Erratum: Tran et al. Early Cellular Responses Induced by Sedimentary Calcite-Processed Particles in Bright Yellow 2 Tobacco Cultured Cells. , , 4279.

The authors would like to remove the scientific consortium 'Camille Nous' from the author list and the Author Contributions section in the published paper [...

Biphasic activation of survival and death pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana cultured cells by sorbitol-induced hyperosmotic stress.

Hyperosmotic stresses represent some of the most serious abiotic factors that adversely affect plants growth, development and fitness. Despite their central role, the early cellular events that lead to plant adaptive responses remain largely unknown. In this study, using Arabidopsis thaliana cultured cells we analyzed early cellular responses to sorbitol-induced hyperosmotic stress.

New Concept of Power Generation Using TEGs: Thermal Modeling, Parametric Analysis, and Case Study.

In this manuscript, an innovative concept of producing power from a thermoelectric generator (TEG) is evaluated. This concept takes advantage of using the exhaust airflow of all-air heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, and sun irradiation. For the first step, a parametric analysis of power generation from TEGs for different practical configurations is performed.

Early Cellular Responses Induced by Sedimentary Calcite-Processed Particles in Bright Yellow 2 Tobacco Cultured Cells.

Calcite processed particles (CaPPs, Megagreen) elaborated from sedimentary limestone rock, and finned by tribomecanic process were found to increase photosynthetic CO fixation grapevines and stimulate growth of various cultured plants. Due to their processing, the CaPPs present a jagged shape with some invaginations below the micrometer size. We hypothesised that CaPPs could have a nanoparticle (NP)-like effects on plants.

Activation of plasma membrane H-ATPases participates in dormancy alleviation in sunflower seeds.

Using various inhibitors and scavengers we took advantage of the size of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds to investigate in vivo the effects of hormones, namely abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene (ET), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the polarization of dormant (D) and non-dormant (ND) embryonic seed cells using microelectrodes. Our data show that D and ND seed cells present different polarization likely due to the regulation of plasma membrane (PM) H-ATPase activity. The data obtained after addition of hormones or ROS scavengers further suggest that ABA dependent inhibition of PM H-ATPases could participate in dormancy maintenance and that ET-and ROS-dependent PM H-ATPase stimulation could participate in dormancy release in sunflower seeds.

The involvement of calmodulin and protein kinases in the upstream of cytosolic and nucleic calcium signaling induced by hypoosmotic shock in tobacco cells.

Changes in Ca concentrations in cytosol ([Ca]) or nucleus ([Ca]) may play some vital roles in plants under hypoosmotic shock (Hypo-OS). Here, we observed that Hypo-OS induces biphasic increases in [Ca] and [Ca] in two tobacco cell lines (BY-2) expressing apoaequorin either in the cytosol or in the nucleus. Both [Ca] and [Ca] were sensitively modulated by the inhibitors of calmodulin and protein kinases, supporting the view that calmodulin suppresses the 1 peaks and and protein kinases enhance 2 peaks in [Ca] and [Ca].

Methanol induces cytosolic calcium variations, membrane depolarization and ethylene production in arabidopsis and tobacco.

Background And Aims: Methanol is a volatile organic compound released from plants through the action of pectin methylesterases (PMEs), which demethylesterify cell wall pectins. Plant PMEs play a role in developmental processes but also in responses to herbivory and infection by fungal or bacterial pathogens. However, molecular mechanisms that explain how methanol could affect plant defences remain poorly understood.

Effect of different light spectra on the pigmentation of stored elephant garlic.

Background: In the present study high-brightness light-emitting diodes were used to investigate the influence of different light spectra on garlic discoloration at different humidity levels and temperature. Many processes involved in the discoloration process of garlic/leek during storage under different conditions remain unanswered. For this reason in this study the ability of specific light spectra to enhance the production of desirable pigments has been evaluated in elephant garlic.

Indole-3-acetic acid-induced oxidative burst and an increase in cytosolic calcium ion concentration in rice suspension culture.

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the major natural auxin involved in the regulation of a variety of growth and developmental processes such as division, elongation, and polarity determination in growing plant cells. It has been shown that dividing and/or elongating plant cells accompanies the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a number of reports have suggested that hormonal actions can be mediated by ROS through ROS-mediated opening of ion channels. Here, we surveyed the link between the action of IAA, oxidative burst, and calcium channel activation in a transgenic cells of rice expressing aequorin in the cytosol.

Production and removal of superoxide anion radical by artificial metalloenzymes and redox-active metals.

Generation of reactive oxygen species is useful for various medical, engineering and agricultural purposes. These include clinical modulation of immunological mechanism, enhanced degradation of organic compounds released to the environments, removal of microorganisms for the hygienic purpose, and agricultural pest control; both directly acting against pathogenic microorganisms and indirectly via stimulation of plant defense mechanism represented by systemic acquired resistance and hypersensitive response. By aiming to develop a novel classes of artificial redox-active biocatalysts involved in production and/or removal of superoxide anion radicals, recent attempts for understanding and modification of natural catalytic proteins and functional DNA sequences of mammalian and plant origins are covered in this review article.

Network-based model of the growth of termite nests.

We present a model for the growth of the transportation network inside nests of the social insect subfamily Termitinae (Isoptera, termitidae). These nests consist of large chambers (nodes) connected by tunnels (edges). The model based on the empirical analysis of the real nest networks combined with pruning (edge removal, either random or weighted by betweenness centrality) and a memory effect (preferential growth from the latest added chambers) successfully predicts emergent nest properties (degree distribution, size of the largest connected component, average path lengths, backbone link ratios, and local graph redundancy).

