Several fleshy fruits are highly affected by cracking, a severe physiological disorder that compromises their quality and causes high economical losses to the producers. Cracking can occur due to ...physiological, genetic or environmental factors and may happen during fruit growth, development and ripening. Moreover, in fleshy fruits, exocarp plays an important role, acting as a mechanical protective barrier, defending against biotic or abiotic factors. Thus, when biochemical properties of the cuticle + epidermis + hypodermis are affected, cracks appear in the fruit skin. The identification of genes involved in development such as cell wall modifications, biosynthesis and transport of cuticular waxes, cuticular membrane deposition and associated transcription factors provides new insights to better understand how fruit cracking is affected by genetic factors. Amongst the major environmental stresses causing cracking are excessive water during fruit development, leading to imbalances in cations such as Ca. This review focus on expression of key genes in these pathways, in their influence in affected fruits and the potential for molecular breeding programs, aiming to develop cultivars more resistant to cracking under adverse environmental conditions.
Abstract Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are capable of interfering with the endocrine system and are increasingly widespread in the aquatic environments. In the present study, zebrafish ( ...Danio rerio ) embryos and larvae were used to assess how EDCs may interfere with embryogenesis. Therefore, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2: 0.4, 2, 4 and 20 ng/L), genistein (Gen: 2, 20, 200 and 2000 ng/L) and fadrozole (Fad: 2, 10, 50 and 250 μg/L), between 2 and 144 h post-fertilization (hpf). Somite development, heartbeat, malformations, mortality and hatching rates were evaluated. In parallel, the expression patterns of hormone receptors ( esr1 , esr2a , esr2b and ar ) and apoptotic pathways related genes ( p53 and c - jun ) were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Results showed that EE2, Gen and Fad caused a higher mortality and also malformations in larvae compared with control. A significant toxic effect was observed in the heartbeat rate, at 144 hpf, in larvae exposed to EE2 and Fad. QPCR revealed alterations in the expression levels of all the evaluated genes, at different time points. esr1 and c - jun genes were upregulated by EE2 and Gen exposure while the expression of esr2a , esr2b and ar genes was downregulated. Fad exposure decreased esr1 , p53 and c - jun expression levels. This study shows a toxic effect of EE2, Gen and Fad to vertebrate embryogenesis and a relation between hormones action and apoptosis pathways.
The demand for Vaccinium fruits has skyrocketed due to their nutritional and medicinal properties, notably their high content of phenolic compounds and excellent sensory evaluation. The use of ...Vaccinium plants and its components as dietary supplements and health ingredients has been on the rise across the world. The attractive fruits contain a high content of anthocyanins and antioxidant compounds. In some popular and valuable cultivars, the conventional propagation methods, exploiting hard or soft wood cuttings, are inefficient. The demand for nursery plants can be fulfilled by micropropagation. This review aims to explore advances in the in vitro culture of Vaccinium plants, focusing on effective disinfection, optimized culture media, and the role of growth regulators in plant development and multiplication. By providing a controlled environment, micropropagation allows the large-scale production of these plants in a short time, ensuring availability throughout the year. Additionally, this technique offers the advantage of studying the effects of abiotic stresses on plants, as well as facilitating research on the production of relevant metabolites. This review seeks to provide an updated overview of the most promising methods and techniques for micropropagation of Vaccinium, thereby contributing to the ongoing development of the blueberry production industry and derivative products.
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is an important legume crop due to its high protein content, adaptation to heat and drought and capacity to fix nitrogen. Europe has a deficit of cowpea production. ...Knowledge of genetic diversity among cowpea landraces is important for the preservation of local varieties and is the basis to obtain improved varieties. The aims of this study were to explore diversity and the genetic structure of a set of Iberian Peninsula cowpea accessions in comparison to a worldwide collection and to infer possible dispersion routes of cultivated cowpea.
The Illumina Cowpea iSelect Consortium Array containing 51,128 SNPs was used to genotype 96 cowpea accessions including 43 landraces and cultivars from the Iberian Peninsula, and 53 landraces collected worldwide. Four subpopulations were identified. Most Iberian Peninsula accessions clustered together with those from other southern European and northern African countries. Only one accession belonged to another subpopulation, while two accessions were 'admixed'. A lower genetic diversity level was found in the Iberian Peninsula accessions compared to worldwide cowpeas.
