Morphology and Physicochemical Properties of Alluvial Soils in Riparian Forests after River Regulation

The elimination of flooding and lowering of the groundwater table after large-scale river regulation allow deep penetration of soils by plant roots, soil fauna, and microorganisms, thus creating favorable conditions for advanced pedogenesis. Although the changes of the morphology and properties of agriculturally used drained alluvial soils in Central Europe have been well characterized, studies in riparian forests remain insufficient. An analysis of 21 profiles of forest soils located on the Holocene river terrace (a floodplain before river regulation and embankment) in SW Poland confirmed a noticeable pedogenic transformation of soil morphology and properties resulting from river regulation. Gleyic properties were in most profiles replaced with stagnic properties, testifying to a transition from dominant groundwater supply to precipitation-water supply. The development of a diagnostic mollic and cambic horizons, correlated with the shift in soil classification from Fluvisols to Phaeozems, and in the majority, to Cambisols, demonstrated a substantial change in habitat conditions. The transformation of alluvial soils may result in an inevitable modification of forest management in the river valley, including quantitative alteration in species composition of primarily riparian forests.

Generation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against mature hepcidin and its application to neutralization and quantitative alteration assay

ABSTRACT Hepcidin regulates the quantity of ferroportin (FPN) on cellular membrane. In our cell assay expressing ferroportin labeled with green fluorescence, FPN was internalized and degraded only after treatment with hepcidin-25, not hepcidin-22 or hepcidin-20, leading to accumulation of cellular iron. Thus we generated murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against hepcidin-25, and then characterized and validated their functions. Among them, several mAbs showed a neutralizing activity that may prevent ferroportin internalization induced by hepcidin-25. To measure hepcidin level in various fluids, mAbs specific for human and rat hepcidin-25 were selected. As for rat, a sandwich ELISA developed using clone rHN1 as capture antibody and biotinylated clone mHW1 as a detection reagent had high sensitivity, allowing for the detection of 1-100 ng/mL of hepcidin-25. Rat hepcidin-25 level in plasma was measured at an average concentration of 63.0 ng/mL in healthy condition, and at 218.2 ng/mL after stimulation of lipopolysaccharide.

Molecular pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus during pregnancy with antenatal complications

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a daunting problem accompanied by severe fetal development complications and type 2 diabetes mellitus in postpartum. Diagnosis of diabetic conditions occurs only in the second trimester, while associated antenatal complications are typically revealed even later. We acquired an assay of peripheral and cord blood samples of patients with different types of diabetes mellitus who delivered either healthy newborns or associated with fetopathy complications. Obtained data were handled with qualitative and quantitative analysis. Pathways of molecular events involved in diabetes mellitus and fetopathy were reconstructed based on the discovered markers and their quantitative alteration. Plenty of pathways were integrated to differentiate the type of diabetes and to recognize the impact of the diabetic condition on fetal development. The impaired triglycerides transport, glucose uptake, and consequent insulin resistance are mostly affected by faulted lipid metabolism (APOM, APOD, APOH, APOC1) and encouraged by oxidative stress (CP, TF, ORM2) and inflammation (CFH, CFB, CLU) as a secondary response accompanied by changes in matrix architecture (AFM, FBLN1, AMBP). Alterations in proteomes of peripheral and cord blood were expectedly unequal. Both up- and downregulated markers were accommodated in the cast of molecular events interconnected with the lipid metabolism, RXR/PPAR-signaling pathway, and extracellular architecture modulation. The obtained results congregate numerous biological processes to molecular events that underline diabetes during gestation and uncover some critical aspects affecting fetal growth and development.

