Search

The surface morphology and structural properties of polystyrene (PS)/TiO₂ nanocomposites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), while optical properties were assessed via UV-Vis spectroscopy and Fluorescence measurements. SEM images revealed uniform dispersion of TiO₂ nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 48 to 58.5 nm in the PS matrix, showing no significant agglomeration. XRD analysis revealed a decrease in crystallite size with increasing TiO₂ concentration. UV-Vis spectra demonstrated a decrease in the band gap with increasing TiO₂ concentration, indicating a shift towards enhanced visible light absorption. PL spectra excited at 330 nm revealed distinct emission peaks, with significant increases in intensity at higher TiO₂ concentrations, particularly at 399 nm and 422.5 nm, corresponding to near-band-edge and defect-related emissions. FTIR analysis demonstrated that the incorporation of TiO₂ led to disruption of C-O bonds in the PS matrix, particularly at 10% TiO₂, suggesting strong interactions between the TiO₂ nanoparticles and the polymer, which may weaken the polymer backbone. Overall, these findings suggest that TiO₂ incorporation not only impacts crystallite size and strain but also enhances the optical and fluorescence properties of PS/TiO₂ nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil remediation for cadmium (Cd) toxicity is essential for successful tobacco cultivation and production. Melatonin application can relieve heavy metal stress and promote plant growth; however, it remains somewhat unclear whether melatonin supplementation can remediate the effects of Cd toxicity on the growth and development of tobacco seedlings. Herein, we evaluated the effect of soil-applied melatonin on Cd accumulation in tobacco seedlings, as well as the responses in growth, physiological and biochemical parameters, and the expression of stress-responsive genes. Our results demonstrate that melatonin application mitigated Cd stress in tobacco, and thus promoted plant growth. It increased root fresh weight, dry weight, shoot fresh weight and dry weight by 58.40%, 163.80%, 34.70% and 84.09%, respectively, compared to the control. Physiological analyses also showed significant differences in photosynthetic rate and pigment formation among the treatments, with the highest improvements recorded for melatonin application. In addition, melatonin application alleviated Cd-induced oxidative damage by reducing MDA content and enhancing the activities of enzymatic antioxidants (CAT, SOD, POD and APX) as well as non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH and AsA). Moreover, confocal microscopic imaging confirmed the effectiveness of melatonin application in sustaining cell integrity under Cd stress. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations illustrated the alleviative role of melatonin on stomata and ultrastructural features under Cd toxicity. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that melatonin application upregulated the expression of photosynthetic and antioxidant-related genes, including SNtChl, q-NtCSD1, NtPsy2 and QntFSD1, in tobacco leaves. Together, our results suggest that soil-applied melatonin can promote tobacco tolerance to Cd stress by modulating morpho-physiological and biochemical changes, as well as the expression of relevant genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the effects of fertilization on the phenological period of the mother tree of Larch seed garden, this study selected the mother tree of Larch seed garden of 1. 5 generation and 2 generation as the research object. Different proportions and doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer were used as experimental treatments to observe and analyze the phenological phases of the mother tree, such as bud expansion, bud spreading, bud capping, male flower bud emergence and male flower flowering. The results showed that fertilization had little effect on bud growth, and the bud growth of main branches was mainly concentrated between April 18 and April 20. Fertilization had a certain effect on bud development, among which, the beginning of main bud development was mainly concentrated from April 26 to April 30, and the complete leaf development of main bud was mainly concentrated from May 20 to May 24. Fertilization treatment had a certain effect on bud capping. The beginning of bud capping of main branch mainly began from August 17 to 27. The complete capping of main shoots mainly occurred from August 26 to September 9. Fertilization also had a certain impact on the growth period. The growth period of different fertilization treatments varied from 131d to 143 d. The onset of flowering of male flowers was mainly concentrated from April 13 to April 18, with a difference of 5d between treatments. The peak flowering period of male flowers was mainly concentrated from April 16 to April 22, with a difference of 6d among different treatments. The final flowering period of male flowers was mainly concentrated from April 19 to April 26, with a difference of 7 d among different treatments. Fertilization had a certain effect on the flowering period, which varied from 6d to 8d among different treatments. Range analysis showed that no matter the growth phenology or flowering phenology, the effects of different kinds of fertilizers were N fertilizer, P fertilizer and K fertilizer in the order from large to small. The application of medium amount of N fertilizer and P fertilizer, and high amount of K fertilizer was beneficial to the growth and flowering of the mother tree of larch seed orchard. The results provided theoretical support and technical reference for the rational fertilization of larch seed orchard and the improvement of seed yield and quality of larch mother tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of visually-enhanced lesion scope (VELscope) as an adjuvant diagnostic tool along with clinical