Del nido cardioplegia in adults: a retrospective observational study in comparison to modified St. Thomas cardioplegia in cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: St. Thomas cardioplegia is commonly administered to adults, yet repeated dosing at brief intervals is required. Del Nido's cardioplegic solution provides a prolonged duration of safe myocardial arrest, yet it was primarily intended for pediatric cardiac surgery. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in using Del Nido's in adults; this might be due to its ease of administration and extended re-dosing intervals. This study contrasted Del Nido's to modified St. Thomas cardioplegia in adults. METHODS: This study was conducted on 200 patients. Troponin-T was the primary outcome within the first 24 and 48 h post-surgery. Cardiopulmonary bypass time, cross-clamp time, intraoperative use of inotropic support, defibrillator and/or intra-aortic balloon were the secondary outcomes of the study. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in post-operative Troponin-T levels in the first 24 and 48 h within Del Nido's group compared to the modified St. Thomas group. The cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were also found to be lower within Del Nido's group. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated a significant reduction in early postoperative Troponin-T levels as well as operative times favoring Del Nido's in adults.

Assessing Weak Anion Binding to Small Peptides.

Since Hofmeister's seminal studies in the late 19th century, it has been known that salts and buffers can drastically affect the properties of peptides and proteins. These Hofmeister effects can be conceived of in terms of three distinct phenomena/mechanisms: water-salt interactions that indirectly induce the salting-out of a protein by water sequestration by the salt, and direct salt-protein interactions that can either salt-in or salt-out the protein. Unfortunately, direct salt-protein interactions responsible for Hofmeister effects are weak and difficult to quantify. As such, they are frequently construed of as being nonspecific. Nevertheless, there has been considerable effort to better specify these interactions. Here, we use pentapeptides to demonstrate the utility of the H-dimension of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to assess anion binding using N-H signal shifts. We qualify binding using these, demonstrating the upfield shifts induced by anion association and revealing how they are much larger than the corresponding downfield shifts induced by magnetic susceptibility and other ionic strength change effects. We also qualify binding in terms of how the pattern of signal shifts changes with point mutations. In general, we find that the observed upfield shifts are small compared with those induced by anion binding to amide-based hosts, and MD simulations suggest that this is so. Thus, charge-diffuse anions associate mostly with the nonpolar regions of the peptide rather than directly interacting with the amide N-H groups. These findings reveal the utility of 1H NMR spectroscopy for qualifying affinity to peptides─even when affinity constants are very low─and serve as a benchmark for using NMR spectroscopy to study anion binding to more complex systems.

Exogenous Hemin enhances the antioxidant defense system of rice by regulating the AsA-GSH cycle under NaCl stress.

Abiotic stress caused by soil salinization remains a major global challenge that threatens and severely impacts crop growth, causing yield reduction worldwide. In this study, we aim to investigate the damage of salt stress on the leaf physiology of two varieties of rice (Huanghuazhan, HHZ, and Xiangliangyou900, XLY900) and the regulatory mechanism of Hemin to maintain seedling growth under the imposed stress. Rice leaves were sprayed with 5.0 µmol·L-1 Hemin or 25.0 µmol·L-1 ZnPP (Zinc protoporphyrin IX) at the three leaf and one heart stage, followed by an imposed salt stress treatment regime (50.0 mmol·L-1 sodium chloride (NaCl)). The findings revealed that NaCl stress increased antioxidant enzymes activities and decreased the content of nonenzymatic antioxidants such as ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH). Furthermore, the content of osmoregulatory substances like soluble proteins and proline was raised. Moreover, salt stress increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in the leaves of the two varieties. However, spraying with Hemin increased the activities of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) and accelerated AsA-GSH cycling to remove excess ROS. In summary, Hemin reduced the effect of salt stress on the physiological characteristics of rice leaves due to improved antioxidant defense mechanisms that impeded lipid peroxidation. Thus, Hemin was demonstrated to lessen the damage caused by salt stress.

Charge-Reversal NaCl/G-Quartets for Aggregation-Induced Mitochondrial MicroRNA Imaging and Ion-Interference Therapy.

