Effect of calcium supply on the physiology of fruit tissue in ‘Andesu’ netted melon

Summary

Fruit development and physiological traits were evaluated in ‘Andesu’ netted melon plants grown with and without calcium. Calcium exclusion accelerated softening, alcoholic fermentation and ethylene evolution of fruit compared with those supplied with calcium, but the opposite trend occurred with sucrose accumulation. A significant difference of calcium concentrations in the fruit between treatments was observed at the developing stage of the fruit (P<0.05), but the difference became smaller as fruit matured. In the mesocarp tissue from the basal hemisphere, calcium concentrations in the NaCl soluble fraction at ripe fruit stage differed significantly (P<0.05) between calcium treatments but no significant difference was detected in the inner mesocarp of the distal hemisphere. Calcium exclusion did not lead to the development of water-soaked symptoms in the mesocarp tissue of ripe fruit. Uronic acid concentrations in ionically bound pectin fraction did not differ between calcium treatments throughout fruit development. In covalently-bound pectin fraction, however, uronic acid concentration of ripe fruit was significantly lower in calcium-excluded plants than in calcium-supplied plants (P<0.05). Our results suggest that: first, accelerated fruit softening under calcium deficient conditions might result from promoted ethylene evolution rather than from the shortage of ionically-bound calcium in cell walls, second, calcium deficient condition does not necessarily lead to water-soaked symptoms in tissue of ‘Andesu’ melon fruit.     

Foliar application of calcium plus boron reduces the incidence of sunburn in ‘Golden Delicious’ apple

Summary

Losses of apple fruit due to sunburn damage under South African climatic conditions can reach up to 40% per annum for specific cultivars in certain years. Various approaches to reduce the incidence and severity of sunburn resulted in temporary effects but, at present, no single remedy is available to provide a significant and consistent reduction in sunburn damage on a commercial scale. ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees that received both calcium (Ca) and boron (B) as foliar applications on a weekly basis, when applied from approx. 21 – 70 d after full bloom (DAFB), showed significantly less sunburn in two consecutive seasons (P = 0.0500 and P = 0.0247 respectively) than untreated control fruit, or treatments based on Ca alone. The minerals were applied as supplements of sugar-alcohol complexed with Ca and B, trading as Manni-Plex^® Ca [10% (w/w) Ca] and Manni-Plex^® B [3.3% (w/w) B], respectively. The mode of action by which the incidence of sunburn was reduced using combined sprays of Manni-Plex^® Ca plus Manni-Plex^® B remains to be elucidated.     

Role of ZIPK in the regulatory effects of PKCα and PKCε on calcium sensitivity during hemorrhagic shock in rats

AIM: To observe the role of zipper-interacting protein kinase (ZIPK) in the regulatory effects of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) and protein kinase Cε (PKCε) on calcium sensitivity during hemorrhagic shock(HS) in rats. METHODS: The skinned first class arborization of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) from HS rats were adopted to observe the influence of inhibitor of ZIPK on the effects of PKCα and PKCε agonists on calcium sensitivity after shock via measuring the contraction initiated by Ca2+ with isolated organ perfusion system, hypoxic vascualr smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were adopted to measure the protein expression and activity of ZIPK after applying PKCα and PKCε agonists following hypoxia via Western blotting. RESULTS: (1) The calcium sensitivity of SMA was decreased after 2 h shock, and increased by agonists of PKCα and PKCε. Emax of Ca2+ was increased from 47.2％to 66.5％ (P<0.01) and 66.3％ (P<0.01) of normal control respectively as compared with 2 h shock group. The increasing effects of PKCα and PKCε agonists on calcium sensitivity of SMA after 2 h shock were weakened by the inhibitor of ZIPK. The cumulative dose-response curve of Ca2+ was shifted to the right, the Emax of Ca2+ was decreased to 42.6％ and 47.5％ of normal control (P<0.01), respectively. (2) The protein expression and activity of ZIPK in VSMCs were decreased after 2 h hypoxia, and were increased by the agonists of PKCα and PKCε following 2 h hypoxia. CONCLUSION: PKCα and PKCε regulate the calcium sensitization probably through changing the protein expression and activity of ZIPK following HS in rats.     