examination. VELscope device which works on the principle of tissue fluorescence and helps in diagnosis or identification of suspected dysplastic lesions. The use of VELscope in dentistry is contributory as it aids in the detection of dysplastic changes in oral potentially malignant disorders and appropriate surgical margins for resection, VELscope-guided biopsy procedures, indicative of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and also inflammatory lesions. The cases discussed in the report are clinical cases where VELscope has been used as an accessory tool to enhance the clinical efficacy of diagnosis. There are different domains of cases where the use of VELscope has been assessed, also cases where VELscope can be beneficial to identify most preferred site of biopsy, aiding in the identification of fungal, bacterial presence, and evaluation of premalignant lesions and different oral carcinomas. Both the advantages, limitations, and significance of the device in each clinical condition have been discussed. VELscope is a handheld, noninvasive adjuvant device which can be used along with conventional clinical conditions for enhanced diagnostic accuracy. It can also be used as a screening tool for the early detection of oral carcinoma and dysplastic lesions in mass screening and tertiary centers. Further studies are required to establish the efficacy of VELscope in the clinical practice of oral medicine and radiology. Increasing incidence of oral carcinoma is a worrying scenario. Early detection of these conditions can be assessed by various diagnostic methods which broadly includes conventional staining dyes such as Lugol's iodine, methylene blue, toluidine blue, or light-based detection such as chemiluminescence, VELscope, Vizilite, or optical-based system such as colposcopy and optical coherence tomography. VELscope can be one of the tool for assessing dysplastic lesions at an early stage. Due to its portability, cost-effectiveness, and noninvasive advantages, it can be a promising tool for screening mass population for oral carcinomas.

Maize is one of the most important food and feed crops in China due to the high demand for its use by both humans and animals. The Huang-Huai-Hai region is a major maize cultivation area in China, and the special cropping rotation system of wheat and maize requires a suitable reproductive period for maize. The AUX/IAA and ARF transcription factors are two key genes that regulate auxin signals in plants, which play an important role during the process of auxin regulation in plant growth and development. In this study, we obtained two overexpressed lines of ZmIAA29 belonging to the AUX/IAA transcription factor family. Compared with the Wide type, the overexpressed strains of ZmIAA29 were significantly regulated in maize during the flowering time and had increased ear weight. Moreover, ZmIAA29 was assayed via the yeast two-hybrid and BiLUC systems for interaction, and the results showed that ZmIAA29 interacted with several ZmARF transcription factors. Furthermore, RNA-seq and DAP-seq analysis revealed that ZmIAA29 regulates maize growth and development by influencing pathways such as those for plant signal transduction and the key genes related to maize flowering. Taken together, our results suggest that ZmIAA29 plays a key role in the development of maize flowering. This study provides new insight for better understanding the combined regulation of the AUX/IAA and ARF transcription factors during flowering time in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of visually-enhanced lesion scope (VELscope) as an adjuvant diagnostic tool along with clinical examination. VELscope device which works on the principle of tissue fluorescence and helps in diagnosis or identification of suspected dysplastic lesions. The use of VELscope in dentistry is contributory as it aids in the detection of dysplastic changes in oral potentially malignant disorders and appropriate surgical margins for resection, VELscope-guided biopsy procedures, indicative of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and also inflammatory lesions. The cases discussed in the report are clinical cases where VELscope has been used as an accessory tool to enhance the clinical efficacy of diagnosis. There are different domains of cases where the use of VELscope has been assessed, also cases where VELscope can be beneficial to identify most preferred site of biopsy, aiding in the identification of fungal, bacterial presence, and evaluation of premalignant lesions and different oral carcinomas. Both the advantages, limitations, and significance of the device in each clinical condition have been discussed. VELscope is a handheld, noninvasive adjuvant device which can be used along with conventional clinical conditions for enhanced diagnostic accuracy. It can also be used as a screening tool for the early detection of oral carcinoma and dysplastic lesions in mass screening and tertiary centers. Further studies are required to establish the efficacy of VELscope in the clinical practice of oral medicine and radiology. Increasing incidence of oral carcinoma is a worrying scenario. Early detection of these conditions can be assessed by various diagnostic methods which broadly includes conventional staining dyes such as Lugol's iodine, methylene blue, toluidine blue, or light-based detection such as chemiluminescence, VELscope, Vizilite, or optical-based system such as colposcopy and optical coherence tomography. VELscope can be one of the tool for assessing dysplastic lesions at an early stage. Due to its portability, cost-effectiveness, and noninvasive advantages, it can be a promising tool for screening mass population for oral carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a candidate national flower of China, tree peony has extremely high ornamental, medicinal and oil value. However, the short florescence and rarity of early-flowering and late-flowering varieties