Specific and reversible activation and inactivation of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier by cardiolipin and nonionic detergents, respectively

AbstractThe phosphate carrier of pig heart mitochondria was solubilized with Triton X-100 and purified by chromatography on hydroxylapatite. Incubation of the phosphate carrier fraction with cardiolipin stimulated the reconstituted [32P]phosphate exchange activity in liposomes, whereas increased Triton X-100 concentrations inhibited it. The effects of cardiolipin and Triton X-100 are reversible. The activation by cardiolipin is highly specific and could not be obtained with any other applied phospholipid

Wie nötig ist ein »Anti-Rezessionsprogramm«?

Ist die Forderung nach staatlichen Maßnahmen angesichts der sich abkühlenden Konjunktur sinnvoll, oder ist ein Konjunkturprogramm teuer und wenig effizient? Walther Otremba, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie, warnt davor, die wirtschaftlichen Probleme in den USA und in Europa zu leicht zu nehmen. Otremba unterstreicht, dass kurzfristige Konjunkturentwicklungen und längerfristige Wachstumsbewegungen eng miteinander verbunden sind. Deshalb sei es sinnvoll, bestimmte wirtschafts- und finanzpolitische Maßnahmen phasengerecht zu verwirklichen. Jürgen Rüttgers, Ministerpräsident von Nordrhein-Westfalen, fordert ein langfristig angelegtes Anti-Rezessionsprogramm für eine Politik für mehr Wachstum und Innovation. Unter anderem geht es ihm um eine Vereinfachung des Steuerrechts, ein nationales Rohstoffkonzept und bessere Regeln für die Finanzmärkte. Für Michael Hüther, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln, ist die derzeitige zyklische Abschwächung vor allem durch die Kreditmarktkrise und die Entwicklung an den internationalen Rohstoffmärkten verursacht. Da die beiden Schocks in erster Linie die volkswirtschaftliche Angebotsseite beträfen, liege die wirtschaftspolitische Herausforderung darin, insbesondere die Anpassungsflexibilität der Unternehmen zu stärken. Denn nur so könne der angebotsseitige Schock angemessen und hinreichend schnell verarbeitet werden. Für Otto Kentzler, Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks, zeigen alle bisherigen Erfahrungen, dass der Versuch, durch kreditfinanzierte staatliche Ausgabenprogramme die Konjunktur zu steuern und zu verstetigen, zum Scheitern verurteilt ist. Auch Volker Treier, Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, warnt vor Anti-Rezessionsprogrammen: Sie enden in der Schuldenfalle, kommen regelmäßig zur Unzeit und verdrängen privates Engagement. Und für Kurt J. Lauk, Wirtschaftsrat der CDU, sind die meisten Konjunkturprogramme wirkungslos und teuer.Konjunktur, Wachstumspolitik, Staat, Deutschland

Different proportion of root cutting and shoot pruning influence the growth of citronella plants

Environment concern, sustainable products demand, and natural components conscious are currently global movement factors. Related to the global movement factors, citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus L.) is being widely used in folk medicine, and has insect repellent activity, fungal and bactericidal action. Its essential oil has high content of citronellal, citronellol, geraniol. The essential oil is mostly extracted from leaves which turns this plant with high commercial demand. However, to obtain the best therapeutic quality and productivity of medicinal plants, which culminates in greater quantity and quality of the active compounds, the proper management of the crop is fundamental, as several factors can interfere during its growth and development. Thus, we analyzed the growth of citronella plants submitted to different levels of shoot and root cuts. Five different proportions of root pruning (0, 25, 50, 75, 100%), after 145 days of seedling planting and four cuttings in the shoots: blunt; a cut at 145 DAP (days after planting) along with the root cut; a cut at 228 DAP; and cuts at 145 and 228 DAP (two cuts). Four harvesting for dry matter accumulation and photoassimilate partition data were performed. The treatment with 100% root cut, but without leaf cut, increased the total dry mass accumulation of the plant in relation to the other treatments, for the last analysis period, demonstrating a recovery. Thus, the application of two leaf cuts or no leaf cutting within the 100% root cut treatment for leaf dry mass accumulation is more effective when compared to the blunt root treatment

Photochemical efficiency of Brachiaria brizantha under Eucalyptus canopies in an ILF system.