Mitochondrial therapy is a promising new strategy that offers the potential to achieve precise disease diagnosis or maximum therapeutic response. However, versatile mitochondrial theranostic platforms that integrate biomarker detection and therapy have rarely been exploited. Here, we report a charge-reversal nanomedicine activated by an acidic microenvironment for mitochondrial microRNA (mitomiR) detection and ion-interference therapy. The transporter liposome (DD-DC) was constructed from a pH-responsive polymer and a positively charged phospholipid, encapsulating NaCl nanoparticles with coloading of the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogens AIEgen-DNA/G-quadruplexes precursor and brequinar (NAB@DD-DC). The negatively charged nanomedicine ensured good blood stability and high tumor accumulation, while the charge-reversal to positive in response to the acidic pH in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and lysosomes enhanced the uptake by tumor cells and lysosome escape, achieving accumulation in mitochondria. The subsequently released Na+ in mitochondria not only contributed to the formation of mitomiR-494 induced G-quadruplexes for AIE imaging diagnosis but also led to an osmolarity surge that was enhanced by brequinar to achieve effective ion-interference therapy.

Addition of low sodium does not increase sensitivity to glucose in wild-type mice, or lead to partial glucose taste detection in T1R3 knock-out mice.

The sodium glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) has been proposed as a non-T1R glucosensor contributing to glucose taste. Studies have shown that the addition of NaCl at very weak concentrations to a glucose stimulus can enhance signaling in the gustatory nerves of mice and significantly lower glucose detection thresholds in humans. Here, we trained mice with (wild-type; WT) and without (knockout; KO) a functioning T1R3 subunit on a two-response operant detection task to differentially respond to the presence or absence of a taste stimulus immediately after sampling. After extensive training (∼40 sessions), KO mice were unable to reliably discriminate 2 M glucose+0.01 M NaCl from 0.01 M NaCl alone, but all WT mice could. We then tested WT mice on a descending array of glucose concentrations (2.0-0.03 M) with the addition of 0.01 M NaCl vs. 0.01 M NaCl alone. The concentration series was then repeated with glucose alone vs. water. We found no psychophysical evidence of a non-T1R taste transduction pathway involved in the detection of glucose. The addition of NaCl to glucose did not lower taste detection thresholds in WT mice, nor did it render the stimulus detectable to KO mice, even at 2 M. The proposed pathway must contribute to functions other than sensory-discriminative detection, at least when tested under these conditions. Detection thresholds were also derived for fructose and found to be 1/3 log10 lower than for glucose, but highly correlated (r = 0.88) between the two sugars, suggesting that sensitivity to these stimuli in this task was based on a similar neural process.

Halophytic Bacterial Endophyte Microbiome from Coastal Desert-Adapted Wild Poaceae Alleviates Salinity Stress in the Common Wheat Triticum aestivum L.

Abiotic stresses threaten the strategic crops of Poaceae (Gramineae) worldwide. Habitat-adapted microbiome of wild plants has the potential to alleviate abiotic stresses in alternate hosts. Persian Gulf's coastal deserts are colonized by halophyte plants hosting habitat-adapted halophytic microbiota. Here, endophytic bacteria from wild Poaceae in coastal deserts of the north Persian Gulf at Hormozgan province, Iran, were isolated and screened for mitigating salinity stress in wheat. Accordingly, seven dominant species of wild Poaceae in the region, i.e., Aeloropus lagopoides, Aeloropus litiralis, Chrysopogon aucheri, Cymbopogon olivieri, Desmostachya sp., Halopayrum mucronatum, and Sporbuls arabicus, were explored. In total, 367 endophytic bacteria were isolated, 90 of which tolerated 2.5-M NaCl. Of these, 38 strains were selected based on their bioactivity and applied for in vitro wheat-interaction assays under 250-mM NaCl stress. Five superior strains promoted seed germination and growth indices in rain-fed winter wheat cv. Sardari, i.e., Bacillus subtilis B14, B19, & B27, Bacillus sp. B21, and Bacillus licheniformis Ba38. In planta assays in saline soil (2.7 dS m-1) using the superior strains indicated that Bacillus sp. B21 and Bacillus licheniformis Ba38 increased germination and root and shoot lengths and their dry and fresh weights in wheat seedlings. Moreover, phenolics and flavonoids contents of wheat seedlings were influenced by endophyte application. Thus, the coastal desert-adapted microbiome of wild Poaceae could alleviate abiotic stress and promote growth in cultivated species of Poaceae, such as wheat.