restrict further improvement of the economic value of tree peony. Specific miRNAs and their target genes engaged in tree peony floral florescence, development and senescence remain unknown. This report presents the integrated analysis of the miRNAome, transcriptome and degradome of tree peony petals collected from blooming, initial flowering, full blooming and decay stages in early-flowering variety Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan', an early-flowering mutant line of Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' and late-flowering variety Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lianhe'. Transcriptome analysis revealed a transcript ('psu.G.00014095') which was annotated as a xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolase precursor XTH-25 and found to be differentially expressed across flower developmental stages in Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' and Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lianhe'. The miRNA-mRNA modules were presented significant enrichment in various pathways such as plant hormone signal transduction, indole alkaloid biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, folate biosynthesis, fatty acid elongation, and the MAPK signaling pathway. Multiple miRNA-mRNA-TF modules demonstrated the potential functions of MYB-related, bHLH, Trihelix, NAC, GRAS and HD-ZIP TF families in floral florescence, development, and senescence of tree peony. Comparative spatio-temporal expression investigation of eight floral-favored miRNA-target modules suggested that transcript 'psu.T.00024044' and microRNA mtr-miR166g-5p are involved in the floral florescence, development and senescence associated agronomic traits of tree peony. The results might accelerate the understanding of the potential regulation mechanism in regards to floral florescence, development and abscission, and supply guidance for tree peony breeding of varieties with later and longer florescence characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honeybees play a significant role in the plant–pollinator interactions of many flowering plants. The ecological and evolutionary consequences of plant–pollinator interactions vary by geographic region, and the effects of honeybees on the reproduction of toxic plants have not been well studied. We measured the florescence of toxic plants, the flower-visiting behaviour of honeybees and the effects of pollination on the fertility, weight and moisture content of seeds. The effects of climatic factors on the number of flowers, and the spatial and temporal variation in pollinator visits were evaluated, and the effects of pollinator visits on seed quality were evaluated. Flower visitors were diverse, climatic factors had a great impact on spatio-temporal flowering variation and the number of bee visits was strongly correlated with the spatio-temporal variation in the number of flowers. Honeybees strongly increase the fullness and weight of seeds. Our study demonstrated a good ecological fit between the spatio-temporal variation in the flowering of toxic plants and the general validity of honeybee pollination syndrome in the south of Hengduan Mountains in East Asia. A linear relationship between honeybee visitation and plant reproduction can benefit the stabilization of plant reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this work was to determine the suitability of Setaria viridis as a model plant in studies to validate candidate genes for cold tolerance by evaluating the response of two of its accessions to different durations of abrupt or gradual cold stress in the vegetative and reproductive stages. Plants of accessions A10.1 and Ast-1, cultivated at 25°C, were subjected to the following cold stress treatments: gradual reduction in temperature from 25 to 0°C, 5°C at a time, every 24 hours in a same chamber; or abrupt reduction in temperature, by transferring plants from a chamber at 25°C to another at 0°C. Plants were kept at 0°C for 3, 5, or 10 days, after which temperature was increased back again to 25°C; a control group remained at 25ºC. Low temperatures – reduced abruptly or gradually – caused a decrease in the gas exchange rates and shoot and root biomass of the plants, besides damage to their photochemical apparatus; the longer the cold lasted, the more pronounced the effect was. Regardless of stress duration, plants recovered and completed their life cycle. The studied accessions are tolerant to cold and, therefore, are not suitable as a model plant in studies to validate candidate genes for cold tolerance.

As a medicinal plant, Sophora tonkinensis is mainly distributed in Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and northern Vietnam. In recent years, due to the strong demand for S. tonkinensis, wild resources have become decreased, which has placed great pressure on their protection. Therefore, the introduction of S. tonkinensis was carried out in Guangxi. Although the flowering period of S. tonkinensis is long, its seed setting rate is low. To promote flower production, it is necessary to do basic research on flowering in S. tonkinensis. In this study, the contents of various mineral elements in the roots, stems and leaves of S. tonkinensis were measured during the period of flowering, and cluster analysis was carried out on the content changes. At the same time, the correlations among the elements were analyzed. It was found that As and Hg inhibited the absorption of some important elements related to flower development. It is necessary to pay attention to the effects of these toxic elements on flowering during cultivation. RNA-seq of flower buds and flower organs was carried out, and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method was used to mine the key genes. These genes may play an important role in flowering control and flower development in S. tonkinensis. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2021.1988707 .

