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BMC Public Health Jun 2024Global warming has led to an increase in the number and intensity of extreme heat events, posing a significant threat to the health and safety of workers, especially...
PURPOSE
Global warming has led to an increase in the number and intensity of extreme heat events, posing a significant threat to the health and safety of workers, especially those working outdoors, as they often have limited access to cooling strategies. The present systematic literature review (a) summarizes the current knowledge on the impacts of climate change on outdoor workers, (b) provides historical background on this issue, (c) explores factors that reduce and increase thermal stress resilience, (d) discusses the heat mitigation strategies, and (e) provides an overview of existing policy and legal frameworks on occupational heat exposure among outdoor workers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this systematic review, we searched scientific databases including Scopus (N = 855), Web of Science (N = 828), and PubMed (N = 202). Additionally, we identified relevant studies on climate change and heat-stress control measures through Google Scholar (N = 116) using specific search terms. In total, we monitored 2001 articles pertaining to worker populations (men = 2921; women = 627) in various outdoor climate conditions across 14 countries. After full-text assessment, 55 studies were selected for inclusion, and finally, 29 eligible papers were included for data extraction.
RESULTS
Failure to implement effective control strategies for outdoor workers will result in decreased resilience to thermal stress. The findings underscore a lack of awareness regarding certain adaptation strategies and interventions aimed at preventing and enhancing resilience to the impact of climate change on heat stress prevalence among workers in outdoor tropical and subtropical environments. However, attractive alternative solutions from the aspects of economic and ecological sustainability in the overall assessment of heat stress resilience can be referred to acclimatization, shading, optimized clothing properties and planned breaks.
CONCLUSION
The integration of climate change adaptation strategies into occupational health programs can enhance occupational heat resilience among outdoor workers. Conducting cost-benefit evaluations of health and safety measures for thermal stress adaptation strategies among outdoor workers is crucial for professionals and policymakers in low- and middle-income tropical and subtropical countries. In this respect, complementary measures targeting hydration, work-rest regimes, ventilated garments, self-pacing, and mechanization can be adopted to protect outdoor workers. Risk management strategies, adaptive measures, heat risk awareness, practical interventions, training programs, and protective policies should be implemented in hot-dry and hot-humid climates to boost the tolerance and resilience of outdoor workers.
Topics: Humans; Climate Change; Heat Stress Disorders; Occupational Exposure; Hot Temperature; Female; Male
PubMed: 38926816
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19212-3 -
Transcutaneous Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation in Healthy Non-Sedated Horses: A Feasibility Study.Veterinary Sciences May 2024This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (tAVNS) in healthy horses and its effect on heart rate variability...
This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (tAVNS) in healthy horses and its effect on heart rate variability (HRV). The study comprised three phases: the selection of mares, their acclimatization to the tAVNS, and the stimulation phase. Stimulation was performed with two electrodes positioned on the right pinna. The settings were 0.5 mA, 250 μs, and 25 Hz for pulse amplitude, pulse width, and pulse frequency, respectively. HRV was analysed before (B1), during (T), and after (B2) the tAVNS. From the 44 mares initially included, only 7 completed the three phases. In these mares, the heart rate (HR) was significantly lower, and frequency domain parameters showed an increased parasympathetic tone in B2 compared with B1. However, in 3/7 mares, the HR was significantly higher during T compared with B1 and B2, compatible with a decreased parasympathetic tone, while in 4/7 mares, the HR was significantly lower and the parasympathetic nervous system index was significantly higher during T and B2 compared with B1. The tAVNS is an economical and easy procedure to perform and has the potential to stimulate vagal activity; however, it was poorly tolerated in the mares included in this study.
PubMed: 38921988
DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11060241 -
Current Issues in Molecular Biology May 2024Leaf rust caused by (Pt) is one of the most dangerous diseases causing significant losses in common wheat crops. In adult plants resistant to rust, a horizontal adult...