Perioperative considerations in a girl with Glanzmann thrombasthenia. Case report

Introduction: Glanzmann thromboasthenia is a rare congenital bleeding disorder caused by a mutation in platelet glycoprotein α-IIb and β3 encoding genes (ITGA2B; 607759 and ITGB3; 173470) in chromosomes 17q21.31 and 17q21.32 , respectively, which results in a qualitative or quantitative alteration of the platelet integrin αIIbβ3 (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa) receptor. Glanzmann thromboasthenia is classified as type I when less than 5% of glycoprotein αIIbβ3 is expressed, and as type II when more than 5% is expressed. Case presentation: Description of the perioperative management of a 13-year-old female patient with Glanzmann thromboasthenia who underwent endoscopic anterior bilateral ethmoidectomy. Management was centered on prophylactic platelet transfusion plus the use of tranexamic acid, as well as thromboelastographic determination of hemostasis. There were no bleeding complications during or after the procedure. Conclusions: Pediatric patients with Glanzmann thromboasthenia are at a high risk of perioperastive bleeding. Platelet transfusion is the best prophylactic and therapeutic alternative; however, even in the absence of anti-platelet antibodies, it may not be effective, and viscoelastic testing must be used for assessment during the surgical procedure in order to improve patient safety.

Theory behind Russian Quest for Totalitarianism. Analysis of Discursive Swing in Putin's Speeches

Before 2014 Putin used semantic structures characteristic of authoritarianism and façade democracy to shape Russian political discourse. After the annexation of Crimea, we identify the decrease of authoritarian discursive elements, the occurrence of references to democratic values, and the prevalence of totalitarian discursive elements. This quantitative alteration co-occurred with a qualitative change of the intensity of totalitarian gnosis that increased from the low to the moderate extent. This paper aims to examine the extent of the intensity of totalitarian political gnosis in Putin's most influential speeches: the annual Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly, and the president's annual news conference.

Proteomic Analyses of Thioredoxins f and m Arabidopsis thaliana Mutants Indicate Specific Functions for These Proteins in Plants

A large number of plastidial thioredoxins (TRX) are present in chloroplast and the specificity versus the redundancy of their functions is currently under discussion. Several results have highlighted the fact that each TRX has a specific target protein and thus a specific function. In this study we have found that in vitro activation of the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) enzyme is more efficient when f1 and f2 type thioredoxins (TRXs) are used, whilst the m3 type TRX did not have any effect. In addition, we have carried out a two-dimensional electrophoresis-gel to obtain the protein profiling analyses of the trxf1, f2, m1, m2, m3 and m4 Arabidopsis mutants. The results revealed quantitative alteration of 86 proteins and demonstrated that the lack of both the f and m type thioredoxins have diverse effects on the proteome. Interestingly, 68% of the differentially expressed proteins in trxf1 and trxf2 mutants were downregulated, whilst 75% were upregulated in trxm1, trxm2, trxm3 and trxm4 lines. The lack of TRX f1 provoked a higher number of down regulated proteins. The contrary occurred when TRX m4 was absent. Most of the differentially expressed proteins fell into the categories of metabolic processes, the Calvin–Benson cycle, photosynthesis, response to stress, hormone signalling and protein turnover. Photosynthesis, the Calvin–Benson cycle and carbon metabolism are the most affected processes. Notably, a significant set of proteins related to the answer to stress situations and hormone signalling were affected. Despite some studies being necessary to find specific target proteins, these results show signs that are suggest that the f and m type plastidial TRXs most likely have some additional specific functions.

Performance of a special tractor as a function of ballasting and front-wheel drive in coffee harvesting

One of the main concerns before agricultural mechanization is the fuel cost from an economic and environmental point of view. In some literature, it has been demonstrated that the adequacy of tractors is directly related to consumption, which may become a strategy to reduce it. However, the studies were performed with conventional tractors, without information on how the special coffee tractors behave to the adequacy. In this respect, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the hourly fuel consumption in six possible adjustments of a special tractor in the operation of mechanized coffee harvesting. A 4x2 FWD tractor was used, with 52.2 kW power and 2400 kg mass, with 40% to the front axle and 60% to the rear to pull a Master Café 2 coffee harvester with 2900 kg mass without load. The treatments consisted of three ballast configurations in the tractor whether or not using auxiliary front-wheel drive (FWD). The adopted mass-power ratios were: 48, 52 and 56 kg kW<em>-1</em>; obtained through the quantitative alteration of liquid and solid ballasts of the tractor, respecting the mass distribution between the axles recommended by the tractor manufacturer. The evaluations consisted of monitoring fuel consumption at regular hourly intervals, following the premises of statistical process control. It is concluded that the mass-power ratio of 56 kg kW<em>-1</em> with driven FWD should be used in order to obtain lower slipping, lower average hourly fuel consumption and higher quality.