Lycium ruthenicum Murr. is one of the most important shrubs grown in northwest China. Healthy buds and leaves of L. ruthenicum Murr. were selected for the present study. Flower development was divided into six stages, namely, flower bud pre-differentiation (I), late flower differentiation (II), squaring stage (III), dew crown period (IV), open stage (V) and senescent stage (VI). Endogenous hormone content and specific value, soluble sugar, sucrose, starch, and soluble protein were measured, and ABA/IAA, ABA/GA3, ZR/IAA, ZR/GA3, and C/N were calculated in buds and leaves at stage VI. The results showed that ABA, GA3, and ZR content of buds significantly increased from flower bud pre-differentiation to late flower differentiation stage. However, ABA, GA3, and ZR content of leaves had the opposite change trend. From open stage to senescent stage, IAA, ABA, and GA3 content of buds and leaves significantly increased in L. ruthenicum Murr. However, ZR content of buds and leaves significantly decreased from open stage to senescent stage. ABA/IAA, ABA/GA3, ZR/IAA, and ZR/GA3 values of buds significantly increased from lower bud pre-differentiation to late flower differentiation stage. However, ABA/IAA, ABA/GA3, ZR/IAA, and ZR/GA3 values of leaves significantly decreased from lower bud pre-differentiation to late flower differentiation stage. ABA/IAA and ABA/GA3 of buds significantly increased from open stage to senescent stage, but ZR/IAA and ZR/GA3 of buds significantly decreased from open to senescent. At this stage, ABA/IAA, ABA/GA3, ZR/IAA, and ZR/GA3 significantly decreased in L. ruthenicum Murr. The higher soluble sugar and sucrose content in the buds and leaves were beneficial to the flower bud differentiation of L. ruthenicum. The increasing of soluble sugar improved the energy basis to florescence and senescent. The carbohydrates metabolism enhanced from open stage to senescent stage and nitrogen metabolism reduced from open stage to senescent stage of L. ruthenicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidy, which is widely distributed in angiosperms, presents extremely valuable commercial applications in plant growth and reproduction. The flower development process of higher plants is essential for genetic improvement. Nevertheless, the reproduction difference between polyploidy and the polyploid florescence regulatory network from the perspective of microRNA (miRNA) remains to be elucidated. In this study, the autotetraploid of Lycium ruthenicum showed late-flowering traits compared with the progenitor. Combining the association of miRNA and next-generation transcriptome technology, the late-flowering characteristics triggered by chromosome duplication may be caused by the age pathway involved in miR156-SPLs and miR172-AP2, which inhibits the messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts of FT in the leaves. Subsequently, FT was transferred to the shoot apical meristem (SAM) to inhibit the expression of the flowering integration factor SOC1, which can eventually result in delayed flowering time. Our exploration of the flowering regulation network and the control of the flowering time are vital to the goji producing in the late frost area, which provides a new perspective for exploring the intrinsic molecular mechanism of polyploid and the reproductive development of flowering plants.

