Comparative assessment of the sensitivity of oilseed rape and wheat to limited water supply

The drought‐sensitivity of oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus cv. SW Landmark) was investigated, using the more widely studied crop species wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Tybalt) as a benchmark. The water relations of OSR and wheat were compared in lysimeter and controlled environment experiments to test the hypothesis that the growth of OSR is restricted to a greater extent by soil drying than wheat and to determine whether the greater sensitivity results from differences in root or shoot traits. Plants were grown, with or without irrigation, in 1.2 m tall lysimeters packed with a sandy clay loam soil. The experiment was conducted in an open‐sided glasshouse to encourage air flow and to resemble a field environment as far as possible; plant population densities were equivalent to commercial crops. Irrigated OSR (evapo)transpired more water than wheat (498 vs. 355 mm), but had a comparable water use efficiency (WUE; 4.1 vs. 4.4 g DW mm^?1 H₂O). Oilseed rape showed a greater reduction in above‐ground growth (52% vs. 21%) and a smaller increase in WUE (27% vs. 45%) when water was withheld. Oilseed rape also responded to soil drying at a lower soil moisture deficit than wheat; transpiration rates fell below the potential of irrigated plants when plant available water remaining in the soil profile declined from 54 to 23% compared to 38 to 9% for wheat. The root hydraulic conductivity of young OSR plants, measured on root surface area basis, was about twice that of wheat, and was comparable on a root length basis. The results show that OSR was more sensitive to a restricted water supply than the benchmark species wheat and that the greater sensitivity resulted from differences in shoot, rather than root, characteristics. The root system of OSR was at least as efficient as wheat at extracting water from soil.     

Cryopreservation at −80°C of Agaricus blazei on rice grains

The preservation of Agaricus blazei is generally done by mycelial subculturing, but this technique may cause genetic degenerations. Despite this, there is not an efficient protocol established to preserve this fungus and cryopreservation could be an alternative. This study aimed to evaluate two freezing protocols for cryopreservation at −80°C of A. blazei strains. Five fungus strains grown on rice grains with husk and were transferred to glycerol (10%) in cryovials. Next, the cryovials were submitted to two freezing temperature protocols: (1) cryopreservation starting at 25°C, then at 8°C for 30 min and kept at −80°C; (2) cryopreservation starting at 25°C, then 8°C for 30 min, −196°C for 15 min and kept at −80°C. After 1 year of cryopreservation, the cryovials were thawed in a water bath at 30°C for 15 min and transferred to malt extract agar medium. It was concluded that the one-year cryopreservation process of A. blazei, grown on rice grains and cryopreserved at −80°C in glycerol 10%, is viable. The slow freezing, from 8 to −80°C, is effective whereas the fast freezing, from 8 to −196°C and then to −80°C, is ineffective. The different genetic characteristics among the strains of this fungus do not interfere in the cryopreservation process.     

Effects of aerobic exercise therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy on functioning and quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: protocol of the FACTS-2-ALS trial

Background

Neuropathic pain must be correctly diagnosed for optimal treatment. The questionnaire named Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) was developed in its original French version to evaluate the different symptoms of neuropathic pain. We hypothesized that the NPSI might also be used to differentiate neuropathic from non-neuropathic pain.

Methods

We translated the NPSI into German using a standard forward-backward translation and administered it in a case-control design to patients with neuropathic (n = 68) and non-neuropathic pain (headache and osteoarthritis, n = 169) to validate it and to analyze its discriminant properties, its sensitivity to change, and to detect neuropathic pain subgroups with distinct profiles.

Results

Using a sum score (the NPSI-G score), we found sensitivity to change (r between 0.37 and 0.5 for pain items of the graded chronic pain scale) and could distinguish between neuropathic and other pain on a group basis, but not for individual patients. Post hoc development of a discriminant score with optimized diagnostic properties to distinguish neuropathic pain from non-neuropathic pain resulted in an instrument with high sensitivity (91%) and acceptable specificity (70%). We detected six different pain profiles in the patient group with neuropathic pain; three profiles were found to be distinct.

Conclusions

The NPSI-G potentially combines the properties of a diagnostic tool and an instrument to identify subtypes of neuropathic pain.     

Studies on the antibacterial effects of statins--in vitro and in vivo

Background

Statin treatment has been associated with a beneficial outcome on respiratory tract infections. In addition, previous in vitro and in vivo experiments have indicated favorable effects of statins in bacterial infections.

Aim

The aim of the present study was to elucidate possible antibacterial effects of statins against primary pathogens of the respiratory tract.

