Impact of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on Cry1Ac protein contents in transgenic cotton / Impacto de fertilizantes de nitrogênio e fósforo nos conteúdos de proteína Cry1Ac em algodão transgênico

Application of different fertilizers to check the efficiency of expression of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene in one of the leading commercialized crops (cotton) against Lepidopteran species is of great concern. The expression of Cry protein level can be controlled by the improvement of nutrients levels. Therefore, the myth of response of Cry toxin to different combinations of NP fertilizers was explored in three Bt cotton cultivars. Combinations include three levels of nitrogen and three levels of phosphorus fertilizers. Immunostrips and Cry gene(s) specific primer based PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis were used for the presence of Bt gene that unveiled the presence of Cry1Ac gene only. Further, the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kit was used to quantify the expression of Cry1Ac protein. Under various NP fertilizers rates, the level of toxin protein exhibited highly significant differences. The highest toxin level mean was found to be 2.3740 and 2.1732 µg/g under the treatment of N150P75 kg ha-¹ combination while the lowest toxin level mean was found to be 0.9158 and 0.7641 µg/g at the N50P25 kg ha-¹ level at 80 and 120 DAS (Days After Sowing), respectively. It was concluded from the research that the usage of NP fertilizers has a positive relation with the expression of Cry1Ac toxin in Bt cotton. We recommend using the N150P50 kg ha-1 level as the most economical and practicable fertilizer instead of the standard dose N100P50 kg ha-¹ to get the desired level of Cry1Ac level for long lasting plant resistance (<1.5). The revised dose of fertilizer may help farmers to avoid the cross-resistance development in contradiction of insect pests.

A aplicação de diferentes fertilizantes para verificar a eficiência da expressão do gene Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) em uma das principais culturas comercializadas (algodão) contra espécies de lepidópteros é uma grande preocupação. A expressão do nível de proteína Cry pode ser controlada pela melhoria dos níveis de nutrientes. Portanto, o mito da resposta da toxina Cry a diferentes combinações de fertilizantes NP foi explorado em três cultivares de algodão Bt. As combinações incluem três níveis de nitrogênio e três níveis de fertilizantes de fósforo. A análise de PCR (reação em cadeia da polimerase) específica para o gene (s) Immunostrips e Cry (s) foi usada para a presença do gene Bt que revelou a presença do gene Cry1Ac apenas. Além disso, o kit ELISA (ensaio de imunoabsorção enzimática) foi usado para quantificar a expressão da proteína Cry1Ac. Sob várias taxas de fertilizantes NP, o nível de proteína de toxina exibiu diferenças altamente significativas. A média do nível mais alto de toxina foi de 2,3740 e 2,1732 µg / g sob o tratamento da combinação N150P75 kg ha-¹, enquanto a média do nível mais baixo de toxina foi de 0,9158 e 0,7641 µg / g no nível de N50P25 kg ha-¹ em 80 e 120 DAS (dias após a semeadura), respectivamente. Concluiu-se com a pesquisa que o uso de fertilizantes NP tem relação positiva com a expressão da toxina Cry1Ac no algodão Bt. Recomendamos o uso do nível de N150P50 kg ha-¹ como o fertilizante mais econômico e praticável em vez da dose padrão N100P50 kg ha-¹ para obter o nível desejado de nível de Cry1Ac para resistência de planta de longa duração (<1,5). A dose revisada de fertilizante pode ajudar os agricultores a evitar o desenvolvimento de resistência cruzada em contradição com as pragas de insetos.

[Xenon post-conditioning protects against spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by downregulating mTOR pathway and inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neuronal apoptosis].

