Characterization of bacterial communities associated with Brassica napus L. growing on a Zn-contaminated soil and their effects on root growth

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Correlation between hormonal homeostasis and morphogenic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings growing in a Cd/Cu/Zn multi-pollution context

To date, almost no information is available in roots and shoots of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana about the hierarchic relationship between metal accumulation, phytohormone levels, and glutathione/phytochelatin content, and how this relation affects root development. For this purpose, specific concentrations of cadmium, copper and zinc, alone or in triple combination, were supplied for 12 days to in vitro growing seedlings. The accumulation of these metals was measured in roots and shoots, and a significant competition in metal uptake was observed. Microscopic analyses revealed that root morphology was affected by metal exposure, and that the levels of trans-zeatin riboside, dihydrozeatin riboside, indole-3-acetic acid, and the auxin/cytokinin ratio varied accordingly. By contrast, under metal treatments, minor modifications in gibberellic acid and abscisic acid levels occurred. RT-PCR analysis of some genes involved in auxin and cytokinin synthesis (e.g., AtNIT in roots and AtIPT in shoots) showed on average a metal up-regulated transcription. The production of thiol-peptides was induced by all the metals, alone or in combination, and the expression of the genes involved in thiol-peptide synthesis (AtGSH1, AtGSH2, AtPCS1 and AtPCS2) was not stimulated by the metals, suggesting a full post-transcriptional control. Results show that the Cd/Cu/Zn-induced changes in root morphology are caused by a hormonal unbalance, mainly governed by the auxin/cytokinin ratio

Cadmium-Related Mortality and Long-Term Secular Trends in the Cadmium Body Burden of an Environmentally Exposed Population

BACKGROUND: Few population studies have reported on the long-term changes in the internal cadmium dose and simultaneously occurring mortality. OBJECTIVE: We monitored blood cadmium (BCd), 24-hr urinary cadmium (UCd), and mortality in an environmentally exposed population. METHODS: Starting from 1985, we followed BCd (until 2003), UCd (until 1996), and mortality (until 2007) among 476 and 480 subjects, randomly recruited from low- exposure areas (LEA) and high-exposure areas (HEA). The last cadmium-producing plant in the HEA closed in 2002. RESULTS: From 1985-1989 to 1991-1996, BCd decreased by 40.3% and 18.9% in the LEA and HEA, respectively (p < 0.0001 for between-area difference). From 1991-1996 until 2001-2003, BCd remained unchanged in the HEA (+ 1.8%) and increased by 19.7% in the LEA (p < 0.0001). Over the entire follow-up period, the annual decrease in BCd averaged 2.7% in the LEA (n = 258) and 1.8% in the HEA (n = 203). From 1985-1989 to 1991-1996, UCd fell by 12.9% in the LEA and by 16.6% in the HEA (p = 0.22), with mean annual decreases of 2.7% (n = 366) and 3.4% (n = 364). Over 20.3 years (median), 206 deaths (21.5%) occurred. At baseline, BCd (14.6 vs. 10.2 nmol/L) and UCd (14.1 vs. 8.6 nmol/24-hr) were higher in deaths than in survivors. The risks (p <= 0.04) associated with a doubling of baseline UCd were 20% and 44% for total and noncardiovascular mortality, and 25% and 33% for a doubling of BCd. CONCLUSIONS: Even if zinc-cadmium smelters close, historical environmental contamination remains a persistent source of exposure. Environmental exposure to cadmium increases total and noncardiovascular mortality in a continuous fashion without threshold

Походження права законодавчої ініціативи Державної ради Російської імперії 1906-1916 років

Демократизація державного та громадського життя в Україні висуває вимоги вивчення історичного досвіду цього процесу, перш за все, в умовах переходу від авторитарного управління до парламентаризму, а також гальмуючої ролі пережитків минулого. Це зачіпає і питання про впливи, які визначили сутність права законодавчої ініціативи Державної ради Російської імперії 1906 – 1916 рр. Воно не знайшло висвітлення, за одиночним винятком – статті російського правознавця Б.Е.Нольде (3) ні в дорадянській, ні в радянській історіографії. Мету нашого дослідження складає спроба встановити і охарактеризувати джерело виникнення права законодавчої ініціативи Державної ради Російської імперії 1906 – 1916 рр. шляхом аналізу відповідних законодавчих актів. Головним завданням дослідження є аналіз Основних державних законів 23 квітня 1906 р., Запровадження Державної ради 24 квітня 1906 р., Запроваджень Державної думи 6 серпня 1905 та 20 лютого 1906 рр., а також підготовчих матеріалів щодо цих актів