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) induces the proliferation of astrocytes in rat via pathway of protein kinase C-α and calcium ion in vitro

AIM: To determine if lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) regulates the proliferation of astrocytes (AS) and to approach the mechanism of the process.METHODS: The cerebral AS of the neonatal SD rats were cultured in vitro and divided randomly into control group, PKC excitomotor (PMA) group, LPA group, PKC-α inhibitor (Ro31-8220) group, Ro31-8220+PMA group and Ro31-8220+LPA group. The proliferation of the cells was detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry (FCM). The concentration of intra-cellular calcium ion of the cells (［Ca2＋］i) which were labeled with Fura-2/AM was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The change of PKC-α inside the cells was observed by Western blotting.RESULTS: LPA and PMA stimulated the proliferation of AS, they also enhanced the expression of PKC-α and increased the concentration of ［Ca2＋］i. After pretreated with Ro31-8220, the abilities of LPA that mentioned above were decreased. The change of ［Ca2＋］i was associated with the diversity of PKC-α.CONCLUSION: LPA promotes the proliferation of AS via the way of PKC-α and Ca2＋.     

Evaluation of the Effect of Different Harvest Time on the Fruit Quality of Foşa Nut

This study was carried out in Arsin (Trabzon/Turkey) in 2011. The effects of different harvest time and altitudes on the quality of the nuts have been investigated. The study was performed on Fo?a hazelnut and the harvest process has been conducted at three terms, which are on normal harvest time and ten days before and after harvest time. The harvested nuts were dried in the shade on the concrete floor until their moisture content decreased to 5?%. Some properties of nuts including yield, fruit weight, internal weight, shell thickness, and protein, oleic, and linoleic acid amounts have been investigated. As evaluated all of the fruit properties it can be concluded that 11 August is the most suitable harvest date for coast zone. On the other hand, no significant differences were obtained in the point of protein, oleic, and linoleic acid amounts for different harvest time and altitudes.     

Resolving the Parentage of the Apple Cultivar ‘Meran’

In the mid-1970s, a new apple variety named ‘Meran’ was discovered in South Tyrol (northern Italy), which harbours the largest continuous apple growing area in Europe. The cultivar was registered for varietal protection and patented in several countries, and was declared to be a cross of the varieties ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Morgenduft’ (synonym ‘Rome Beauty’). The parentage of ‘Meran’ has, however, been questioned, and the present study aimed to assess the descent of this cultivar by the combined use of molecular genetic and bioinformatic tools. Five accessions of ‘Meran’ were collected from three different European germplasm collections and analysed at 14 variable microsatellite DNA loci. Subsequently, computer software was used to allocate the most likely parent pair from a set of cultivars representative for the apple growing area of South Tyrol in 1975. The molecular genetic data clearly excluded ‘Morgenduft’ as a gene donor to ‘Meran’ and provided strong evidence that ‘Meran’ is a cross of the cultivars ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Jonathan’, confirming previous assumptions based on morphological traits of the tree and fruit.     

The Effect of Conditions of Storage on the Respiration of Apples: III. The Effect of Modulation of Temperature on the Respiration of Cox’s Orange Pippin Apples,and on the Extent of Low Temperature Injury

When apples which develop low temperature breakdown (LTB) at 32° F. are moved from 32° F. to 65° F. for 3 to 5 days at about the 7th to 8th week of storage, they subsequently develop within a given period of storage less LTB than apples kept at 32° F. continuously.

The respiration of apples susceptible to LTB increases steadily during storage at 32° F. If these apples are warmed to 65° F. during the period of exposure to 32° F., the subsequent rate of respiration at 32° F. is lower than before warming, and continues at a lower rate than for apples kept at 32° F. continuously.

If the apples are moved to 38° F., without an intermediate treatment at 65° F., the rate of respiration is higher than for apples at 38° F. continuously, and this higher rate persists.

If there is an intermediate wanning period at 65° F., the respiration of apples moved from 32° to 38° F. is of the same order as that for apples kept at 38° F. continuously.

The respiratory quotient of apples at 32° F. or at 38° F., which is indicative of the type of respiratory activity, is typical for the temperature at which it is measured, and is not affected by the warming treatment. The effects of wanning on both the incidence of LTB and respiration are similar for apples stored in air and in 2% oxygen: 98% nitrogen.     