Targeted inhibition of biogenic amine-producing strains by spice extracts and control of biogenic amine accumulation in reduced-salt dry sausages.

This study aimed to screen spice extracts that can target the inhibition of biogenic amine (BA)-producing bacteria and reduce the BA accumulation in reduced-salt dry sausages. A total of 59 bacterial strains were isolated from reduced-salt dry sausages; among them, three isolates, namely, Staphylococcus epidermidis S1, S. saprophyticus S2, and S. edaphicus S3, had the strongest ability to produce BA. Eight spice extracts, i.e. Angelica dahurica, cinnamon, ginger, clove, fennel, Amomum, nutmeg, and orange peel, were extracted. The inhibition zone diameter and minimum inhibitory concentration indicated that A. dahurica, Amomum, and clove elicited the strongest inhibitory effect on BA-producing strains. Growth kinetics showed the strongest inhibitory effect of clove extracts, followed by Amomum and A. dahurica. In the medium system, clove extract was the most effective in controlling the total BA content by inhibiting of BA-producing strains S. epidermidis S1, S. saprophyticus S2, and S. edaphicus S3; their contents were reduced by 23.74%, 31.05% and 21.37%, respectively. In the dry sausage system, the control of BA accumulation by clove was quite prominent, and the total BA content was reduced from 373.70 mg/kg to 259.05 mg/kg on day 12.

Integrative multi-omics analysis reveals the crucial biological pathways involved in the adaptive response to NaCl stress in peanut seedlings.

Plant growth is restricted by salt stress, which is a significant abiotic factor, particularly during the seedling stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying peanut adaptation to salt stress by transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis during the seedling stage. In this study, phenotypic variations of FH23 and NH5, two peanut varieties with contrasting tolerance to salt, changed obviously, with the strongest differences observed at 24 h. FH23 leaves wilted and the membrane system was seriously damaged. A total of 1470 metabolites were identified, with flavonoids being the most common (21.22%). Multi-omics analyses demonstrated that flavonoid biosynthesis (ko00941), isoflavones biosynthesis (ko00943), and plant hormone signal transduction (ko04075) were key metabolic pathways. The comparison of metabolites in isoflavone biosynthesis pathways of peanut varieties with different salt tolerant levels demonstrated that the accumulation of naringenin and formononetin may be the key metabolite leading to their different tolerance. Using our transcriptomic data, we identified three possible reasons for the difference in salt tolerance between the two varieties: (1) differential expression of LOC112715558 (HIDH) and LOC112709716 (HCT), (2) differential expression of LOC112719763 (PYR/PYL) and LOC112764051 (ABF) in the abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction pathway, then (3) differential expression of genes encoding JAZ proteins (LOC112696383 and LOC112790545). Key metabolites and candidate genes related to improving the salt tolerance in peanuts were screened to promote the study of the responses of peanuts to NaCl stress and guide their genetic improvement.

Flagellimonas baculiformis sp. nov. and Flagellimonas crocea sp. nov., isolated from surface seawater of the Pacific Ocean.

Two Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile, non-flagellated bacteria, designated strains D6T and DH64T, were isolated from surface water of the Pacific Ocean. For strain D6T, growth occurred at 10-40 °C, pH 5.5-9.0 and in the presence of 0-8.0 % NaCl (w/v). For strain DH64T, growth occurred at 10-40 °C, pH 5.5-8.5 and in the presence of 0.5-8.0 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains D6T and DH64T both belonged to the genera Flagellimonas, with the highest sequence identities to Flagellimonas taeanensis JCM 17757T (98.2 %) and Flagellimonas marinaquae JCM 11811T (98.6 %), respectively. The 16S rRNA gene sequence identity between strains D6T and DH64T was 95.9 %. The average amino acid identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between the two strains and the nearest phylogenetic neighbours were 66.7-93.3 % and 16.1-38.5 %, respectively. The major respiratory quinone of both strains was menaquinone-6. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The major fatty acids were identified similarly as iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The genomic G+C contents of strains D6T and DH64T were determined to be 45.5 and 42.6 mol%, respectively. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data show that the strains represent two novel species within genera Flagellimonas, for which the names Flagellimonas baculiformis sp. nov. and Flagellimonas crocea sp. nov. are proposed, with type strains D6T (=MCCC M28982T=KCTC 92604T) and DH64T (=MCCC M28986T=KCTC 92975T).

