for farmers in southwestern Germany

Growth, Yield Performance and Quality Parameters of Three Early Flowering Chia (\u3cem\u3eSalvia hispanica\u3c/em\u3e L.) Genotypes Cultivated in Southwestern Germany

The combination of consumer’s ongoing demand for chia (Salvia hispanica L.) alongside the increased demand for regionally produced food products provided the impetus for this study. Its aim was to test if a regional cultivation of new chia genotypes, which were adapted to day lengths greater than 12 h, is feasible under Central European conditions. Therefore, three early flowering chia genotypes (Sahi Alba 914, W13.1, G8) were cultivated in a randomized block design at two experimental stations in Southwestern Germany (Ihinger Hof, Eckartsweier) over the course of two years (2015, 2016). Mean yields ranged from 100 to 1290 kg ha−1. Mucilage content ranged from 9.5% to 12.2%, while the crude protein content ranged from 17.2% to 25.0%. Crude oil content fell in the range of 30.9–33.7% and the PUFA:SAT ratio ranged from 4.0 to 9.4, whereas the omega6:omega3 ratio varied from 0.27 to 0.5. As chia seed yields surpassed yield levels obtained by their countries of origin and as quality parameters obtained, were in line with the genotypes cultivated in their countries of origin, it can be assumed that a regional chia production in Southwestern Germany offers great potential, being ecologically and economically profitable

Personalized 3D printed scaffolds:The ethical aspects

Personalized 3D printed scaffolds are a new generation of implants for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine purposes. Scaffolds support cell growth, providing an artificial extracellular matrix for tissue repair and regeneration and can biodegrade once cells have assumed their physiological and structural roles. The ethical challenges and opportunities of these implants should be mapped in parallel with the life cycle of the scaffold to assist their development and implementation in a responsible, safe, and ethically sound manner. This article provides an overview of these relevant ethical aspects. We identified nine themes which were linked to three stages of the life cycle of the scaffold: the development process, clinical testing, and the implementation process. The described ethical issues are related to good research and clinical practices, such as privacy issues concerning digitalization, first-in-human trials, responsibility and commercialization. At the same time, this article also creates awareness for underexplored ethical issues, such as irreversibility, embodiment and the ontological status of these scaffolds. Moreover, it exemplifies how to include gender in the ethical assessment of new technologies. These issues are important for responsible development and implementation of personalized 3D printed scaffolds and in need of more attention within the additive manufacturing and tissue engineering field. Moreover, the insights of this review reveal unresolved qualitative empirical and normative questions that could further deepen the understanding and co-creation of the ethical implications of this new generation of implants.</p

The response of social anxiety disorder patients to threat scenarios differs from that of healthy controls

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the response of social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients to threat scenarios. First-choice responses to 12 scenarios describing conspecific threatening situations and mean scores of defensive direction and defensive intensity dimensions were compared between 87 SAD patients free of medication and 87 matched healthy controls (HC). A significant gender difference in the first-choice responses was identified for seven scenarios among HCs but only for two scenarios among SAD patients. A significantly higher proportion of SAD patients chose "freezing" in response to "Bush" and "Noise" scenarios, whereas the most frequent response by HCs to these scenarios was "check out". SAD males chose "run away" and "yell" more often than healthy men in response to the scenarios "Park" and "Elevator", respectively. There was a positive correlation between the severity of symptoms and both defensive direction and defensive intensity dimensions. Factorial analysis confirmed the gradient of defensive reactions derived from animal studies. SAD patients chose more urgent defensive responses to threat scenarios, seeming to perceive them as more dangerous than HCs and tending to move away from the source of threat. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the physiopathology of anxiety disorders involves brain structures responsible for defensive behaviors