Zinc-Dependent Protection of Tobacco and Rice Cells From Aluminum-Induced Superoxide-Mediated Cytotoxicity.

Al(3+) toxicity in growing plants is considered as one of the major factors limiting the production of crops on acidic soils worldwide. In the last 15 years, it has been proposed that Al(3+) toxicity are mediated with distortion of the cellular signaling mechanisms such as calcium signaling pathways, and production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing oxidative damages. On the other hand, zinc is normally present in plants at high concentrations and its deficiency is one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies in plants.

Salicylic acid-induced superoxide generation catalyzed by plant peroxidase in hydrogen peroxide-independent manner.

It has been reported that salicylic acid (SA) induces both immediate spike and long lasting phases of oxidative burst represented by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anion radical (O2(•-)). In general, in the earlier phase of oxidative burst, apoplastic peroxidase are likely involved and in the late phase of the oxidative burst, NADPH oxidase is likely involved. Key signaling events connecting the 2 phases of oxidative burst are calcium channel activation and protein phosphorylation events.

Mitigation of copper toxicity by DNA oligomers in green paramecia.

Impact of transition metals which catalyze the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), on activation of cell death signaling in plant cells have been documented to date. Similarly in green paramecia (Paramecium bursaria), an aquatic protozoan species harboring symbiotic green algae in the cytoplasm, toxicities of various metallic ions have been documented. We have recently examined the effects of double-stranded GC-rich DNA fragments with copper-binding nature and ROS removal catalytic activity as novel plant cell-protecting agents, using the suspension-cultured tobacco cells.

Hydrogen peroxide-independent generation of superoxide catalyzed by soybean peroxidase in response to ferrous ion.

It is well documented that extracellular alkalization occurs in plants under the challenges by pathogenic microbes. This may eventually induce the pH-dependent extracellular peroxidase-mediated oxidative burst at the site of microbial challenges. By employing the purified proteins of horseradish peroxidase as a model, we have recently proposed a likely role for free Fe(2+) in reduction of ferric enzyme of plant peroxidases into ferrous intermediate and oxygen-bound form of enzyme known as Compound III which may eventually releases superoxide anion radical (O2(•-)), especially under alkaline condition, possibly contributing to the plant defense mechanism.

On the duality between interaction responses and mutual positions in flocking and schooling.

Recent research in animal behaviour has contributed to determine how alignment, turning responses, and changes of speed mediate flocking and schooling interactions in different animal species. Here, we propose a complementary approach to the analysis of flocking phenomena, based on the idea that animals occupy preferential, anysotropic positions with respect to their neighbours, and devote a large amount of their interaction responses to maintaining their mutual positions. We test our approach by deriving the apparent alignment and attraction responses from simulated trajectories of animals moving side by side, or one in front of the other.

Could FaRP-Like Peptides Participate in Regulation of Hyperosmotic Stress Responses in Plants?

The ability to respond to hyperosmotic stress is one of the numerous conserved cellular processes that most of the organisms have to face during their life. In metazoans, some peptides belonging to the FMRFamide-like peptide (FLP) family were shown to participate in osmoregulation via regulation of ion channels; this is, a well-known response to hyperosmotic stress in plants. Thus, we explored whether FLPs exist and regulate osmotic stress in plants.

Animal transportation networks.

Many group-living animals construct transportation networks of trails, galleries and burrows by modifying the environment to facilitate faster, safer or more efficient movement. Animal transportation networks can have direct influences on the fitness of individuals, whereas the shape and structure of transportation networks can influence community dynamics by facilitating contacts between different individuals and species. In this review, we discuss three key areas in the study of animal transportation networks: the topological properties of networks, network morphogenesis and growth, and the behaviour of network users.

Analysing urban resilience through alternative stormwater management options: application of the conceptual Spatial Decision Support System model at the neighbourhood scale.

Recent changes in cities and their environments, caused by rapid urbanisation and climate change, have increased both flood probability and the severity of flooding. Consequently, there is a need for all cities to adapt to climate and socio-economic changes by developing new strategies for flood risk management. Following a risk paradigm shift from traditional to more integrated approaches, and considering the uncertainties of future urban development, one of the main emerging tasks for city managers becomes the development of resilient cities.

Post-transcriptional regulation of GORK channels by superoxide anion contributes to increases in outward-rectifying K⁺ currents.

· Ion fluxes are ubiquitous processes in the plant and animal kingdoms, controlled by fine-tuned regulations of ion channel activity. Yet the mechanism that cells employ to achieve the modification of ion homeostasis at the molecular level still remains unclear. This is especially true when it comes to the mechanisms that lead to cell death.

Finding and defining the natural automata acting in living plants: Toward the synthetic biology for robotics and informatics in vivo.

The automata theory is the mathematical study of abstract machines commonly studied in the theoretical computer science and highly interdisciplinary fields that combine the natural sciences and the theoretical computer science. In the present review article, as the chemical and biological basis for natural computing or informatics, some plants, plant cells or plant-derived molecules involved in signaling are listed and classified as natural sequential machines (namely, the Mealy machines or Moore machines) or finite state automata. By defining the actions (states and transition functions) of these natural automata, the similarity between the computational data processing and plant decision-making processes became obvious.