Brazilian livestock farming is an essential part of the country's economy, standing out as one of the largest sectors of national agribusiness. Challenges such as the search for environmental sustainability require appropriate management for soil conservation and the development of the livestock sector. The integrated livestock-forestry (ILF) system is a sustainable technique that aims to integrate different production systems in the same area, making better use of natural resources. The choice of tree species to be implemented in the system is highly relevant, as it affects the luminosity available to the species that grow under its canopy, affecting determining characteristics associated with the productivity and quality of the pasture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of luminosity in the understory of an ILF system on the photosynthetic activity of the Brachiaria brizantha species in an Atlantic Forest region. To do this, chlorophyll a fluorescence analyses were carried out on forage plants grown in a consortium with Eucalyptus urograndis (Clone 1407), with spacing between the trees of 4m and 24m between the crop rows. The treatments were established according to two lighting conditions: the control treatment corresponding to the condition with the highest lighting (between the planting rows) and the treatment with the lowest lighting corresponding to the area under the canopy of the eucalyptus trees (in the crop row). The results show that the low light supplied to the B. brizantha forage promotes low efficiency in the electron transport chain, indicating a possible stress situation

Photochemical efficiency of Brachiaria brizantha under Eucalyptus canopies in an ILF system.

Brazilian livestock farming is an essential part of the country's economy, standing out as one of the largest sectors of national agribusiness. Challenges such as the search for environmental sustainability require appropriate management for soil conservation and the development of the livestock sector. The integrated livestock-forestry (ILF) system is a sustainable technique that aims to integrate different production systems in the same area, making better use of natural resources. The choice of tree species to be implemented in the system is highly relevant, as it affects the luminosity available to the species that grow under its canopy, affecting determining characteristics associated with the productivity and quality of the pasture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of luminosity in the understory of an ILF system on the photosynthetic activity of the Brachiaria brizantha species in an Atlantic Forest region. To do this, chlorophyll a fluorescence analyses were carried out on forage plants grown in a consortium with Eucalyptus urograndis (Clone 1407), with spacing between the trees of 4m and 24m between the crop rows. The treatments were established according to two lighting conditions: the control treatment corresponding to the condition with the highest lighting (between the planting rows) and the treatment with the lowest lighting corresponding to the area under the canopy of the eucalyptus trees (in the crop row). The results show that the low light supplied to the B. brizantha forage promotes low efficiency in the electron transport chain, indicating a possible stress situation

Influence of lithothamnium application on vetiver grass in different soil types.

Vetiver grass is used throughout Asia to make handicrafts, medicines, and other products. It is widely used in several countries for its deep and abundant root system, sediment control and phytoremediation. Lithothamnium is derived from seaweed and contributes to soil improvement. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of different doses of Lithothamnium on the growth parameters of vetiver grass in clay and sandy soil. For the experiment, twenty pots were used for each type of soil (sandy and clayey), where each pot contained a vetiver grass seedling. It was separated into 5 treatments per block: 0, 10, 20, 40, 80, g of Lithothamnium per pot, and the growth parameters were analyzed. Regarding height, only the clay soil showed statistical differences between treatments on days 4 and 5; The sandy soil did not show significant differences. For fresh and dry mass, only the grass grown in the sandy soil showed a significant difference. Thus, Lithothamnium did not show the expected effect for the grass, since it remained at the level of control in relation to the different treatments for the parameters analyzed

Evaluation of photosynthetic variables of Brachiaria brizantha under eucalyptus canopies in a livestock-forestry integration system.

Livestock sector generates significant environmental impacts despite its global economic importance. The current challenge is to find sustainable ways of boosting this sector, while mitigating the negative impacts of this activity. In Brazil, degraded pastures are common because of inadequate management, damaging the soil. Integrated livestock-forestry (ILF) systems combine forest species and pastures in the area, incorporating elements of sustainability. In this system, the tree species is related to the productivity of the pasture, as the shade generated by the canopy creates different light conditions, influencing the photosynthetic activity of the forage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the luminosity of the understory of an ILF system on the photosynthetic activity of the forage species Brachiaria brizantha in the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil. Transient chlorophyll a fluorescence and chlorophyll concentration were analysed in forage plants grown in consortium with Eucalyptus urograndis (Clone 1407), with spacing of 4m between trees and 24m between tree rows. Two treatments were established based on light conditions: the control treatment, corresponding to the condition with the highest light corresponded to the pasture row, and the treatment with the lowest light, corresponding to the area under the canopy. The results show that the low light supplied to the forage plant, during the experiment period, under eucalyptus canopies, promotes changes in the intensity of chlorophyll a fluorescence and chlorophyll concentration, indicating low efficiency of the electron transport chain and changes in leaf nitrogen content, due to a possible stress situation