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether xenon post-conditioning affects mTOR signaling as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-apoptosis pathway in rats with spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. METHODS: Fifty male rats were randomized equally into sham-operated group (Sham group), I/R model group (I/R group), I/R model+ xenon post-conditioning group (Xe group), I/R model+rapamycin (a mTOR signaling pathway inhibitor) treatment group (I/R+ Rapa group), and I/R model + xenon post- conditioning with rapamycin treatment group (Xe + Rapa group).. In the latter 4 groups, SCIRI was induced by clamping the abdominal aorta for 85 min followed by reperfusion for 4 h. Rapamycin (or vehicle) was administered by daily intraperitoneal injection (4 mg/kg) for 3 days before SCIRI, and xenon post-conditioning by inhalation of 1∶1 mixture of xenon and oxygen for 1 h at 1 h after initiation of reperfusion; the rats without xenon post-conditioning were given inhalation of nitrogen and oxygen (1∶ 1). After the reperfusion, motor function and histopathologic changes in the rats were examined. Western blotting and real-time PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of GRP78, ATF6, IRE1α, PERK, mTOR, p-mTOR, Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 in the spinal cord. RESULTS: The rats showed significantly lowered hind limb motor function following SCIRI (P < 0.01) with a decreased count of normal neurons, increased mRNA and protein expressions of GRP78, ATF6, IRE1α, PERK, and caspase-3, and elevated p-mTOR/mTOR ratio and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio (P < 0.01). Xenon post-conditioning significantly decreased the mRNA and protein levels of GRP78, ATF6, IRE1α, PERK and caspase-3 (P < 0.05 or 0.01) and reduced p-mTOR/mTOR and Bax/Bcl-2 ratios (P < 0.01) in rats with SCIRI; the mRNA contents and protein levels of GRP78 and ATF6 were significantly decreased in I/R+Rapa group (P < 0.01). Compared with those in Xe group, the rats in I/R+Rapa group and Xe+Rapa had significantly lowered BBB and Tarlov scores of the hind legs (P < 0.01), and caspase-3 protein level and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were significantly lowered in Xe+Rapa group (P < 0.05 or 0.01). CONCLUSION: By inhibiting ERS and neuronal apoptosis, xenon post- conditioning may have protective effects against SCIRI in rats. The mTOR signaling pathway is partially involved in this process.

Ramularia leaf spot and boll rot are affected differently by organic and inorganic nitrogen fertilization in cotton plants

Interaction among nitrogen fertilization using bovine manure, poultry manure, Jatropha curcas seed cake and urea, and the diseases Ramularia leaf spot (RLS) and Boll rot (BR), caused by Ramulariopsis pseudoglycines and Diplodia gossypina, respectively, in cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L.), was studied under field conditions. Intensity (incidence and severity in percentage) of RLS and incidence (%) of BR were evaluated over time, starting in reproductive stage B1 (first visible flower bud). A randomized complete block design with a 4x4 factorial arrangement was used (fertilizers x doses), totaling 16 treatments with four replications. Disease progress was analyzed with the nonlinear Logistic and Gompertz models, obtaining the epidemiological parameters amount of initial disease (Y0) and progress rate (r). Plants fertilized with 50 kg N ha-1, presented an incidence twice greater than those obtained with other fertilizers. The Logistic model better fits RLS, but no model could represent BR. Only the epidemiological parameters of RLS were affected differently in this experiment compared to BR disease. The possible role of organic and inorganic nitrogen fertilization in the RLS and BR management is discussed.

Molecular hydrogen alleviates lung injury after traumatic brain injury: Pyroptosis and apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical condition, and inflammation and apoptosis play essential roles. Molecular hydrogen (H2) exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Our previous work has shown that 42% H2 can improve TBI. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that inhalation of hydrogen (42% H2, 21% O2, balanced nitrogen) for 1 h per day can improve TBI-induced ALI. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Except for the sham group (group S), rats were subjected to a fluid percussion injury (FPI) and the H2 treatment group were given inhaled hydrogen for 1 h per day. We evaluated the lung function, pyroptosis and apoptosis at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. RESULTS: Compared with group S, the rats in the TBI group (group T) showed obvious pulmonary edema after a TBI. Inhalation of high-concentration hydrogen significantly improved the rats. During this process, rats had some tendency to heal on their own, and H2 also accelerated the self-healing process. Lung injury scores, oxygenation index and pulmonary edema were consistent. Compared with group S, the pyroptosis-related proteins Caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC) and Gasdermin-D (GSDM-D) in the lung tissues of the rats in group T were significantly increased after a TBI. In the H2 treatment group (group H), these proteins were significantly decreased. The levels of IL-1ß and IL-18 were significantly increased after TBI while in group H were significantly decreased. At the same time, cleaved caspase-3 and BCL-2/Bax were also changed after H2 treatment. These demonstrates the powerful ameliorating effect of H2 on pyroptosis, apoptosis and systemic inflammation. However, rats also had tendency to heal on their own, and H2 also accelerated the self-healing process at the same time. CONCLUSIONS: H2 improves TBI-ALI, and the mechanism may be due to the decrease of both pyroptosis and apoptosis and the alleviation of inflammation. These findings provide a reference and evidence for the use of H2 in TBI-ALI patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Disturbance-level-dependent post-disturbance succession in a Eurasian steppe.

