1. Bimodal dynamics of primary metabolism-related responses in tolerant potato-Potato virus Y interactionNeža Turnšek, Živa Ramšak, Katja Stare, Tjaša Stare, Dominik Vodnik, Andrej Blejec, Kristina Gruden, Wolfram Weckwerth, Stefanie Wienkoop, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: Background
Potato virus Y (PVY) is a major pathogen that causes substantial economic losses in worldwide potato production. Different potato cultivars differ in resistance to PVY, from severe susceptibility, through tolerance, to complete resistance. The aim of this study was to better define the mechanisms underlying tolerant responses of potato to infection by the particularly aggressive PVYNTN strain. We focused on the dynamics of the primary metabolism-related processes during PVYNTN infection.
Results
A comprehensive analysis of the dynamic changes in primary metabolism was performed, which included whole transcriptome analysis, nontargeted proteomics, and photosynthetic activity measurements in potato cv. Désirée and its transgenic counterpart depleted for accumulation of salicylic acid (NahG-Désirée). Faster multiplication of virus occurred in the NahG-Désirée, with these plants developing strong disease symptoms. We show that while the dynamics of responses at the transcriptional level are extensive and bimodal, this is only partially translated to the protein level, and to the final functional outcome. Photosynthesis-related genes are transiently induced before viral multiplication is detected and it is down-regulated later on. This is reflected as a deficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus at the onset of viral multiplication only. Interestingly, specific and constant up-regulation of some RuBisCO transcripts was detected in Désirée plants, which might be important, as these proteins have been shown to interact with viral proteins.
In SA-deficient and more sensitive NahG-Désirée plants, consistent down-regulation of photosynthesis-related genes was detected. A constant reduction in the photochemical efficiency from the onset of viral multiplication was identified; in nontransgenic plants this decrease was only transient. The transient reduction in net photosynthetic rate occurred in both genotypes with the same timing, and coincided with changes in stomatal conductivity.
Conclusions
Down-regulation of photosynthesis-related gene expression and decreased photosynthetic activity is in line with other studies that have reported the effects of biotic stress on photosynthesis. Here, we additionally detected induction of light-reaction components in the early stages of PVYNTN infection of tolerant interaction. As some of these components have already been shown to interact with viral proteins, their overproduction might contribute to the absence of symptoms in cv. Désirée.
Keywords: plant-pathogen interactions, Potato virus Y, potyviridae, salicylic acid, whole transcriptome analysis, shot-gun proteomics, photosynthetic parameters
Published in DiRROS: 29.07.2024; Views: 25; Downloads: 21
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2. Respiration rates in shallow lakes of different types : contribution of benthic microorganisms, macrophytes, plankton and macrozoobenthosJanusz Żbikowski, Tatjana Simčič, Franja Pajk, Małgorzata Poznańska-Kakareko, Tomasz Kakareko, Jarosław Kobak, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: The determination of the metabolic activity of organisms at various trophic levels is crucial for the proper assessment of the energy flow through the ecosystem, which is the basic process determining ecosystem functioning. We estimated the respiration rate in nine shallow, eutrophic lakes (macrophyte-dominated and phytoplankton-dominated) from north-eastern Poland. Respiratory carbon loss (RCL) through bottom microbial communities, macrophytes, plankton and macrozoobenthos was estimated by measuring the Electron Transport System activity. The shares of the particular ecosystem components in respiration processes differed among the lake types and seasons. The bottom microbial communities contributed most to the RCL (from 50% in the macrophyte-dominated lakes to 90% in the shallower phytoplankton-dominated lakes) except in macrophytes-dominated lakes in summer, where the macrophyte contribution prevailed (80%). The contribution of plankton was considerable only in the deeper phytoplankton-dominated lakes (20%). Macrozoobenthos was important (20%) only in the macrophyte-dominated lakes in spring and autumn. The RCL through bottom microbial communities was substantially higher in the shallow lakes (especially phytoplankton-dominated) than in deep, stratified eutrophic lakes. Shallow eutrophic lakes can be highly productive due to intensive organic matter mineralization at the bottom and rapid flow and cycling of carbon and nutrients resulting from their polymictic character.
