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Glyphosate hormesis, identified as a potential means to enhance crop yields, encounters practical constraints because it is typically assessed through foliar applications. The expression and extend of hormesis in this approach are influenced by unpredictable environmental conditions, highlighting the need to explore alternative glyphosate application methods, such as seed treatment. This study aimed to assess glyphosate hormesis on growth rates and biomass accumulation in seedlings soybean cultivars. Two dose-response experiments [doses from 0 to 2880 g acid equivalent (ae) ha -1 ], one via foliar and one via seed, were conducted on three soybean cultivars [one non-glyphosate-resistant (NGR) and two glyphosate-resistant (GR, one RR and one RR2)]. In a subsequent experiment, three safe glyphosate doses (0, 90 and 180 g ae ha -1 ) applied via seed were evaluated on four soybean cultivars (two RR and two RR2). For foliar applications, the range of glyphosate doses increasing growth rates and dry biomass by 12-28 % were 5.6-45 g ae ha -1 for the NGR cultivar, of 45-720 g ae ha -1 for RR and of 11.25-180 g ae ha -1 for RR2. In the seed treatment, biomass increases of 16-60 % occurred at 45-180 g ae ha -1 for the NGR and RR cultivars, and 90-360 g ae ha -1 for RR2. Glyphosate doses of 90 and 180 g ae ha -1 , applied via seeds, provided greater growth and biomass accumulation for the RR and RR2 soybean cultivars. Both foliar and seed applications of glyphosate increased growth and biomass accumulation in soybean cultivars, with seed treatments showing greater and more consistent enhancements. These findings propose practical and viable alternative for harnessing glyphosate hormesis to facilitate the early development of soybeans and potentially enhance crop yield., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Glyphosate is a nonselective herbicide of systemic action that inhibits the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, thus compromising amino acid production and consequently the growth and development of susceptible plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hormetic effect of glyphosate on the morphology, physiology, and biochemistry of coffee plants. Coffee seedlings ( Coffea arabica cv Catuaí Vermelho IAC-144) were transplanted into pots filled with a mixture of soil and substrate and subjected to ten doses of glyphosate: 0, 11.25, 22.5, 45, 90, 180, 360, 720, 1440, and 2880 g acid equivalent (ae) ha -1 . Evaluations were performed using the morphological, physiological, and biochemical variables. Data analysis for the confirmation of hormesis occurred with the application of mathematical models. The hormetic effect of glyphosate on coffee plant morphology was determined by the variables plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, and leaf, stem, and total dry mass. Doses from 14.5 to 30 g ae ha -1 caused the highest stimulation. In the physiological analyses, the highest stimulation was observed upon CO 2 assimilation, transpiration, stomatal conductance, carboxylation efficiency, intrinsic water use efficiency, electron transport rate, and photochemical efficiency of photosystem II at doses ranging from 4.4 to 55 g ae ha -1 . The biochemical analyses revealed significant increases in the concentrations of quinic acid, salicylic acid, caffeic acid, and coumaric acid, with maximum stimulation at doses between 3 and 140 g ae ha -1 . Thus, the application of low doses of glyphosate has positive effects on the morphology, physiology, and biochemistry of coffee plants.

2,4-D and dicamba are used in the postemergence management of eudicotyledonous weeds in different crops, most of which are grown under no-tillage systems. Due to the application methods for these products, their dynamics in straw and their residual action in soil have rarely been explored. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of 2,4-D and dicamba that have been applied to corn straw and to verify their relationship with residual control action in weeds. In the dynamics experiments, the herbicides were applied to 5 t ha -1 of straw, and rainfall simulations were performed with variable amounts and at different periods after application to evaluate herbicide movement in the straw. In the residual action experiments, the species Digitaria insularis , Conyza spp., Bidens pilosa , Amaranthus hybridus , Euphorbia heterophylla , and Eleusine indica were sown in trays, and 2,4-D and dicamba were applied directly to the soil, to the soil with the subsequent addition of the straw, and to the straw; all of these applications were followed by a simulation of 10 mm of rain. The physical effect of the straw and the efficacy of the herbicides in terms of pre-emergence control of the weed species were evaluated. The leaching of 2,4-D and dicamba from the corn straw increased with a higher volume of rainfall, and the longer the drought period was, the lower the final amount of herbicide that leached. The presence of the corn straw on the soil exerted a physical control effect on Conyza spp.; significantly reduced the infestation of D. insularis , B. pilosa , A. hybridus , and E. indica ; and broadened the control spectrum of 2,4-D and dicamba, assisting in its residual action and ensuring high levels of control of the evaluated weeds. In the absence of the straw, 2,4-D effectively controlled the pre-emergence of D. insularis , Conyza spp., and A. hybridus , and dicamba effectively controlled D. insularis , Conyza spp., B. pilosa , A. hybridus , E. heterophylla , and E. indica .

Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi is a species with several potential uses; selecting the proper substrate and fertilizer rate can be vital for seedling production in a nursery environment. This study aims to evaluate two substrates, namely: (i) sewage sludge (SS) from Ilha WWTP; (ii) a commercial substrate (CS) made of organic materials (mainly sphagnum peat). Increasing rates of controlled-release fertilizer - CRF (0, 3, 6, and 12 kg m -3 ) were applied. The experiment was completely randomized with a factorial 2 × 4 scheme (substrates × rates). The seedlings' growth, biomass, and quality were evaluated. The treatments were compared by Tukey test and regression analysis, where linear, quadratic, and cubic models were considered. Principal components analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were performed. The CRF rates showed non-significant effects for most of the investigated variables in the SS substrate. In the CS, a 7.8 kg m -3 rate of CRF showed the best growth performance. The multivariate analysis of the morphological parameters proved suitable as a complementary approach to evaluate the seedlings' quality. Seedlings reached recommended values for height, diameter, and quality in the 100% SS substrate without chemical fertilizers; thus, Schinus terebinthifolia production in the SS from Ilha is recommended. Besides the growth advantage, the SS can promote nursery cost savings with commercial substrates and chemical fertilizers., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Genetically modified (GM) seeds have had relevant impacts on worldwide agriculture, even with a limited number of essential traits launched in the markets. The focus on platforms crops has favored the combination of traditional breeding, GM insertion, and diffusion in agriculture. One of the remarkable features of the GM traits has been the close link with pest and weed control systems. We investigate the environmental effects due to pesticides for two different GM seeds: insect resistant (IR) cotton and herbicide tolerant (HT) soybeans in a particular period of Brazilian agriculture, 2009-2013. We use a dataset on commercial farms' use of pesticides and biotechnology in Brazil to document environmental effects of GM traits. We explore within farm variation for farmers planting conventional and GM seeds to identify the effect of adoption on the environmental impact of pesticides measured as the quantity of active ingredients of chemicals and the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) index. The findings show that the IR trait reduces application of insecticides by 22% and the associated environmental impact by 20% the environmental impact of insecticides. However, for HT traits, we find that application of herbicides increases by 55.8% and the associated environmental impact by 44.4%, showing a significant increase in the EIQ. The HT results are driven by an increase of less toxic herbicides elevenfold larger than the decrease in less toxic ones, which we interpret as evidence of weak substitutability between herbicides of different toxicity levels. Addressing what happened in the last decade, the paper also presents a view of the transformations in GM usage in Brazil, focusing on the considerable success in adopting stacked genes. Future perspectives point to a more diversified menu of technologies, crops, and adopting countries, going beyond platform crops and more prominent agriculture exporters., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Seixas, Silveira and Ferrari.)

