Brixgertsen2391

Systematic soil sampling, followed by DNA extraction, quantification (qPCR) and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing were performed. The presence of BC increased the sorption of the herbicide to the soil by 11% (BC40) and 16% (BC80) compared to unamended soil. The presence of BC also affected the degradation of 14C-sulfometuron-methyl, reducing the mineralization rate and increasing the degradation half-life times (DT50) from 36.67 days in unamended soil to 52.11 and 55.45 days in BC40 and BC80 soils, respectively. The herbicide application altered the bacterial communities, affecting abundance and richness, and changing the taxonomic diversity (i.e., some taxa were promoted and other inhibited). A tripartite interaction was found between BC, the herbicide and soil bacterial communities, suggesting that it is important to consider the environmental impact of soil applied herbicides in biochar amended soils.The potential risk of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) crops on non-target organisms (NTOs) has drawn a lot of public concerns. Despite a series of risk assessments of Bt crops on NTOs has been conducted, a quantitative approach which could support a precise judgment of their safety is required. In the present work, hazard quotient (HQ) was applied in the safety evaluation of three Bt rice events (Cry1Ab, Cry1C and Cry2Aa rice) on NTOs. Eight NTOs in different functional guilds associated with Bt rice were selected to conduct the tests. The results showed that the HQs of three Bt rice events for eight NTOs were all below the trigger value 1, while the HQ of Cry1Ab rice for one target pest Chilo suppressalis was three times higher than 1. Our results assured the reliability of the HQ and indicated that the three Bt rice events would pose no risks to the eight NTOs. Further testing of three Bt proteins on biological parameters of one NTO Nasonia virtipennis under no observed adverse effect concentration (NOAEC) confirmed the robustness of HQ assessment. We recommend that the HQ could be applied in tier-1 risk assessments of Bt crops on NTOs as a reference data standard, which would provide more clear and credible safety information of transgenic crops for the public and policy makers.Accumulation of As (metalloid) degrades soil by negatively affecting the activities of soil enzymes, which in turn reduce growth and yield of the inhabiting plant. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis can impart metalloid tolerance in plants by secreting glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) which binds with As or inertly adsorb in the extraradical mycelial surface. However, profitable use of AM requires selection of the most efficient combination of host plant and fungal species. The current study, therefore designed to study the efficacy of 3 a.m. fungal species Rhizoglomus intraradices (Ri), Funneliformis mosseae (Fm) and Claroideoglomus claroideum (Cc) in imparting arsenate As(V) and arsenite As(III) stress tolerance in Cicer arietinum (chickpea) genotypes (G) - relatively metalloid tolerant- HC 3 and sensitive- C 235. Roots were found to be more severly affected as compared to shoots which resulted into a major decline in uptake of nutrients, chlorophyll concentrations and yield with As(III) inducing more toxic effects than As(V). HC 3 established more effective mycorrhizal symbiosis and was able to extract higher nutrients from the soil than C 235. Ri was most beneficial in improving plant biomass, carbohydrate utilization and productivity followed by Fm and Cc which could be due to its capability to initiate highest percent colonization and least metalloid uptake in roots through higher glomalin production in the soil. Moreover, Ri was highly efficient in improving soil enzymes activities-phosphatases (PHAs), β-glucosidase (BGA) and invertase (INV), thereby, imparting metalloid tolerance in chickpea genotypes. The results suggested use of Ri-chickpea symbiosis as a promising strategy for ameliorating As stress in chickpea.To elucidate the features of bioaccumulation and phytotoxic effects of long-lived artificial radionuclides, a hydroponic experiment was carried out with the cultivation of onion (Allium cepa L.) in low-mineralized solutions spiked with 137Cs (250 kBq L-1) or 243Am (9 kBq L-1). After the 27-day growth period, ≈70% of 137Cs and ≈14% of 243Am were transferred from the solutions to onion biomass with transfer factor values ≈ 400 and ≈ 80, respectively. Since the bioaccumulation of both radionuclides mainly took place in the roots of onion (77% 137Cs and 93% 243Am of the total amount in biomass), edible organs - bulbs and leaves - were protected to some extent from radioactive contamination. At the same time, the incorporation of the radionuclides into the root tissues caused certain changes in their biometric (geometric and mass) traits, which were more pronounced under the 243Am-treatment of onion. Exposure to 243Am significantly reduced the number, length, and total surface area of onion roots by 1.3-2.6 times. Under the influence of 137Cs, the dry-matter content in roots decreased by 1.3 times with a corresponding increase in the degree of hydration of the root tissues. On the whole, the data obtained revealed the specific features of 137Cs and 243Am behaviour in "hydroponic solution - plant" system and suggested that biometric traits of onion roots could be appropriate indicators of phyto(radio)toxicity.

To provide a comprehensive overview of the measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) used to assess sleep quality in adult patients with prevalent pain-related conditions.