Polyploidy, which is widely distributed in angiosperms, presents extremely valuable commercial applications in plant growth and reproduction. The flower development process of higher plants is essential for genetic improvement. Nevertheless, the reproduction difference between polyploidy and the polyploid florescence regulatory network from the perspective of microRNA (miRNA) remains to be elucidated. In this study, the autotetraploid of Lycium ruthenicum showed late-flowering traits compared with the progenitor. Combining the association of miRNA and next-generation transcriptome technology, the late-flowering characteristics triggered by chromosome duplication may be caused by the age pathway involved in miR156-SPLs and miR172-AP2, which inhibits the messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts of FT in the leaves. Subsequently, FT was transferred to the shoot apical meristem (SAM) to inhibit the expression of the flowering integration factor SOC1 , which can eventually result in delayed flowering time. Our exploration of the flowering regulation network and the control of the flowering time are vital to the goji producing in the late frost area, which provides a new perspective for exploring the intrinsic molecular mechanism of polyploid and the reproductive development of flowering plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Мета. Простежити цикл сезонного розвитку інтродукованих рослин сортів роду Heuchera L. Методи. Фенологічні, біометричні та аналітичні. Результати. На основі фенологічних спостережень встановлено, що рослини сортів роду Heuchera в умовах Правобережного Лісостепу України проходять всі етапи циклу сезонного розвитку. Виявлено, що фази відростання генеративних пагонів і цвітіння значно подовжені в часі. Одночасно проходять фази бутонізації, цвітіння та плодоношення. За характером ритму розвитку досліджені рослини належать до феноритмотипу літньо-зимово-зелених із зимовим спокоєм, що зумовлює тривалість їх загальної декоративності. Висновки. Визначено, що період вегетації у сортів Heuchera триває 216–232 доби. Строки початку (1–2 декада травня), тривалість (26–43 доби) фази цвітіння та аналіз феноспектрів сортів роду Heuchera свідчать, що ритм їхнього розвитку узгоджується з кліматичними умовами Правобережного Лісостепу України. Декоративність інтродукованих сортів Heuchera проявляється від періоду бутонізації до завершення вегетації. Отже, вони здатні забезпечити тривалий декоративний ефект у різних варіантах озеленення ранньо- та пізньовесняного (березень–травень), весняно-літнього (травень–червень) та літньо-осіннього (кінець серпня–жовтень, частково листопад) періодів вегетації. Проходження рослинами фази плодоношення, від початку зав’язування, достигання повноцінних плодів і життєздатного насіння, є беззаперечним аргументом проведення селекційної роботи.

Application of sesame protein concentrate (SPC) is limited because of its weak functional properties. Investigations revealed that the grafting reaction occurred between maltodextrin and SPC, as supported by the results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence emission spectra confirmed that the treatment altered the molecular structure of SPC. XRD analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed changes in the structural properties of the powders after the graft treatment. Conjugation treatment improved the emulsifying properties which analyzed by different techniques including particle size measurement, ζ-potential, and rheological analysis of emulsions. In addition, the emulsions prepared by the conjugated protein exhibited higher values of viscosity and consistency coefficient. This research showed that conjugation with maltodextrin improved the functional and emulsifying properties of SPC and this product can be introduced as a novel ingredient to develop different food emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a medicinal plant, Sophora tonkinensis is mainly distributed in Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and northern Vietnam. In recent years, due to the strong demand for S. tonkinensis, wild resources have become decreased, which has placed great pressure on their protection. Therefore, the introduction of S. tonkinensis was carried out in Guangxi. Although the flowering period of S. tonkinensis is long, its seed setting rate is low. To promote flower production, it is necessary to do basic research on flowering in S. tonkinensis. In this study, the contents of various mineral elements in the roots, stems and leaves of S. tonkinensis were measured during the period of flowering, and cluster analysis was carried out on the content changes. At the same time, the correlations among the elements were analyzed. It was found that As and Hg inhibited the absorption of some important elements related to flower development. It is necessary to pay attention to the effects of these toxic elements on flowering during cultivation. RNA-seq of flower buds and flower organs was carried out, and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method was used to mine the key genes. These genes may play an important role in flowering control and flower development in S. tonkinensis. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2021.1988707. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim. Aim of this literature overview was to analyze the diagnostic procedures of hidden caries lesions and to present a restorative protocol. Methods. A literature overview was performed in order to evaluate hidden caries etiological hypothesis and the reported prevalence. The diagnostic procedure is performed with the aid of an intra-oral fluorescence based camera and the restorative procedure is completed with the use of a novel bisphenol-A free composite. Results. Non cavitated occlusal caries lesions prevalence is high in young adults population. Diagnosis of hidden caries requires both high sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions. The novel diagnostic and restorative protocol showed to be highly effective in hidden caries assessment and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the formation of β-amyloid (Aβ) fibrils in neuronal tissues is a hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD), small-sized Aβ oligomers rather than mature fibrils have been identified as the most neurotoxic species. Therefore, the design of new inhibitors, able to prevent the aggregation of Aβ, is believed to be a promising therapeutic approach to AD. Unfortunately, the short-lived intermediate structures that occur in a solution along the Aβ aggregation pathway escape conventional experimental investigations and there is urgent need of new tools aimed at the discovery of agents targeting monomeric Aβ and blocking the early steps of amyloid aggregation. Here, we show the combination of high-efficiency slides (HESs) with peptide microarrays as a promising tool for identifying small peptides that bind Aβ monomers. To this aim, HESs with two immobilized reference peptides, (i.e., KLVFF and Semax) with opposite behavior, were investigated for binding to fluorescently labeled Aβ peptide. Transmission electron microscopy was used to demonstrate Aβ fibrillar aggregates missing. The use of HESs was critical to ensure convenient output of the fluorescent microarrays. The resulting sensitivity, as well as the low sample consumption and the high potential for miniaturization, suggests that the proposed combination of peptide microarrays and highly efficient slides would be a very effective technology for molecule profiling in AD drug discovery.

Henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) is naturally cultivated from north-east Africa to India as a medicinal-industrial plant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible role of salicylic acid (SA) for mitigating the salinity stress. For this purpose, we evaluated the effect of three concentrations of SA (0, 40 and 80 μM) and salinity (0, −3 and −6 bar) on photosynthetic pigments, protein content, catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activity, electrolyte leakage and leaf relative water content (RWC). The experiment was carried out with a factorial arrangement based on complete randomized design in triplicates at University of Kerman, Iran. The results revealed that salinity caused a significant decrease in photosynthetic pigments, protein content, RWC and quantum yield of henna. By increase in salinity levels from 0 to −6 bar, the mean values of mentioned traits were reduced. CAT activity, electrolyte leakage, F0 and Fm were elevated significantly with increasing the salinity concentration. Application of SA under salinity stress increased the photosynthetic pigments, protein content, CAT activity, leaf RWCs and quantum yield, while it decreased electrolyte leakage, F0 and Fm. It can be concluded that SA alleviated the stress generated by NaCl possibly through the ameliorated antioxidant defense system.

Biological nanofibrils not only are characteristic of many species of biomasses but also serve as a promising type of sustainable nanomaterials for various applications. However, their production has long relied on an invasive and energy-consuming mechanical shear. A noninvasive and versatile approach remains challenging to exfoliate different types of biomasses into nanofibrils. In this study, we showed a versatile and nonaggressive intercalative deprotonation agent of organic base, which could efficiently deprotonate various biomasses for energy-saving exfoliation and functionalization, including cellulose, chitin, and silk. Both carboxylic nanofibrils and nanofibrils with pristine chemical structures could be produced in high yields through manual shaking or sonication. By further grafting photoresponsive groups via transesterification, intelligent NFs were generated featuring ultraviolet-responsive fluorescence and hydrophilicity. These responsive fluorescence and actuation behaviors promised their potential as green encryption and anticounterfeiting nanomaterials.

Rice floret number per unit area as one of the key yield structure parameters is directly related to the final yield of rice. Previous studies paid little attention to the effect of the variations in vegetation indices (VIs) caused by rice flowering on rice yield estimation. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with hyperspectral cameras can provide high spatial and temporal resolution remote sensing data about the rice canopy, providing possibilities for flowering monitoring. In this study, two consecutive years of rice field experiments were conducted to explore the performance of florescence spectral information in improving the accuracy of VIs-based models for yield estimates. First, the florescence ratio reflectance and florescence difference reflectance, as well as their first derivative reflectance, were defined and then their correlations with rice yield were evaluated. It was found that the florescence spectral information at the seventh day of rice flowering showed the highest correlation with the yield. The sensitive bands to yield were centered at 590 nm, 690 nm and 736 nm–748 nm, 760 nm–768 nm for the first derivative florescence difference reflectance, and 704 nm–760 nm for the first derivative florescence ratio reflectance. The florescence ratio index (FRI) and florescence difference index (FDI) were developed and their abilities to improve the estimation accuracy of models basing on vegetation indices at single-, two- and three-growth stages were tested. With the introduction of florescence spectral information, the single-growth VI-based model produced the most obvious improvement in estimation accuracy, with the coefficient of determination (R2) increasing from 0.748 to 0.799, and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and the root mean squared error (RMSE) decreasing by 11.8% and 10.7%, respectively. Optimized by flowering information, the two-growth stage VIs-based model gave the best performance (R2 = 0.869, MAPE = 3.98%, RMSE = 396.02 kg/ha). These results showed that introducing florescence spectral information at the flowering stage into conventional VIs-based yield estimation models is helpful in improving rice yield estimation accuracy. The usefulness of florescence spectral information for yield estimation provides a new idea for the further development and improvement of the crop yield estimation method.

