Biostimulators: A New Trend towards Solving an Old Problem

Stresses provoked by adverse living conditions are inherent to a changing environment (climate change, anthropogenic influence) and they are basic factors that limit plant development and yields. Agriculture always struggled with this problem. The survey of nontoxic, natural, active substances useful in protection and stimulation of plants growing under suboptimal and even harmful conditions, as well as searching for the most effective methods for their application, will direct our activities towards sustainable development and harmony with nature. It seems highly probable that boosting natural plant defence strategies by applying biostimulators will help to solve an old problem of poor yield in plant cultivation, by provoking their better growth and development even under suboptimal environmental conditions. This work is a concise review of such substances and methods of their application to plants

Preliminary studies of sediments from the Dobczyce drinking water reservoir

The analysis of river and lake sediments indicates that the physical, chemical, biochemical and geochemical processes that influence the fate of toxic compounds and elements in sediments are numerous and complex (for example: sorption - desorption, oxidation - reduction, ion-exchange, biological activity). Due to the above-mentioned general statement, only a long term and complex research programme can lead to satisfactory answers to the questions relating to possible changes of water and environmental quality in the future. The aim of our study consisted in physical and chemical characterisation of sediments in in-depth profiles taken from the Dobczyce reservoir in southern Poland that is a main source of drinking water for the city of Kraków. Due to morphological reasons, 7 layers of sediment samples were distinguished from the ground level to about 90 cm below (total thickness of the sediments in the sampling site). Analysis of grain size distribution and application of x-ray diffraction method, enabled mineralogical description of sediments. The use of proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) revealed elemental composition of the samples (Al, P, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn). Concentrations of natural 40K and artificial 137Cs radionuclides were determined by the use of gamma spectrometry. The following facts were established: 1) the oldest (deepest) and newest, recently deposited layers of sediments are similar in their physical and chemical properties. It means that the inflow of contaminants and biogenic compounds to the reservoir has changed little since it was constructed and filled with water; 2) the severe flood in 1997 changed significantly sediment composition and, in fact, led to purification of sediments in the Dobczyce reservoir

Melatonin in Medicinal and Food Plants : Occurrence, Bioavailability, and Health Potential for Humans

Melatonin is a widespread molecule among living organisms involved in multiple biological, hormonal, and physiological processes at cellular, tissue, and organic levels. It is well-known for its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and renowned antioxidant effects, acting as a free radical scavenger, up-regulating antioxidant enzymes, reducing mitochondrial electron leakage, and interfering with proinflammatory signaling pathways. Detected in various medicinal and food plants, its concentration is widely variable. Plant generative organs (e.g., flowers, fruits), and especially seeds, have been proposed as having the highest melatonin concentrations, markedly higher than those found in vertebrate tissues. In addition, seeds are also rich in other substances (lipids, sugars, and proteins), constituting the energetic reserve for a potentially growing seedling and beneficial for the human diet. Thus, given that dietary melatonin is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and transported into the bloodstream, the ingestion of medicinal and plant foods by mammals as a source of melatonin may be conceived as a key step in serum melatonin modulation and, consequently, health promotion

Twist-angle dependent dehybridization of momentum-indirect excitons in MoSe2/MoS2 heterostructures

The moir\ue9 superlattice has emerged as a powerful way to tune excitonic properties in two-dimensional van der Waals structures. However, the current understanding of the influence of the twist angle for interlayer excitons (IXs) in heterostructures is mainly limited to momentum-direct K-K transitions. In this work, we use a judicious combination of spectroscopy and many-particle theory to investigate the influence of the twist angle on momentum-indirect IXs of a MoSe2/MoS2 heterostructure. Here, the energetically lowest state is a dark and strongly hybridized ΓK exciton. We show that increasing the twist angle from an aligned structure (0∘ or 60∘) gives rise to a large blue shift of the IX, which is a manifestation of the strong dehybridization of this state. Moreover, for small twist angle heterostructures, our photoluminescence measurements reveal contributions from two IX states, which our modelling attributes to transitions from different moir\ue9 minibands. Our finding contributes to a better fundamental understanding of the influence of the moir\ue9 pattern on the hybridization of momentum-dark IX states, which may be important for applications in moir\ue9-tronics including novel quantum technologies

The Tatton-Brown-Rahman Syndrome: A clinical study of 55 individuals with de novo constitutive DNMT3A variants.

Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS; OMIM 615879), also known as the DNMT3A-overgrowth syndrome, is an overgrowth intellectual disability syndrome first described in 2014 with a report of 13 individuals with constitutive heterozygous DNMT3A variants. Here we have undertaken a detailed clinical study of 55 individuals with de novoDNMT3A variants, including the 13 previously reported individuals. An intellectual disability and overgrowth were reported in >80% of individuals with TBRS and were designated major clinical associations. Additional frequent clinical associations (reported in 20-80% individuals) included an evolving facial appearance with low-set, heavy, horizontal eyebrows and prominent upper central incisors; joint hypermobility (74%); obesity (weight ³2SD, 67%); hypotonia (54%); behavioural/psychiatric issues (most frequently autistic spectrum disorder, 51%); kyphoscoliosis (33%) and afebrile seizures (22%). One individual was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in teenage years. Based upon the results from this study, we present our current management for individuals with TBRS

The effect of pre-incubation of Allium cepa L. roots in the ATH-rich extract on Pb uptake and localization

The positive influence of anthocyanin (ATH) on toxic metal-treated plant material is well documented; however, it is still not explained if it is caused by changes in element absorption and distribution. Therefore, detailed analysis of the effect of the ATH-rich extract from red cabbage leaves on Pb uptake and localization at morphological, anatomical and ultrastructural level was the goal of this study. Two-day-old adventitious roots of Allium cepa L. (cv. Polanowska) were treated for 2 h with the aqueous solution of Pb(NO3)2 at the concentration of 100 μM with or without preliminary incubation in the anthocyanin-rich extract from Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata rubra leaves (250 μM, 3 h). The red cabbage extract did not change the total Pb uptake but it enhanced the translocation of accumulated metal from roots to shoots. Within the pretreated roots, more Pb was deposited in their basal part and definitely smaller amount of the metal was bound in the apoplast of the outer layers of cortex cells. The ultrastructural analysis (transmission electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis) revealed that the ATH-rich extract lowered the number of Pb deposits in intracellular spaces, cell wall and cytoplasm of root meristematic cells as well as in such organelles important to cell metabolism as mitochondria, plastids and nucleus. The Pb deposits were preferably localised in those vacuoles where ATH also occurred. This sequestration of Pb in vacuoles is probably responsible for reduction of metal cytotoxicity and consequently could lead to better plant growth.This work was supported by the grant of the University of Lodz, no. 505/04038

Primrose syndrome: Characterization of the phenotype in 42 patients

Primrose syndrome (PS; MIM# 259050) is characterized by intellectual disability (ID), macrocephaly, unusual facial features (frontal bossing, deeply set eyes, down-slanting palpebral fissures), calcified external ears, sparse body hair and distal muscle wasting. The syndrome is caused by de novo heterozygous missense variants in ZBTB20. Most of the 29 published patients are adults as characteristics appear more recognizable with age. We present 13 hitherto unpublished individuals and summarize the clinical and molecular findings in all 42 patients. Several signs and symptoms of PS develop during childhood, but the cardinal features, such as calcification of the external ears, cystic bone lesions, muscle wasting, and contractures typically develop between 10 and 16 years of age. Biochemically, anemia and increased alpha-fetoprotein levels are often present. Two adult males with PS developed a testicular tumor. Although PS should be regarded as a progressive entity, there are no indications that cognition becomes more impaired with age. No obvious genotype-phenotype correlation is present. A subgroup of patients with ZBTB20 variants may be associated with mild, nonspecific ID. Metabolic investigations suggest a disturbed mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. We suggest a regular surveillance in all adult males with PS until it is clear whether or not there is a truly elevated risk of testicular cancer.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the Publisher URL to access it via the publisher's site.published version, accepted version (12 month embargo) submitted versio