Greenhouse gas emissions, carbon stocks and wheat productivity following biochar, compost and vermicompost amendments: comparison of non-saline and salt-affected soils.

Understanding the impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon stock is crucial for effective climate change assessment and agroecosystem management. However, little is known about the effects of organic amendments on GHG emissions and dynamic changes in carbon stocks in salt-affected soils. We conducted a pot experiment with four treatments including control (only fertilizers addition), biochar, vermicompost, and compost on non-saline and salt-affected soils, with the application on a carbon equivalent basis under wheat crop production. Our results revealed that the addition of vermicompost significantly increased soil organic carbon content by 18% in non-saline soil and 52% in salt-affected soil compared to the control leading to improvements in crop productivity i.e., plant dry biomass production by 57% in non-saline soil with vermicompost, while 56% with the same treatment in salt-affected soil. The grain yield was also noted 44 and 50% more with vermicompost treatment in non-saline and salt-affected soil, respectively. Chlorophyll contents were observed maximum with vermicompost in non-saline (24%), and salt-affected soils (22%) with same treatments. Photosynthetic rate (47% and 53%), stomatal conductance (60% and 12%), and relative water contents (38% and 27%) were also noted maximum with the same treatment in non-saline and salt-affected soils, respectively. However, the highest carbon dioxide emissions were observed in vermicompost- and compost-treated soils, leading to an increase in emissions of 46% in non-saline soil and 74% in salt-affected soil compared to the control. The compost treatment resulted in the highest nitrous oxide emissions, with an increase of 57% in non-saline soil and 62% in salt-affected soil compared to the control. In saline and non-saline soils treated with vermicompost, the global warming potential was recorded as 267% and 81% more than the control, respectively. All treatments, except biochar in non-saline soil, showed increased net GHG emissions due to organic amendment application. However, biochar reduced net emissions by 12% in non-saline soil. The application of organic amendments increased soil organic carbon content and crop yield in both non-saline and salt-affected soils. In conclusion, biochar is most effective among all tested organic amendments at increasing soil organic carbon content in both non-saline and salt-affected soils, which could have potential benefits for soil health and crop production.

Positive association between sodium-to-chloride ratio and in-hospital mortality of acute heart failure.

Previous studies have suggested that levels of sodium and chloride in the blood may be indicative of the prognosis of different medical conditions. Nevertheless, the assessment of the prognostic significance of the sodium-to-chloride (Na/Cl) ratio in relation to in-hospital mortality among individuals suffering from acute heart failure (AHF) remains unexplored. In this study, the participants were selected from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database and divided into three groups based on the Na/Cl ratio level upon admission. The primary results were the mortality rate within the hospital. Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier curves, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and subgroup analyses were utilized to investigate the correlation between the admission Na/Cl ratio and outcomes in critically ill patients with AHF. A total of 7844 patients who met the selection criteria were included in this study. After adjusting for confounders, the multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that the baseline Na/Cl ratio significantly elevated the risk of in-hospital mortality among critically ill patients with AHF (HR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.21-1.49). Furthermore, when the Na/Cl ratio was converted into a categorical factor and the initial tertile was taken as a point of comparison, the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the second and third tertiles were 1.27 (1.05-1.54) and 1.53 (1.27-1.84), respectively. Additionally, a P value indicating a significant trend of < 0.001 was observed. ROC curve analysis showed that Na/Cl ratio had a more sensitive prognostic value in predicting in-hospital mortality of AHF than the sodium or chloride level alone (0.564 vs. 0.505, 0.544). Subgroup examinations indicated that the association between the Na/Cl ratio upon admission and the mortality rate of critically ill patients with AHF remained consistent in the subgroups of hyponatremia and hypochlorhydria (P for interaction > 0.05). The linear relationship between the Na/Cl ratio and in-hospital mortality in AHF patients indicates a positive association.

