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1.
Elevated [CO2 ] alleviates the impacts of water deficit on xylem anatomy and hydraulic properties of maize stems.
Liu, J, Kang, S, Davies, WJ, Ding, R
Plant, cell & environment. 2020;(3):563-578
Abstract
Plants can modify xylem anatomy and hydraulic properties to adjust to water status. Elevated [CO2 ] can increase plant water potential via reduced stomatal conductance and water loss. This raises the question of whether elevated [CO2 ], which thus improves plant water status, will reduce the impacts of soil water deficit on xylem anatomy and hydraulic properties of plants. To analyse the impacts of water and [CO2 ] on maize stem xylem anatomy and hydraulic properties, we exposed potted maize plants to varying [CO2 ] levels (400, 700, 900, and 1,200 ppm) and water levels (full irrigation and deficit irrigation). Results showed that at current [CO2 ], vessel diameter, vessel roundness, stem cross-section area, specific hydraulic conductivity, and vulnerability to embolism decreased under deficit irrigation; yet, these impacts of deficit irrigation were reduced at elevated [CO2 ]. Across all treatments, midday stem water potential was tightly correlated with xylem traits and displayed similar responses. A distinct trade-off between efficiency and safety in stem xylem water transportation in response to water deficit was observed at current [CO2 ] but not observed at elevated [CO2 ]. The results of this study enhance our knowledge of plant hydraulic acclimation under future climate environments and provide insights into trade-offs in xylem structure and function.
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2.
Experimental investigation of the effects of water content on the anisotropy of mode I fracture toughness of bedded mudstones.
Yang, J, Li, L, Lian, H
PloS one. 2020;(8):e0237909
Abstract
The influence of water content on mode I fracture toughness (KIc) of mudstones has been studied using semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens subject to three-point bendings. And the mudstone SCB specimens are divided into three types, including Type-A, Type-B and Type-C, corresponding to the three configurations of the bedding planes, including divider direction, arrester direction, and transverse direction, respectively. The test results show that the values of KIc for the three types of specimens are different due to the bedding structure, the Type-A specimens have the largest value of KIc for the same soak period, while the Type-C specimens possess the smallest value. As the soak period increases, the KIc of the three kinds of mudstone specimens decreases, and the fracture mechanisms of the specimens change gradually from the brittle failure form to the ductile failure form. Moreover, the standard deviation was used to quantify the anisotropy degree of the KIc of the mudstone samples. As the water content increases, the standard deviation increases from 0.057 to 0.139, which indicates a significant increase in anisotropy of the KIc of the mudstone specimens. In addition, the acoustic emission (AE) system was used to detect the AE events associated with the fracture initiation and propagation in the mudstone specimens for the different water content, with the raising water content, the cumulative AE events decrease, and the standard deviation of AE events increases, repesenting that the anisotropy of the AE events of the three types of specimens becomes more prominent. Further, the relationship between the tensile strength (σt) and the KIc of the three types of mudstone specimens for different water contents has been proved to be the linear relation.
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3.
Ozonation as a Method of Abiotic Elicitation Improving the Health-Promoting Properties of Plant Products-A Review.
Sachadyn-Król, M, Agriopoulou, S
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2020;(10)
Abstract
In this review, the primary objective was to systematize knowledge about the possibility of improving the health-promoting properties of raw plant products, defined as an increase in the content of bioactive compounds, by using ozone. The greatest attention has been paid to the postharvest treatment of plant raw materials with ozone because of its widespread use. The effect of this treatment on the health-promoting properties depends on the following different factors: type and variety of the fruit or vegetable, form and method of ozone treatment, and dosage of ozone. It seems that ozone applied in the form of ozonated water works more gently than in gaseous form. Relatively high concentration and long contact time used simultaneously might result in increased oxidative stress which leads to the degradation of quality. The majority of the literature demonstrates the degradation of vitamin C and deterioration of color after treatment with ozone. Unfortunately, it is not clear if ozone can be used as an elicitor to improve the quality of the raw material. Most sources prove that the best results in increasing the content of bioactive components can be obtained by applying ozone at a relatively low concentration for a short time immediately after harvest.
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4.
Effects of a 14-Day Hydration Intervention on Individuals with Habitually Low Fluid Intake.