Anthropogenic disturbances may decrease as we take measures to control them. However, the patterns and mechanisms of post-disturbance ecosystem succession have rarely been studied. Here we reported that disturbance level determined the importance of stochastic relative to deterministic changes in ecosystem components (plant community composition, soil microbial community composition, and soil physicochemical indices), and thus predefined the pattern of post-disturbance ecosystem succession. We proposed a theoretical framework with five disturbance levels corresponding to distinct succession patterns. We conducted a nitrogen addition experiment in a temperate steppe, monitored these ecosystem components during "disturbance" treatment (2010-2014) and post-treatment "succession" (2014-2018). The disturbance level experienced by each component in each treatment was inferred by fitting the observed succession patterns into the theoretical framework. The mean disturbance level of these components was found to increase quadratically with nitrogen addition rate. This was because increasing nitrogen addition reduced the importance of stochastic relative to deterministic changes in these components, and these changes had a quadratic relationship with disturbance level. Overall, our results suggested that by monitoring the importance of stochastic relative to deterministic changes in an ecosystem, we can estimate disturbance levels and predict succession patterns, as well as propose disturbance-level-dependent strategies for post-disturbance restoration.

Effects of different combinations of N, P and K at different time interval on vegetative, reproductive, yield and quality traits of mango (Mangifera Indica. L) cv. Dusehri / Efeitos de diferentes combinações de N, P e K em diferentes intervalos nas características vegetativas, reprodutivas, produtivas e de qualidade da manga (Mangifera indica. L) cv. Dusehri

The experiment was carried out on mango cv. Dusehri to investigate the effect of N, P and K fertilizers on vegetative, reproductive growth, yield and fruit quality. Eight different fertilizer combinations such as T1 (control), T2 (N), T3 (P), T4 (K), T5 (NP), T6 (NK), T7 (PK) and T8 (NPK) were used. Individual or combine fertilizer application of N (1000 g), P (750 g) and K (750 g) were applied during growing season in February and August. All the treatments significantly influenced on vegetative growth, flowering, fruiting, yield and other physiochemical attributes of mango as compared to control. Least effect was observed with individual fertilizer application while combine fertilizer treatments enhanced most of the investigated parameters. Especially, qualitative traits showed non significant differences between treated and untreated mango trees. However, among the different treatments T8 (NPK) showed significance for fruiting aspects such as maximum size of growth flushes (177.51 mm), total number of panicles/tree (845), total number of flowers/panicle (974), sex ratio (69.18%), fruit retention (13.85%), total number of fruits/tree (379), yield (82 kg/tree), fruit weight (197.5 g), pulp weight (135.5 g) and physiochemical parameters namely TSS (24.53), Vit. C (57.63 mg/100 mL) and total sugar (20.84%). In general, combine application of NPK (T8) were the most effective in enhancing fruiting aspects, yield, physiochemical characteristics as well as improved fruit quality of mango trees.

O experimento foi realizado em manga cv. Dusehri para investigar o efeito dos fertilizantes N, P e K no crescimento vegetativo, reprodutivo, produtividade e de qualidade do fruto. Foram utilizadas oito combinações diferentes de fertilizantes: T1 (controle), T2 (N), T3 (P), T4 (K), T5 (NP), T6 (NK), T7 (PK) e T8 (NPK). Cada tratamento de N(1.000 g), P (750 g) e K (750 g) foi aplicado duas vezes durante a estação de crescimento em fevereiro e agosto. Todos os tratamentos influenciaram significativamente o crescimento vegetativo, floração, frutificação, produtividade e outros atributos físico-químicos da manga em relação ao controle. Menos efeito foi observado com a aplicação individual de fertilizante, enquanto os tratamentos combinados aumentaram a maioria dos parâmetros investigados. Especialmente as características qualitativas mostraram diferenças não significativas entre mangueiras tratadas e não tratadas. No entanto, entre os diferentes tratamentos, T8 (NPK) apresentou significância para aspectos de frutificação, como tamanho máximo de folgas de crescimento (177,51 mm), número total de panículas/árvore (845), número total de flores/panícula (974), razão sexual (69,18%), retenção de frutos (13,85%), número total de frutos/árvore (379), produção (82 kg/árvore), peso do fruto (197,5 g) e peso da polpa (135,5 g), além de parâmetros físico-químicos, como TSS (24,53), vitamina C (57,63 mg/100 mL) e açúcar total (20,84%). Em geral, a aplicação combinada de NPK (T8) foi a mais eficaz no aprimoramento dos aspectos de frutificação, produtividade, características físico-químicas, além da melhoria da qualidade dos frutos das mangueiras.

