A Ratiometric Calcium Reporter CGf Reveals Calcium Dynamics Both in the Single Cell and Whole Plant Levels Under Heat Stress

Land plants evolved to quickly sense and adapt to temperature changes, such as hot days and cold nights. Given that calcium (Ca2+) signaling networks are implicated in most abiotic stress responses, heat-triggered changes in cytosolic Ca2+ were investigated in Arabidopsis leaves and pollen. Plants were engineered with a reporter called CGf, a ratiometric, genetically encoded Ca2+ reporter with an mCherry reference domain fused to an intensiometric Ca2+ reporter GCaMP6f. Relative changes in [Ca2+]cyt were estimated based on CGf’s apparent KD around 220 nM. The ratiometric output provided an opportunity to compare Ca2+ dynamics between different tissues, cell types, or subcellular locations. In leaves, CGf detected heat-triggered cytosolic Ca2+ signals, comprised of three different signatures showing similarly rapid rates of Ca2+ influx followed by differing rates of efflux (50% durations ranging from 5 to 19 min). These heat-triggered Ca2+ signals were approximately 1.5-fold greater in magnitude than blue light-triggered signals in the same leaves. In contrast, growing pollen tubes showed two different heat-triggered responses. Exposure to heat caused tip-focused steady growth [Ca2+]cyt oscillations to shift to a pattern characteristic of a growth arrest (22%), or an almost undetectable [Ca2+]cyt (78%). Together, these contrasting examples of heat-triggered Ca2+ responses in leaves and pollen highlight the diversity of Ca2+ signals in plants, inviting speculations about their differing kinetic features and biological functions.

Investigating default mode network connectivity disruption in children of mothers with depression

Background Exposure to maternal major depressive disorder (MDD) bears long-term negative consequences for children's well-being; to date, no research has examined how exposure at different stages of development differentially affects brain functioning. Aims Utilising a unique cohort followed from birth to preadolescence, we examined the effects of early versus later maternal MDD on default mode network (DMN) connectivity. Method Maternal depression was assessed at birth and ages 6 months, 9 months, 6 years and 10 years, to form three groups: children of mothers with consistent depression from birth to 6 years of age, which resolved by 10 years of age; children of mothers without depression; and children of mothers who were diagnosed with MDD in late childhood. In preadolescence, we used magnetoencephalography and focused on theta rhythms, which characterise the developing brain. Results Maternal MDD was associated with disrupted DMN connectivity in an exposure-specific manner. Early maternal MDD decreased child connectivity, presenting a profile typical of early trauma or chronic adversity. In contrast, later maternal MDD was linked with tighter connectivity, a pattern characteristic of adult depression. Aberrant DMN connectivity was predicted by intrusive mothering in infancy and lower mother–child reciprocity and child empathy in late childhood, highlighting the role of deficient caregiving and compromised socio-emotional competencies in DMN dysfunction. Conclusions The findings pinpoint the distinct effects of early versus later maternal MDD on the DMN, a core network sustaining self-related processes. Results emphasise that research on the influence of early adversity on the developing brain should consider the developmental stage in which the adversity occured.

Characterizing Cycling Smoothness and Rhythm in Children With and Without Cerebral Palsy

Stationary cycling is a practical exercise modality in children with cerebral palsy (CP) that lack the strength for upright exercises. However, there is a lack of robust, sensitive metrics that can quantitatively assess the motor control during cycling. The purpose of this brief report was to characterize the differences in motor control of cycling in children with CP and with typical development by developing novel metrics to quantify cycling smoothness and rhythm. Thirty one children with spastic diplegic CP and 10 children with typical development cycled on a stationary cycle. Cycling smoothness was measured by cross-correlating the crank angle with an ideal cycling pattern generated from participant-specific cadence and cycling duration. Cycling rhythmicity was assessed by evaluating the revolution-to-revolution variability in the time required to complete a revolution. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test were found between the two groups for both the metrics. Additionally, decision tree analysis revealed thresholds of smoothness <0.01 and rhythm <0.089–0.115 s for discriminating a less smooth, irregular cycling pattern characteristic of CP from typical cycling. In summary, the objective measures developed in this study indicate significantly less smoothness and rhythm of cycling in children with CP compared to children with typical development, suggestive of altered coordination and poor motor control. Such quantitative assessments of cycling motion in children with CP provide insights into neuromotor deficits that prevent them from cycling at intensities required for aerobic benefits and for participating in cycling related physical activities with their peers.

Cruise Vessels Air Pollution Inventory for the Port of Kotor

Prevention of air pollution from ships, according to MARPOL Annex VI, regulates the emission of specific pollutants contained in the exhaust gases into the atmosphere. In this paper, the Port of Kotor is analysed as a case study because of its distinct geographical features, permanent attraction for tourists, and the title of the third busiest port in the Adriatic in 2017. Ships arriving to the Port of Kotor represent one of the major sources of air pollution not only in the Port area, but also in Boka Kotorska Bay as an approach route towards the Port. For calculation of air pollution inventory in this case study, ship engines’ power method was used. The focus of the research analysis is on the cruise ships visiting the Port of Kotor in 2018. For that reason, all ships under 500 GT were excluded from the analysis. The pollution shows clear seasonal pattern characteristic for ports in the Mediterranean. This behaviour is emphasised as an increasing problem that needs to be addressed. The seasonal pattern causes 82.6% of all air pollution from cruise vessels concentrated in the period from May to November.