Caldwell, AR, Rosa-Caldwell, ME, Keeter, C, Johnson, EC, Péronnet, F, Ganio, MS
Annals of nutrition & metabolism. 2020;:67-68
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Debate continues over whether or not individuals with low total water intake (TWI) are in a chronic fluid deficit (i.e., low total body water) [1]. When women with habitually low TWI (1.6 ± 0.5 L/day) increased their fluid intake (3.5 ± 0.1 L/day) for 4 days 24-h urine osmolality decreased, but there was no change in body weight, a proxy for total body water (TBW) [2]. In a small (n = 5) study of adult men, there were no observable changes in TBW, as measured by bioelectrical impedance, after increasing TWI for 4 weeks [3]. However, body weight increased and salivary osmolality decreased indicating that the study may have been underpowered to detect changes in TBW. Further, no studies to date have measured changes in blood volume (BV) when TWI is increased. OBJECTIVES Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify individuals with habitually low fluid intake and determine if increasing TWI, for 14 days, resulted in changes in TBW or BV. METHODS In order to identify individuals with low TWI, 889 healthy adults were screened. Participants with a self-reported TWI less than 1.8 L/day (men) or 1.2 L/day (women), and a 24-h urine osmolality greater than 800 mOsm were included in the intervention phase of the study. For the intervention phase, 15 participants were assigned to the experimental group and 8 participants were assigned to the control group. The intervention period lasted for 14 days and consisted of 2 visits to our laboratory: one before the intervention (baseline) and 14 days into the intervention (14-day follow-up). At these visits, BV was measured using a CO-rebreathe procedure and deuterium oxide (D2O) was administered to measure TBW. Urine samples were collected immediately prior, and 3-8 h after the D2O dose to allow for equilibration. Prior to each visit, participants collected 24-h urine to measure 24-h hydration status. After the baseline visit, the experimental group increased their TWI to 3.7 L for males and 2.7 L for females in order to meet the current Institute of Medicine recommendations for TWI. RESULTS Twenty-four-hour urine osmolality decreased (-438.7 ± 362.1 mOsm; p < 0.001) and urine volume increased (1,526 ± 869 mL; p < 0.001) in the experimental group from baseline, while there were no differences in osmolality (-74.7 ± 572 mOsm; p = 0.45), or urine volume (-32 ± 1,376 mL; p = 0.89) in the control group. However, there were no changes in BV (Fig. 1a) or changes in TBW (Fig. 1b) in either group. CONCLUSIONS Increasing fluid intake in individuals with habitually low TWI increases 24-h urine volume and decreases urine osmolality but does not result in changes in TBW or BV. These findings are in agreement with previous work indicating that TWI interventions lasting 3 days [2] to 4 weeks [3] do not result in changes in TBW. Current evidence would suggest that the benefits of increasing TWI are not related changes in TBW.
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5.
Application of ultrasound to enhance the silt drying process: An experimental study.
Guo, J, Lei, G
PloS one. 2020;(7):e0236492
Abstract
Scientific and reasonable treatment of dredged silt can not only protect the ecological environment but also play an essential role in the utilization of silt resources. Due to high water content, low permeability and high organic matter content of the silt, a large amount of bacteria and harmful gases are often produced during the process of silt sedimentation. Thermal drying has been taken as a technically attractive method for harmless treatment of contaminated dredged silt. In this study, ultrasound technology is introduced to shorten the time needed for silt drying. A preliminary laboratory study is carried out to assess the effectiveness of ultrasound on thermal drying. A series of thermal drying tests, with and without ultrasound, were conducted on kaolin soil specimens that were prepared by settling and self-weight consolidation. The test results show that the length of drying time can be shortened by increasing temperature and ultrasound power. The drying time plays a dominant role in the determination of the total energy consumption. This is because reduction of drying time leads to significant decrease in energy consumption for thermal drying, and the energy consumption for additional ultrasound is relatively marginal. For thermal drying at temperatures 60 and 100°C, when combined with 100 W ultrasound, the length of drying time was shortened by 44.19% and 45.16%, and the energy consumption was saved by 30.07% and 38.16%, respectively; when combined with 60 W ultrasound, the length of drying time was shortened by 4.65% and 6.45%, but the energy consumption was increased by 9.79% and 0.48%, respectively. The combination of thermal drying and 100 W ultrasound is found to be optimal in terms of drying rate and energy consumption for silt drying.
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Comparing Intradermal Sterile Water with Intravenous Morphine in Reducing Pain in Patients with Renal Colic: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.
Mozafari, J, Verki, MM, Tirandaz, F, Mahjouri, R
Reviews on recent clinical trials. 2020;(1):76-82
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of intradermal administration of sterile water compared to intravenous morphine on patients with renal colic. METHODS This double-blind, randomized clinical trial study was conducted in 2017 to compare the therapeutic effects of intradermal sterile water with those of intravenous morphine on patients with renal colic presenting to the emergency departments (ED) of Imam Khomeini and Golestan Hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran. The first group received 0.5 ml of intradermal sterile water, and the second group 0.1mg/kg of intravenous morphine plus 0.5 ml of intradermal sterile water in the most painful area or the center of the painful area in the flank. The pain severity was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and the medication side-effects were recorded at the beginning of the study and minutes 15, 30,45 and 60. RESULTS A total of 94 patients were studied in two groups. The mean severity of pain was 2.97 ± 1.51 in the sterile water group and 2.34 ± 1.89 in the morphine group at minute 30 (P=0.042), 2.58 ± 1.43 in the sterile water group and 1 ± 1.23 in the morphine group at minute 45 (P<0.001), and 1.89 ± 1.7 in the sterile water group and 0.52 ± 0.79 in the morphine group at minute 60 (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Morphine reduces pain faster and more effectively than intradermal sterile water; nevertheless, treatment with intradermal sterile water can be used as an appropriate surrogate or adjunct therapy for pain control, particularly in special patients or in case of medication scarcity.