Keywords: shallow lakes, ETS activity, respiratory carbon loss, abiotic parameters
Published in DiRROS: 23.07.2024; Views: 50; Downloads: 34
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3. Adaptive visual quality inspection based on defect prediction from production parametersZvezdan Lončarević, Simon Reberšek, Samo Šela, Jure Skvarč, Aleš Ude, Andrej Gams, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: At the end of a production process, the manufactured products must usually be visually inspected to ensure their quality. Often, it is necessary to inspect the final product from several viewpoints. However, the inspection of all possible aspects might take too long and thus create a bottleneck in the production process. In this paper we propose and evaluate a methodology for adaptive, robot-aided visual quality inspection. With the proposed method, the most probable defects are first predicted based on the production process parameters. A suitable classifier for defect prediction is learnt in an unsupervised manner from a database that includes the produced parts and the associated parameters.Arobot then steers the camera only towards viewpoints associated with predicted defects, which implies that the trajectories of robot motion for the inspection might be different for every product. To enable dynamic planning of camera trajectories, we describe a methodology for evaluation and selection of the most appropriate autonomous motion planner. The proposed defect prediction approach was compared to other methods and evaluated on the products from a real-world production line for injection moulding, which was implemented for a producer of parts in the automotive industry.
Keywords: robot learning, robotic quality inspection, visual quality inspection, injection moulding, production parameters, robot motion planning
Published in DiRROS: 15.07.2024; Views: 98; Downloads: 47
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4. Polypropylene blends with m-EPR copolymers : mechanical and rheological propertiesIztok Švab, Anđela Pustak, Matjaž Denac, Andrijana Sever Škapin, Mirela Leskovac, Vojko Musil, Ivan Šmit, 2018, original scientific article Abstract: The effects of two metallocene ethylene-propylene-based elastomers (m-EPR1 and m-EPR2) differing in molecular mass and viscosity on mechanical, rheological and interfacial properties were compared. The m-EPR elastomers were added to iPP in 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 vol.%. Torque values, elongation at break and impact strength measured of the iPP/m-EPR1 blends were higher than the iPP/m-EPR2 blends due to higher molten viscosity of m-EPR1 than m-EPR2 copolymer. Slight differences in Young moduli as well as in tensile strength at yield and at break might indicate that tensile properties of iPP/m-EPR blends were not significantly affected by difference in viscosity or molecular mass, miscibility and spherulite size. Optimization diagrams indicated the metallocene m-EPR copolymers are efficient impact modifiers for polypropylene and showed good balancing of mechanical properties in iPP/m-EPR blends.
Keywords: isotactic polypropylene, metallocene ethylene-propylene-based elastomers, blend, mechanical properties, adhesion parameters
Published in DiRROS: 13.12.2023; Views: 375; Downloads: 171
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5. Condition assessment of roadway bridges: from performance parameters to performance goalsMaria P. Limongelli, Eleni Chatzi, Andrej Anžlin, 2018, original scientific article Abstract: Deterioration of bridges due to ageing and higher demands, induced by increased traffic load, require the development of effective maintenance policies and intervention strategies. Such concern should be aimed at ensuring the required levels of safety, while optimally managing the limited economic resources. This approach requires a transversal advance; from the element level, through the system level, all the way to the network level. At the same time intervention prioritisation based on the importance of the system (bridge) inside the network (e.g. highway), or of the single structural element inside the bridge is dependent. The first step in bridge condition assessment is the verification of safety and reliability requirements that is carried out using the traditional prescriptive (deterministic) approach or the current performance-based (probabilistic) approach. A critical issue for efficient management of infrastructures lies in the available knowledge on condition and performance of bridge asset. This information is obtained using a collection of significant Performance Parameters at one or more of the three levels (element, system, and network). Traditional techniques for estimation of Performance Parameters rely on already established visual inspection. However, a more reliable description of the system performance is obtained through Non-Destructive Testing and Structural Health Monitoring. Condition assessment essentially pertains to the check of compliance with Performance Goals and requires the definition and computation of Performance Indicators. They are calculated directly from Performance Parameters or from physical models calibrated using the Performance Parameters collected on the structure. Paper overviews the steps to bridge condition assessment regarding safety and reliability.
Keywords: bridge, reliability, safety, condition assessment, performance goals, performance parameters
Published in DiRROS: 29.11.2023; Views: 364; Downloads: 176
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6. In situ consideration of resistance of bridge girder according to EC2 with AEMAna Brunčič, Andrej Štrukelj, Maja Kreslin, Andrej Anžlin, Aljoša Šajna, 2023, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: The paper presents a case study of a considerably cracked and degraded bridge in Slovenia: with the implementation of in-situ measurements under bending and shear and the use of a non-destructive acoustic emission technique. Despite the existing crack system, the latter was able to detect microstructural changes. These were characterised by low values of average frequency (AF), as well as lower values of the rise time-amplitude ratio (RA), and energy. A correlation between shear capacity and acoustic activity was observed. This promises to expand the use of AE in the process of assessing of the load-bearing capacity of existing concrete structures.
