Study on morphology,pathogenicity and genetic diversity of Wilsonomyces carpophilus isolates,the causal agent of shot hole of stone fruit trees based on RAPD-PCR in Iran

Shot hole disease is one of the most important diseases of stone fruit trees in Iran. The disease is wide spread among orchards of Prunus spp. During spring and summer of 2007, 80 monoconidial isolates of the pathogen were recovered from infected leaves, fruits and twigs of different Prunus spp. in West Azerbaijan, Tehran, Ghazvin and Razavi Khorasan provinces of Iran and were studied taxonomically. Based on morphological and physiological characteristics and growth optimal temperature, all isolates were identified as Wilsonomyces carpophilus. Seedlings of stone fruits (apricot, almond, peach, nectarine, plum, sweet cherry and sour cherry) were used for pathogenicity tests. All seedlings were susceptible to the fungal isolates and showed disease symptoms on twigs, leaves, buds and petioles. Genetic diversity of 28 selected fungal isolates was investigated based on DNA fingerprinting by random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR), using four random primers. Based on cluster analysis of the PCR results from the four primers, 10 fingerprinting groups (clonal lineages) and 27 haplotypes were identified. Clonal lineages “C”, “D” and “E”, each with six haplotypes formed the biggest clonal lineages, but other clonal lineages (“B”, “F”, “G”, “H”, “I” and “J”) included only one isolate. No correlation was detected among clonal lineages with the location of selected isolates and their host species. A correlation was found between the substrate (fruit, twig or leaf) and clonal lineages, particularly in “C” clonal lineage. The results showed that the fungus population had high genetic diversity which is distributed among the different areas of Iran.     

Surface EMG force modeling with joint angle based calibration

In this paper, a calibration method to compensate for changes in SEMG amplitude with joint angle is introduced. Calibration factors were derived from constant amplitude surface electromyogram (SEMG) recordings from the biceps brachii (during elbow flexion) and the triceps brachii (during elbow extension) across seven elbow joint angles. SEMG data were then recorded from the elbow flexors (biceps brachii and brachioradialis) and extensors (triceps brachii) during isometric, constant force flexion and extension contractions at the same joint angles. The resulting force at the wrist was measured. The fast orthogonal search method was used to find a mapping between the system inputs – estimated SEMG amplitudes and joint angle – and the system output – measured force, for both calibrated and non-calibrated SEMG data. Models developed with calibrated data yielded a statistically significant improvement in force estimation compared to models developed with non-calibrated data, suggesting that the calibration method can compensate for changes in the SEMG–force relationship with changing joint angle. It was also found that the number of non-linear, joint angle-dependent terms used in the SEMG–force model was reduced with calibration. Additionally, initial inter-session analysis performed for four subjects suggests that calibration values can be used for subsequent recording sessions, and different output force levels.     

Changes in the plant proteome resulting from salt stress: toward the creation of salt-tolerant crops?

Salinity in agricultural land is a major problem worldwide, placing a severe constraint on crop growth and productivity in many regions, and increased salinization of arable land is expected to have devastating global effects. Though plants vary in their sensitivity to salt stress, high salinity causes water deficit and ion toxicity in many plant species. Considerable efforts have therefore been made to investigate how genes respond to salt stress in various plants by using several approaches, including proteomics. Proteomic approaches for identifying proteins that are regulated in response to salt stress are becoming common in the post-genomics era of crop research. In this review, we describe the physiological and biological changes in the proteomes of several important food crops under salt stress. We also provide a viewpoint into how proteomics-based research is likely to develop in this field.     

Analysis and Design of an Object-Independent Superlens

A new design for the multilayer superlens, with the sub-wavelength imaging ability for various 2D objects in the visible range, is introduced and analyzed. The designed superlens will be more versatile for practical applications. A rigorous and efficient approach based on the method of moments is used to study the imaging performance of this structure. The imaging performance of the proposed superlens is evaluated using the correlation coefficient. In this work, the closed-form dyadic Green’s functions in spatial domain, needed for the method of moments solutions, are obtained by applying the complex image method. Besides, the numerical integration is exploited to verify this method. The imaging results obtained via our approach are examined by comparison with the finite element method simulations that reveal good efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method.     