Background: Subcutaneous implants of heat-coagulated egg white (egg white implants, EWI) induce intense local eosinophilia and prime for hyperreactivity following airway ovalbumin challenge. The roles of allergen sensitization, surgical trauma-induced glucocorticoids, and the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) pathway were hitherto unexplored in this model, in which quantitative recovery and large-scale purification of the eosinophils from the inflammatory site for functional and immunopharmacological studies are difficult to achieve., Methods: We overcame this limitation by shifting the implantation site to the peritoneal cavity (EWIp), thereby enabling quantitative leukocyte retrieval., Results: By day 7 post-surgery, eosinophil counts reached ~ 30% of all leukocytes recovered. Eosinophilia was prevented by: a) induction of allergen-specific oral tolerance to ovalbumin, the main allergen in egg white; b) inactivation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway; c) blockade of endogenous glucocorticoid signaling by pretreatment with metirapone plus mifepristone before surgery. Highly purified eosinophils (~99% pure) could be obtained from the peritoneal exudate of EWIp-carrier mice in 2 simple, antibody-free steps. Preparative-scale yields, suitable for most biochemical, pharmacological, and molecular applications, were routinely obtained, and could be further enhanced through addition of pre-or post-surgery immunization steps (active or adoptive). The recovered eosinophils were fully functional in vivo, as demonstrated by the transfer of purified eosinophils into eosinophil-deficient Δdbl-GATA-1-KO mice, which upon subsequent challenge with eotaxin-1 present secondary accumulation of neutrophils, but not of mononuclear phagocytes., Conclusion: These findings document glucocorticoid-, allergen- and 5-lipoxygenase-dependent eosinophilia, which makes EWIp carriers an abundant source of pure, nontransgenic eosinophils for immunopharmacological studies., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hypothesis: When tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TTAB, is added to aqueous solution of sodium salicylate, NaSal, the threading of the aromatic anion into the micellar palisade leads to the formation of wormlike micelles. Based on the calorimetric titration of NaSal with TTAB, and on the lifetime of fluorescence of salicylate, we propose that the aggregation of the two components directly leads to the formation of wormlike micelles, without any pre-aggregation., Experiments: By using an isothermal titration calorimeter, aliquots of TTAB were added to a dilute solution of NaSal. The energy involved in each addition was then integrated and the variation of enthalpy was determined. In the same range of concentrations and molar ratios, the surface tensiometry and time-resolved emission spectroscopy experiments were performed., Findings: A very characteristic calorimetric signal associated with wormlike micelle formation was obtained, being the enthalpy variation of this process, Δ WLM H 298 0  < 0. When 1.2 mmol L -1 of NaSal is titrated with 11.0 mmol L -1 of TTAB at 298.15 K, Δ f H 298 0  = -10.31 kJ per mol of injectant. By adding TTAB to NaSal solution, two fluorescence lifetimes of salicylate were observed solely after wormlike micelle being formed. The correspondent lifetime values of 4.0 ns and 7.2 ns are respectively associated with the free and associated species of salicylate. The new results demonstrated that wormlike micelles are the first aggregate formed when TTAB is added to salicylate. This aspect is relevant for understanding the mechanism of wormlike micelles formation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bone marrow, the vital organ which maintains lifelong hemopoiesis, currently receives considerable attention, as a source of multiple cell types which may play important roles in repair at distant sites. This emerging function, distinct from, but closely related to, bone marrow roles in innate immunity and inflammation, has been characterized through a number of strategies. However, the use of surgical models in this endeavour has hitherto been limited. Surgical strategies allow the experimenter to predetermine the site, timing, severity and invasiveness of injury; to add or remove aggravating factors (such as infection and defects in immunity) in controlled ways; and to manipulate the context of repair, including reconstitution with selected immune cell subpopulations. This endows surgical models overall with great potential for exploring bone marrow responses to injury, inflammation and infection, and its roles in repair and regeneration. We review three different murine surgical models, which variously combine trauma with infection, antigenic stimulation, or immune reconstitution, thereby illuminating different aspects of the bone marrow response to systemic injury in sepsis, trauma and allergy. They are: (1) cecal ligation and puncture, a versatile model of polymicrobial sepsis; (2) egg white implant, an intriguing model of eosinophilia induced by a combination of trauma and sensitization to insoluble allergen; and (3) ectopic lung tissue transplantation, which allows us to dissect afferent and efferent mechanisms leading to accumulation of hemopoietic cells in the lungs. These models highlight the gain in analytical power provided by the association of surgical and immunological strategies., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicting interests exist related to this article.