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There are many substances in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), of which many have a beneficial effect. One of the most interesting substances in EVOO is Oleocanthal. This substance is first recognised in 2005 and can only be found in EVOO. Under further investigations it was proven that in vitro Oleocanthal has an anti-inflammatory effect comparable to Ibuprofen. This is due to the fact that it is an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase. It is able to form prostanoids, including thromboxane, which takes part in formation of thrombosis, and prostaglandins including prostacyclin, which prevent the formation of the platelet plug during blood clotting and acts as a vasodilator. The quality control of an EVOO is very important, because most often refined oils such as olive-pomace oil, seed oils or synthetic oils are used. In some cases, this may lead to serious health problems after consumption. Such an incident happened 1981 in Spain (Spanish toxic Oil syndrome) where 20000 people were affected from which 330 died from aniline intoxication. Optical techniques are ideal for this purpose because they are simple, cost-effective, rapid and non-destructive. Fluorescence spectroscopy has different applications: detection of adulteration, geographic region, quantification of fluorescent components, monitoring of photo-oxidation and thermal and assessment of quality changes of olive oil during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henna (Lawsonia inermisL.) is naturally cultivated from north-east Africa to India as a medicinal-industrial plant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible role of salicylic acid (SA) for mitigating the salinity stress. For this purpose, we evaluated the effect of three concentrations of SA (0, 40 and 80 μM) and salinity (0, −3 and −6 bar) on photosynthetic pigments, protein content, catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activity, electrolyte leakage and leaf relative water content (RWC). The experiment was carried out with a factorial arrangement based on complete randomized design in triplicates at University of Kerman, Iran. The results revealed that salinity caused a significant decrease in photosynthetic pigments, protein content, RWC and quantum yield of henna. By increase in salinity levels from 0 to −6 bar, the mean values of mentioned traits were reduced. CAT activity, electrolyte leakage,F0andFmwere elevated significantly with increasing the salinity concentration. Application of SA under salinity stress increased the photosynthetic pigments, protein content, CAT activity, leaf RWCs and quantum yield, while it decreased electrolyte leakage,F0andFm. It can be concluded that SA alleviated the stress generated by NaCl possibly through the ameliorated antioxidant defense system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Southern Agriculture is the property of Journal of Southern Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A simple one-step hydrothermal green approach was reported for the preparation of carbon dots (CDs) without any further decoration or modification with papaya powder as natural carbon source. In this economical and eco-friendly system, deionized water or 90% ethanol was used as solvent to produce water-soluble or ethanol-soluble CDs, respectively, termed as W-CDs and E-CDs. The quantum yield (QY) for W-CDs was 18.98%, while that for E-CDs was 18.39%. The potentials of the prepared carbon dots toward diverse applications were thoroughly investigated. W-CDs and E-CDs provide promising probes for fluorescence detection of Fe 3+ , offering limits of detection of 0.48 μmol L −1 and 0.29 μmol L −1 , respectively. W-CDs was further demonstrated to be a promising probe for fluorescence sensing of Escherichia coli O157: H7, along with a limit of detection of 9.5×10 4 cfu mL −1 . Meanwhile, both W-CDs and E-CDs exhibit favorable biocompatibility, and demonstrated to be efficient for Hela cell imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hormonal regulation of cell growth and development, tissue morphology, metabolism and physiological function in animals and man is a well-established knowledge domain in modern biological science. The present study was carried out to investigate the structural stability of hexokinase when exposed to diabetic levels of glucose and its binding efficiency. The fluorescence study indicated that 28-homobrassinolide was able to protect or restore the native structure of hexokinase. Proteins are synthesized and fold into the native form to become active. The inability of a protein molecule to remain in its native form is called as protein misfolding and this is because of several factors. Protein aggregation and misfolding are known to play a critical role in several human diseases including diabetes. Homobrassinolide interaction with hexokinase was studied by UV-Vis spectrophotometer and fluorescence spectrophotometer. Results were suggested that the denatured hexokinase was renatured upon binding with homobrassinolide. In silico, docking study was performed to recognize the binding activity of homobrassinolide against a subunit of the glucokinase, and homobrassinolide was able to bind to the drug binding pocket of glucokinase. The glide energy is −7.1 kcal/mol, suggesting the high binding affinity of homobrassinolide to glucokinase. Overall, these studies predict that the phytohormone 28-homobrassinolide would function as an anti-diabetic when present in human and animal diet by augmenting the hexokinase enzyme activity in the animal cell. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal complexes of Metformin hydrochloride were prepared using La(III), Ce(III), Sm(III) and Y(III). The resulting complexes were discussed and synthesized to serve as potential insulin-mimetic. Some physical properties and analytical data of the four complexes were checked. The elemental analysis shows that La(III), Ce(III) Sm(III) and Y(III) formed complexes with Metformin in 1:3 (metal:MF) molar ratio. All the synthesized complexes are white and possess high melting points. These complexes are soluble in dimethylsulfoxide and dimethylformamide, partially soluble in hot methanol and insoluble in water and some other organic solvents. From the spectroscopic (infrared, UV–vis and florescence), effective magnetic moment and elemental analyses data, the formula structures are suggested. The results obtained suggested that Metformin reacted with metal ions as a bidentate ligand through its two imino groups. The molar conductance measurements proved that the Metformin complexes are slightly electrolytic in nature. The kinetic thermodynamic parameters such as: E ∗ , Δ H ∗ , Δ S ∗ and Δ G ∗ were estimated from the DTG curves. The antibacterial evaluations of the Metformin and their complexes were also performed against some gram positive, negative bacteria as well as fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study aims at exploring the effects of growth regulators on floral differentiation, expression of flowering related genes and nutrient accumulation of pear hybirds. [ Methods] This study took 'Mantianhong' x 'Dangshansuli' progenies as materials, and all the individuals were five years old but still have no flower. We sprayed the 6-BA and ethephon( Eth) (100 mg·kg-1 6-BA, 100 mg · kg-1 Eth, 100mg ·kg-1 6-BA+1 00 mg · kg-1 Eth) with water control during the period of flower bud differentiation. [Results] All different growth regulator treatments can facilitate the florescence of the progenies. The mixed 6-BA and ethephon treatment increased the most flower buds among three treatments. All treatments promoted the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T( FT) and LEAFY(LFY) genes during floral bud differentiation, and inhibited the expression of TERMINAL FLOWER 1(TFL1) gene; the treatments enhanced the content of ZT and ABA, reduced the hormone content of GA3 and IAA, and improved the content of starch and the ratio of C/N in floral buds. [Conclusions] The synthesis analysis revealed that gene expression, endogenous hormone and nutriment influenced each other, and they regulated floral initiation of hybrid progenies together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice floret number per unit area as one of the key yield structure parameters is directly related to the final yield of rice. Previous studies paid little attention to the effect of the variations in vegetation indices (VIs) caused by rice flowering on rice yield estimation. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with hyperspectral cameras can provide high spatial and temporal resolution remote sensing data about the rice canopy, providing possibilities for flowering monitoring. In this study, two consecutive years of rice field experiments were conducted to explore the performance of florescence spectral information in improving the accuracy of VIs-based models for yield estimates. First, the florescence ratio reflectance and florescence difference reflectance, as well as their first derivative reflectance, were defined and then their correlations with rice yield were evaluated. It was found that the florescence spectral information at the seventh day of rice flowering showed the highest correlation with the yield. The sensitive bands to yield were centered at 590 nm, 690 nm and 736 nm–748 nm, 760 nm–768 nm for the first derivative florescence difference reflectance, and 704 nm–760 nm for the first derivative florescence ratio reflectance. The florescence ratio index (FRI) and florescence difference index (FDI) were developed and their abilities to improve the estimation accuracy of models basing on vegetation indices at single-, two- and three-growth stages were tested. With the introduction of florescence spectral information, the single-growth VI-based model produced the most obvious improvement in estimation accuracy, with the coefficient of determination (R2) increasing from 0.748 to 0.799, and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and the root mean squared error (RMSE) decreasing by 11.8% and 10.7%, respectively. Optimized by flowering information, the two-growth stage VIs-based model gave the best performance (R2 = 0.869, MAPE = 3.98%, RMSE = 396.02 kg/ha). These results showed that introducing florescence spectral information at the flowering stage into conventional VIs-based yield estimation models is helpful in improving rice yield estimation accuracy. The usefulness of florescence spectral information for yield estimation provides a new idea for the further development and improvement of the crop yield estimation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Aim of this literature overview was to analyze the diagnostic procedures of hidden caries lesions and to present a restorative protocol., Methods: A literature overview was performed in order to evaluate hidden caries etiological hypothesis and the reported prevalence. The diagnostic procedure is performed with the aid of an intra-oral fluorescence based camera and the restorative procedure is completed with the use of a novel bisphenol-A free composite., Results: Non cavitated occlusal caries lesions prevalence is high in young adults population. Diagnosis of hidden caries requires both high sensitivity and specificity., Conclusions: The novel diagnostic and restorative protocol showed to be highly effective in hidden caries assessment and restoration.