Widening the gene pool of sexual tetraploid bahiagrass: Generation and reproductive characterization of a sexual synthetic tetraploid population

The improvement of bahiagrass, Paspalum notatum Flüggé, has been inhibited by reduced levels of genetic diversity in sexual tetraploid germplasm. A few experimental sexual tetraploid genotypes (ESTGs) have been generated by chromosome doubling, but these plants typically exhibit low vigor. The objectives of this work were to generate and characterize the ploidy level, mode of reproduction, and fertility of a novel 308 individual sexual synthetic tetraploid population (SSTP) developed by intercrossing 29 sexual F1 hybrids originated by hybridizing several naturally occurring apomictic tetraploids from diverse origin with a few ESTGs. Ploidy levels were determined using flow cytometry, and reproductive modes were evaluated by a molecular assay with apospory-linked markers and embryo sac observations. The tetraploid level and the sexual mode of reproduction remained stable after two cycles of recombination during the generation of the SSTP. Fertility was evaluated based on seed set under self- and open pollination during 3 yr. The SSTP exhibited in average 30.2 and 15.2% seed set under open and self-pollina-tion, respectively, showing a predominantly cross-pollination behavior with variable levels of self-fertility. There were no differences in terms of fertility between the SSTP and the ESTG. The novel tetraploid population behaves as sexual and cross-pollinated, and it is expected to allow a more efficient genetic improvement under the proposed breeding approaches.Fil: Zilli, Alex Leonel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Acuña, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Schulz, R. R.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Brugnoli, Elsa Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Guidalevich, Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Quarin, Camilo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Eric Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; Argentin

Living on borrowed time – Amazonian trees use decade‐old storage carbon to survive for months after complete stem girdling

Nonstructural carbon (NSC) reserves act as buffers to sustain tree activity during periods when carbon (C) assimilation does not meet C demand, but little is known about their age and accessibility; we designed a controlled girdling experiment in the Amazon to study tree survival on NSC reserves. We used bomb-radiocarbon (14C) to monitor the time elapsed between C fixation and release (‘age’ of substrates). We simultaneously monitored how the mobilization of reserve C affected δ13CO2. Six ungirdled control trees relied almost exclusively on recent assimilates throughout the 17 months of measurement. The Δ14C of CO2 emitted from the six girdled stems increased significantly over time after girdling, indicating substantial remobilization of storage NSC fixed up to 13–14 yr previously. This remobilization was not accompanied by a consistent change in observed δ13CO2. These trees have access to storage pools integrating C accumulated over more than a decade. Remobilization follows a very clear reverse chronological mobilization with younger reserve pools being mobilized first. The lack of a shift in the δ13CO2 might indicate a constant contribution of starch hydrolysis to the soluble sugar pool even outside pronounced stress periods (regular mixing). © 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trus

Incentivando vocaciones informáticas femeninas: el Club de Chicas Programadoras en Resistencia

En la era de la Industria 4.0, el desafío es cómo formar la fuerza laboral de esa Industria, llamados trabajadores 4.0. Por otra parte, para superar la brecha existente desde antaño, en cuanto al género es, sin lugar a dudas, un gran desafío que requiere la multiplicidad de acciones. En tal sentido Chicas TiC es una iniciativa de un conjunto de profesionales que, con el afán de fomentar de manera específica entre la población femenina las vocaciones informáticas han iniciado durante los meses de enero y febrero del 2020 el 1er curso en el marco del Club de Programadoras en Resistencia. El trabajo describe la experiencia, conclusiones preliminares y acciones futuras a desarrollar en pos de la formación de competencias de programación para incentivar vocaciones informáticas femeninas a través del club de chicas programadoras en Resistencia.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Species-specific adaptations explain resilience of herbaceous understorey to increased precipitation variability in a Mediterranean oak woodland

To date, the implications of the predicted greater intra-annual variability and extremes in precipitation on ecosystem functioning have received little attention. This study presents results on leaf-level physiological responses of five species covering the functional groups grasses, forbs, and legumes in the understorey of a Mediterranean oak woodland, with increasing precipitation variability, without altering total annual precipitation inputs. Although extending the dry period between precipitation events from 3 to 6 weeks led to increased soil moisture deficit, overall treatment effects on photosynthetic performance were not observed in the studied species. This resilience to prolonged water stress was explained by different physiological and morphological strategies to withstand periods below the wilting point, that is, isohydric behavior in Agrostis, Rumex, and Tuberaria, leaf succulence in Rumex, and taproots in Tolpis. In addition, quick recovery upon irrigation events and species-specific adaptations of water-use efficiency with longer dry periods and larger precipitation events contributed to the observed resilience in productivity of the annual plant community. Although none of the species exhibited a change in cover with increasing precipitation variability, leaf physiology of the legume Ornithopus exhibited signs of sensitivity to moisture deficit, which may have implications for the agricultural practice of seeding legume-rich mixtures in Mediterranean grassland-type systems. This highlights the need for long-term precipitation manipulation experiments to capture possible directional changes in species composition and seed bank development, which can subsequently affect ecosystem state and functioninginfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactivators as a potential strategy for dredged marine sediment recovery

