Calcium availability regulates antioxidant system, physio-biochemical activities and alleviates salinity stress mediated oxidative damage in soybean seedlings

Salinity is considered as one of the devastating abiotic stress factors and global climate change has further worsened the situation. Present experiments were aimed to evaluate the role of calcium (Ca) availability on growth and salinity tolerance mechanisms in soybean. Seedlings were grown with (2 mM Ca) and without Ca supplementation and modulation in key physiological and biochemical parameters were studied. Salinity (100 mM NaCl) stress resulted in growth reduction in terms of height and biomass accumulation, which was more pronounced in Ca-deficient plants. Relative to control (Ca deficient) and NaCl stressed plants, Ca supplemented seedlings exhibited higher relative water content, pigment synthesis and the photosynthetic efficiency. Ca availability affected the synthesis of proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars under normal and saline growth conditions. Optimal Ca supplementation up-regulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes assayed and the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate, glutathione, and tocopherol) thereby reflecting in amelioration of NaCl induced oxidative damage. Moreover, increased accumulation of phenols due to Ca supplementation and the amelioration of NaCl mediated decline if nitrate reductase activity was observed. More importantly, Ca availability reduced the accumulation of Na under control and NaCl stressed conditions restricting the damging effects on metabolism. Availability of optimal Ca potentially regulates the salinity tolerance mechanisms in soybean by maintaining osmoregulation and antioxidant metabolism

A mediation approach to understanding socio-economic inequalities in maternal health-seeking behaviours in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: The levels and origins of socio-economic inequalities in health-seeking behaviours in Egypt are poorly understood. This paper assesses the levels of health-seeking behaviours related to maternal care (antenatal care [ANC] and facility delivery) and their accumulation during pregnancy and childbirth. Secondly, it explores the mechanisms underlying the association between socio-economic position (SEP) and maternal health-seeking behaviours. Thirdly, it examines the effectiveness of targeting of free public ANC and delivery care. METHODS: Data from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey were used to capture two latent constructs of SEP: individual socio-cultural capital and household-level economic capital. These variables were entered into an adjusted mediation model, predicting twelve dimensions of maternal health-seeking; including any ANC, private ANC, first ANC visit in first trimester, regular ANC (four or more visits during pregnancy), facility delivery, and private delivery. ANC and delivery care costs were examined separately by provider type (public or private). RESULTS: While 74.2% of women with a birth in the 5-year recall period obtained any ANC and 72.4% delivered in a facility, only 48.8% obtained the complete maternal care package (timely and regular facility-based ANC as well as facility delivery) for their most recent live birth. Both socio-cultural capital and economic capital were independently positively associated with receiving any ANC and delivering in a facility. The strongest direct effect of socio-cultural capital was seen in models predicting private provider use of both ANC and delivery. Despite substantial proportions of women using public providers reporting receipt of free care (ANC: 38%, delivery: 24%), this free-of-charge public care was not effectively targeted to women with lowest economic resources. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-cultural capital is the primary mechanism leading to inequalities in maternal health-seeking in Egypt. Future studies should therefore examine the objective and perceived quality of care from different types of providers. Improvements in the targeting of free public care could help reduce the existing SEP-based inequalities in maternal care coverage in the short term

Detection of genetic divergence among some wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes using molecular and biochemical indicators under salinity stress.

Wheat has remarkable importance among cereals in Egypt. Salt stress affects plant growth, development, and crop productivity. Therefore, salinity tolerance is an essential trait that must be incorporated in crops. This research aimed to investigate molecular and biochemical indicators and defence responses in seedlings of 14 Egyptian wheat genotypes to distinguish the most contrasting salt-responsive genotypes. Analysis of ISSR and SCoT markers revealed high polymorphism and reproducible fingerprinting profiles for evaluating genetic variability within the studied genotypes. The HB-10 and SCoT 1 primers had the highest values for all the studied parameters. All the tested primers generated a set of 66 polymorphic bands among tolerant and sensitive genotypes. The transcript profiles of eight TaWRKY genes showed significant induction under the salinity treatments. Moreover, the expression of TaWRKY6 for genotypes Sids 14 and Sakha 93 sharply increased and recorded the highest expression, while the expression of TaWRKY20 for Misr 1 recorded the lowest expression. Under salt stress, the total sugar, proline, and phenolic contents increased significantly, while the chlorophyll content decreased significantly. Additionally, five peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase isoforms were observed in treated leaves and clustered into five different patterns. Some isoforms increased significantly as salinity levels increased. This increase was clearer in salt-tolerant than in salt-sensitive genotypes. Eighteen protein bands appeared, most of which were not affected by salinity compared with the control, and specific bands were rare. Generally, the Sids 14, Sakha 93, Sohag 4, and Gemmeiza 12 genotypes are considered salt tolerant in comparison to the other genotypes