Growth and nutritional response of Nemared peach rootstock infected with Pratylenchus vulnus and the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae

Les effets de l'interaction entre #Pratylenchus vulnus et le champignon mycorrhizien #Glomus mosseae sur les porte-greffe de pêcher "Nemared" ont été étudiés en microparcelles pendant deux saisons de croissance. Le poids frais des pieds, le diamètre de la tige, la longueur des pieds et le poids frais des racines sont significativement plus faibles chez les pieds infestés par le nématode - qu'ils soient ou non colonisés par #G. mosseae$- que chez les pieds non infestés. Un taux élevé de phosphore augmente la croissance des pêchers dans le cas de témoins non mycorrhizés. Les traitements des pieds infestés par "P. vulnus$ à l'aide de mycorrhizes provoquent une diminution de la population finale du nématode et du nombre de nématodes par gramme de racine par rapport aux pieds infestés par #P. vulnus et non traités à l'aide du champignon. La colonisation par les mycorrhizes n'est pas affectée par la présence du nématode. Chez les pieds infestés par le nématode, le Cu est le seul élément déficitaire détecté par analyse foliaire, quoique des taux faibles de fer y aient été observés. Les taux les plus élevés de Ma, Mg, Mn et Zn ont été détectés chez les pieds infestés par #P. vulnus. Les pieds mycorrhizés recèlent les taux les plus élevés de Cu et d'Al. #G. mosseae est bénéfique pour la croissance des pêchers "Nemared" mais ne leur confère aucune protection contre #P. vulnus. (Résumé d'auteur

Acetyl Phosphate as a Primordial Energy Currency at the Origin of Life

Metabolism is primed through the formation of thioesters via acetyl CoA and the phosphorylation of substrates by ATP. Prebiotic equivalents such as methyl thioacetate and acetyl phosphate have been proposed to catalyse analogous reactions at the origin of life, but their propensity to hydrolyse challenges this view. Here we show that acetyl phosphate (AcP) can be synthesised in water within minutes from thioacetate (but not methyl thioacetate) under ambient conditions. AcP is stable over hours, depending on temperature, pH and cation content, giving it an ideal poise between stability and reactivity. We show that AcP can phosphorylate nucleotide precursors such as ribose to ribose-5-phosphate and adenosine to adenosine monophosphate, at modest (~2%) yield in water, and at a range of pH. AcP can also phosphorylate ADP to ATP in water over several hours at 50 °C. But AcP did not promote polymerization of either glycine or AMP. The amino group of glycine was preferentially acetylated by AcP, especially at alkaline pH, hindering the formation of polypeptides. AMP formed small stacks of up to 7 monomers, but these did not polymerise in the presence of AcP in aqueous solution. We conclude that AcP can phosphorylate biologically meaningful substrates in a manner analogous to ATP, promoting the origins of metabolism, but is unlikely to have driven polymerization of macromolecules such as polypeptides or RNA in free solution. This is consistent with the idea that a period of monomer (cofactor) catalysis preceded the emergence of polymeric enzymes or ribozymes at the origin of life

An Origin-of-Life Reactor to Simulate Alkaline Hydrothermal Vents

Chemiosmotic coupling is universal: practically all cells harness electrochemical proton gradients across membranes to drive ATP synthesis, powering biochemistry. Autotrophic cells, including phototrophs and chemolithotrophs, also use proton gradients to power carbon fixation directly. The universality of chemiosmotic coupling suggests that it arose very early in evolution, but its origins are obscure. Alkaline hydrothermal systems sustain natural proton gradients across the thin inorganic barriers of interconnected micropores within deep-sea vents. In Hadean oceans, these inorganic barriers should have contained catalytic Fe(Ni)S minerals similar in structure to cofactors in modern metabolic enzymes, suggesting a possible abiotic origin of chemiosmotic coupling. The continuous supply of H2 and CO2 from vent fluids and early oceans, respectively, offers further parallels with the biochemistry of ancient autotrophic cells, notably the acetyl CoA pathway in archaea and bacteria. However, the precise mechanisms by which natural proton gradients, H2, CO2 and metal sulphides could have driven organic synthesis are uncertain, and theoretical ideas lack empirical support. We have built a simple electrochemical reactor to simulate conditions in alkaline hydrothermal vents, allowing investigation of the possibility that abiotic vent chemistry could prefigure the origins of biochemistry. We discuss the construction and testing of the reactor, describing the precipitation of thin-walled, inorganic structures containing nickel-doped mackinawite, a catalytic Fe(Ni)S mineral, under prebiotic ocean conditions. These simulated vent structures appear to generate low yields of simple organics. Synthetic microporous matrices can concentrate organics by thermophoresis over several orders of magnitude under continuous open-flow vent conditions