The genetic analyses performed in this study brought some insights into worldwide genetic diversity and structure and possible dispersion routes of cultivated cowpea. Also, it provided an in-depth analysis of genetic diversity in Iberian Peninsula cowpeas that will help guide crossing strategies in breeding programs.
Ketamine, one anesthetic used as an illicit drug, has been detected both in freshwater and marine ecosystems. However, knowledge of its impact on aquatic life is still limited. This study aimed to ...test its effects in zebrafish embryos by analyzing its time- and dose-dependent developmental toxicity and long-term behavioral changes. The 24 h-LC{sub 50} was calculated from percent survival using probit analysis. Based on the 24 h-LC{sub 50} (94.4 mg L{sup −1}), embryos (2 hour post-fertilization - hpf) were divided into four groups, including control, and exposed for 24 h to ketamine concentrations of 50, 70 or 90 mg L{sup −1}. Developmental parameters were evaluated on the course of the experimental period, and anatomical abnormalities and locomotor deficits were analyzed at 144 hpf. Although the portion of ketamine transferred into the embryo was higher in the lowest exposed group (about 0.056 ± 0.020 pmol per embryo), the results showed that endpoints such as increased mortality, edema, heart rate alterations, malformation and abnormal growth rates were significantly affected. At 144 hpf, the developmental abnormalities included thoracic and trunk abnormalities in the groups exposed to 70 and 90 mg L{sup −1}. Defects in cartilage (alcian blue) and bone (calcein) elements also corroborated the craniofacial anomalies observed. A significant up-regulation of the development-related gene nog3 was detected by qRT-PCR at 8 hpf. Early exposure to ketamine also resulted in long-term behavioral changes, such as an increase in thigmotaxis and disruption of avoidance behavior at 144 hpf. Altogether, this study provides new evidence on the ketamine teratogenic potential, indicating a possible pharmacological impact of ketamine in aquatic environments. - Highlights: • 24 h exposure to ketamine increases mortality. • Morphological changes were observed after exposure. • Exposure to ketamine leads to severe craniofacial anomalies. • Developmental gene expression changes in response to ketamine. • Developmental ketamine exposure produces lasting behavioral changes.
Aluminium (Al) toxicity limits crop productivity, particularly at low soil pH. Proline (Pro) plays a role in protecting plants against various abiotic stresses. Using the relatively Al-tolerant ...cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), we evaluated Pro metabolism in roots and shoots of two genotypes differing in Al tolerance, var. RioDeva (sensitive) and var. Beira (tolerant). Most enzyme activities and metabolites of Pro biosynthesis were analysed. Al induced increases in Pro levels in each genotype, but the mechanisms were different and were also different between roots and shoots. The Al-tolerant genotype accumulated highest Pro levels and this stronger increase was ascribed to simultaneous activation of the ornithine (Orn)-biosynthetic pathway and decrease in Pro oxidation. The Orn pathway was particularly enhanced in roots. Nitrate reductase (NR) activity, N levels, and N/C ratios demonstrate that N-metabolism is less inhibited in the Al-tolerant line. The correlation between Pro changes and differences in Al-sensitivity between these two genotypes, supports a role for Pro in Al tolerance. Our results suggest that differential responses in Pro biosynthesis may be linked to N-availability. Understanding the role of Pro in differences between genotypes in stress responses, could be valuable in plant selection and breeding for Al resistance.
Q fever is caused by the pathogen
and is a zoonosis that naturally infects goats, sheep, and cats, but can also infect humans, birds, reptiles, or arthropods. A survey was conducted for the detection ...of antibodies against
in a sample of 617 free-ranging wild ruminants, 358 wild boar (
) and 259 red deer (
), in east-central Portugal during the 2016-2022 hunting seasons. Only adult animals were sampled in this study. Antibodies specific to
were detected using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; IDVet
, Montpellier, France) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The seroprevalence of
infection was 1.5% (
= 9; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.7-2.8%). Antibodies against
were detected in 4/358 wild boar (1.1%; 95% CI: CI: 0.3-2.8%) and 5/259 red deer (1.9%; 0.6-4.5%). Results of the present study indicate that antibodies against
were present in wild boar and red deer in Portugal. These findings can help local health authorities to focus on the problem of
in wildlife and facilitate the application of a One Health approach to its prevention and control.
Paratuberculosis, or Johne's disease, caused by
subsp.