Foliar applications of calcium do not impact on fruit and leaf nutrient concentration or quality of ‘O’Neal’ blueberry

Calcium (Ca) has been considered a key element in maintaining fruit quality and extending the storage period of several fruits. The main blueberry (interspecific hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum x V. darrowii) market for the Southern Hemisphere production involves a long transport between harvest and consumption. Foliar Ca sprays during the pre-harvest constitutes a common practice for improving Ca concentration [Ca] in fruits and therefore in alleviating the loss of firmness, dehydration and rot decay during postharvest. In this study, two formulations of Ca; Ca-nitrate [Ca(NO₃)₂] and chelate Ca-oxide (Ca-gluconate; Ca-Glu) were sprayed four times during pre-harvest of blueberry cv. O’Neal. [Ca] in the fruits was followed after each application and fruit quality parameters were determined at harvest and during 28 days of cold storage. Both formulations were ineffective in increasing [Ca] in the berries (or leaves) after any of the four applications. In fruits, [Ca] decreased from 0.32% at 25 days after full bloom (DAFB) to 0.11% Ca at harvest time. Other minerals such as magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), or nitrogen (N) remained unaffected by the treatments. Data shows that foliar pre-harvest applications of Ca, regardless of formula, were ineffective at increasing [Ca] or improving the quality of the fruit.     

Effect of Culture Parameters on the Growth of Sparassis crispa Mycelium

The effect of carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, temperature and substrate water content on the growth and vigor of Sparassis crispa mycelium was evaluated. Mycelial growth rates were highest when rice starch served as the carbon source and when peptone, yeast extract or soybean meal were adopted as the nitrogen source. The optimum pH and substrate water content values were 5.25 and 62.5% respectively. Mycelial growth was optimal at 20.2 ℃ and inhibited at 35 ℃, and temperatures of 40 ℃ and above killed the fungus.     

Inhibitory effect of ground dragon on the expression of α-SMA and FN in the lung tissue of mouse with asthma

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of ground dragon on the expression of α-SMA and FN in the lung tissue with asthma. METHODS: The BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: control group (group A, n=20), asthmatic model group (group B, n=20), large-dose ground dragon treatment group (group C, n=20) and low-dose ground dragon treatment group (group D, n=20). To establish a mouse model of chronic asthma, we sensitized the mouse with 0.02% ovalbumin (OVA) by intraperitoneal injection, and stimulated the mice with 1% OVA by atomization. The treatment groups were given ground dragon before stimulation every time. After the last time of stimulation, the mice were subjected to laboratory tests. Inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were counted. Total level of IgE in serum was detected by ELISA. FN mRNA and α-SMA mRNA in the lung tissue were measured by RT-PCR and AlphaImager 2200 semi-quantitation analysis system. Expressions of FN and α-SMA were measured by the method of two-step immunohistochemistry and leica QWIN V3 analysis system. RESULTS: (1) Compared with those in group A, the expressions of α-SMA and FN in group B were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with group B, those in group C were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while those in group D were slightly decreased (P>0.05). (2) Compared with those in group A, the expression levels of α-SMA mRNA and FN mRNA in group B had a great increase (P<0.01). There was a notably decreases of α-SMA mRNA and FN mRNA levels in group C, compared with group B (P<0.01). However, α-SMA and FN mRNA level in group D was just a slightly decreased, compared with group B (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The ground dragon inhibits α-SMA and FN expression in the lung tissue of mice with chronic asthma, indicating that ground dragon may inhibit airway remodeling in asthma through the inhibition of α-SMA and FN expressions.     

Woody species composition of chestnut stands in the Northern Apennines: the result of 200 years of changes in land use

Chestnut stands (orchards and coppices) are among the most typical elements of the southern European mountain landscape and a protected habitat (9260 Castanea sativa woods) according to the European Union (Directive 92/43/EEC). As an anthropogenic landscape, they require specific measures to address preservation or to guide their evolutionary trend. In the Northern Apennines, a landscape multiscalar-multitemporal approach was adopted to highlight factors that have acted on the evolution of this habitat and which still might affect either its preservation or its evolutionary dynamics. Using a diachronic GIS-approach, we analyzed old cadastral maps (drawn up 200 years ago), and aerial photographs. Both the present distribution pattern of the woody species and the incidence of important chestnut diseases were also surveyed. The factors explaining the current extent and species composition of the local chestnut forests confirm their status as an anthropogenic habitat. The present landscape distribution of chestnut woods is heavily linked to past human settlements. Chestnut blight and ink disease are more an indirect reason for past felling activities than an actual direct cause of damage to trees, because of the hypovirulence spread and the limited incidence of the ink disease. Vegetation dynamics of abandoned chestnut forests evolved only partly towards deciduous Beech and Hop Hornbeam stands, thus suggesting both the possibility of a recovery of this cultivation and the need for new criteria for its management.     