Leaf rust caused by (Pt) is one of the most dangerous diseases causing significant losses in common wheat crops. In adult plants resistant to rust, a horizontal adult plant resistance (APR) type is observed, which protects the plant against multiple pathogen races and is distinguished by greater persistence under production conditions. Crucial pleiotropic slow-rust genes such as , , , and , in combination with other genes of lesser influence, continue to increase durable resistance to rust diseases. Based on our previous results, we selected four candidate genes for out of ten candidates and analysed them for expression before and after inoculation by . As part of our study, we also investigated the expression patterns of miRNA molecules complementary to and the candidate genes. The aim of the study was to analyse the expression profiles of candidate genes for the gene and the and genes responsible for the differential leaf-rust resistance of hybrid forms of the F1 generation resulting from crosses between the Glenlea cultivar and cultivars from Polish breeding companies. In addition, the expression of five miRNAs (tae-miR9653b, tae-miR5384-3p, tae-miR9780, tae-miR9775 and tae-miR164), complementary to , and selected candidate genes were analysed using stem-loop RT-PCR and ddPCR. Biotic stress was induced in adult plants by inoculation with fungal spores, under controlled conditions. Plant material was collected before and 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after inoculation (hpi). Differences in expression patterns of , , and candidate genes (for ) were analysed by qRT-PCR and showed that gene expression changed at the analysed time points. Identification of molecular markers coupled to the genes studied was also carried out to confirm the presence of these genes in wheat hybrids. qRT-PCR was used to examine the expression levels of the resistance genes. The highest expression of genes (, , , and ) occurred at 12 and 24 hpi, and such expression profiles were obtained for only one candidate gene among the four genes analysed (), indicating that it may be involved in resistance mechanisms of response to infection.
PubMed: 38921001
DOI: 10.3390/cimb46060329 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Soil salinity is a major environmental stressor impacting global food production. Staple crops like wheat experience significant yield losses in saline environments....
Soil salinity is a major environmental stressor impacting global food production. Staple crops like wheat experience significant yield losses in saline environments. Bioprospecting for beneficial microbes associated with stress-resistant plants offers a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture. We isolated two novel endophytic bacteria, Bacillus cereus (ADJ1) and Priestia aryabhattai (ADJ6), from Agave desmettiana Jacobi. Both strains displayed potent plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits, such as producing high amounts of indole-3-acetic acid (9.46, 10.00 µgml), ammonia (64.67, 108.97 µmol ml), zinc solubilization (Index of 3.33, 4.22, respectively), ACC deaminase production and biofilm formation. ADJ6 additionally showed inorganic phosphate solubilization (PSI of 2.77), atmospheric nitrogen fixation, and hydrogen cyanide production. Wheat seeds primed with these endophytes exhibited enhanced germination, improved growth profiles, and significantly increased yields in field trials. Notably, both ADJ1 and ADJ6 tolerated high salinity (up to 1.03 M) and significantly improved wheat germination and seedling growth under saline stress, acting both independently and synergistically. This study reveals promising stress-tolerance traits within endophytic bacteria from A. desmettiana. Exploiting such under-explored plant microbiomes offers a sustainable approach to developing salt-tolerant crops, mitigating the impact of climate change-induced salinization on global food security.
Topics: Salt Tolerance; Triticum; Crops, Agricultural; Bacillus; Endophytes; Salinity; Indoleacetic Acids; Soil Microbiology; Nitrogen Fixation; Germination; Bacillus cereus; Seedlings; Carbon-Carbon Lyases
PubMed: 38918548
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65632-x -
Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao = Chinese... Jun 2024Thermophilic cyanobacteria are prokaryotic organisms that possess exceptional heat-resistant characteristics. This group serves as an excellent model for investigating... (Review)
Review
Thermophilic cyanobacteria are prokaryotic organisms that possess exceptional heat-resistant characteristics. This group serves as an excellent model for investigating the heat tolerance of higher photosynthetic organisms, including higher plants, some protists (such as algae and euglena), and bacteria. Analyzing the mechanisms of high-temperature adaptation in thermophilic cyanobacteria can enhance our understanding of how photosynthetic organisms and microorganisms tolerate high temperatures at the molecular level. Additionally, these thermotolerant cyanobacteria have the potential to contribute to breeding heat-tolerant plants and developing microbial cell factories. This review summarizes current research on thermophilic cyanobacteria, focusing on their ecology, morphology, omics studies, and mechanisms of high-temperature tolerance. It offers insight into the potential biotechnological applications of thermophilic cyanobacteria and highlights future research opportunities. Specifically, attention is given to the photosynthetic physiology and metabolism of cyanobacteria, and the molecular basis of heat-tolerance mechanisms in thermophilic cyanobacteria is explored.