Methods

MIC-values for simvastatin, fluvastatin and pravastatin against S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae were determined by traditional antibacterial assays. A BioScreen instrument was used to monitor effects of statins on bacterial growth and to assess possible synergistic effects with penicillin. Bacterial growth in whole blood and serum from healthy volunteers before and after a single dose of simvastatin, fluvastatin and penicillin (positive control) was determined using a blood culture system (BactAlert).

Findings

The MIC-value for simvastatin against S pneumoniae and M catarrhalis was 15 µg/mL (36 mmol/L). Fluvastatin and Pravastatin showed no antibacterial effect in concentrations up to 100 µg/mL (230 µmol/L). Statins did not affect growth or viability of H influenzae. Single doses of statins given to healthy volunteers did not affect growth of pneumococci, whereas penicillin efficiently killed all bacteria.

Conclusions

Simvastatin at high concentrations 15 µg/mL (36 µmol/L) rapidly kills S pneumoniae and M catarrhalis. However, these concentrations by far exceed the concentrations detected in human blood during simvastatin therapy (1–15 nmol/L) and single doses of statins given to healthy volunteers did not improve antibacterial effects of whole blood. Thus, a direct bactericidal effect of statins in vivo is probably not the mechanism behind the observed beneficial effect of statins against various infections.     

Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 February 2011-31 March 2011

This article documents the addition of 111 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, Anopheles nuneztovari sensu lato, Asellus aquaticus, Calopteryx splendens, Calopteryx virgo, Centaurea aspera, Centaurea seridis, Chilina dombeyana, Proctoeces cf. lintoni and Pyrenophora teres f. teres.     

Hysterographic appearance and uterine histology at different stages of the reproductive cycle and after progestagen treatment in the domestic cat

The aims of this study were to characterize the hysterographic and histological features of the uteri and to perform immunohistochemistry with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the cat endometrium at various stages of the reproductive cycle and after treatment with exogenous progestagen. Seventy-four female domestic cats submitted for routine ovariohysterectomy were categorized into six groups: inactive (n=20), follicular (n=9), luteal (n=18), and postpartum (n=12) stages of the reproductive cycle; cats given medroxyprogesterone acetate for estrus prevention (MPA group) (n=12); and cats with uterine pathological lesions (n=3). Hysterography was performed and the relation of the uterine and luminal shape in the hysterogram with the stage of the reproductive cycle as well as with any pathological conditions of the uterus was evaluated. The uteri and ovaries were thereafter surgically removed and sectioned for histological examination. The PCNA was used to demonstrate the expression of endometrial epithelial cell growth. The hysterographic appearance was found to differ between the six groups of cats. A straight uterine cavity was characteristic for cats in the inactive stage, whereas a wavy uterine cavity was characteristic for cats in the follicular stage. In the luteal stage, the luminal cavity of the uteri differed in shape with increasing progesterone concentration from straight to irregular wavy or coiled. The coil shaped uterine lumen seen in the MPA treated and pathological groups was considered also to be an expression of a progestagenic effect. Waviness and coiling of the uterine lumen was related to a proliferation of the endometrial glands, whereas irregular filling defects were indicative of endometrial cystic changes. This study is the first to demonstrate the expression of PCNA in the cat endometrium although no differences were found between the six groups of cats. The hysterographic appearance was found to differ according to stage of the reproductive cycle and pathological conditions. Thus, a normative hysterogram is now available for diagnosing the reproductive stage and uterine changes in cats developing endometrial hyperplasia with and without cystic changes.     

Variation for neutral markers is correlated with variation for quantitative traits in the plant pathogenic fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola

We compared genetic variation and population differentiation at RFLP marker loci with seven quantitative characters including fungicide resistance, temperature sensitivity, pycnidial size, pycnidial density, colony size, percentage of leaves covered by pycnidia (PLACP) and percentage of leaves covered by lesions (PLACL) in Mycosphaerella graminicola populations sampled from four regions. Wide variation in population differentiation was found across the quantitative traits assayed. Fungicide resistance, temperature sensitivity, and PLACP displayed a significantly higher Q(ST) than G(ST), consistent with selection for local adaptation, while pycnidial size, pycnidial density and colony size displayed a lower or significantly lower Q(ST) than G(ST), consistent with constraining selection. There was not a statistical difference between Q(ST) and G(ST) in PLACL. We also found a positive and significant correlation between genetic variation in molecular marker loci and quantitative traits at the multitrait scale, suggesting that estimates of overall genetic variation for quantitative traits in M. graminicola could be derived from analysis of the molecular genetic markers.