Effect of salicylic acid treatment on cadmium toxicity and leaf lipid composition in sunflower

The ameliorative effect of salicylic acid (SA) on cadmium (Cd) toxicity in sunflower plants was studied by investigating plant growth and fatty acid composition. Sunflower plants in two leaves stage were exposed to CdCl2 treatment (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 µM) and then were treated with salicylic acid (0, 250 and 500 µM) as foliage spraying. One week after the last salicylic acid treatment,plants were harvested and growth parameters were measured . Oil of leaf was extracted in a Soxhlet system and fatty acid composition were measured by gas chromatography (GC). Statistical analyses showed excess Cd reduced growth parameters (fresh weight and length of stems and roots, fresh weight and number of leaves)and SA increased them compared with the control. Maximum reduction in these parameters was at 200 µmol Cd and 0µmol of SA. Cd caused a shift in fatty acids composition, resulting in a lower degree of their unsaturation and an increase in saturated fatty acids in sunflower leaves,whereas SA improved them. SA, particularly increased the percentage of linolenic acid and lowered that of palmitic acid by the same proportion. These results sugg membrane integrity due to lipids est that SA could be used as a potential growth regulator and a stabilizer ofprotection of cadmium-induced oxidative stress to improve plant resistance to Cd stres

Biochemical responses of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars subjected to NaCl salinity stress

This investigation was conducted to determine NaCl salinity effects on antioxidant enzyme s activities, reducing sugar contents and lipid peroxidation in two alfalfa cultivars. Plants grown in solution cultures were subjected to 0, 100, 150 and 200 mM solutions of sodium chloride. Yazdi and Diabolourde alfalfa were used as tolerant and sensitive cultivars, respectively, in a germination experiment under similar conditions. Results show that the amount of reducing sugars and the activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes increased with the increase in salt concentration. However, SOD activities decreased at high salt concentrations. The increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes in response to salt treatments was higher in the tolerant cultivar. The results also show that salt treatment provoked an oxidative stress in both cultivars, as shown by the increase in lipid peroxidation. However, the level of lipid peroxidation was higher in the sensitive cultivar. The increase in antioxidant activities could also be a response to the cellular damage induced by NaCl. It seems that the tolerant cultivar has a better mechanism to cope with the deleterious effects ROS produced under salt stress.Key words: Alfalfa, antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde, salt stress

Transcript-indexed ATAC-seq for precision immune profiling.

T cells create vast amounts of diversity in the genes that encode their T cell receptors (TCRs), which enables individual clones to recognize specific peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) ligands. Here we combined sequencing of the TCR-encoding genes with assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) analysis at the single-cell level to provide information on the TCR specificity and epigenomic state of individual T cells. By using this approach, termed transcript-indexed ATAC-seq (T-ATAC-seq), we identified epigenomic signatures in immortalized leukemic T cells, primary human T cells from healthy volunteers and primary leukemic T cells from patient samples. In peripheral blood CD4+ T cells from healthy individuals, we identified cis and trans regulators of naive and memory T cell states and found substantial heterogeneity in surface-marker-defined T cell populations. In patients with a leukemic form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma, T-ATAC-seq enabled identification of leukemic and nonleukemic regulatory pathways in T cells from the same individual by allowing separation of the signals that arose from the malignant clone from the background T cell noise. Thus, T-ATAC-seq is a new tool that enables analysis of epigenomic landscapes in clonal T cells and should be valuable for studies of T cell malignancy, immunity and immunotherapy

The Effects of Excess Copper on Antioxidative Enzymes, Lipid Peroxidation, Proline, Chlorophyll, and Concentration of Mn, Fe, and Cu in Astragalus neo-mobayenii