Response of mycorrhizal grapevine to Armillaria mellea inoculation: disease development and polyamines.

A study was conducted with the vine rootstock Richter 110 (Vitis berlandieri Planch. x Vitis rupestris L.) in order to assess whether the colonisation by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus intraradices (BEG 72) can delay the disease development in plants inoculated with the root-rot fungus Armillaria mellea (Vahl:Fr) Kummer, and to elucidate if the levels of polyamines (PAs) are modified in response to G. intraradices, A. mellea or by the dual infection. Four treatments were considered: control and G. intraradices-inoculated plants infected or not with A. mellea. Plant growth, mycorrhizal colonisation and disease development were monitored throughout the experiment. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in combination with fluorescence spectrophotometry was used to separate and quantify free root and leaf polyamines. The slower development of pathogenic symptoms and the higher plant biomass of mycorrhizal plants inoculated with A. mellea indicate an increase of tolerance due to the AMF inoculation. The variations in free PA levels detected at the beginning of the pathogenic infection suggest that PAs may have a potential role in the signalling mechanisms of the tolerance of mycorrhizal plants against A. mellea

A phase 3 multicenter, prospective, open-label efficacy and safety study of immune globulin (human) 10% caprylate/chromatography purified in patients with myasthenia gravis exacerbations

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular transmission. Exacerbations may involve increasing bulbar weakness and/or sudden respiratory failure, both of which can be critically disabling. Management of MG exacerbations includes plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG); they are equally effective, but patients experience fewer side effects with IVIG. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of immune globulin caprylate/chromatography purified (IGIV-C) in subjects with MG exacerbations. Methods: This prospective, open-label, non-controlled 28-day clinical trial was conducted in adults with MG Foundation of America class IVb or V status. Subjects received IGIV-C 2 g/kg over 2 consecutive days (1 g/kg/day) and were assessed for efficacy/safety on Days 7, 14, 21, and 28. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from Baseline in quantitative MG (QMG) score to Day 14. Secondary endpoints of clinical response, Baseline to Day 14, included at least a 3-point decrease in QMG and MG Composite and a 2-point decrease in MG-activities of daily living (MG-ADL). Results: Forty-nine subjects enrolled. The change in QMG score at Day 14 was significant (p < 0.001) in the Evaluable (-6.4, n = 43) and Safety (-6.7, n = 49) populations. Among evaluable subjects, Day 14 response rates were 77, 86, and 88% for QMG, MG Composite, and MG-ADL, respectively. IGIV-C showed good tolerability with no serious adverse events. Conclusions: The results of this study show that IGIV-C was effective, safe, and well tolerated in the treatment of MG exacerbations

Changes in CO2 Adsorption Affinity Related to Ni Doping in FeS Surfaces: A DFT-D3 Study

Metal sulphides constitute cheap, naturally abundant, and environmentally friendly materials for energy storage applications and chemistry. In particular, iron (II) monosulphide (FeS, mackinawite) is a material of relevance in theories of the origin of life and for heterogenous catalytic applications in the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) towards small organic molecules. In natural mackinawite, Fe is often substituted by other metals, however, little is known about how such substitutions alter the chemical activity of the material. Herein, the effect of Ni doping on the structural, electronic, and catalytic properties of FeS surfaces is explored via dispersion-corrected density functional theory simulations. Substitutional Ni dopants, introduced on the Fe site, are readily incorporated into the pristine matrix of FeS, in good agreement with experimental measurements. The CO2 molecule was found to undergo deactivation and partial desorption from the doped surfaces, mainly at the Ni site when compared to undoped FeS surfaces. This behaviour is attributed to the energetically lowered d-band centre position of the doped surface, as a consequence of the increased number of paired electrons originating from the Ni dopant. The reaction and activation energies of CO2 dissociation atop the doped surfaces were found to be increased when compared to pristine surfaces, thus helping to further elucidate the role Ni could have played in the reactivity of FeS. It is expected that Ni doping in other Fe-sulphides may have a similar effect, limiting the catalytic activity of these phases when this dopant is present at their surfaces