Without language restrictions PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched from their inception to January 2020. Independent reviewers screened and selected studies, extracted data, assessed the methodological quality using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist, and performed an evidence synthesis for each measurement property. The results were classified as sufficient, insufficient, inconsistent, or indeterminate, and quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Nineteen studies were included investigating twelve PROMs and six pain-related conditions. Reliability, internal consistency, structural and construct validity were the most prevalent measurement p within high prevalence chronic pain conditions.

CRD42019136623.

CRD42019136623.The surface modification of nanoparticles can not only change the physical and chemical properties of particles, such as the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties and surface charges of nanoparticles to a certain extent, but also bring new functions to nanoparticles, such as membrane permeability and targeting. Inhaled nanoparticles (NPs) are experienced by the first biological barrier inside the alveolus known as lung surfactant (LS), consisting of phospholipids and proteins in the form of the monolayer at the air-water interface. Inhaled NPs can reach deep into the lungs and interfere with the biophysical properties of the lung components. The interaction mechanisms of bare gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with the LS monolayer are not well understood. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to have a study on the interactions of PEG coated AuNPs with LS monolayers. It was observed that the interactions of AuNPs and LS components make the monolayer structure deform and change the biophysical properties of LS monolayer. The results also indicate that AuNPs with high concentrations hinder the lowering of the LS surface tension and reduce lateral mobility of lipids. see more Overall, the simulation results can provide guidance for the design of ligand protected NPs as drug carriers and can identify the nanoparticles potential side effect on lung surfactant.Cinacalcet (CT) is an important drug for the treatment hyperparathyroidism. Only few studies havereported thepotential interaction between CT and other potentially coadministered drugs. In this study, the potential of invitro interaction between CT and DF sodium (DF-Na) was investigated. An ion pair salt of CT with DF was obtained by mixing the two compounds in solution; the product was fully characterized by HPLC analysis, UV, FTIR, NMR spectroscopy in addition to DSC. The solubility and partition coefficients were found to significantly decrease and increase, respectively, for the obtained ion pair salt in comparison to the parent compounds. Dissolution studies in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 revealed a significant decrease in the dissolution of an already poorly water soluble drug (decrease to ~20% of the original). Permeation studies, through Caco-2 cells monolayer, revealed a significant decrease in permeation of CT when coexisted with DF (almost to half). Apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) decreased from 3.6 × 10-6 to 1.8 × 10-6 cm/s. Interestingly, a structure for the formed CT-DF salt that could explain the above findings (increase in lipophilicity), could be proposed based on structural modelling, molecular dynamic simulations and NMR proton chemical shifts analysis.This study investigated physiological alterations involved in the inactivation of Levilactobacillus (L.) brevis and Leuconostoc (Lc.) mesenteroides in orange juice caused by Citrus lemon essential oil (CLEO) and C. reticulata essential oil (CREO) alone and combined with mild heat treatment (MHT). Damage in DNA, membrane integrity, membrane potential, metabolic and efflux activity of bacterial cells were measured after exposure (6 and 12 min) to CLEO or CREO (0.5 μL/mL) and/or MHT (54 °C) using flow cytometry. Limonene was the major constituent in CLEO (66.4%) and CREO (89.4%). The size of the damaged cell subpopulations increased (p less then 0.05) after longer exposure time and varied with the tested essential oil and/or bacterial isolate. After exposure to CLEO and CREO alone, the cell subpopulations with damage in measured physiological functions were in a range of 19.6-66.8% and 23.8-75.9%, respectively. Exposure to CREO resulted in larger Lc. mesenteroides cell subpopulations (35.4-68.7%) with damaged DNA, permeabilized and depolarized membrane and compromised metabolic or efflux activity compared to L. brevis (23.8-58.0%). In contrast, exposure to CLEO led to higher damaged L. brevis cell subpopulations (35.1-77%) compared to Lc. mesenteroides (25.3-36.6%). Exposure to combined treatments (CLEO or CREO and MHT) affected the measured physiological functions in almost the entire L. brevis and Lc. mesenteroides cell population (up to 99%), although the damage extension on each isolate varied with tested essential oil. Results show that inactivation of L. brevis and Lc. mesenteroides cells caused by CLEO and CREO alone and combined with MHT in orange juice involves a multi-target action, which causes DNA damage, altered permeability and depolarization of membrane and compromised metabolic and efflux activities.

The 1-10% prevalence rate of adult scoliosis frequently requires expensive therapy and surgical treatments and demands further research into the disease, especially with an aging population. Most studies examining the mechanics of scoliosis have focused on in vitro testing or computer simulations. This study quantitatively defined the passive stiffness properties of the in vivo scoliotic spine in three principle anatomical motions and identified differences relative to healthy controls.

Adult scoliosis (n=14) and control (n=17) participants with no history of spondylolisthesis, spinal fracture, or spinal surgery participated in three different tests (torso lateral side bending, torso axial rotation, and torso flexion/extension) that isolated mobility to the in vivo lumbar spine. The spinal stiffnesses and spinal neutral zone width were calculated. These parameters were statistically compared between factor of population and within factor of direction.

Torque-rotational displacement data were fit using a double sigmoid function, resulting an in excellent overall fit (Avg.