Influence of salicylic acid on phytochelatin synthesis in Zea mays during Cd stress

Abstract: Presoaking maize (Zea mays) seeds in salicylic acid (SA) reduces damage caused by cadmium. In the present work the possible role of phytochelatins (PCs) in SA-mediated protection against Cd toxicity was investigated. Seeds were presoaked in 0.5 mM SA, and seedlings were grown in hydroponic solution containing 0, 0.01, 0.015, or 0.025 mM Cd. Treatment with Cd increased the PC levels in maize roots, but only slight changes were observed in the leaves. Long-term exposure to Cd decreased the phytochelatin synthase (PCS) activity in the roots and led to an increase in PCS and glutathione reductase (GR) activities in maize leaves. Although presoaking seeds in SA solution before exposure to Cd may reduce the level of heavy metal injury and has an effect on the composition of individual PCs, this protection is not directly connected with the altered regulation of PCs

Multifractal structure of turbulence in the magnetospheric cusp

Magnetospheric cusps are regions which are characterized by highly turbulent plasma. We have used Polar magnetic field data to study the structure of turbulence in the cusp region. The wavelet transform modulus maxima method (WTMM) has been applied to estimate the scaling exponent of the partition function and singularity spectra. Their features are similar to those found in the nonlinear multifractal systems. We have found that the scaling exponent does not allow one to conclude which intermittency model fits the experiment better. However, the singularity spectra reveal that different models can be ascribed to turbulence observed under various IMF conditions. For northward IMF conditions the turbulence is consistent with the multifractal <i>p</i>-model of fully developed fluid turbulence. For southward IMF experimental data agree with the model of non-fully developed Kolmogorov-like fluid turbulence

Determining the verse of magnetic turbulent cascades in the Earth's magnetospheric cusp via transfer entropy analysis: preliminary results

International audienceThe inter-scale coupling in the dynamics of the magnetic field in the Earth's magnetospheric cusp is studied with the technique of transfer entropy. This is a non-linear data analysis technique conceived to determine which is the process that plays the role of the "dynamical driver" between two processes interacting. The time series of the magnetic field components measured along the trajectory of a spacecraft through the cusp are decomposed via continuous wavelets, so a time series of the square modulus of the wavelet coefficients may be associated to each scale ? considered. The coupling between to two nearby scales is studied, with the purpose of singling out turbulent cascade directions from large to small scales and viceversa. Preliminary physical conclusions are proposed

Immunization with excretory-secretory molecules of intestinal nematodes induces antigen-specific protective memory Th2 cell responses

Parasitic nematodes infect more than 1 billion people in the global south. The development of effective antihelminthic vaccines is a crucial tool for their future elimination. Protective immune responses to nematodes depend on Gata3+ Th2 cells, which can also be induced by nematode-released products. Whether these nematode products induce antigen-specific long-lived memory T cells and thereby confer protection against a challenge infection is not known yet. Hence, we set out to characterize the formation of memory Th2 cells induced by immunization with Heligmosomoides polygyrus excretory-secretory (HES) products, infection-induced versus immunization-induced recall responses to a challenge infection, and whether HES-induced memory T cells show protective properties following adoptive transfer. Our results show that 8 weeks postimmunization, HES induces long-lived functional memory Th2 cells at the site of immunization in the peritoneal cavity. Following a H. polygyrus challenge infection, HES-immunized mice display MHC-II-dependent antigen-specific Th2 cytokine responses in the gut-draining lymph nodes, comparable to those induced by a prior natural infection. Moreover, adoptive transfer of sorted memory CD4+ T cells from HES-immunized donors reduces female worm fecundity following a challenge H. polygyrus infection in recipient mice, highlighting a protective role for immunization-induced memory T cells

Caixa Geral de Depósitos (Portugal) and TechnoLogica (Bulgaria): analysing companies' Corporate Social Responsibility in two European countries

The studies in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility are very relevant to understand why companies are concerned with its implementation in the company. Besides, theoretical developments on this matter show that progressively companies are concerned about their performance on this subject and about reaching their objectives involving CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility should have self-regulating mechanisms through which the business would be monitored and companies should be ensure that law is guaranteed as far as ethical standards and international norms. According to the 2001 European Commission Green Paper, Social Responsibility conceptualization is associated with the idea of companies deciding, in a voluntary base, to contribute for a fair society and a cleaner environment. Caixa Geral de Depósitos (Portugal) and TechnoLogica (Bulgaria) are important companies concerned with the development of CSR activities and have some very interesting results in this area