Desensitization of signaling by oncostatin M in human vascular cells involves cytoplasmic Tyr residue 759 in gp130 but is not mediated by either Src homology 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 or suppressor of cytokine signaling 3

Oncostatin M (OnM) signals through cell surface receptors, which utilize the gp130 subunit. In cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), OnM transiently elevates mRNA encoding for suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS-3). By 1 h of OnM treatment, HUVEC become refractory to the restimulation by OnM, measured as failure to reinduce SOCS-3 mRNA. OnM-induced desensitization also prevents responses to other gp130-signaling cytokines (e.g. leukemia inhibitory factor and interleukin 11). OnM treatment does not affect gp130 expression levels and desensitizes signaling mediated by a transduced chimeric receptor containing extracellular domains of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFRbeta) and the cytoplasmic region of gp130. Interestingly, a chimeric PDGFRbeta-gp130 mutant receptor, in which intracellular Tyr residue 759 of gp130 is replaced by a Phe residue, mediates prolonged signaling and is not cross-desensitized by OnM. Phospho-Tyr759 is the binding site for both SOCS-3 and for Src homology domain 2-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP-2). In human aortic smooth muscle cells, neither prevention of SOCS-3 protein induction, using STAT3 or SOCS-3 antisense, nor prevention of SHP-2 expression, also with antisense, ablates desensitization. These data suggest that desensitization of vascular cells to OnM is mediated in trans and involves Tyr residue 759 in gp130 but is not mediated by either SOCS-3 or SHP-2, the only two proteins currently known to bind to gp130 at this site.     

Minor antigen h60-mediated aplastic anemia is ameliorated by immunosuppression and the infusion of regulatory T cells

Human bone marrow (BM) failure mediated by the immune system can be modeled in mice. In the present study, infusion of lymph node (LN) cells from C57BL/6 mice into C.B10-H2(b)/LilMcd (C.B10) recipients that are mismatched at multiple minor histocompatibility Ags, including the immunodominant Ag H60, produced fatal aplastic anemia. Declining blood counts correlated with marked expansion and activation of CD8 T cells specific for the immunodominant minor histocompatibility Ag H60. Infusion of LN cells from H60-matched donors did not produce BM failure in C.B10 mice, whereas isolated H60-specific CTL were cytotoxic for normal C.B10 BM cells in vitro. Treatment with the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine abolished H60-specific T cell expansion and rescued animals from fatal pancytopenia. The development of BM failure was associated with a significant increase in activated CD4+CD25+ T cells that did not express intracellular FoxP3, whereas inclusion of normal CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in combination with C57BL/6 LN cells aborted H60-specific T cell expansion and prevented BM destruction. Thus, a single minor histocompatibility Ag H60 mismatch can trigger an immune response leading to massive BM destruction. Immunosuppressive drug treatment or enhancement of regulatory T cell function abrogated this pathophysiology and protected animals from the development of BM failure.     

The implementation of organizational LCA to internally manage the environmental impacts of a broad product portfolio: an example for a cosmetics,fragrances, and toiletry provider

Purpose

This paper presents the implementation of O-LCA by a Brazilian cosmetics manufacturer. The case study was developed within the framework of the road testing of the “Guidance on organizational LCA” of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative. The aim is to illustrate methodological choices and implementation challenges encountered by the company, i.e., related to the broad product portfolio. The study demonstrates that O-LCA allows quantifying and managing environmental impacts throughout global supply chains and for every individual product.

Methods

O-LCA provides the methodological framework for applying LCA to organizations, and a set of application options based on the structure and experience of organizations. The reporting organization is NATURA Brazil in 2013. The 2600 products in the portfolio are modeled in this first exercise of the company through the bestsellers at each of its ten product category groups. A hybrid approach is considered for data collection: top-down approach for modeling corporate activities and bottom-up approach for upstream and downstream life cycle phases. The data sources are NATURA’s recordings, data gathered from suppliers, estimates from mass and energy balances, and life cycle inventory databases. The approach to acquire direct data or use life cycle databases depends on the representativeness of each raw material or packaging.

Results and discussion

The results show that major impacts could be detected during use phase that demands water and energy to use rinse-off products (the use phase of NATURA’s products contributed over 41% to most impact categories), and in the supply chain, and generated during the obtaining of plant origin ingredients and materials for packaging. Overall, the whole NATURA had in 2013 a potential impact on climate change of 1.4 million tonnes of CO₂ eq, a natural land transformation of 1.3 million m², and a fossil depletion of 0.23 million tonnes of oil eq, among other impacts. Apart from the results at the organizational level, individual results for product bestsellers were calculated and are presented here.

Conclusions

The study confirmed the applicability of the O-LCA model at NATURA, addressed operational issues related to broad product portfolios, considering several dimensions such as data quality and availability, LCA software, and data management. Despite NATURA’s existing practices and previous knowledge in modeling environmental impacts of products and corporate activities, managing the large amount of data involved prove being a complex task. The company identified gaps and opportunities able to guide future method implementation and LCA-based management.

     

Molecular Identification and Antifungal Susceptibility of Yeasts and Molds Isolated from Patients with Otomycosis

Mycopathologia - Fungal otitis externa, an infection of the external auditory canal caused by molds and yeasts, accounts for approximately 10–20% of ear canal infections accompanying high...