Robust molecular detection of the new Tomato brown rugose fruit virus in infected tomato and pepper plants from Turkey

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus(ToBRFV)causes severe fruit loss in tomato(Solanum lycopersicum)and pepper(Capsicum annuum)plants.It is an emerging Tobamovirus that is spreading globally.The major challenge is to develop a reliable method for the detection of the virus,and to better characterize the symptoms it causes.The aims of this study,therefore,were to characterize the symptom development on tomato and pepper plants,and to establish a reliable detection method for the virus.Following infection of the tomato and pepper plants with ToBRFV,the leaves turned chlorotic,mosaic or mottled,while the fruit became rugose,necrotic and marbled,and showed discoloration with yellow or brown spots.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)revealed single rod-like virus particles characteristic of the Tobamoviruses.Classical reverse transcription PCR(RT-PCR)and quantitative PCR(qPCR)with specific primers and probes confirmed that the virus is ToBRFV.We found that the resistance genes from tomato,Tm-2^(2),and pepper,L1,L2,L3 and L4,did not confer resistance to ToBRFV.Here,we present a PCR-based method as a diagnostic test for detecting ToBRFV in infected seeds.This method will help to prevent further spread of the virus in commercial seeds.

A combo technology of autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification processes for groundwater treatment

In this study,a sequential process(heterotrophic up-flow column and completely mixed membrane bioreactors)was proposed combining advantages of the both processes.The system was operated for 249 days with simulated and real groundwater for nitrate removal at concentrations varying from 25 to 145 mg·L^(-1) NO_(3)^(-)-N.The contribution of heterotrophic process to total nitrate removal in the system was controlled by dozing the ethanol considering the nitrate concentration.By this way,sulfur based autotrophic denitrification rate was decreased and the effluent sulfate concentrations were controlled.The alkalinity requirement in the autotrophic process was produced in the heterotrophic reactor,and the system was operated without alkalinity supplementation.Throughout the study,the chemical oxygen demand in the heterotrophic reactor effluent was(23.7±22)mg L^(-1) and it was further decreased to(7.5±7.2)mg·L^(-1) in the system effluent,corresponding to a 70%reduction.In the last period of the study,the real groundwater containing 145 mg·L^(-1) NO_(3)^(-)-N was completely removed.Membrane was operated without chemical washing in the first 114 days.Between days 115-249 weekly chemical washing was required.

An Optimum Dose of Olive Leaf Extract Improves Insulin Receptor Substrate-1,Tyrosine Kinase,and Glucose Transporters,While High Doses Have Genotoxic and Apoptotic Effects

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Conventionally many drugs are used for the treatment of diabetes such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, meglitinides, etc. But the desired effective treatment is still not to be achieved. So researches are going on for the development of effective alternative therapy against diabetes. Olive leaves are traditionally used in the treatment of the disease. However, studies on its mechanism of action are not yet enough. The aim of this study was to investigate whether olive leaf extract (OLE) improves insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), tyrosine kinase (TK), GLUT-2, and GLUT-4. Oleuropein levels were analyzed from OLE obtained by using four different solvents, and the highest content of methanol extract was selected for the study. Different concentrations of OLE (2.5 to 320 μg/mL) were incubated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells for 24 hours. After incubation, cell viability was assessed based on luminometric ATP cell viability assay kit. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating level was detected using 2,7dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate (H2DCF-DA) fluorescent probes. Apoptosis was evaluated by acridine orange/ethidium bromide double staining method. Genotoxicity was evaluated by alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay (Comet Assay). Protein expression levels of IRS-1, TK, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 were analyzed by western blotting technique from the obtained cell lysates. Although an optimum doses of OLE (10 μg/mL) maximally increased cell proliferation, decreased ROS generation improved IRS-1, TK, GLUT-2, and GLUT-4 protein expression levels (about fivefold), higher doses (10 to 320 μg/mL) markedly decreased the cell viability, increased DNA damage, apoptosis and ROS generation in a concentration-dependent manner. OLE can be used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, in order to find the most effective and non-toxic concentration, dose optimization is required.

Piperlongumine inhibits cell growth and enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells

Objective: To investigate whether piperlongumine can sensitize prostate cancer cells to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosisinducing ligand(TRAIL) and trigger apoptosis in prostate cells. Methods: Human prostate cancer cell lines PC3, LNCa P, and VCa P were cultured with piperlongumine and TRAIL. Then, cell proliferation, migration, caspase activation, apoptotic protein expressions, and death receptor expressions were measured.Results: Piperlongumine inhibited cell proliferation at low doses(<10 μM) alone and in combination with TRAIL(25 ng/m L), induced apoptosis, and suppressed cyclooxygenase activation. Additionally, piperlongumine induced expression of death receptors which potentiated TRAIL-induced apoptosis in cancer cells but did not affect decoy receptors. Piperlongumine also downregulated tumor cell-survival pathways, inhibited colony formation and migration of cancer cells alone or in combination with TRAIL. The combination of piperlongumine with TRAIL was found to be synergistic. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that piperlongumine can sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL through the upregulation of death receptors and can trigger apoptosis with the downregulation of antiapoptotic proteins.

Soil conservation and sustainable development goals(SDGs)achievement in Europe and central Asia:Which role for the European soil partnership?

Voluntary soil protection measures are not sufficient to achieve sustainable soil management at a global scale.Additionally,binding soil protection legislation at national and international levels has also proved to be insufficient for the effective protection of this almost non-renewable natural resource.The European Soil Partnership(ESP)and its sub-regional partnerships(Eurasian Sub-Regional Soil Partnership,Alpine Soil Partnership)were established in the context of FAO's Global Soil Partnership(GSP)with the mission to facilitate and contribute to the exchange of knowledge and technologies related to soils,to develop dialogue and to raise awareness for the need to establish a binding global agreement for sustainable soil management The ESP has taken a role of an umbrella network covering countries in Europe and Central Asia.It aims to improve the dialogue in the whole region and has encouraged establishing goals that would promote sustainable soil management taking into account various national and local approaches and priorities,as well as cultural specificities.The ESP first regional implementation plan for the 2017—2020 period was adopted and implemented along the five GSP pillars of action.Building on the experience of the last four years,this study demonstrates that establishing sub-regional and national partnerships is an additional step in a concrete sustainable soil management implementation process.It also suggests that a complementary approach between legal instruments and voluntary initiatives linked to the development of efficient communication and strong commitment is the key to success.