Desmarestia antarctica (Desmarestiales,Phaeophyceae), a new ligulate Antarctic species with an endophytic gametophyte

Desmarestia antarctica Moe & Silva, a new species from the Antarctic Peninsula and the Scotia Arc, is distinguished from all other ligulate members of the genus by the arrangement of zoosporangia, which are produced together with paraphyses in a raised sorus. Among all species in the genus, onlyD. anceps Montagne shares this feature.Desmarestia antarctica is the first species of the genus for which an endophytic gametophyte is demonstrated, the usual host beingCurdiea racovitzae De Wildeman, a red alga of the familyGracilariaceae. The sporophyte contains only a moderate concentration of acid compared to Northern Hemisphere ligulate species, while physodes that probably contain polyphenolic compounds form noticeable speckles and dark margins in preserved plants. Often more than one axis arises from a single holdfast, probably as the result of compounding rather than proliferation.Dedicated to Prof. DrLothar Geitler on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of his birthday.     

Genomewide linkage analyses of bipolar disorder: a new sample of 250 pedigrees from the National Institute of Mental Health Genetics Initiative

We conducted genomewide linkage analyses on 1,152 individuals from 250 families segregating for bipolar disorder and related affective illnesses. These pedigrees were ascertained at 10 sites in the United States, through a proband with bipolar I affective disorder and a sibling with bipolar I or schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. Uniform methods of ascertainment and assessment were used at all sites. A 9-cM screen was performed by use of 391 markers, with an average heterozygosity of 0.76. Multipoint, nonparametric linkage analyses were conducted in affected relative pairs. Additionally, simulation analyses were performed to determine genomewide significance levels for this study. Three hierarchical models of affection were analyzed. Significant evidence for linkage (genomewide P<.05) was found on chromosome 17q, with a peak maximum LOD score of 3.63, at the marker D17S928, and on chromosome 6q, with a peak maximum LOD score of 3.61, near the marker D6S1021. These loci met both standard and simulation-based criteria for genomewide significance. Suggestive evidence of linkage was observed in three other regions (genomewide P<.10), on chromosomes 2p, 3q, and 8q. This study, which is based on the largest linkage sample for bipolar disorder analyzed to date, indicates that several genes contribute to bipolar disorder.     

Short term clinical outcomes of accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy in inoperable non-small cell lung cancer patients

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate short term clinical outcomes of accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy (AHR T) regarding locoregional response (LRR), symptoms relief and acute toxicities in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The radical treatment for inoperable NSCLC is intolerable for some patients. An alternative RT regime should be considered for them.Materials and methodsInoperable NSCLC patients who could not tolerate radical treatment were treated with AHRT (45 Gy in 15 fractions over three weeks) by using the 3-dimensional conformal (RT) technique. The LRR was assessed by chest computed tomography (CT) performed before and 6 weeks after RT. Relief of symptoms such as cough, dyspnoea and chest pain was evaluated during RT and 6 and 12 weeks after RT, compared with the status before RT. Treatment-related acute toxicities such as dysphagia and radiation dermatitis were observed during and 6 and 12 weeks after RT.ResultsTotal 65 patients (seven patients of stage II and fifty-eight patients of stage III) were included. Partial response was seen in 70.8% of patients, and stable disease was seen in 29.2% while there was neither complete response nor progressive disease after RT. Statistically significant associations were found between tumour response vs. pre-treatment tumour size and tumour response vs. performance status of the patients. Satisfactory symptom relief was found after RT, but severe acute dysphagia and radiation dermatitis (more than grade 3) were not observed.ConclusionSatisfactory LRR, symptom relief and acute toxicities were achieved by this regime. Long term studies are recommended to evaluate late toxicities and survival outcome further.Trial registration noTCTR20200110001     

Dietary zinc status reversibly alters both the feeding behaviors of the rats and gene expression patterns in diencephalon

Nutritional status influences feeding behaviors, food preferences, and taste sensations. For example, zinc-deficient rats have been reported to show reduced and cyclic food intake patterns with increased preferences for NaCl. Although some impairments of the central nervous and endocrine systems have been speculated to be involved in these phenomena, the effects of short-term zinc deficiency on the brain have not been well examined to date. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the gene expression patterns in the rat diencephalon, which is a portion of the brain that includes the hypothalamus and thalamus, after short-term zinc deficiency and also during zinc recovery. The rats showed reduced and cyclic food intake patterns with increased salt preferences after a 10-day dietary zinc deficiency. A comparative analysis of their diencephalons using cDNA microarrays revealed that approximately 1% of the genes expressed in the diencephalons showed significantly altered expression levels. On the other hand, a 6-day zinc supplementation following the deprivation allowed for the recovery to initial food intake behaviors and salt preferences. The expression levels of most of the genes that had been altered by exposure to zinc deficient conditions were also recovered. These results show that feeding behaviors, taste preferences and gene expression patterns in the diencephalon respond quickly to changing zinc levels.     

Nuclear-mitochondrial cross-talk in global myocardial ischemia. A time-course analysis

There is an ongoing concern regarding the biocompatibility of nanoparticles with sizes less than 100 nm as compared to larger particles of the same nominal substance. In this study, we investigated the toxic properties of magnetite stabilized with polyacrylate sodium. The magnetite was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction analysis, and the mean particle diameter was calculated using the Scherrer formula and was found to be 9.3 nm. In this study, we treated lung epithelial cells with different concentrations of magnetite and investigated their effects on oxidative stress and cell proliferation. Our data showed an inhibition of cell proliferation in magnetite-treated cells with a significant dose-dependent activation and induction of reactive oxygen species. Also, we observed a depletion of antioxidants, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase, respectively, as compared with control cells. In addition, apoptotic-related protease/enzyme such as caspase-3 and -8 activities, were increased in a dose-dependent manner with corresponding increased levels of DNA fragmentation in magnetite-treated cells compared to than control cells. Together, the present study reveals that magnetite exposure induces oxidative stress and depletes antioxidant levels in the cells to stimulate apoptotic pathway for cell death.     

Season of grazing and stocking rate interactively affect fuel loads in Baikiaea plurijuga Harms woodland in northwestern Zimbabwe

Wildfire is a major disturbance in Baikiaea plurijuga Harms woodland savannas. We tested the hypothesis that the timing and intensity of herbivory influence fuel loads. We used three stocking rates namely light (three cows and four goats ha^?1), medium (six cows and eight goats ha^?1) and heavy (eleven cows and sixteen goats ha^?1) and three times of grazing namely early‐, middle‐ and late‐growing seasons. Season of grazing and stocking rate influenced herbaceous phytomass. Phytomass was generally the highest (53.5 g DM m^?2) in paddocks grazed during the early growing season and the lowest (27.8 g DM m^?2) in those grazed during the late growing season. Phytomass was also generally the highest (40.4 g DM m^?2) in lightly stocked paddocks and the lowest (32.7 g DM m^?2) in heavily stocked ones. Litter mass was the lowest (160.8 g DM m^?2) in paddocks grazed during the early season whereas there were no differences in ungrazed paddocks and those grazed during either mid‐ or late growing seasons (205.4 g DM m^?2). There was a negative relationship between litter mass and stocking rate. Baikiaea Benth. woodlands should be grazed during either the mid‐ or late‐growing season at stocking rates greater than 0.1 LU ha^?1 to reduce grass fuel loads.