Dietary salt promotes cognition impairment through GLP-1R/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway.

Dietary salt has been associated with cognitive impairment in mice, possibly related to damaged synapses and tau hyperphosphorylation. However, the mechanism underlying how dietary salt causes cognitive dysfunction remains unclear. In our study, either a high-salt (8%) or normal diet (0.5%) was used to feed C57BL/6 mice for three months, and N2a cells were cultured in normal medium, NaCl medium (80 mM), or NaCl (80 mM) + Liraglutide (200 nM) medium for 48 h. Cognitive function in mice was assessed using the Morris water maze and shuttle box test, while anxiety was evaluated by the open field test (OPT). Western blotting (WB), immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry were utilized to assess the level of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and mTOR/p70S6K pathway. Electron microscope and western blotting were used to evaluate synapse function and tau phosphorylation. Our findings revealed that a high salt diet (HSD) reduced the level of synaptophysin (SYP) and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95), resulting in significant synaptic damage. Additionally, hyperphosphorylation of tau at different sites was detected. The C57BL/6 mice showed significant impairment in learning and memory function compared to the control group, but HSD did not cause anxiety in the mice. In addition, the level of GLP-1R and autophagy flux decreased in the HSD group, while the level of mTOR/p70S6K was upregulated. Furthermore, liraglutide reversed the autophagy inhibition of N2a treated with NaCl. In summary, our study demonstrates that dietary salt inhibits the GLP-1R/mTOR/p70S6K pathway to inhibit autophagy and induces synaptic dysfunction and tau hyperphosphorylation, eventually impairing cognitive dysfunction.

Exogenous ascorbic acid as a potent regulator of antioxidants, osmo-protectants, and lipid peroxidation in pea under salt stress.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.), a globally cultivated leguminous crop valued for its nutritional and economic significance, faces a critical challenge of soil salinity, which significantly hampers crop growth and production worldwide. A pot experiment was carried out in the Botanical Garden, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur to alleviate the negative impacts of sodium chloride (NaCl) on pea through foliar application of ascorbic acid (AsA). Two pea varieties Meteor (V1) and Sarsabz (V2) were tested against salinity, i.e. 0 mM NaCl (Control) and 100 mM NaCl. Three levels of ascorbic acid 0 (Control), 5 and 10 mM were applied through foliar spray. The experimental design was completely randomized (CRD) with three replicates. Salt stress resulted in the suppression of growth, photosynthetic activity, and yield attributes in pea plants. However, the application of AsA treatments effectively alleviated these inhibitory effects. Under stress conditions, the application of AsA treatment led to a substantial increase in chlorophyll a (41.1%), chl. b (56.1%), total chl. contents (44.6%) and carotenoids (58.4%). Under salt stress, there was an increase in Na+ accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the application of AsA increased the contents of proline (26.9%), endogenous AsA (23.1%), total soluble sugars (17.1%), total phenolics (29.7%), and enzymatic antioxidants i.e. SOD (22.3%), POD (34.1%) and CAT (39%) in both varieties under stress. Salinity reduced the yield attributes while foliarly applied AsA increased the pod length (38.7%), number of pods per plant (40%) and 100 seed weight (45.2%). To sum up, the application of AsA alleviated salt-induced damage in pea plants by enhancing photosynthetic pigments, both enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities, maintaining ion homeostasis, and reducing excessive ROS accumulation through the limitation of lipid peroxidation. Overall, V2 (Sarsabz) performed better as compared to the V1 (Meteor).

[Verification of the peanut vitamin C synthesis-related gene AhPMM and its role in stress resistance].

