Arabidopsis thaliana FIMBRIATA PETIOLES gene, controlling cell division and growth in floral organs

A new mutant, fimbriata petioles (fip), of Arabidopsis thaliana was obtained by chemical mutagenesis. The mutant is characterized by unusual anomalies of floral organs. Clusters of very large cells formed in the distal region of sepals and petals, which created fringed edges of these organs. An analysis of the morphology of the floral organs and leaves of the fip as 1 double mutant revealed a complementary interaction of the ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 (AS1) and FIMBRIATA PETIOLES (FIP) genes. It was assumed that the FIP gene, together with the AS1 gene, controls cell proliferation, preventing their premature entry into endocycle.     

Changes in gene expression and biochemical composition of Haematococcus pluvialis grown under different light colors

Journal of Applied Phycology - The present study evaluated the effect of blue, red, and white light on the expression of four carotenogenic genes (psy, lyc, bkt, and crtr-r); one gene related to...     

Randomised comparison of guided self management and traditional treatment of asthma over one year.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of self management of asthma with traditional treatment. DESIGN: 12 month prospective randomised trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinics in Finland. SUBJECTS: 115 patients with mild to moderately severe asthma. INTERVENTIONS: Patient education and adjustment of anti-inflammatory therapy guided by peak flow measurements. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Unscheduled admissions to hospital and outpatient visits, days off work, courses of antibiotics and prednisolone, lung function, and quality of life. RESULTS: The mean number of unscheduled visits to ambulatory care facilities (0.5 v 1.0), days off work (2.8 v 4.8), and courses of antibiotics (0.4 v 0.9) and prednisolone (0.4 v 1.0) per patient were lower and the quality of life score (16.6 v 8.4 at 12 months) higher in the self management group than in the traditionally treated group. In both groups admissions for asthma were rare. CONCLUSIONS: Self management reduces incidents caused by asthma and improves quality of life.     

Morphological and genetic characterization of endophytic bacteria isolated from roots of different maize genotypes

Maize is one of the most important crops worldwide, and in Brazil, the state of Paraná stands as its largest producer. The crop demands high inputs of N fertilizers, therefore all strategies aiming to optimize the grain production with lower inputs are very relevant. Endophytic bacteria have a high potential to increment maize grain yield by means of input via biological nitrogen fixation and/or plant growth promotion, in this last case increasing the absorption of water and nutrients by the plants. In this study, we established a collection of 217 endophytic bacteria, isolated from roots of four lineages and three hybrid genotypes of maize, and isolated in four different N-free culture media. Biochemical―comprising growth in different carbon sources, intrinsic tolerance to antibiotics, and biochemical tests for catalase, nitrate reductase, urease, and growth in N-free media in vitro―and genetic characterization by BOX-PCR revealed great variability among the isolates. Both commercial hybrids and homozygous lineages were broadly colonized by endophytes, and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the presence of bacteria belonging to the genera Pantoea, Bacillus, Burkholderia, and Klebsiella. Qualitative differences in endophytic colonization were detected between lineages and hybrid genotypes.     

Different action of the APETALA1 gene on the development of reproductive organs in flowers of the abruptus mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh

The APETALA1 (AP1) gene of A. thaliana codes type II MADS protein with domains MADS, I, K, and C. The role of K- and C-domains in the functioning of AP1 protein is poorly investigated. The analysis of phenotypic manifestation of mutations disrupting the activity of various domains of the protein product allows us to obtain information on the function of domains and, thereby, on the structural-functional organization of the gene. We investigated the action of mutant alleles of the AP1 gene whose protein products are probably lacking the functionally active domains K (ap1-20), K- and C-domains (ap1-1 and ap1-6), and C-domain (ap 1-3) on the flower morphology in abr mutant (the ABRUPTUS/PINOID gene allele). It was detected that, unlike the ap 1-20 allele, the presence of ap 1-3, ap1-6, and ap 1-1 alleles results in reduction of a number of the generative organs in the flowers of the double mutants abr ap1-3, abr ap1-6, and abr ap1-1. It was suggested that C-domain of the AP1 protein prevents the alteration of determination of the type of reproductive organs at ectopic expression of the AP1 gene in the inner whorls of a flower in the abr mutant.     

Advances in the Management of Post-Radical Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction: Treatment Strategies When PDE-5 Inhibitors Don't Work

Phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of post-radical prostatectomy erectile dysfunction. For those patients who undergo a non-nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy or whose condition fails to respond to PDE-5 inhibitors, alternative treatment with intracavernous injection therapy, transurethral alprostadil, vacuum erection devices, and recently described combination therapy is available. The goals of therapy are to provide the patient with a means of obtaining an erection so that the patient and his partner may resume sexual relations as soon as possible following radical prostatectomy. There is evidence that early institution of treatment may promote improvement in the return of spontaneous erections in patients who have undergone nerve preservation. In patients who undergo non-nerve-sparing procedures, therapy may improve penile rigidity. Intracavernous injection therapy, transurethral alprostadil, and vacuum devices are highly effective in the management of post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction. High dropout rates, which are not related to adverse effects, have been described with all 3 modalities. Pre- and postoperative counseling may improve patient and partner satisfaction.     

Engineering d‐limonene synthase down‐regulation in orange fruit induces resistance against the fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa through enhanced accumulation of monoterpene alcohols and activation of defence

Terpene volatiles play an important role in the interactions between specialized pathogens and fruits. Citrus black spot (CBS), caused by the fungus Phyllosticta citricarpa, is associated with crop losses in different citrus‐growing areas worldwide. The pathogen may infect the fruit for 20–24 weeks after petal fall, but the typical hard spot symptoms appear when the fruit have almost reached maturity, caused by fungal colonization and the induction of cell lysis around essential oil cavities. d ‐Limonene represents approximately 95% of the total oil gland content in mature orange fruit. Herein, we investigated whether orange fruit with reduced d ‐limonene content in peel oil glands via an antisense (AS) approach may affect fruit interaction with P. citricarpa relative to empty vector (EV) controls. AS fruit showed enhanced resistance to the fungus relative to EV fruit. Because of the reduced d ‐limonene content, an over‐accumulation of linalool and other monoterpene alcohols was found in AS relative to EV fruit. A global gene expression analysis at 2 h and 8 days after inoculation with P. citricarpa revealed the activation of defence responses in AS fruit via the up‐regulation of different pathogenesis‐related (PR) protein genes, probably as a result of enhanced constitutive accumulation of linalool and other alcohols. When assayed in vitro and in vivo, monoterpene alcohols at the concentrations present in AS fruit showed strong antifungal activity. We show here that terpene engineering in fruit peels could be a promising method for the development of new strategies to obtain resistance to fruit diseases.