Objective: In most cases of pediatric liver transplantation, the clinical scenario of large-for-size transplants can lead to hepatic dysfunction and a decreased blood supply to the liver graft. The objective of the present experimental investigation was to evaluate the effects of ischemic preconditioning on this clinical entity., Methods: Eighteen pigs were divided into three groups and underwent liver transplantation: a control group, in which the weights of the donors were similar to those of the recipients, a large-for-size group, and a large-for-size + ischemic preconditioning group. Blood samples were collected from the recipients to evaluate the pH and the sodium, potassium, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels. In addition, hepatic tissue was sampled from the recipients for histological evaluation, immunohistochemical analyses to detect hepatocyte apoptosis and proliferation and molecular analyses to evaluate the gene expression of Bax (pro-apoptotic), Bcl-XL (anti-apoptotic), c-Fos and c-Jun (immediate-early genes), ischemia-reperfusion-related inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, TNF-alpha and IL-6, which is also a stimulator of hepatocyte regeneration), intracellular adhesion molecule, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (a mediator of the protective effect of ischemic preconditioning) and TGF-beta (a pro-fibrogenic cytokine)., Results: All animals developed acidosis. At 1 hour and 3 hours after reperfusion, the animals in the large-for-size and large-for-size + ischemic preconditioning groups had decreased serum levels of Na and increased serum levels of K and aspartate aminotransferase compared with the control group. The molecular analysis revealed higher expression of the Bax, TNF-alpha, I-CAM and TGF-beta genes in the large-for-size group compared with the control and large-for-size + ischemic preconditioning groups. Ischemic preconditioning was responsible for an increase in c-Fos, IL-1, IL-6 and e-NOS gene expression., Conclusion: Ischemia-reperfusion injury in this model of large-for-size liver transplantation could be partially attenuated by ischemic preconditioning.

Objective: The ideal ratio between liver graft mass and recipient body weight for liver transplantation in small infants is unknown; however, if this ratio is over 4%, a condition called large-for-size may occur. Experimental models of large-for-size liver transplants have not been described in the literature. In addition, orthotopic liver transplantation is marked by high morbidity and mortality rates in animals due to the clamping of the venous splanchnic system. Therefore, the objective of this study was to create a porcine model of large-for-size liver transplantation with clamping of the supraceliac aorta during the anhepatic phase as an alternative to venovenous bypass., Method: Fourteen pigs underwent liver transplantation with whole-liver grafts without venovenous bypass and were divided into two experimental groups: the control group, in which the weights of the donors were similar to the weights of the recipients; and the large-for-size group, in which the weights of the donors were nearly 2 times the weights of the recipients. Hemodynamic data, the results of serum biochemical analyses and histological examination of the transplanted livers were collected., Results: The mortality rate in both groups was 16.5% (1/7). The animals in the large-for-size group had increased serum levels of potassium, sodium, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase after graft reperfusion. The histological analyses revealed that there were no significant differences between the groups., Conclusion: This transplant method is a feasible experimental model of large-for-size liver transplantation.

IRI is closely related to sepsis in ITx setting. Complete understanding of the mechanisms involved in IRI development may improve outcomes. Ortothopic ITx without immunosuppression was performed in order to characterize IRI-associated mucosal damage. Twenty pigs underwent ITx. Two groups were assigned to different CI times: G1: 90 min and, G2: 180 min. Euro-Collins was used as preservation solution. Jejunal fragments were collected at donor laparotomy, 30 min, and 3 days after reperfusion. IRI assessment involved: histopathologic analysis, quantification of MPO-positive cells through immunohistochemical studies, quantification of epithelial apoptotic cells using TUNEL staining, and quantification of IL-6, ET-1, Bak, and Bcl-XL genes expression by RT-PCR. Neutrophilic infiltration increased in a similar fashion in both groups, but lasted longer in G2. Apoptosis detected by TUNEL staining increased and anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-XL expression decreased significantly in G1, 3 days after surgery. Endothelin-1 and IL-6 genes expression increased 30 min after the procedure and returned to baseline 3 days after surgery. In conclusion, IL-6 and ET-1 are involved precociously in the development of intestinal IRI. Apoptosis was more frequently detected in G1 grafts by TUNEL-staining and by RT-PCR., (© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)