Vitamin C plays an important role in plant antioxidation, photosynthesis, growth and development, and metabolism. In this study, a gene AhPMM, which is involved in vitamin C synthesis and responds significantly to low temperature, NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, was cloned from peanut. An AhPMM overexpression vector was constructed, and transferred to a peanut variety Junanxiaohong using the pollen tube injection method. PCR test on the T3 generation transgenic peanut plants showed a transgenics positive rate of 42.3%. HPLC was used to determine the content of reducing vitamin C (AsA) and total vitamin C in the leaves of transgenic plants. The results showed that the content of AsA in some lines increased significantly, up to 1.90 times higher than that of the control, and the total vitamin content increased by up to 1.63 times compared to that of the control. NaCl and ABA tolerance tests were carried out on transgenic seeds. The results showed that the salt tolerance of transgenic seeds was significantly enhanced and the sensitivity to ABA was weakened compared to that of the non-transgenic control. Moreover, the salt tolerance of the transgenic plants was also significantly enhanced compared to that of the non-transgenic control. The above results showed that AhPMM gene not only increased the vitamin C content of peanut, but also increased the salt tolerance of transgenic peanut seeds and plants. This study may provide a genetic source for the molecular breeding of peanut for enhanced salt tolerance.

The physiological quality of Vigna unguiculata L. seeds shows tolerance to salinity.

Salinity reduces feijão-caupi production, and the search for tolerant varieties becomes important within the agricultural context, as, in addition to being used in the field, they can be used in genetic improvement. The objective was to for a identify variety that is tolerant to salinity considering the physiological quality of seeds and seedling growth. A 2 × 4 factorial scheme was used, referring to the varieties Pingo-de-ouro and Coruja, and four electrical conductivities of water (0; 3.3; 6.6 and 9.9 dS m-1). The physiological quality of seeds and the growth of seedlings were analyzed, in addition to the cumulative germination. The Pingo-de-ouro variety showed no germination, length of the shoot and root, dry mass of the shoot and root compromised up to electrical conductivity of 6 dS m-1 in relation to 0.0 dS m-1. On the other hand, the Coruja variety showed reduced germination, increased shoot and root length. The creole variety Pingo-de-ouro proved to be tolerant to salinity.

Growth-dependent cr(VI) reduction by Alteromonas sp. ORB2 under haloalkaline conditions: toxicity, removal mechanism and effect of heavy metals.

Bacterial reduction of hexavalent chromium (VI) to chromium (III) is a sustainable bioremediation approach. However, the Cr(VI) containing wastewaters are often characterized with complex conditions such as high salt, alkaline pH and heavy metals which severely impact the growth and Cr(VI) reduction potential of microorganisms. This study investigated Cr(VI) reduction under complex haloalkaline conditions by an Alteromonas sp. ORB2 isolated from aerobic granular sludge cultivated from the seawater-microbiome. Optimum growth of Alteromonas sp. ORB2 was observed under haloalkaline conditions at 3.5-9.5% NaCl and pH 7-11. The bacterial growth in normal culture conditions (3.5% NaCl; pH 7.6) was not inhibited by 100 mg/l Cr(VI)/ As(V)/ Pb(II), 50 mg/l Cu(II) or 5 mg/l Cd(II). Near complete reduction of 100 mg/l Cr(VI) was achieved within 24 h at 3.5-7.5% NaCl and pH 8-11. Cr(VI) reduction by Alteromonas sp. ORB2 was not inhibited by 100 mg/L As(V), 100 mg/L Pb(II), 50 mg/L Cu(II) or 5 mg/L Cd(II). The bacterial cells grew in the medium with 100 mg/l Cr(VI) contained lower esterase activity and higher reactive oxygen species levels indicating toxicity and oxidative stress. In-spite of toxicity, the cells grew and reduced 100 mg/l Cr(VI) completely within 24 h. Cr(VI) removal from the medium was driven by bacterial reduction to Cr(III) which remained in the complex medium. Cr(VI) reduction was strongly linked to aerobic growth of Alteromonas sp. The Cr(VI) reductase activity of cytosolic protein fraction was pronounced by supplementing with NADPH in vitro assays. This study demonstrated a growth-dependent aerobic Cr(VI) reduction by Alteromonas sp. ORB2 under complex haloalkaline conditions akin to wastewaters.

StMAPKK5 Positively Regulates Response to Drought and Salt Stress in Potato.