Effect of foliar products on the inflorescence yield of lavender and essential oil

Received: January 25th, 2022 ; Accepted: May 1st, 2022 ; Published: May 23rd, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] topic of the effect of foliar fertilization on the productivity and oil content of lavender is relevant, but not sufficiently studied. The present study aims to establish the effect of foliar products on the growth, development and productivity of lavender. The field experiment was carried out at the Agricultural University - Plovdiv with lavender of ‘Jubileina’ variety during 2019–2020. The following variants were included in the study: 1. Untreated control; 2. Treatment with Fertileader Gold (FG) - 3 L ha-1; 3. Treatment with Fertiactyl Trium + Fertileader Vital (FT + FVital) - 1.5 + 1.5 L ha-1; 4. Treatment with Fertileader Viti (FViti) - 3 L ha-1; 5. Treatment with Fertileader Vital (FV) - 3 L ha-1; 6. Treatment with Fertileader Alpha (FA) - 3 L ha-1. Those preparations are bio stimulants for foliar application. The treatments were made in two consecutive lavender vegetation seasons. The first application was carried out in the second growing season (2019) and the second in the next, third growing season (2020). The foliar application of all tested products increased the photosynthetic activity, but it was better expressed when using the plant nutrition products FV, FViti and FT + FVital. A positive effect was also observed in the height and diameter of the bush, but during the third vegetation period. The number of flowering stems increased by 62.9%; 59.4%; 53.3% and 8.4%, respectively, when applying the fertilizers FG, FT + FVital, FViti and FV. The application of FG and FT + FVital increased the yield of fresh inflorescences by 6.1% and 3.7%. The application of the different products affected the oil yield in different ways; the application of FG, FT + FVital and FViti increased it, while FV and FA decreased it by 27 kg ha-1 and 16 kg ha-1, respectively, for the first vegetation and by 43.4 kg ha-1and 33.1 kg ha-1 for the second vegetation. The boron containing products FG, FT + FVital and FViti led to a significant increase in the essential oil yield, while the application of the foliar fertilizers FV and FA reduced it. Based on those results, the first three products are recommended

Constraining the European Commission to please the public: responsiveness through delegation choices

When and how does public opinion affect the delegation choices of legislatorsin the EU? We argue the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers limitthe discretion of the Commission in response to EU-wide scepticism andpoliticisation of EU policies. Public opposition to EU policies, theircontestation, and potential scrutiny motivate the EU legislators to minimisethe discrepancies between the adopted and implemented policies. They doso to avoid bearing the costs of disregarding public preferences over thelevel of EU integration. Our analysis of legislation adopted between 2009–2019 relying on a novel dataset on public policy preferences and agencydiscretion supports this expectation. The results offer evidence of previouslyunexplored responsiveness of the EU institutions emerging in the policyimplementation that might entail efficiency losses.Horizon 2020(H2020)822166Institutions, Decisions and Collective Behaviou

Microbiota-Dependent Immune Responses to Intestinal Parasites

The digestive tract plays a central role in nutrient acquisition and harbors a vast and intricate community of bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites, collectively known as the microbiota. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the complex and highly contextual involvement of this microbiota in the induction and education of host innate and adaptive immune responses under homeostasis, during infection and inflammation. The gut passage and colonization by unicellular and multicellular parasite species present an immense challenge to the host immune system and to the microbial communities that provide vital support for its proper functioning. In mammals, parasitic nematodes induce distinct shifts in the intestinal microbial composition. Vice versa, the commensal microbiota has been shown to serve as a molecular adjuvant and immunomodulator during intestinal parasite infections. Moreover, similar interactions occur within insect vectors of deadly human pathogens. The gut microbiota has emerged as a crucial factor affecting vector competence in Anopheles mosquitoes, where it modulates outcomes of infections with malaria parasites. In this review, we discuss currently known involvements of the host microbiota in the instruction, support or suppression of host immune responses to gastrointestinal nematodes and protozoan parasites in mice, as well as in the malaria mosquito vector. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying microbiota-dependent modulation of host and vector immunity against parasites in mammals and mosquitoes is key to a better understanding of the host-parasite relationships and the identification of more efficient approaches for intervention and treatment of parasite infections of both clinical and veterinary importance