(MAP), is a chronic granulomatous enteritis affecting both domestic and wild ruminants. The agent was also found in wild mammals such as wild ...boar (
); however, the role of wild mammals in the epidemiology of MAP is unclear. During the research period, 941 free-ranging wild boar (
) legally hunted in two locations in the central-eastern region of Portugal were examined. Ninety-seven wild boars exhibited one or more gross lesions and were tested for the presence of
subsp.
using acid-fast staining, mycobacterial culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and histopathological examination. Forty-five animals (46.4%, 95% CI: 36.5-56.3%) were identified as infected, as indicated by positive results in culture and/or PCR. The findings revealed that the most significant risk factor was being a juvenile compared to yearlings and adults (OR = 10.2, 95% CI: 2.2-48.0). Based on our results, 37.9% (
= 11) of the infected animals were considered suitable for human consumption. Our findings offer novel insights into mycobacterial infections in wild boar populations in Portugal and suggest that wild boar could be a source of human infection if zoonotic potential is considered.
Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), is a chronic granulomatous enteritis affecting both domestic and wild ruminants. The present work is ...part of a wider set of studies designed to assess the prevalence of paratuberculosis in free ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus). With that purpose, 877 free-ranging red deer legally hunted in the Centre-eastern Portugal were submitted to necropsy and sampled for molecular methods, microbiology and histopathology. Thirty-seven (4.2%) kidneys revealed acid-fast bacilli when screened with the Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Map was detected by IS900 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in thirty (81.1%) of the Ziehl-Neelsen positive kidneys. Subsequent PCR and/or culture from the different organs of the 37 examined animals allowed us to detect 86.4% (32 animals) infected red deer. Our results suggest that renal involvement in Map infected deer may be underdiagnosed and thus the routine examination of this organ and its inclusion in PCR techniques designed for Map detection could substantially improve the diagnostic of paratuberculosis in red deer.
ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between occupational stressors and common mental disorders (CMD) among "invisible" health workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: ...Cross-sectional study including a probabilistic sample of 1,014 health workers from three municipalities in Bahia. CMDs were assessed using the SRQ-20. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale and the Demand-Control Model assessed occupational stressors. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple analysis to evaluate the association between the variables of interest. Results: The global prevalence of CMD was 39.9%; it was higher among CHA/EDCA (47.2%), followed by management and surveillance staff (38.6%), technicians (35.4%), and support/maintenance/cleaning staff (29.9%). The association between occupational stressors and CMD varied among occupations: 1. Excessive work commitment (EWC), effort-reward imbalance (ERI), and psychological demand were associated with CMD among support/maintenance/cleaning workers; 2. EWC and ERI were associated with CMD among CHA/EDCA; 3. EWC, ERI, and low control over work were associated with CMD among technicians; 4. Among management and surveillance workers, only ERI remained associated with CMD. Conclusions: Occupational stressors played a relevant role in mental illness, with variation between occupational strata, demanding attention, monitoring, and control.
RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar associação entre estressores ocupacionais e transtornos mentais comuns (TMC) entre trabalhadores e trabalhadoras "invisíbilizados" da saúde, no contexto da pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos: Estudo transversal com amostra probabilística de 1.014 trabalhadores(as) da saúde de três municípios baianos. Os TMC foram avaliados pelo SRQ-20. A escala Desequilíbrio Esforço-Recompensa (DER) e o Modelo Demanda-Controle avaliaram os estressores ocupacionais. Análise descritiva, bivariada e múltipla avaliaram associação entre as variáveis de interesse. Resultados: A prevalência global de TMC foi de 39,9%, sendo mais elevada entre os Agentes Comunitários de Saúde/Agente de Combate às Endemias — ACS/ACE (47,2%), seguidos pelo pessoal da gestão e vigilância (38,6%), técnicos (35,4%) e pessoal de apoio/conservação/limpeza (29,9%). A associação entre estressores ocupacionais e TMC variou entre as ocupações: 1. Comprometimento excessivo com o trabalho (CET), DER e demandas psicológicas associaram-se aos TMC entre trabalhadores de apoio/conservação/limpeza; 2. CET e DER estavam associadas aos TMC entre ACS/ACE; 3. CET, DER e baixo controle sobre o trabalho associaram-se aos TMC entre os técnicos; 4. Entre trabalhadores de gestão e vigilância, apenas o DER estava associado aos TMC. Conclusões: Estressores ocupacionais tiveram papel relevante no adoecimento mental, com variação entre os estratos de ocupação, demandando atenção, acompanhamento e controle.
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