Ionic homeostasis, biochemical components and yield of Italian zucchini under nitrogen forms and salt stress / Homeostase iônica, componentes bioquímicos e produção da abobrinha italiana sob formas de nitrogênio e estresse salino

This research was carried out aiming at evaluating the effects of nitrate and ammonium ions on nutrient accumulation, biochemical components and yield of Italian zucchini (cv. Caserta) grown in a hydroponic system under salt stress conditions. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse utilizing an experimental design in randomized blocks, arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme, with 4 replications. The treatments consisted of two forms of nitrogen (nitrate - NO3- and ammonium - NH4+) and 5 electrical conductivity levels of irrigation water (ECw) (0.5, 2.0, 3.5, 5.0 and 6.5 dS m-1). The analysis of the results indicated that supply of N exclusively in NH4+ form promotes greater damage to the leaf membrane and reduction in accumulation of macronutrients and higher Na+/K+, Na+/Ca++ and Na+/Mg++ ratios in the shoots of zucchini plants. Electrical conductivity of irrigation water above 2.0 dS m-¹ reduces the accumulation of nutrients in shoot and yield of Italian zucchini plant. The toxicity of NH4+ under Italian zucchini plants overlap the toxicity of the salinity, since its fertilization exclusively with this form of nitrogen inhibits its production, being the NO3- form the most suitable for the cultivation of the species.

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos dos íons nitrato e amônio sobre o acúmulo de nutrientes e produção da abobrinha italiana (cv. Caserta) cultivada em sistema hidropônico sob estrese salino. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação utilizando o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, arranjados em esquema fatorial 2 x 5, com 4 repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de duas formas de nitrogênio (nitrato - NO3- e amônio - NH4+) e cinco níveis de condutividade elétrica da água de irrigação (CEa) (0,5; 2,0; 3,5; 5,0 e 6,5 dS m-¹). As análises dos resultados indicaram que suprimento de N exclusivamente em forma de NH4+ promove maiores danos na membrana foliar e redução no acúmulo de macronutrientes e maiores relações Na+/K+, Na+/Ca++ e Na+/Mg++ na parte aérea das plantas de abobrinha. A irrigação com água a cima de 2,0 dS m-¹ reduz o acúmulo de nutrientes na parte aérea das plantas e a produção de abobrinha. A toxicidade do NH4+ sob abobrinha italiana sobrepõe-se à toxicidade da salinidade, pois a fertilização exclusiva com esta forma de nitrogênio inibe sua produção, sendo a forma NO3- a mais adequada para o cultivo da espécie.

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus availability on the early growth of two congeneric pairs of savanna and forest species / Efeitos da disponibilidade de nitrogênio e fósforo no crescimento inicial de dois pares congenéricos de espécies de savana e floresta

In the tropical region, savannas and seasonal forests, both highly diverse biomes, occur side by side, under the same climate. If so, that mosaic cannot be explained solely by climatic variables, but also by fire, water availability and soil status. Nutrient availability in the soil, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, has been postulated to explain the abrupt transitions between savannas and seasonal forests in tropical regions. Plants from these two biomes may present different nutritional strategies to cope with nitrogen and phosphorus limitation. We used two congeneric pairs of trees — each pair with a species from the savanna and another from the neighboring seasonal forest — to test whether savanna and forest species presented different nutritional strategies during their early development. We cultivated 56 individuals from each of these species in a hydroponics system with four treatments: (1) complete Hoagland solution, (2) Hoagland solution without nitrogen, (3) Hoagland solution without phosphorus, and (4) Hoagland solution without nitrogen and phosphorus. After 45 days, we harvested the plants and measured total biomass, root to shoot ratio, height, leaf area, and specific leaf area. Overall, savanna species were lighter, shorter, with smaller leaves, higher specific leaf areas, and higher root to shoot ratios when compared to the forest species. Nitrogen increased the performance of species from both biomes. Phosphorus improved the performance of the forest species and caused toxicity symptoms in the savanna species. Hence, savanna and forest species presented different demands and were partially distinct already as seedlings concerning their nutritional strategies.

