A new elater-bearing Late Albian pollen species from offshore eastern Saudi Arabia

A new elater-bearing pollen referable to Elaterocolpites is described from Late Albian sediments of the Arabian Gulf, offshore eastern Saudi Arabia. This pollen has a main body consisting of five elater-like projections in the equatorial area and five colpi, one colpus at the base of each projection. The exine has three layers. The foot-layer forms the nexine whereas the other two layers, the baculate-layer and the tectum, form the sexine. The exine structure has an angiosperm affinity. The pollen occurs within the Middle Cretaceous phytogeoprovince characterized by its elater-bearing palynomorph occurrences.     

Light and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid mediated differential effects of ammonium on nitrate reductase activity in maize seedlings

Abstract Effect of ammonium on in vivo activity of nitrate reductase in roots, shoots and leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings was studied in relation to light/dark conditions and EDTA supply. Supply of 5 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄ increased the steady state level of enzyme only in leaves and in light, while it had no effect in roots and shoots and in the dark. The substrate induction of enzyme was also little affected by 1 to 10 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄ in roots and shoots. In the leaves the activity in the dark was either inhibited (minus EDTA) or stimulated (plus EDTA) by 5 to 10 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄. The activity was stimulated in the light also in the presence of EDTA at higher concentrations of ammonium. When different concentrations of ammonium were supplied without any exogenous nitrate in the light, the enzyme activity increased at low concentration and was either inhibited or unaffected at higher concentrations depending upon the tissue used. Supply of EDTA with ammonium modified its effect to some extent. It is suggested that the effect of ammonium on nitrate reductase activity depends upon the tissue used and the effective concentration of the ammonium.     

Some Aspects of Nitrate Assimilation in the Seedlings of Normal and Opaque-2 Mutant of Maize

The effects of 10 mM nitrate on the growth and nitrogenous componentsof Zea mays L. var. W64A wild type (normal) were compared tothose on its opaque-2 (high lysine) mutant during the first10 d of seedling growth at a constant temperature of 26 °Cand with a 16 h photoperiod. Nitrate supply had no effect onthe growth of embryonic axes in both lines till day 6. Growthof both lines was enhanced slightly after that time, however.Increases in 80% (v/v) ethanolsoluble and protein nitrogen werealso observed only after day 4 when the supply of nitrogen fromthe storage proteins in the endosperm was limiting. Nitratehad no effect on the synthesis of chlorophyll during leaf developmentbut it did increase the total chlorophyll in mature and senescingprimary leaves. The increase in nitrogenous components or chlorophyllin opaque-2 was more pronounced than in the normal type. Itmight be related to the lower proline or higher lysine in themutant.     

Proceedings of the first academic symposium on developing,qualifying and operating a cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility

A significant portion of the more than 1000 candidate cell and gene therapy products currently under clinical investigation (clinicaltrials.gov) are born out of academic research centers affiliated with universities, hospitals and non-profit research institutions. Supporting these efforts are myriad academic clinical materials production facilities with more than 40 such facilities currently operational in the United States alone. In March 2018, Stanford University's Laboratory for Cell and Gene Therapy held a symposium with the leaders and staff of more than 25 similar facilities to discuss the collective experience in developing, qualifying and operating cell and gene therapy manufacturing facilities according to current Good Manufacturing Practices. Topics included facility design, construction, staffing and operations and compliance. Leaders from several institutions gave overviews of the history of development of the facilities and discussed challenges and opportunities they had experienced over the past 10–20 years of operations. Working sessions were also held to discuss specific aspects of Process Development, Manufacturing, Quality Systems, Regulatory Affairs and Business Development with all participants contributing to the discussions. We summarize here the findings of this inaugural meeting with an emphasis on best practices and suggested guidelines for operations.     

Role of common sarcomeric gene polymorphisms in genetic susceptibility to left ventricular dysfunction

Mutations in sarcomeric genes are common genetic cause of cardiomyopathies. An intronic 25-bp deletion in cardiac myosin binding protein C (MYBPC3) at 3 ^′ region is associated with dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies in Southeast Asia. However, the frequency of sarcomeric gene polymorphisms and associated clinical presentation have not been established with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the association of MYBPC3 25-bp deletion, titin (TTN) 18 bp I/D , troponin T type 2 (TNNT2) 5 bp I/D and myospryn K2906N polymorphisms with LVD. This study includes 988 consecutive patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease (CAD) and 300 healthy controls. Among the 988 CAD patients, 253 with reduced left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 45%) were categorized as LVD. MYBPC3 25-bp deletion, TTN 18 bp I/D and TNNT2 5 bp I/D polymorphisms were determined by direct polymerase chain reaction method, while myospryn K2906N polymorphism by TaqMan assay. Our results showed that MYBPC3 25-bp deletion polymorphism was significantly associated with elevated risk of LVD (LVEF <45) (healthy controls versus LVD: OR = 3.85, P< 0.001; and nonLVD versus LVD: OR = 1.65, P = 0.035), while TTN 18 bp I/D , TNNT2 5 bp I/D and myospryn K2906N polymorphisms did not show any significant association with LVD. The results also showed that MYBPC3 25-bp deletion polymorphism was significantly associated with other parameters of LV remodelling, i.e. LV dimensions (LV end diastole dimension, LVEDD: P = 0.037 and LV end systolic dimension, LVESD: P = 0.032). Our data suggests that MYBPC3 25-bp deletion may play significant role in conferring LVD as well as CAD risk in north Indian population.     

The occurrence of the fossil genus Graminidites in the Maastrichtian Scollard Formation,Alberta, Canada,and its palaeoecological and palaeogeographical significance

Fossil grass pollen is common in Late Tertiary sediments and its rare occurrence in the Early Tertiary led to the belief that its presence is restricted to Tertiary sediments. A literature survey shows that rare occurrences of Graminidites spp. have been reported from Campanian–Maastrichtian strata worldwide. All reported Graminidites spp. have been studied by transmitted light microscopes, which are inadequate to resolve their fine exine sculpture. Graminidites sp. occurs in the Maastrichtian Scollard Formation of Alberta, Canada, and is studied here with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A new species, G. ulkapites, occurs at the initiation of a temperate climate in the area. It occurs in post‐dinosaurian beds locally but in pre‐Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary strata, which implies that grasses could also be present in dinosaur inhabitations. Grass phytoliths, reported from dinosaurian coprolites from the Maastrichtian Deccan Intertrappean sediments of India, indicate that grasses were ingested by dinosaurs even if not included in the dinosaurian diet. A plot of worldwide Senonian occurrences of Graminidites spp. on a late Maastrichtian palaeogeographic map demonstrates that the data are inadequate to reveal the place of origin or migratory pattern. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 167 , 235–248.