Mass spectrometry imaging of glucosinolates in arabidopsis flowers and siliques

Glucosinolates are multi-functional plant secondary metabolites which play a vital role in plant defence and are, as dietary compounds, important to human health and livestock well-being. Knowledge of the tissue-specific regulation of their biosynthesis and accumulation is essential for plant breeding programs. Here, we report that in Arabidopsis thaliana, glucosinolates are accumulated differentially in specific cells of reproductive organs. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), distribution patterns of three selected compounds, 4-methylsulfinylbutyl (glucoraphanin), indol-3-ylmethyl (glucobrassicin), and 4-benzoyloxybutyl glucosinolates, were mapped in the tissues of whole flower buds, sepals and siliques. The results show that tissue localization patterns of aliphatic glucosinolate glucoraphanin and 4-benzoyloxybutyl glucosinolate were similar, but indole glucosinolate glucobrassicin had different localisation, indicating a possible difference in function. The high resolution images obtained by a complementary approach, cryo-SEM Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (cryo-SEM-EDX), confirmed increased concentration of sulphur in areas with elevated amounts of glucosinolates, and allowed identifying the cell types implicated in accumulation of glucosinolates. High concentration of sulphur was found in S-cells adjacent to the phloem in pedicels and siliques, indicating the presence of glucosinolates. Moreover, both MALDI MSI and cryo-SEM-EDX analyses indicated accumulation of glucosinolates in cells on the outer surface of the sepals, suggesting that a layer of glucosinolate-accumulating epidermal cells protects the whole of the developing flower, in addition to the S-cells, which protect the phloem. This research demonstrates the high potential of MALDI MSI for understanding the cell-specific compartmentation of plant metabolites and its regulation

Fast electrochemical membrane actuator:Design, fabrication and preliminary testing

An actuator based on water electrolysis with a fast change of voltage polarity is presented. It demonstrates a new actuation principle allowing significant increase the operation frequency of the device due to fast termination of the produced gas. The actuator consists of a working chamber with metallic electrodes and supplying channels filled with an electrolyte. The chamber is formed in a layer of SU-8 and covered by a flexible polydimethylsiloxane membrane, which deforms as the pressure in the chamber increases. Design, fabrication procedure, and first tests of the actuator are described

Investigation of the structure and microhardness of Mo-Fe-C coatings obtained by the electron beam injected in the atmosphere

In this work 'Mo-Fe-C' coatings fabricated on medium carbon steel by non-vacuum electron beam cladding were investigated. The structure of coatings and transition zones were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that an increase of Fe percentage in the cladding mixture led to a decrease of the eutectic volume fraction in the coating and was accompanied by the formation of the gradient structure between the coating and a substrate material. Measurements of microhardness in the cross section of samples revealed that the cladding of a 'Mo-C powder mixture contributed to a 4.5-fold increase of microhardness

Gradients of Taxonomic Diversity among Local Floras in the Russian Arctic

Latitudinal and longitudinal changes in taxonomic variables were analyzed in 319 local floras in the Russian Arctic. Within the studied segment of latitudinal gradient, most changes can be described in terms of linear regression with negative coefficients (a number of species, genera and families), or positive coefficients (a proportion of the leading families and genera). However, the mean number of species in a family or genus almost does not change with increasing latitude, although it slightly increases as one moves eastward. The proportion of monocots does not correlate with latitude, but slightly decreases as one moves eastward. Proportions of various families change asynchronously. Although correlation with longitude was less pronounced, mean species richness was specific to many subprovinces, even within a certain subzone. These differences reflect both the diversity of landscapes and the history of flora formation. Keywords: the Arctic, local floras, latitudinal and longitudinal gradient, floristic subprovince