Em regiões tropicais, savanas e florestas estacionais, biomas altamente diversos, ocorrem lado a lado, sob o mesmo clima. Sendo assim, esse mosaico não pode ser explicado somente por variáveis climáticas, devendo ser considerada a frequência e intensidade de incêndios, disponibilidade de água e status do solo. A disponibilidade de nutrientes no solo, especialmente nitrogênio e fósforo, tem sido postulada para explicar as transições abruptas entre savanas e florestas estacionais nos trópicos. Espécies vegetais desses dois biomas podem apresentar estratégias nutricionais diferentes para lidar com a limitação tanto de nitrogênio como de fósforo. Utilizamos dois pares de árvores congenéricas — cada par com uma espécie típica de savana e outra de floresta estacional vizinha — para testar se as espécies da savana e da floresta apresentaram estratégias nutricionais diferentes durante seu desenvolvimento inicial. Cultivamos 56 indivíduos de cada uma dessas espécies em um sistema hidropônico com quatro tratamentos: (1) solução Hoagland completa, (2) solução Hoagland sem nitrogênio, (3) solução Hoagland sem fósforo e (4) solução Hoagland sem nitrogênio e fósforo. Após 45 dias, colhemos as plantas e medimos a biomassa total, a relação raiz / parte aérea, altura, área foliar e área foliar específica. No geral, as espécies savânicas foram mais leves, menores em altura, área foliar e área foliar específica e apresentaram maiores razões entre biomassa radicular por biomassa aérea quando comparadas às espécies florestais. A oferta de nitrogênio aumentou o desempenho das espécies de ambos biomas. O fósforo melhorou o desempenho das espécies florestais e causou sintomas de toxicidade nas espécies savânicas. Concluímos que, já como mudas, espécies congenéricas de savana e floresta apresentaram demandas distintas e foram parcialmente diferentes em relação a suas estratégias nutricionais.

Role of beneficial microbes with nitrogen and phosphorous levels on canola productivity / Papel de microbes benéficos em associação com níveis de nitrogênio e fósforo na produtividade de canola

A research was conducted to evaluate the impact of various nitrogen and phosphorus levels along with beneficial microbes to enhance canola productivity. The research was carried out at Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture Peshawar in winter 2016-2017. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block factorial design. The study was comprised of three factors including nitrogen (60, 120 and 180 kg ha-¹), phosphorous (70, 100 and 130 kg ha-¹) and beneficial microbes (with and without BM). A control treatment with no N, P and BM was also kept for comparison. Application of beneficial microbes significantly increased pods plant, seed pod, seed filling duration, 1000 seed weight, biological yield and seed yield as compared to control plots. Nitrogen applied at the rate of 180 kg ha-¹ increased pods plant-¹, seed pod, seed filling duration, seed weight, biological yield and seed yield. Maximum pods plant-¹, seed pod, early seed filling, heavier seed weight, biological yield, seed yield, and harvest index were observed in plots treated with 130 kg.ha-¹ phosphorous. As comparison, the combine treated plots have more pods plant-¹, seeds pod-¹, seed filling duration, heaviest seeds, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index as compared to control plots. It is concluded that application of beneficial microbes with N and P at the rate of 180 kg ha-¹ and 130 kg ha-¹, respectively, increased yield and its attributes for canola.

Uma pesquisa foi realizada para avaliar o impacto de vários níveis de nitrogênio e fósforo, juntamente com micróbios benéficos, para aumentar a produtividade da canola. A pesquisa foi realizada no inverno de 2016-17 no Agronomy Research Farm, Universidade de Agricultura do Peshawar. O experimento foi conduzido por planejamento fatorial aleatorizado em blocos. O estudo focou-se em três fatores, incluindo o teor de nitrogênio, N, (60, 120 e 180 kg.ha-¹), o teor de fósforo, P, (70, 100 e 130 kg ha-¹) e a presença de micróbios benéficos (com BM e sem BM). Para fins de comparação, um tratamento controle sem N, P e BM também foi incluído no estudo. A aplicação de micróbios benéficos aumentou significativamente as vagens das plantas e de sementes, a duração do enchimento das sementes, o peso de 1000 sementes, o rendimento biológico e o rendimento de sementes em comparação com os resultados do controle. O nitrogênio aplicado na taxa de 180 kg ha-¹ aumentou as vagens por planta, vagem, duração do enchimento, peso da semente, rendimento biológico e rendimento de sementes. Vagens máximas por planta, vagem, enchimento precoce de sementes, peso maior de semente, rendimento biológico, rendimento de sementes e índice de colheita foram observados em parcelas tratadas com 130 kg.ha-¹ de fósforo. Em comparação aos blocos cultivados de controle, os blocos cultivados tratados combinados têm mais vagens por planta e sementes por vagem, maior duração do enchimento das sementes, maior número de sementes mais pesadas e maior rendimento biológico, rendimento de sementes e índice de colheita. Conclui-se que a aplicação de micróbios benéficos junto com N e P nas doses de 180 kg ha-¹ e 130 kg ha-¹, respectivamente, aumentou a produtividade e atributos de produtividade para a canola.