Keywords: shear resistance, shear crack, crack width, acoustic emission (AE) parameters, bridge girder, stiffness, elasticity, damage evaluation
Published in DiRROS: 28.11.2023; Views: 401; Downloads: 173
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8. Growth response of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) to climate factors along the Carpathian massivePia Caroline Adamič, Tom Levanič, Mihail Hanzu, Matjaž Čater, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: European forests are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change and more frequent droughts. The likely responses of species to climate change will vary, affecting their competitiveness, their existence, and consequently, forest management decisions and measures. We determined the influence of climate on the radial growth of European beech and silver fir along the Carpathians to find similarities between the two species and the main differences. Along the Carpathian Mountains, seven sites with mature fir–beech stands above 800 m above sea level were selected and analyzed. Our study confirmed different responses depending on species and location. A more pronounced response of tree growth to climate was observed on the eastern side of the Carpathians, while it was less expressed or even absent on the southern sites. Both beech and fir show better radial growth with higher precipitation in July and slower growth with higher average and maximum temperatures in June of the current year. Fir demonstrates a positive correlation between radial growth and temperature in winter, while beech demonstrates a negative correlation between radial growth and temperature in summer. In the 1951–1960 decade, the average tree ring widths in fir and beech were largest at the southern sites compared to the other sites, but since 2011, the southern sites have had the lowest increase while northern sites have had the largest. Both species respond differently to climate and are likely to follow different competitive paths in the future.
Keywords: climate change, dendrochronology, radial growth response, meteorological parameters
Published in DiRROS: 28.06.2023; Views: 673; Downloads: 432
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9. Effect of cluster thinning within the grapevine varietyKatja Šuklje, Anastazija Jež Krebelj, Tanja Vaupotič, Franc Čuš, 2022, original scientific article Keywords: grapevine, cluster thinning, Welschriesling, thiols, terpenes, yield, yield parameters, wine parameters
Published in DiRROS: 06.09.2022; Views: 771; Downloads: 205
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10. Cold agglutinins and cryoglobulins associate with clinical and laboratory parameters of cold urticariaMojca Bizjak, Mitja Košnik, Dorothea Terhorst, Dejan Dinevski, Marcus Maurer, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Mast cell-activating signals in cold urticaria are not yet well defined and are likely to be heterogeneous. Cold agglutinins and cryoglobulins have been described as factors possibly associated with cold urticaria, but their relevance has not been explained. We performed a single-center prospective cohort study of 35 cold urticaria patients. Cold agglutinin and cryoglobulin test results, demographics, detailed history data, cold stimulation test results, complete blood count values, C-reactive protein, total immunoglobulin E levels, and basal serum tryptase levels were analyzed. Forty six percent (n = 16) of 35 tested patients had a positive cold agglutinin test and 27% (n = 9) of 33 tested patients had a positive cryoglobulin test. Cold agglutinin positive patients, when compared to cold agglutinin negative ones, were mainly female (P = 0.030). No gender-association was found for cryoglobulins. A positive cold agglutinin test, but not a positive cryoglobulin test, was associated with a higher rate of reactions triggered by cold ambient air (P = 0.009) or immersion in cold water (P = 0.041), and aggravated by increased summer humidity (P = 0.007). Additionally, patients with a positive cold agglutinin test had a higher frequency of angioedema triggered by ingestion of cold foods or drinks (P = 0.043), and lower disease control based on Urticaria Control Test (P = 0.023). Cold agglutinin levels correlated with erythrocyte counts (r = -0.372, P = 0.028) and monocyte counts (r = -0.425, P = 0.011). Cryoglobulin concentrations correlated with basal serum tryptase levels (r = 0.733, P = 0.025) and cold urticaria duration (r = 0.683, P = 0.042). Results of our study suggest that cold agglutinins and cryoglobulins, in a subpopulation of cold urticaria patients, are linked to the course and possibly the pathogenesis of their disease.
Keywords: urticaria, mast cells, cold-induced urticaria, cold urticaria, cryoglobulins, cold agglutinin, degranulation, clinical parameters, laboratory parameters
Published in DiRROS: 10.05.2021; Views: 1472; Downloads: 1186
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