Eidetics of Law-Making Acts: Parts, Wholes and Degrees of Existence

In my paper I introduce the phenomenological concept of “eidetics” and its application to law. I show that, according to this approach grounded in the works of Reinach (1913/1989) and Stein (1925), the problem of the existence and validity of the law can be fruitfully analysed in terms of parts-wholes which constitute law-making acts as wholes, both as performed and fulfilled acts. I argue that the parts of law-making acts can be subject to varying degrees of constraint – necessary, possible or contingent parts – and that it is the possible part of law-making acts that makes the difference between the existence of law-making acts and their validity: between their mere existence as performed acts, and their full existence as fulfilled and valid acts. I show this in focusing on Stein’s suggestion of filling the inter-personal gap between legislator and citizens in legal provisions by introducing “integrative acts”, which facilitate the uptake and, consequently, the enforcement of legal provisions by citizens. I suggest that Stein’s work on the integrative acts of legal provisions is grounded in the eidetic claim that essential parts of a whole also include possible – and not only necessary – parts, and that these are essential relations of tendency: legal provisions tend essentially to be fulfilled and their existence acquires a full sense only when they are enforced. Finally, I deal with eidetics and the issue of degrees and quality of existence in social ontology

Study of value orientations among russian students

The study substantiates the need for value orientations study among Russian college students due to the changes in economic and political foundations of Russian society. Theoretical approaches to the classification of values are considered. We considered the researchers approach to the determination of values based on the modification of the classification proposed by M. Rokeac

Features and causes of gerontological ageism in the provision of medical and social assistance

Based on the data of the author’s sociological survey of medical and social workers, the article analyzes the prevalence of ageism in the activities of medical and social workers, its factors and prerequisite

НЕКОТОРЫЕ ПОКАЗАТЕЛИ ЗДОРОВЬЯ ЛИКВИДАТОРОВ ЧЕРНОБЫЛЬСКОЙ АВАРИИ (ОТДАЛЕННЫЕ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЯ)

Twelve to twenty years after the Chernobyl accident, liquidators that have been exposed to a wide range of doses (200-890 mSv) show radiophobia. The achieved level of adaptation to life is associated with overstrain in emotional and somatic spheres. At relatively higher exposure levels, morbidity is increased, specially pathology of the cardiovascular system. Growth in the number of cataracts is absent, but involutional changes of retina vessels are increased. Suppression of innate and acquired humoral and cellular immunity and autoallergic shifts play significant role in the identified health problems. Disorders of immunity and health of the liquidators in the remote period after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is due to the combined effect of low radiation doses, psychological stress and other factors of non-radiation nature.Через 12–20 лет после Чернобыльской аварии у ее ликвидаторов, облученных в широком диапазоне доз (200–890 мЗв) выявлена радиотревожность. Достигнутый уровень адаптированности к требованиям жизни связан с перенапряжением эмоциональной и соматической сфер. При относительно более высоких уровнях облучения повышена заболеваемость, особенно патология сердечно-сосудистой системы. Рост количества катаракт отсутствует, но увеличены инволюционные изменения сосудов сетчатки глаза. Существенную роль в выявленных нарушениях здоровья играет угнетение врожденного и приобретенного гуморального и клеточного иммунитета, аутоаллергических сдвигов. Нарушения иммунитета и здоровья ликвидаторов в отдаленный период после аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС связаны с сочетанным действием малых доз радиации, психологического стресса и других факторов нерадиационной природы

Investigation of the structure and microhardness of Mo-Fe-C coatings obtained by the electron beam injected in the atmosphere

In this work 'Mo-Fe-C' coatings fabricated on medium carbon steel by non-vacuum electron beam cladding were investigated. The structure of coatings and transition zones were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that an increase of Fe percentage in the cladding mixture led to a decrease of the eutectic volume fraction in the coating and was accompanied by the formation of the gradient structure between the coating and a substrate material. Measurements of microhardness in the cross section of samples revealed that the cladding of a 'Mo-C powder mixture contributed to a 4.5-fold increase of microhardness

Hardy's inequality for functions vanishing on a part of the boundary

We develop a geometric framework for Hardy's inequality on a bounded domain when the functions do vanish only on a closed portion of the boundary.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figures, includes several improvements in Sections 6-8 allowing to relax the assumptions in the main results. Final version published at http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11118-015-9463-