Harnessing SeN to develop novel fluorescent probes for visualizing the variation of endogenous hypobromous acid (HOBr) during the administration of an immunotherapeutic agent.

By means of the formation of SeN, the ABT-Se and NDI-Se were developed to detect and visualize endogenous hypobromous acid (HOBr) in live cells. Specifically, the upregulation of HOBr was monitored by NDI-Se during the administration of an immunotherapeutic agent.

The Effect of Religious Dietary Cultures on Food Nitrogen and Phosphorus Footprints: A Case Study of India.

The excessive consumption of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), two vital nutrients for living organisms, is associated with negative environmental and health impacts. While food production contributes to a large amount of N and P loss to the environment, very little N and P is consumed as food. Food habits are affected by multiple regulations, including the dietary restrictions and dictates of various religions. In this study, religion-sensitive N-Calculator and P-Calculator approaches were used to determine the impact of religious dietary culture on the food N and P footprints of India in the major religious communities. Using 2013 data, the food N footprint of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists was 10.70, 11.45, 11.47, and 7.39 kg-N capita-1 year-1 (10.82 kg-N capita-1 year-1 was the national average), and the food P footprint was 1.46, 1.58, 1.04. and 1.58 kg-P capita-1 year-1 (1.48 kg-P capita-1 year-1 was the national average). The findings highlight the impact of individual choice on the N and P food footprints, and the importance of encouraging the followers of religion to follow a diet consistent with the food culture of that religion. The results of this study are a clear indication of the requirement for religion-sensitive analyses in the collecting of data pertinent to a particular country for use in making government policies designed to improve the recycling of food waste and the treatment of wastewater.

Low nitrogen availability inhibits the phosphorus starvation response in maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.).

BACKGROUND: Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are macronutrients essential for crop growth and productivity. In cultivated fields, N and P levels are rarely sufficient, contributing to the gap between realized and potential production. Fertilizer application increases nutrient availability, but is not available to all farmers, nor are current rates of application sustainable or environmentally desirable. Transcriptomic studies of cereal crops have revealed dramatic responses to either low N or low P single stress treatments. In the field, however, levels of both N and P may be suboptimal. The interaction between N and P starvation responses remains to be fully characterized. RESULTS: We characterized growth and root and leaf transcriptomes of young maize plants under nutrient replete, low N, low P or combined low NP conditions. We identified 1555 genes to respond to our nutrient treatments, in one or both tissues. A large group of genes, including many classical P starvation response genes, were regulated antagonistically between low N and P conditions. An additional experiment over a range of N availability indicated that a mild reduction in N levels was sufficient to repress the low P induction of P starvation genes. Although expression of P transporter genes was repressed under low N or low NP, we confirmed earlier reports of P hyper accumulation under N limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Transcriptional responses to low N or P were distinct, with few genes responding in a similar way to the two single stress treatments. In combined NP stress, the low N response dominated, and the P starvation response was largely suppressed. A mild reduction in N availability was sufficient to repress the induction of P starvation associated genes. We conclude that activation of the transcriptional response to P starvation in maize is contingent on N availability.

Assessing the impact of nitrogen supplementation in oats across multiple growth locations and years with targeted phenotyping and high-resolution metabolite profiling approaches.

Oats (Avena sativa L.) are a healthy food, being high in dietary fibre (e.g. ß-glucans), antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Understanding the effect of variety and crop management on nutritional quality is important. The response of four oat varieties to increased nitrogen levels was investigated across multiple locations and years with respect to yield, grain quality and metabolites (assessed via GC- and LC- MS). A novel high-resolution UHPLC-PDA-MS/MS method was developed, providing improved metabolite enrichment, resolution, and identification. The combined phenotyping approach revealed that, amino acid levels were increased by nitrogen supplementation, as were total protein and nitrogen containing lipid levels, whereas health-beneficial avenanthramides were decreased. Although nitrogen addition significantly increased grain yield and ß-glucan content, supporting increasing the total nitrogen levels recommended within agricultural guidelines, oat varietal choice as well as negative impacts upon health beneficial secondary metabolites and the environmental burdens associated with nitrogen fertilisation, require further consideration.

Qualitative Nitrogen Malnutrition Damages Gut and Alters Microbiome in Adult Mice. A Preliminary Histopathological Study.