Topics: Cyanobacteria; Hot Temperature; Biotechnology; Adaptation, Physiological; Photosynthesis; Thermotolerance
PubMed: 38914490
DOI: 10.13345/j.cjb.230645 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Light deficit in shaded environment critically impacts the growth and development of turf plants. Despite this fact, past research has predominantly concentrated on...
BACKGROUND
Light deficit in shaded environment critically impacts the growth and development of turf plants. Despite this fact, past research has predominantly concentrated on shade avoidance rather than shade tolerance. To address this, our study examined the photosynthetic adjustments of Bermudagrass when exposed to varying intensities of shade to gain an integrative understanding of the shade response of C4 turfgrass.
RESULTS
We observed alterations in photosynthetic pigment-proteins, electron transport and its associated carbon and nitrogen assimilation, along with ROS-scavenging enzyme activity in shaded conditions. Mild shade enriched Chl b and LHC transcripts, while severe shade promoted Chl a, carotenoids and photosynthetic electron transfer beyond Q (ET/RC, φE, Ψ). The study also highlighted differential effects of shade on leaf and root components. For example, Soluble sugar content varied between leaves and roots as shade diminished SPS, SUT1 but upregulated BAM. Furthermore, we observed that shading decreased the transcriptional level of genes involving in nitrogen assimilation (e.g. NR) and SOD, POD, CAT enzyme activities in leaves, even though it increased in roots.
CONCLUSIONS
As shade intensity increased, considerable changes were noted in light energy conversion and photosynthetic metabolism processes along the electron transport chain axis. Our study thus provides valuable theoretical groundwork for understanding how C4 grass acclimates to shade tolerance.
Topics: Photosynthesis; Cynodon; Acclimatization; Plant Leaves; Electron Transport; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Nitrogen; Plant Roots; Plant Proteins; Chlorophyll
PubMed: 38902617
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05242-x -
The Science of the Total Environment Jun 2024Soil contamination by heavy metals represents an important environmental and public health problem of global concern. Biocrust-forming cyanobacteria offer promise for...
Soil contamination by heavy metals represents an important environmental and public health problem of global concern. Biocrust-forming cyanobacteria offer promise for heavy metal immobilisation in contaminated soils due to their unique characteristics, including their ability to grow in contaminated soils and produce exopolysaccharides (EPS). However, limited research has analysed the representativeness of cyanobacteria in metal-contaminated soils. Additionally, there is a lack of studies examining how cyanobacteria adaptation to specific environments can impact their metal-binding capacity. To address this research gap, we conducted a study analysing the bacterial communities of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts in a contaminated area from South Sardinia (Italy). Additionally, by using two distinct approaches, we isolated three Nostoc commune strains from cyanobacteria-dominated biocrust and we also evaluated their potential to immobilise heavy metals. The first isolation method involved acclimatizing biocrust samples in liquid medium while, in the second method, biocrust samples were directly seeded onto agar plates. The microbial community analysis revealed Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria as the predominant groups, with cyanobacteria representing between 13.3 % and 26.0 % of the total community. Despite belonging to the same species, these strains exhibited different growth rates (1.1-2.2 g L of biomass) and capacities for EPS production (400-1786 mg L). The three strains demonstrated a notable ability for metal immobilisation, removing up to 88.9 % of Cu, 86.2 % of Pb, and 45.3 % of Zn from liquid medium. Cyanobacteria EPS production showed a strong correlation with the removal of Cu, indicating its role in facilitating metal immobilisation. Furthermore, differences in Pb immobilisation (40-86.2 %) suggest possible environmental adaptation mechanisms of the strains. This study highlights the promising application of N. commune strains for metal immobilisation in soils, offering a potential bioremediation tool to combat the adverse effects of soil contamination and promote environmental sustainability.
PubMed: 38897475
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174020 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024(maize) is a staple food, feed, and industrial crop. Heat stress is one of the major stresses affecting maize production and is usually accompanied by other stresses,...