To probe the physiological and biochemical tolerance mechanisms in Astragalus neo-mobayenii Maassoumi, an endemic plant around the Cu-rich areas from the North West of Iran, the effect of different copper concentrations at toxic levels on this plant was investigated. Copper was applied in the form of copper sulfate (CuSO4·5H2O) in four levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 μM). We observed no visible symptoms of Cu toxicity in this plant species. During the exposure of plants to excess copper, the antioxidant defense system helped the plant to protect itself from the damage. With increasing copper concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities increased in leaves and roots () compared with that of the control group. The chlorophyll amount gradually declined with increasing Cu concentrations. However, reduction in the 50 μM level showed insignificant changes. Enhanced accumulation of proline content in the leaves was determined, as well as an increase of MDA content (oxidative damage biomarker) (). The results indicated that Cu contents in leaves and roots enhanced with increasing levels of Cu application. The Fe and Mn contents in both shoots and roots significantly decreased with increasing Cu concentration. Finally, the mechanisms of copper toxicity and copper tolerance in this plant were briefly discussed

Deficit of wide binaries in the eta Chamaeleontis young cluster

We have carried out a sensitive high-resolution imaging survey of stars in the young (6-8 Myr), nearby (97 pc) compact cluster around eta Chamaeleontis to search for stellar and sub-stellar companions. Given its youth and proximity, any sub-stellar companions are expected to be luminous, especially in the near infrared, and thus easier to detect next to their parent stars. Here, we present VLT/NACO adaptive optics imaging with companion detection limits for 17 eta Cha cluster members, and follow-up VLT/ISAAC near-infrared spectroscopy for companion candidates. The widest binary detected is ~0.2", corresponding to the projected separation 20 AU, despite our survey being sensitive down to sub-stellar companions outside 0.3", and planetary mass objects outside 0.5". This implies that the stellar companion probability outside 0.3" and the brown dwarf companion probability outside 0.5" are less than 0.16 with 95% confidence. We compare the wide binary frequency of eta Cha to that of the similarly aged TW Hydrae association, and estimate the statistical likelihood that the wide binary probability is equal in both groups to be < 2e-4. Even though the eta Cha cluster is relatively dense, stellar encounters in its present configuration cannot account for the relative deficit of wide binaries. We thus conclude that the difference in wide binary probability in these two groups provides strong evidence for multiplicity properties being dependent on environment. In two appendices we derive the projected separation probability distribution for binaries, used to constrain physical separations from observed projected separations, and summarize statistical tools useful for multiplicity studies.Comment: Accepted by ApJ. 13 pages, 10 figure

Topical Gene Electrotransfer to the Epidermis of Hairless Guinea Pig by Non-invasive Multielectrode Array

Topical gene delivery to the epidermis has the potential to be an effective therapy for skin disorders, cutaneous cancers, vaccinations and systemic metabolic diseases. Previously, we reported on a non-invasive multielectrode array (MEA) that efficiently delivered plasmid DNA and enhanced expression to the skin of several animal models by in vivo gene electrotransfer. Here, we characterized plasmid DNA delivery with the MEA in a hairless guinea pig model, which has a similar histology and structure to human skin. Significant elevation of gene expression up to 4 logs was achieved with intradermal DNA administration followed by topical non-invasive skin gene electrotransfer. This delivery produced gene expression in the skin of hairless guinea pig up to 12 to 15 days. Gene expression was observed exclusively in the epidermis. Skin gene electrotransfer with the MEA resulted in only minimal and mild skin changes. A low level of human Factor IX was detected in the plasma of hairless guinea pig after geneelectrotransfer with the MEA, although a significant increase of Factor IX was obtained in the skin of animals. These results suggest geneelectrotransfer with the MEA can be a safe, efficient, non-invasive skin delivery method for skin disorders, vaccinations and potential systemic diseases where low levels of gene products are sufficient

Cyber-physical energy systems modeling, test specification, and co-simulation based testing