Amino-acids (AAs) are the exclusive source of nitrogen for cells. AAs result from the breakdown of food proteins and are absorbed by mucosa of the small intestine that act as a barrier to harmful materials. The quality of food proteins may differ, since it reflects content in Essential-AAs (EAAs) and digestibility but, until now, attention was paid mainly to the interaction between indigested proteins as a whole and microbiota. The link between microbiome and quality of proteins has been poorly studied, although these metabolic interactions are becoming more significant in different illnesses. We studied the effects of a special diet containing unbalanced EAAs/Non-EAAs ratio, providing excess of Non-EAAs, on the histopathology of gut epithelium and on the microbiome in adult mice, as model of qualitative malnutrition. Excess in Non-EAAs have unfavorable quick effect on body weight, gut cells, and microbiome, promoting weakening of the intestinal barrier. Re-feeding these animals with standard diet partially reversed the body alterations. The results prove that an unbalanced EAAs/Non-EAAs ratio is primarily responsible for microbiome modifications, not vice-versa. Therefore, treating microbiota independently by treating co-existing qualitative malnutrition does not make sense. This study also provides a reproducible model of sarcopenia-wasting cachexia like the human protein malnutrition.

High nitrogen inhibits photosynthetic performance in a shade-tolerant and N-sensitive species Panax notoginseng.

Nitrogen (N) is a primary factor limiting leaf photosynthesis. However, the mechanism of high-N-driven inhibition on photosynthetic efficiency and photoprotection is still unclear in the shade-tolerant and N-sensitive species such as Panax notoginseng. Leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content, Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (Rubisco) activity and content, N allocation in the photosynthetic apparatus, photosynthetic performance and Chl fluorescence were comparatively analyzed in a shade-tolerant and N-sensitive species P. notoginseng grown under the levels of moderate nitrogen (MN) and high nitrogen (HN). The results showed that Rubisco content, Chl content and specific leaf nitrogen (SLN) were greater in the HN individuals. Rubisco activity, net photosynthetic rate (Anet), photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE), maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) and maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) were lower when plants were exposed to HN as compared with ones to MN. A large proportion of leaf N was allocated to the carboxylation component under the levels of MN. More N was only served as a form of N storage and not contributed to photosynthesis in HN individuals. Compared with the MN plants, the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), non-photochemical quenching of PSII (NPQ), effective quantum yield and electron transport rate were obviously reduced in the HN plants. Cycle electron flow (CEF) was considerably enhanced in the MN individuals. There was not a significant difference in maximum photo-oxidation P700+ (Pm) between the HN and MN individuals. Most importantly, the HN individuals showed higher K phase in the fast chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetic curve (OJIP kinetic curve) than the MN ones. The results obtained suggest that photosynthetic capacity might be primarily inhibited by the inactivated Rubisco in the HN individuals, and HN-induced depression of photoprotection might be caused by the photodamage to the donor side of PSII oxygen-evolving complex.

The Effect of Hypoxic Gas Therapy Using Nitrogen Before Bilateral Pulmonary Artery Banding on Hemodynamics and Pulmonary Artery Development.

This study aimed to identify its influence on pulmonary development and hemodynamics before bidirectional Glenn (BDG) anastomosis. This retrospective study involved 30 consecutive patients with univentricular hearts who underwent bilateral pulmonary artery banding (bil-PAB) and BDG anastomosis between September 2011 and September 2018 at our institution. These patients were classified into the nitrogen (N = 12) and no nitrogen (N = 18) groups according to their use of hypoxic gas therapy. Clinical echocardiographic, operative, and catheter examination data were reviewed. Nakata index was 131 (110-167) in the nitrogen group and 138 (88.4-161.7) in the no nitrogen group (P = 0.8). Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 1.50 (1.30-2.4) in the nitrogen group and 138 (88.4-161.7) in the no nitrogen group (P = 0.3). There was no statistical difference between the pulmonary development in both groups. In the subgroup of hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients, there was a statistical difference. RVEDV% of normal was 232.5 (215-239) in the nitrogen group and 201 (161-209) in the no nitrogen group (P = 0.03). Pulmonary development was not significantly different when hypoxic gas therapy was performed using nitrogen vs. not using nitrogen. However, RVEDV% of normal might be larger with hypoxic gas therapy using nitrogen. Although there is no obvious systemic atrioventricular valve regurgitation exacerbation with hypoxic gas therapy, it might be useful to prevent a decrease in PVR and may also affect bil-PAB and subclinical increase in systemic atrioventricular valve regurgitation.