Nrf2 regulates the expression of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase in the inflammatory cells of bronchial asthma guinea pig

AIM:To investigate Nrf2 that regulates the expression of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) in the inflammatory cells in bronchial asthma guinea pig bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). METHODS:Adult male guinea pigs were randomly divided into control group (group A), asthmatic group (group B) and dexamethasone group (group C). Asthmatic model was established by the method of ovalbumin challenge. MDA concentration in the lung tissue homogenate was detected. The total cell count and the proportion of inflammatory cells in BALF were measured. The methods of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used for detection of the protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2, Bach1 and γ-GCS. RESULTS:(1) The proportion of eosinophils (EOS) in BALF and the MDA concentration of the lung tissue in group B were higher than those in group A and group C. (2) The result of in situ hybridization indicated that the A value of γ-GCS was the highest in group A compared to group B and group C, but the A value of Nrf2 and Bach1 in 3 groups has no statistical significance. (3) Immunohistochemistry indicated that the A value of γ-GCS in group B was lower than that in group A. The positive rate in cell nucleus of Nrf2 in group B was lower than that in group A and group C. The positive rate in cell nucleus of Bach1 in group B was higher than that in group A and group C. (4) The mRNA expression of γ-GCS (A value) showed positive correlation with the positive rate in cell nucleus of Nrf2 and negative correlation with the positive rate in cell nucleus. A negative correlation between the proportion of EOS in BALF of group B and the γ-GCS mRNA was observed. CONCLUSION:There is disequilibrium between oxidation and anti-oxidation in bronchial asthma guinea pig. Inflammatory reaction decreases the expression of γ-GCS in the inflammatory cells in bronchial asthma guinea pig. Dexamethasone regulates the nuclear translocation of Nrf2/Bach1 and increases the expression of γ-GCS.     

Stakeholder perceptions of the socio-ecological role of nature-based solutions in the Les Glòries Park,Barcelona

The ongoing effects of the climate emergency and the recognition of the need to redesign cities to cope with future socio-environmental changes and increase the quality of life of urban inhabitants has pushed many cities to embrace the ‘re-naturalization’ of public space through Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Les Glòries park (Barcelona) is an ongoing massive urban transformation project that incorporates NbS as a multifunctional tool. It attempts to respond to complex environmental, social, and economic urban problems while at the same time mitigating and adapting to hazards, such as floods and droughts, both predicted to increase in the Mediterranean region due to climate change. While NbS are also expected to improve environmental quality, not much attention has been given to how those strategies would intersect with citizens’ expectations and visions of public space and the uneven socio-environmental relations they can enforce. Through a case of urban development of a new large green area in Barcelona, this article aims to discern different perceptions by the local community and planners on the socio-ecological role of NbS and the implications this has for sustainable urban transitions. In-depth interviews were held with 25 key stakeholders and users, complemented by the analysis of secondary data from the town council of Barcelona about the perception of the space by residents living in the surrounding neighborhoods of the park. The results of this paper show that perceptions around NbS are strongly divided into three groups: the believers, the opposers and the skepticals. These results contribute to nuance NbS, as they do not provide universal benefits, neither for nature nor for society, and that they are subject to urban tensions derived from inequities, conflicts, tradeoffs, and particularly from divided visions of what the ‘re-naturalization’ of cities should look like.     

Evaluation of the sensitivity to ionising γ-radiation of a Cymbidium hybrid

Gamma-rays are an important mutagenic agent that can induce new, useful genetic variations in plants. However, γ-irradiation can also cause damage that negatively affects the use of such mutagens in plant breeding. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects and damage caused by γ-radiation in a Cymbidium hybrid, RB001. The relative growth rate of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) was reduced by 50% at a γ-ray dose of approximately 40 Gy. Malondialdehyde concentrations increased significantly with increasing radiation dose. However, almost no difference was observed between untreated control PLBs and PLBs treated with 200 Gy 8 weeks after γ-irradiation. The activities of several antioxidant defence enzymes increased gradually with increasing γ-ray dose, 24 h after irradiation. These enzymes showed different responses between 1 and 4 weeks, but no difference 8 weeks after irradiation. The ‘comet assay’ and flow cytometry were performed. Clear differences in radiation-induced damage were observed between control and 200 Gy-treated PLBs at 24 h. However, PLBs had a tendency to recover from 4 weeks after irradiation, and the integrity of their DNA was similar in samples treated with 10–200 Gy. These results indicated that γ-rays caused little DNA damage and the plants could recover. This demonstrated the feasibility of using physiological responses, the ‘comet assay’, and flow cytometry to detect DNA damage after γ-irradiation.     