Pathological Study of Facial Eczema (Pithomycotoxicosis) in Sheep

Facial eczema (FE) is a secondary photosensitization disease of farm ruminants caused by the sporidesmin A, produced in the spores of the saprophytic fungus Pithomyces chartarum. This study communicates an outbreak of ovine FE in Asturias (Spain) and characterizes the serum biochemical pattern and the immune response that may contribute to liver damage, favoring cholestasis and the progression to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Animals showed clinical signs of photosensitivity, with decrease of daily weight gain and loss of wool and crusting for at least 6 months after the FE outbreak. Serum activity of γ-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased in sheep with skin lesions. In the acute phase, edematous skin lesions in the head, hepatocytic and canalicular cholestasis in centrilobular regions, presence of neutrophils in small clumps surrounding deposits of bile pigment, ductular proliferation, as well as cholemic nephrosis, were observed. Macrophages, stained positively for MAC387, were found in areas of canalicular cholestasis. In the chronic phase, areas of alopecia and crusting were seen in the head, and the liver was atrophic with large regeneration nodules and gallstones. Fibrosis around dilated bile ducts, “typical” and “atypical” ductular reaction and an inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and pigmented macrophages, with iron deposits and lipofuscin, were found. The surviving parenchyma persisted with a jigsaw pattern characteristic of biliary cirrhosis. Concentric and eccentric myointimal proliferation was found in arteries near damaged bile ducts. In cirrhotic livers, stellated cells, ductular reaction, ectatic bile ducts and presence of M2 macrophages and lymphocytes, were observed in areas of bile ductular reaction.

Immobilized 13C-labeled polyether chain ends confined to the crystallite surface detected by advanced NMR

A comprehensive 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) approach for characterizing the location of chain ends of polyethers and polyesters, at the crystallite surface or in the amorphous layers, is presented. The OH chain ends of polyoxymethylene are labeled with 13COO-acetyl groups and their dynamics probed by 13C NMR with chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) recoupling. At least three-quarters of the chain ends are not mobile dangling cilia but are immobilized, exhibiting a powder pattern characteristic of the crystalline environment and fast CSA dephasing. The location and clustering of the immobilized chain ends are analyzed by spin diffusion. Fast 1H spin diffusion from the amorphous regions shows confinement of chain ends to the crystallite surface, corroborated by fast 13C spin exchange between chain ends. These observations confirm the principle of avoidance of density anomalies, which requires that chains terminate at the crystallite surface to stay out of the crowded interfacial layer.

Properties of basalt-fiber-reinforced polyamide-6 filled by polymerization at the synthesis stage

The composition, physical-mechanical and structural features of polyamide-6 modified at the stage of synthesis by basalt fillers are investigated. The influence of the introduced fillers on the structural features, deformation-strength, technological and physic-chemical properties of the synthesized polymer is established. The positive effect of heat treatment of fillers on their adhesion interaction with the polymer matrix in the synthesis of the composite is revealed. It is shown that with the introduction of a fibrous filler of more than 7.5 wt%, there is a tendency to increase the physical and mechanical characteristics of the synthesized polymer. The behavior of the synthesized composite under high temperature conditions was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis, which showed that the thermal treatment of basalt fiber can significantly increase the activation energy of destruction, which confirms the effectiveness of the thermal modification of the basalt thread. With the help of infrared spectroscopy, it is shown that the synthesized polymer is fully identified with the spectral pattern characteristic of polyamide-6.

SCIENTIFIC NECESSITY IS A NEW APPROACH WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF " MODERNIZATION OF PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS "

The article is about one of the next scientific explorations of the aesthetic world of the talented Kazakh writer OralkhanBokei, whose legacy left behind has become history today. Nowadays, not to mention individual articles, the purposeful study of the artistic works of the talented writer is not carried out scientifically in full. Stories, short stories, novels of the writer, who defined his place in the Kazakh literature through the mastery of Kazakh artistic expression, need to be reconsidered and studied.The article deals with the characteristic features of the writer's work and introduction of a clear expression of his artistic aspirations in the nature of genre by using a pattern characteristic of lyrical poetry in prose works.

Mapping C−H•••M interactions in confined spaces: (α-ICyDᴹᵉ)Au, Ag, Cu complexes reveal “contra-electrostatic H-bonds” masquerading as anagostic interactions

<p>What happens when a C−H bond is forced to interact with unpaired pairs of electrons at a positively charged metal? Such interactions can be considered as “contra-electrostatic” H-bonds, which combine the familiar orbital interaction pattern characteristic for the covalent contribution to the conventional H-bonding with an unusual contra-electrostatic component. While electrostatics is strongly stabilizing component in the conventional C−H<b>•••</b>X bonds where X is an electronegative main group element, it is destabilizing in the C−H<b>•••</b>M contacts when M is Au(I), Ag(I), or Cu(I) of NHC−M−Cl systems. Such remarkable C−H<b>•••</b>M interaction became experimentally accessible within (α-ICyD^Me)MCl, NHC−Metal complexes embedded into cyclodextrins. Computational analysis of the model systems suggests that the overall interaction energies are relatively insensitive to moderate variations in the directionality of interaction between a C−H bond and the metal center, indicating stereoelectronic promiscuity of fully filled set of <i>d</i>-orbitals. A combination of experimental and computational data demonstrates that metal encapsulation inside the cyclodextrin cavity forces the C−H bond to point toward the metal, and reveals a still attractive “contra-electrostatic” H-bonding interaction.</p>