Первичная эмфизема легких у молодого мужчины, обусловленная гомозиготным дефицитом α1-антитрипсина (генотип ZZ): перспективы организации помощи больным

This review discusses alpha-1-antitripsin (AAT) deficiency that is a wide-spread autosomal-recessive monogenic enzymopathy related to PI gene mutations. The most serious injury related to AAT deficiency is primary emphysema. A role of AAT for normal growth and functioning of the lungs as well as for occurrence of various structural and functional disorders is reviewed in the articles. The authors' own findings about AAT deficiency prevalence in Russian population are also shown. Clinical features of AAT deficiency and diagnostic methods are described. Finally, a clinical report of primary pulmonary emphysema due to congenital AAT deficiency is demonstrated.Приводится клинический случай эмфиземы легких, связанный с гомозиготным дефицитом α1-антитрипсина, а также алгоритм диагностики

Characterization of Novel Paternal ncRNAs at the Plagl1 Locus, Including Hymai, Predicted to Interact with Regulators of Active Chromatin

Genomic imprinting is a complex epigenetic mechanism of transcriptional control that utilizes DNA methylation and histone modifications to bring about parent-of-origin specific monoallelic expression in mammals. Genes subject to imprinting are often organised in clusters associated with large non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), some of which have cis-regulatory functions. Here we have undertaken a detailed allelic expression analysis of an imprinted domain on mouse proximal chromosome 10 comprising the paternally expressed Plagl1 gene. We identified three novel Plagl1 transcripts, only one of which contains protein-coding exons. In addition, we characterised two unspliced ncRNAs, Hymai, the mouse orthologue of HYMAI, and Plagl1it (Plagl1 intronic transcript), a transcript located in intron 5 of Plagl1. Imprinted expression of these novel ncRNAs requires DNMT3L-mediated maternal DNA methylation, which is also indispensable for establishing the correct chromatin profile at the Plagl1 DMR. Significantly, the two ncRNAs are retained in the nucleus, consistent with a potential regulatory function at the imprinted domain. Analysis with catRAPID, a protein-ncRNA association prediction algorithm, suggests that Hymai and Plagl1it RNAs both have potentially high affinity for Trithorax chromatin regulators. The two ncRNAs could therefore help to protect the paternal allele from DNA methylation by attracting Trithorax proteins that mediate H3 lysine-4 methylation

Lipoatròfia semicircular: protocol d'actuació 2015

Lipoatròfia semicircular; Prevenció; Procediments d'actuacióLipoatrophia semicircularis; Prevention; ProceduresLipoatrofia semicircular; Prevención; Procedimientos de actuaciónRecull detallat de les mesures preventives, de les actuacions en cas de lipoatròfia semicircular i tot allò relacionat amb l'obtenció de dades per a la notificació i seguiment de la malaltia

Promotion of protocell self-assembly from mixed amphiphiles at the origin of life

Vesicles formed from single-chain amphiphiles (SCAs) such as fatty acids probably played an important role in the origin of life. A major criticism of the hypothesis that life arose in an early ocean hydrothermal environment is that hot temperatures, large pH gradients, high salinity and abundant divalent cations should preclude vesicle formation. However, these arguments are based on model vesicles using 1–3 SCAs, even though Fischer–Tropsch-type synthesis under hydrothermal conditions produces a wide array of fatty acids and 1-alkanols, including abundant C10–C15 compounds. Here, we show that mixtures of these C10–C15 SCAs form vesicles in aqueous solutions between pH ~6.5 and >12 at modern seawater concentrations of NaCl, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Adding C10 isoprenoids improves vesicle stability even further. Vesicles form most readily at temperatures of ~70 °C and require salinity and strongly alkaline conditions to self-assemble. Thus, alkaline hydrothermal conditions not only permit protocell formation at the origin of life but actively favour it