Construction of recombination vector of pcDNA3.1(+)-MER-Syk（L）and the effect of Syk(L) on the proliferation of breast cancer cells

AIM: To explore the effect of 4-hydroxytomacifen (4-OHT) on MER-Syk(L) cellular localization and the function of Syk(L) on cell proliferation in breast cancer cells.METHODS: pcDNA3.1(+)-MER-Syk(L) vector was constructed and the cell line MDA-MB-231, which expressed MER-Syk(L) stably, was established. Western blotting and immunofluorescence techniques were used to detect localization of MER-Syk(L) fusion protein in MDA-MB-231 cells cultured with or without 4-OHT. MTT assay was used to explore the proliferation ability of MDA-MB-231 stable cells.RESULTS: (1) MER-Syk(L) fusion protein, not MER-Syk(S) and MER protein, translocated from cytoplasm to nucleus in the presence of 4-OHT. (2) Nuclear not cytoplasmic MER-Syk(L) fusion protein inhibited MDA-MB-231 stable cell growth. (3) With or without the treatment of 4-OHT, MER-Syk（S）and MER protein always located in cytoplasm and did not suppress cell growth.CONCLUSION: With 4-OHT, MER-Syk(L) fusion protein translocates to nucleus and inhibits cell growth.     

Characterisation of the thermodormancy response in the everbearing strawberry ‘Everest’.

Summary

Temperature regimes that induce and ameliorate cropping troughs (“thermodormancy”) were evaluated over two seasons for the everbearing strawberry ‘Everest’. When plants were exposed to 26°C for 5, 10, 20 or 30 d in July, heat-induced troughs in cropping were observed in August. An important discovery was that cool (13°C) night temperatures ameliorated the severity of thermodormancy. In this study, thermodormancy appeared to be due principally to flower abortion post-anthesis, as large numbers of flowers emerged in mid-July, during the high temperature treatments, but went on to produce low fruit numbers in mid-August. Flower initiation itself (monitored by crown dissection) was not reduced by high temperatures. The observation that night-time temperature is critical for thermodormancy has significance for commercial production, in which protected cropping tends to increase average temperatures throughout the season, and venting tends to focus on day-time temperatures.     

Addressing the interplay of poverty and the ecology of landscapes: a Grand Challenge Topic for landscape ecologists?

We argue for the landscape ecology community to adopt the study of poverty and the ecology of landscapes as a Grand Challenge Topic. We present five areas of possible research foci that we believe that landscape ecologists can join with other social and environmental scientists to increase scientific understanding of this pressing issue: (1) scale and poverty; (2) landscape structure and human well-being; (3) social and ecological processes linked to spatial patterns in landscapes; (4) conservation and poverty, and (5) applying the landscape ecologist’s toolkit. A brief set of recommendations for landscape ecologists is also presented. These include the need to utilize broad frameworks that integrate social and ecological variables, build capacity to do this kind of work through the development of strong collaborations of researchers in developed and developing countries, create databases in international locations where extreme poverty exists, and create a new generation of researchers capable of addressing this pressing social and environmental issue.     

Reconstructing the collapse of wetland networks in the Swiss lowlands 1850–2000

In Central Europe vast wetland areas have been converted into agricultural land over the past few centuries. Long-term spatially explicit reconstructions of wetland cover changes at regional scale are rare but such information is vital for setting appropriate wetland conservation and restoration goals. In this study wetland cover change over the past 150 years was analyzed for the Canton Zurich (Switzerland) using information from historical and current topographical maps. Mapping instructions changed significantly over time, i.e., wetlands were mapped more conservatively on older maps. Therefore a technique was developed to account for changes in mapping instructions and to reconstruct a series of comparable maps spanning 1850–2000. Wetland cover dramatically decreased from 13,759 ha in 1850 (more than 8% of the total study area) to 1,233 ha in 2000 (less than 1%). Largest loss is observed for the first half of the twentieth century when more than 50% of the total wetland loss occurred. In 1850, almost all wetland patches were connected in two large networks defined by a 500 m buffer around all wetland patches to account for typical dispersal distances of wetland animals. Despite extensive wetland loss, this networks remained largely intact until 1950, but then collapsed into many medium and small networks consisting of only few wetland patches. In addition to the direct loss of wetland habitats increased habitat fragmentation is limiting metapopulation dynamics and hindering genetic exchange between populations. Amphibians and other wetland animals are particularly prone to habitat fragmentation because of their limited migration abilities. This may lead to time-delayed extinction in the future because current species occurrence might rather reflect historical than current wetland cover and habitat configuration. Future restoration efforts should focus on reestablishing connectivity between remaining smaller wetland networks.