(maize) is a staple food, feed, and industrial crop. Heat stress is one of the major stresses affecting maize production and is usually accompanied by other stresses, such as drought. Our previous study identified a heterotrimer complex, ZmNF-YA1-YB16-YC17, in maize. ZmNF-YA1 and ZmNF-YB16 were positive regulators of the drought stress response and were involved in maize root development. In this study, we investigated whether ZmNF-YA1 confers heat stress tolerance in maize. The mutant and overexpression lines were used to test the role of ZmNF-YA1 in maize thermotolerance. The mutant was more temperature-sensitive than the wild-type (WT), while the overexpression lines showed a thermotolerant phenotype. Higher malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation were observed in the mutant, followed by WT and overexpression lines after heat stress treatment, while an opposite trend was observed for chlorophyll content. RNA-seq was used to analyze transcriptome changes in and its wild-type control W22 in response to heat stress. Based on their expression profiles, the heat stress response-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in compared to WT were grouped into seven clusters via -means clustering. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of the DEGs in different clades was performed to elucidate the roles of ZmNF-YA1-mediated transcriptional regulation and their contribution to maize thermotolerance. The loss function of led to the failure induction of DEGs in GO terms of protein refolding, protein stabilization, and GO terms for various stress responses. Thus, the contribution of ZmNF-YA1 to protein stabilization, refolding, and regulation of abscisic acid (ABA), ROS, and heat/temperature signaling may be the major reason why overexpression enhanced heat tolerance, and the mutant showed a heat-sensitive phenotype.
Topics: Zea mays; Heat-Shock Response; Thermotolerance; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Reactive Oxygen Species; Mutation; CCAAT-Binding Factor; Gene Expression Profiling; Transcriptome; Plants, Genetically Modified
PubMed: 38892463
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116275 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Breeding salt-tolerant crops is necessary to reduce food insecurity. Prebreeding populations are fundamental for uncovering tolerance alleles from wild germplasm. To...
Breeding salt-tolerant crops is necessary to reduce food insecurity. Prebreeding populations are fundamental for uncovering tolerance alleles from wild germplasm. To obtain a physiological interpretation of the agronomic salt tolerance and better criteria to identify candidate genes, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) governing productivity-related traits in a population of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from were reanalyzed using an SNP-saturated linkage map and clustered using QTL meta-analysis to synthesize QTL information. A total of 60 out of 85 QTLs were grouped into 12 productivity MQTLs. Ten of them were found to overlap with other tomato yield QTLs that were found using various mapping populations and cultivation conditions. The MQTL compositions showed that fruit yield was genetically associated with leaf water content. Additionally, leaf Cl and K contents were related to tomato productivity under control and salinity conditions, respectively. More than one functional candidate was frequently found, explaining most productivity MQTLs, indicating that the co-regulation of more than one gene within those MQTLs might explain the clustering of agronomic and physiological QTLs. Moreover, MQTL1.2, MQTL3 and MQTL6 point to the root as the main organ involved in increasing productivity under salinity through the wild allele, suggesting that adequate rootstock/scion combinations could have a clear agronomic advantage under salinity.
Topics: Quantitative Trait Loci; Salt Tolerance; Solanum; Chromosome Mapping; Phenotype; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Plant Breeding; Genetic Linkage; Genes, Plant
PubMed: 38892245
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116055 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Winter plants acclimate to frost mainly during the autumn months, through the process of cold acclimation. Global climate change is causing changes in weather patterns...
Winter plants acclimate to frost mainly during the autumn months, through the process of cold acclimation. Global climate change is causing changes in weather patterns such as the occurrence of warmer periods during late autumn or in winter. An increase in temperature after cold acclimation can decrease frost tolerance, which is particularly dangerous for winter crops. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of brassinosteroids (BRs) and BR analogues as protective agents against the negative results of deacclimation. Plants were cold-acclimated (3 weeks, 4 °C) and deacclimated (1 week, 16/9 °C d/n). Deacclimation generally reversed the cold-induced changes in the level of the putative brassinosteroid receptor protein (BRI1), the expression of BR-induced , and the expression of , which is involved in BR signal transduction. The deacclimation-induced decrease in frost tolerance in oilseed rape could to some extent be limited by applying steroid regulators. The deacclimation in plants could be detected using non-invasive measurements such as leaf reflectance, chlorophyll a fluorescence, and gas exchange monitoring.
Topics: Brassinosteroids; Acclimatization; Cold Temperature; Brassica napus; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Seasons; Plant Proteins; Plant Leaves
PubMed: 38892204
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116010