MAPKKs, as one of the main members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade pathway, are located in the middle of the cascade and are involved in many physiological processes of plant growth and development, as well as stress tolerance. Previous studies have found that StMAPKK5 is responsive to drought and salt stress. To further investigate the function and regulatory mechanism of StMAPKK5 in potato stress response, potato variety 'Atlantic' was subjected to drought and NaCl treatments, and the expression of the StMAPKK5 gene was detected by qRT-PCR. StMAPKK5 overexpression and RNA interference-mediated StMAPKK5 knockdown potato plants were constructed. The relative water content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) activities, as well as proline (Pro) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of plant leaves, were also assayed under drought and NaCl stress. The StMAPKK5 interacting proteins were identified and validated by yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC). The results showed that the expression of StMAPKK5 was significantly up-regulated under drought and NaCl stress conditions. The StMAPKK5 protein was localized in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. The expression of StMAPKK5 affected the relative water content, the enzymatic activities of SOD, CAT, and POD, and the proline and MDA contents of potatoes under drought and salt stress conditions. These results suggest that StMAPKK5 plays a significant role in regulating drought and salt tolerance in potato crop. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening identified four interacting proteins: StMYB19, StZFP8, StPUB-like, and StSKIP19. BiFC confirmed the authenticity of the interactions. These findings suggest that StMAPKK5 is crucial for potato growth, development, and response to adversity.

High NaCl Concentrations in Water Are Associated with Developmental Abnormalities and Altered Gene Expression in Zebrafish.

Salt is frequently introduced in ecosystems, where it acts as a pollutant. This study examined how changes in salinity affect the survival and development of zebrafish from the two-cell to the blastocyst stage and from the blastocyst to the larval stage. Control zebrafish embryos were cultured in E3 medium containing 5 mM Sodium Chloride (NaCl), 0.17 mM Potassium Chloride (KCL), 0.33 mM Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), and 0.33 mM Magnesium Sulfade (MgSO4). Experiments were conducted using increasing concentrations of each individual salt at 5×, 10×, 50×, and 100× the concentration found in E3 medium. KCL, CaCl2, and MgSO4 did not result in lethal abnormalities and did not affect early embryo growth at any of the concentrations tested. Concentrations of 50× and 100× NaCl caused embryonic death in both stages of development. Concentrations of 5× and 10× NaCl resulted in uninflated swim bladders in 12% and 65% of larvae, compared to 4.2% of controls, and caused 1654 and 2628 genes to be differentially expressed in blastocysts, respectively. The ATM signaling pathway was affected, and the Sonic Hedgehog pathway genes Shh and Ptc1 implicated in swim bladder development were downregulated. Our findings suggest that increased NaCl concentrations may alter gene expression and cause developmental abnormalities in animals found in affected ecosystems.

Assessing Sarcocornia as a Salt Substitute: Effects on Lipid Profile and Gelatinase Activity.

Sodium, although essential for life, is a key factor in changes in vascular function and cardiovascular disease when consumed in excess. Sarcocornia spp., a halophyte plant with many nutritional benefits, presents itself as a promising substitute for the consumption of purified salt. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 are widely studied due to their action in physiological processes and as biomarkers at the diagnostic level due to their increased expression in inflammatory processes. This study aimed to evaluate whether replacing salt with Sarcocornia perennis (S. perennis) powder in healthy young people leads to an improvement in biochemical profiles and the attenuation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity. In the present study, 30 participants were randomized into a control group that consumed salt and an intervention group that replaced salt with powdered S. perennis. The evaluation of the biochemical parameters was carried out by the spectrophotometry method, and the evaluation of MMP activity was carried out by zymography. A significant decrease was observed in the intervention group in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and creatinine (p-value ≤ 0.05), along with lower but not significantly different mean values of triglycerides. Regarding MMP activity after the intervention, a lower mean value was observed for MMP-9 activity, with there being higher mean values for MMP-2 activity, both with p-values ≥ 0.05. The results confirmed that the consumption of S. perennis is a beneficial choice for health regarding the lipid profile. The evaluation of MMP activity indicated the potential of S. perennis in the regulation of MMP-9 activity in healthy individuals, along with the need for the further study of these proteases in individuals with pathologies.