Role of aquaporins in root water transport of ectomycorrhizal jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings exposed to NaCl and fluoride

Effects of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungus Suillus tomentosus on water transport properties were studied in jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings. The hydraulic conductivity of root cortical cells (L_pc) and of the whole root system (L_pr) in ECM plants was higher by twofold to fourfold compared with the non‐ECM seedlings. HgCl₂ had a greater inhibitory effect on L_pc in ECM compared with non‐ECM seedlings, suggesting that the mercury‐sensitive, aquaporin (AQP)‐mediated water transport was largely responsible for the differences in L_pc between the two groups of plants. L_pc was rapidly and drastically reduced by the 50 mm NaCl treatment. However, in ECM plants, the initial decline in L_pc was followed by a quick recovery to the pre‐treatment level, while the reduction of L_pc in non‐ECM seedlings progressed over time. Treatments with fluoride reduced L_pc by about twofold in non‐ECM seedlings and caused smaller reductions of L_pc in ECM plants. When either 2 mm KF or 2 mm NaF were added to the 50 mm NaCl treatment solution, the inhibitory effect of NaCl on L_pc was rapidly reversed in both groups of plants. The results suggest that AQP‐mediated water transport may be linked to the enhancement of salt stress resistance reported for ECM plants.     

Newly developed polymorphic microsatellite markers in Job's tears (Coix lacryma‐jobi L.)

A microsatellite‐enriched library of Job's tears (Coix lacryma‐jobi L. var. Ma‐yuen Stapf) was constructed using a modified biotin–streptavidin capture method. After screening, 17 polymorphic microsatellites were used for diversity analysis among 30 Job's tears accessions. The number of alleles ranged from one to five alleles per locus with an average of 2.8 alleles. Expected heterozygosity (H_E) and polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0 to 0.676 and from 0 to 0.666, respectively. The newly developed microsatellite markers are expected to be very valuable tools for evaluation of genetic diversity among large germplasm collection of Job's tears present in our Korean Gene Bank.     

A Method of Drusen Measurement Based on the Geometry of Fundus Reflectance

Background  

The hallmarks of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, are the subretinal deposits known as drusen. Drusen identification and measurement play a key role in clinical studies of this disease. Current manual methods of drusen measurement are laborious and subjective. Our purpose was to expedite clinical research with an accurate, reliable digital method.     

家蚕丝蛋白的合成和保幼激素的调节

本实验查明家委品种的后丝腺细胞数目为1080个,在透射电镜观察下,后丝腺细胞内质网呈片层状,分布着大量的核蛋白体颗粒,细胞核内染色质成块状。用液面铺展技术显示出染色质的特别结构。每个后丝腺细胞能合成DNA0.6—0.8微克,为原来体细胞数的一百万倍,奠定了后丝腺细胞染色体的多线化的物质基础。第7天后丝腺的RNA为5.4毫克,mRNA为总RNA的1%,占细胞核RNA的2.5%,rRNA的碱基比(G+C)为53.1%,热增色效应为22.5%,融点温度?值为43.7℃。染色质丝DNA的融点温度为70.5℃,碱基比(G+C)为40.5%,并分析了染色质的DNA、RNA、组蛋白和非组蛋白的相对比值。每个后丝腺细胞合成240.6微克丝心蛋白,每个细胞每秒钟可合成6×10⁸个丝心蛋白分子。中丝腺储存的丝心蛋白为后丝腺的二十倍。 经保幼激素类似物处理后,蚕的生长期延长,体重和丝腺重量、后丝腺内蛋白质和RNA含量增高,合成丝心蛋白的功能单位——多核蛋白体在量的方面也有所提高。例如在后丝腺RNA方面,雄蚕第7天增加到6.20毫克,每个后丝腺细胞能合成丝心蛋白243.6微克。因此,我们认为,外源保幼激素能促进RNA的合成,维持后丝腺细胞的正常活动,提高多核蛋白体的合成量,从而增加丝心蛋白的合成。     

Limb Regeneration in the Fiddler Crab, Uca pugilator: Histological, Physiological and Molecular Considerations

This paper summarizes our recent work on the histological, physiologicaland molecular aspects of limb regeneration in the fiddler crabUca pugilator and new information is presented on mitotic activityin the blastema during the first days of blastemal organization.We also report for the first time the localization of vertebrategrowth factor immunoreactivity (FGF 2 and FGF 4) in the regeneratingblastema. In the first part of this paper we review recent histologicalfindings concerning the physical events that accompany autotomyof limbs and propose a new function for the autotomy membrane—thetethering of the regenerating pedal nerve to the walls of thecoxa. In the second part of the paper we review our recent findingson the identification and characterization of the Uca ecdysteroidreceptor (UpEcR, and its potential dimer partner, the retinoid-X-receptor,UpRXR). Using Uca-specific antibody probes raised in our lab,we have been able to identify specific cells in the early blastemathat express receptor proteins. The regenerating limb of thefiddler crab is responsive to both steroids and retinoids andmRNA for steroid and retinoid receptors are expressed in theregenerating limb buds during all stages of regeneration. TheDNA and deduced amino acid sequences of the ecdysteroid receptoris very similar to the sequences of insect EcRs, while the retinoidreceptor is similar to insect protein (ultraspiracle) in theDNA-binding domain, but closer to vertebrate RXRs in the ligandbinding domain     

A new species of Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) from Taiwan, China, based on morphological and molecular data

Zingiber shuanglongensis sp.nov.is a species endemic to Taiwan,China,that has been found in Nantou and Kaohsiung.In this study,the new Zingiber species is illustrated and the results of morphological a...     

A benefit-finding intervention for family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer disease: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Background

Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) not treated with primary or rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at risk for recurrent ischemia, especially when viability in the infarct-area is present. Therefore, an invasive strategy with PCI of the infarct-related coronary artery in patients with viability would reduce the occurrence of a composite end point of death, reinfarction, or unstable angina (UA).

Methods

Patients admitted with an (sub)acute myocardial infarction, who were not treated by primary or rescue PCI, and who were stable during the first 48 hours after the acute event, were screened for the study. Eventually, we randomly assigned 216 patients with viability (demonstrated with low-dose dobutamine echocardiography) to an invasive or a conservative strategy. In the invasive strategy stenting of the infarct-related coronary artery was intended with abciximab as adjunct treatment. Seventy-five (75) patients without viability served as registry group. The primary endpoint was the composite of death from any cause, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) and unstable angina at one year. As secondary endpoint the need for (repeat) revascularization procedures and anginal status were recorded.

Results

The primary combined endpoint of death, recurrent MI and unstable angina was 7.5% (8/106) in the invasive group and 17.3% (19/110) in the conservative group (Hazard ratio 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18-0.96; p = 0.032). During follow up revascularization-procedures were performed in 6.6% (7/106) in the invasive group and 31.8% (35/110) in the conservative group (Hazard ratio 0.18; 95% CI 0.13-0.43; p < 0.0001). A low rate of recurrent ischemia was found in the non-viable group (5.4%) in comparison to the viable-conservative group (14.5%). (Hazard-ratio 0.35; 95% CI 0.17-1.00; p = 0.051).

Conclusion

We demonstrated that after acute MI (treated with thrombolysis or without reperfusion therapy) patients with viability in the infarct-area benefit from a strategy of early in-hospital stenting of the infarct-related coronary artery. This treatment results in a long-term uneventful clinical course. The study confirmed the low risk of recurrent ischemia in patients without viability.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00149591.