The gradual deployment of intelligent and coordinated devices in the electrical power system needs careful investigation of the interactions between the various domains involved. Especially due to the coupling between ICT and power systems a holistic approach for testing and validating is required. Taking existing (quasi-) standardised smart grid system and test specification methods as a starting point, we are developing a holistic testing and validation approach that allows a very flexible way of assessing the system level aspects by various types of experiments (including virtual, real, and mixed lab settings). This paper describes the formal holistic test case specification method and applies it to a particular co-simulation experimental setup. The various building blocks of such a simulation (i.e., FMI, mosaik, domain-specific simulation federates) are covered in more detail. The presented method addresses most modeling and specification challenges in cyber-physical energy systems and is extensible for future additions such as uncertainty quantification

An Integrated Research Infrastructure for Validating Cyber-Physical Energy Systems

Renewables are key enablers in the plight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cope with anthropogenic global warming. The intermittent nature and limited storage capabilities of renewables culminate in new challenges that power system operators have to deal with in order to regulate power quality and ensure security of supply. At the same time, the increased availability of advanced automation and communication technologies provides new opportunities for the derivation of intelligent solutions to tackle the challenges. Previous work has shown various new methods of operating highly interconnected power grids, and their corresponding components, in a more effective way. As a consequence of these developments, the traditional power system is being transformed into a cyber-physical energy system, a smart grid. Previous and ongoing research have tended to mainly focus on how specific aspects of smart grids can be validated, but until there exists no integrated approach for the analysis and evaluation of complex cyber-physical systems configurations. This paper introduces integrated research infrastructure that provides methods and tools for validating smart grid systems in a holistic, cyber-physical manner. The corresponding concepts are currently being developed further in the European project ERIGrid.Comment: 8th International Conference on Industrial Applications of Holonic and Multi-Agent Systems (HoloMAS 2017

An integrated pan-European research infrastructure for validating smart grid systems

A driving force for the realization of a sustainable energy supply in Europe is the integration of distributed, renewable energy resources. Due to their dynamic and stochastic generation behaviour, utilities and network operators are confronted with a more complex operation of the underlying distribution grids. Additionally, due to the higher flexibility on the consumer side through partly controllable loads, ongoing changes of regulatory rules, technology developments, and the liberalization of energy markets, the system’s operation needs adaptation. Sophisticated design approaches together with proper operational concepts and intelligent automation provide the basis to turn the existing power system into an intelligent entity, a so-called smart grid. While reaping the benefits that come along with those intelligent behaviours, it is expected that the system-level testing will play a significantly larger role in the development of future solutions and technologies. Proper validation approaches, concepts, and corresponding tools are partly missing until now. This paper addresses these issues by discussing the progress in the integrated Pan-European research infrastructure project ERIGrid where proper validation methods and tools are currently being developed for validating smart grid systems and solutions.This work is supported by the European Community’s Horizon 2020 Program (H2020/2014-2020) under project “ERIGrid” (Grant Agreement No. 654113). Further information is available at the corresponding website www.erigrid.eu

Determinants of a transcriptionally competent environment at the GM-CSF promoter

Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is produced by T cells, but not B cells, in response to immune signals. GM-CSF gene activation in response to T-cell stimulation requires remodelling of chromatin associated with the gene promoter, and these changes do not occur in B cells. While the CpG methylation status of the murine GM-CSF promoter shows no correlation with the ability of the gene to respond to activation, we find that the basal chromatin environment of the gene promoter influences its ability to respond to immune signals. In unstimulated T cells but not B cells, the GM-CSF promoter is selectively marked by enrichment of histone acetylation, and association of the chromatin-remodelling protein BRG1. BRG1 is removed from the promoter upon activation concomitant with histone depletion and BRG1 is required for efficient chromatin remodelling and transcription. Increasing histone acetylation at the promoter in T cells is paralleled by increased BRG1 recruitment, resulting in more rapid chromatin remodelling, and an associated increase in GM-CSF mRNA levels. Furthermore, increasing histone acetylation in B cells removes the block in chromatin remodelling and transcriptional activation of the GM-CSF gene. These data are consistent with a model in which histone hyperacetylation and BRG1 enrichment at the GM-CSF promoter, generate a chromatin environment competent to respond to immune signals resulting in gene activation