Foliar application of different vegetal-derived protein hydrolysates distinctively modulates tomato root development and metabolism

Despite the scientific evidence supporting their biostimulant activity, the molecular mechanism(s) underlying the activity of protein hydrolysates (PHs) and the specificity among different products are still poorly explored. This work tested five different protein hydrolysates, produced from different plant sources using the same enzymatic approach, for their ability to promote rooting in tomato cuttings following quick dipping. Provided that all the different PHs increased root length (45\u201393%) and some of them increased root number (37\u201356%), untargeted metabolomics followed by multivariate statistics and pathway analysis were used to unravel the molecular processes at the basis of the biostimulant activity. Distinct metabolomic signatures could be found in roots following the PHs treatments. In general, PHs shaped the phytohormone profile, modulating the complex interaction between cytokinins and auxins, an interplay playing a pivotal role in root development, and triggered a down accumulation of brassinosteroids. Concerning secondary metabolism, PHs induced the accumulation of aliphatic glucosinolates, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids, potentially eliciting crop resilience to stress conditions. Here, we confirm that PHs may have a hormone-like activity, and that their application can modulate plant growth, likely interfering with signaling processes. Noteworthy, the heterogenicity of the botanical origin supported the distinctive and peculiar metabolomic responses we observed across the products tested. While supporting their biostimulant activity, these findings suggest that a generalized crop response to PHs cannot be defined and that specific effects are rather to be investigated

Broadly reactive human CD8 T cells that recognize an epitope conserved between VZV, HSV and EBV

Human herpesviruses are important causes of potentially severe chronic infections for which T cells are believed to be necessary for control. In order to examine the role of virus-specific CD8 T cells against Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), we generated a comprehensive panel of potential epitopes predicted in silico and screened for T cell responses in healthy VZV seropositive donors. We identified a dominant HLA-A*0201-restricted epitope in the VZV ribonucleotide reductase subunit 2 and used a tetramer to analyze the phenotype and function of epitope-specific CD8 T cells. Interestingly, CD8 T cells responding to this VZV epitope also recognized homologous epitopes, not only in the other α-herpesviruses, HSV-1 and HSV-2, but also the γ-herpesvirus, EBV. Responses against these epitopes did not depend on previous infection with the originating virus, thus indicating the cross-reactive nature of this T cell population. Between individuals, the cells demonstrated marked phenotypic heterogeneity. This was associated with differences in functional capacity related to increased inhibitory receptor expression (including PD-1) along with decreased expression of co-stimulatory molecules that potentially reflected their stimulation history. Vaccination with the live attenuated Zostavax vaccine did not efficiently stimulate a proliferative response in this epitope-specific population. Thus, we identified a human CD8 T cell epitope that is conserved in four clinically important herpesviruses but that was poorly boosted by the current adult VZV vaccine. We discuss the concept of a “pan-herpesvirus” vaccine that this discovery raises and the hurdles that may need to be overcome in order to achieve this

Foliar application of an amino acid-enriched urea fertilizer on ‘greco’ grapevines at full veraison increases berry yeast-assimilable nitrogen content

Reaching a sufficient yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) content in berries at harvest is considered a main viticultural goal for wine-making, because low YANs can slow down must fermentation and have negative effects on wine sensory attributes. For this reason, many attempts have been made to define correct fertilization strategies to stimulate YAN accumulation in the berries. Foliar application of amino acid-enriched urea fertilizer is considered a promising environmentally friendly strategy for improving the yield and nutrient efficiency of plants. The aim of this two-year research was to study the effects of two fertilizers based on urea enriched with amino acids applied at low doses in diverse phenological stages on berry YAN concentration in ‘Greco’ grapevines. The results of this study indicate that amino acid-enriched urea fertilizers induced an increase in YANs in the ‘Greco’ berries at harvest, but only when the application was undertaken at full veraison. Foliar applications applied at veraison onset or post-veraison appeared to be ineffective. In addition, the fertilizers enhanced YAN accumulation in the berry without modifying the other composition parameters measured in this study (total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH and malic acid). Therefore, the results of our study suggest that foliar application of urea fertilizers enriched with amino acids is an effective strategy to increase yeast-assimilable nitrogen concentration in grapevine berries at harvest

Airway management in a patient with Le Fort III Fracture

Maxillofacial fractures present unique airway problem to the anesthesiologist. Patients with LeFort III fractures are at great risk of requiring emergent airway control due to midface instability and oropharyngeal airway obstruction. We present a case where difficult intubation was managed with close cooperation between the anesthesiologist and the surgeon