Free Hemoglobin Ratio as a Novel Biomarker of Acute Kidney Injury After On-Pump Cardiac Surgery: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with a high risk of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Due to limitations of current diagnostic strategies, we sought to determine whether free hemoglobin (fHb) ratio (ie, levels of fHb at the end of CPB divided by baseline fHb) could predict AKI after on-pump cardiac surgery. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing the effect of nitric oxide (intervention) versus nitrogen (control) on AKI after cardiac surgery (NCT01802619). A total of 110 adult patients in the control arm were included. First, we determined whether fHb ratio was associated with AKI via multivariable analysis. Second, we verified whether fHb ratio could predict AKI and incorporation of fHb ratio could improve predictive performance at an early stage, compared with prediction using urinary biomarkers alone. We conducted restricted cubic spline in logistic regression for model development. We determined the predictive performance, including area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUC) and calibration (calibration plot and accuracy, ie, number of correct predictions divided by total number of predictions). We also used AUC test, likelihood ratio test, and net reclassification index (NRI) to compare the predictive performance between competing models (ie, fHb ratio versus neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL], N-acetyl-ß-d-glucosaminidase [NAG], and kidney injury molecule-1 [KIM-1], respectively, and incorporation of fHb ratio with NGAL, NAG, and KIM-1 versus urinary biomarkers alone), if applicable. RESULTS: Data stratified by median fHb ratio showed that subjects with an fHb ratio >2.23 presented higher incidence of AKI (80.0% vs 49.1%; P = .001), more need of renal replacement therapy (10.9% vs 0%; P = .036), and higher in-hospital mortality (10.9% vs 0%; P = .036) than subjects with an fHb ratio ≤2.23. fHb ratio was associated with AKI after adjustment for preestablished factors. fHb ratio outperformed urinary biomarkers with the highest AUC of 0.704 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.592-0.804) and accuracy of 0.714 (95% CI, 0.579-0.804). Incorporation of fHb ratio achieved better discrimination (AUC test, P = .012), calibration (likelihood ratio test, P < .001; accuracy, 0.740 [95% CI, 0.617-0.832] vs 0.632 [95% CI, 0.477-0.748]), and significant prediction increment (NRI, 0.638; 95% CI, 0.269-1.008; P < .001) at an early stage, compared with prediction using urinary biomarkers alone. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this exploratory, hypothesis-generating retrospective, observational study shows that fHb ratio at the end of CPB might be used as a novel, widely applicable biomarker for AKI. The use of fHb ratio might help for an early detection of AKI, compared with prediction based only on urinary biomarkers.

Updates in Cryotherapy for Barrett's Esophagus.

Cryotherapy is an ablation modality relying on freeze-thaw cycles to promote cell death through intracellular ice crystal formation, ischemia, and apoptosis. Currently, 2 different cryotherapy systems are available for esophageal use. The first is cryospray ablation, which involves repetitive applications of liquid nitrogen. The second system, cryoballoon ablation, freezes the esophageal mucosa with liquid nitrous oxide using a compliant balloon. To date, studies have shown that cryotherapy is an effective and safe method for eradicating Barrett's esophagus; however, larger prospective series with longer follow-up are warranted to determine the clinical utility of cryotherapy in the treatment of Barrett's esophagus.

Interactive Web-based Data Visualization and Analysis Tool for Synthetizing on-farm Research Networks Data.

The on-farm research network concept enables a group of farmers to test new agricultural management practices under local conditions with support from local researchers or agronomists. Different on-farm trials based on the same experimental design are conducted over several years and sites to test the effectiveness of different innovative management practices aimed at increasing crop productivity and profitability. As a larger amount of historical trial data are being accumulated, data of all the trials require analyses and summarization. Summaries of on-farm trials are usually presented to farmers as individual field reports, which are not optimal for the dissemination of results and decision making. A more practical communication method is needed to enhance result communication and decision making. R Shiny is a new rapidly developing technology for turning R data analyses into interactive web applications. For the first time for on-farm research networks, we developed and launched an interactive web tool called ISOFAST using R Shiny. ISOFAST simultaneously reports all trial results about the same management practice to simplify interpretation of multi-site and multi-year summaries. We used a random-effects model to synthetize treatment differences at both the individual trial and network levels and generate new knowledge for farmers and agronomists. The friendly interface enables users to explore trial summaries, access model outputs, and perform economic analysis at their fingertips. This paper describes a case-study to illustrate how to use the tool and make agronomic management decisions based on the on-farm trial data. We also provided technical details and guidance for developing a similar interactive visualization tool customized for on-farm research network. ISOFAST is currently available at https://analytics.iasoybeans.com/cool-apps/ISOFAST/.