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7.
Root Development and Stress Tolerance in rice: The Key to Improving Stress Tolerance without Yield Penalties.
Seo, DH, Seomun, S, Choi, YD, Jang, G
International journal of molecular sciences. 2020;(5)
Abstract
Roots anchor plants and take up water and nutrients from the soil; therefore, root development strongly affects plant growth and productivity. Moreover, increasing evidence indicates that root development is deeply involved in plant tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. These findings suggest that modulating root growth and development provides a potentially useful approach to improve plant abiotic stress tolerance. Such targeted approaches may avoid the yield penalties that result from growth-defense trade-offs produced by global induction of defenses against abiotic stresses. This review summarizes the developmental mechanisms underlying root development and discusses recent studies about modulation of root growth and stress tolerance in rice.
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8.
How much water can wood cell walls hold? A triangulation approach to determine the maximum cell wall moisture content.
Thybring, EE, Digaitis, R, Nord-Larsen, T, Beck, G, Fredriksson, M
PloS one. 2020;(8):e0238319
Abstract
Wood is a porous, hygroscopic material with engineering properties that depend significantly on the amount of water (moisture) in the material. Water in wood can be present in both cell walls and the porous void-structure of the material, but it is only water in cell walls that affects the engineering properties. An important characteristic of wood is therefore the capacity for water of its solid cell walls, i.e. the maximum cell wall moisture content. However, this quantity is not straight-forward to determine experimentally, and the measured value may depend on the experimental technique used. In this study, we used a triangulation approach to determine the maximum cell wall moisture content by using three experimental techniques based on different measurement principles: low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LFNMR) relaxometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the solute exclusion technique (SET). The LFNMR data were furthermore analysed by two varieties of exponential decay analysis. These techniques were used to determine the maximum cell wall moisture contents of nine different wood species, covering a wide range of densities. The results from statistical analysis showed that LFNMR yielded lower cell wall moisture contents than DSC and SET, which were fairly similar. Both of the latter methods include factors that could either under-estimate or over-estimate the measured cell wall moisture content. Because of this and the fact that the DSC and SET methods are based on different measurement principles, it is likely that they provide realistic values of the cell wall moisture content in the water-saturated state.
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9.
The physiology of plant responses to drought.
Gupta, A, Rico-Medina, A, Caño-Delgado, AI
Science (New York, N.Y.). 2020;(6488):266-269
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Abstract
Drought alone causes more annual loss in crop yield than all pathogens combined. To adapt to moisture gradients in soil, plants alter their physiology, modify root growth and architecture, and close stomata on their aboveground segments. These tissue-specific responses modify the flux of cellular signals, resulting in early flowering or stunted growth and, often, reduced yield. Physiological and molecular analyses of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have identified phytohormone signaling as key for regulating the response to drought or water insufficiency. Here we discuss how engineering hormone signaling in specific cells and cellular domains can facilitate improved plant responses to drought. We explore current knowledge and future questions central to the quest to produce high-yield, drought-resistant crops.
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Development and characterization of biopolymer films based on bocaiuva (Acromonia aculeata) flour.
Oliveira da Silva, A, Cortez-Vega, WR, Prentice, C, Fonseca, GG
International journal of biological macromolecules. 2020;:1157-1168
Abstract
This work aimed to produce films based on bocaiuva flour (Acrocomia aculeata) by the casting method, and to characterise them. All obtained films were visually symmetrical, without ruptures or blistering and visually homogeneous, easy to handle with a yellowish colouration. The addition of glycerol allowed greater flexibility to the films. The tensile strength and the elongation increase as the concentration of flour increased (2.04 g 100 mL-1). The addition of oily phases increases the elongation, indicating that the essential oil incorporated into the films acted as plasticizer because it also allowed a greater permeability to water vapor. Peaks at 2Ɵ between 10.00°, 13.81°, 17.67°, 20.0° and 24.34° were observed in films with 12.56 g of starch per 100 g of pulp, which are characteristic of B-starch, due to the presence of long branched chains of amylopectin, with a peak characteristic of lignocellulosic materials. Reflection was more intense at 2Ɵ between 22° for all treatments. The obtained films presented relevant characteristics for the application as edible coating.