Sediment dredging from harbors and water bodies in order to maintain the navigation is a necessity worldwide; however, the storage and treatment of sediments is a problem for harbor managers. Sediment decontamination could represent a sustainable approach for turning them into a new source of environmentally reusable material. To manage the sediments dredged from the Livorno harbour, several possible recycling techniques are being explored, including sediment washing and bioremediation. A combination of these two techniques can also be taken into consideration. This study examines the feasibility of an enzyme enhanced bioremediation technology used as it is, or in combination with the sediment washing. Specifically, we applied an enhanced bioremediation approach to both raw sediments and two derivate granulometric fractions separated by a pilot sediment washing facility: a silt-clay fraction (63 \u3bcm<200 \u3bcm). The preliminary sediment washing was effective in concentrating the organic and inorganic contamination into a smaller volume of fine sediment particles (silt-clay). The bioremediation experiment, carried out in triplicate at mesoscale level, consisted in setting up containers of about 0.2 m3 each, filled with the three matrices (raw sediment, clay-silt and sand fractions) treated and untreated (control) with bioactivators (a mixture of microorganisms, enzymes and synergists). The physical, chemical and biological properties of sediments were determined at the initial sampling time (t0) and after three months (t90) from the beginning of the experimentation. The bioactivator application, providing specialized microorganisms and stimulating the growth of indigenous microorganisms, determined the increase in microbial respiration and in hydrolytic enzyme activities in all the treated matrices, in particular in the siltclay fraction. However, this fraction both treated and untreated, has not been able to degrade significant amount of organic pollutants. This is probably due to the burial of contaminats in micropores making them inaccessible to microorganisms and extracellular enzymes. On the contrary, a significant reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbon was observed in sand and raw sediment matrices after three months from remediation strategy application (about 50%), indicating the efficiency of the bioremediation technology

International Expert Opinions and Recommendations on the Use of Melatonin in the Treatment of Insomnia and Circadian Sleep Disturbances in Adult Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Introduction: Insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders, such as the delayed sleep phase syndrome, are frequent in psychiatric disorders and their evaluation and management in early stages should be a priority. The aim of this paper was to express recommendations on the use of exogenous melatonin, which exhibits both chronobiotic and sleep-promoting actions, for the treatment of these sleep disturbances in psychiatric disorders. Methods: To this aim, we conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA on the use of melatonin for the treatment of insomnia and circadian sleep disorders in neuropsychiatry. We expressed recommendations for the use of melatonin in psychiatric clinical practice for each disorder using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method. Results: We selected 41 studies, which included mood disorders, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, autism spectrum disorders, neurocognitive disorders, and delirium; no studies were found for both anxiety and eating disorders. Conclusion: The administration of prolonged release melatonin at 2–10 mg, 1–2 h before bedtime, might be used in the treatment of insomnia symptoms or comorbid insomnia in mood disorders, schizophrenia, in adults with autism spectrum disorders, neurocognitive disorders and during sedative-hypnotics discontinuation. Immediate release melatonin at &lt;1 mg might be useful in the treatment of circadian sleep disturbances of neuropsychiatric disorders

Efficacy of antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia: results after 24 months in Italian patients in the Schizophrenia Outpatient Health Outcomes (SOHO) study Efficacia della terapia antipsicotica per la schizofrenia: risultati a 24 mesi dello studio SOHO

Summary Objectives Aim of the present study was to examine the outcomes associated with antipsychotic treatment over a 24-month timeframe for Italian patients taking part in the Schizophrenia Outpatient Health Outcomes (SOHO) study. Methods SOHO is a prospective Results A large number of patients (2,533) continued treatment for 24 months with the antipsychotic started at baseline. The CGI-overall score improved from baseline after continuous treatment for 6, 12, 18 and 24 months in all treatment groups (Fig. 2). Compared with olanzapine, there was significantly less improvement in the CGI-overall score for the other antipsychotic groups, except clozapine. Likewise, quality of life improved in all treatment groups in all epochs, and there was a significantly greater improvement in EQ-VAS with olanzapine compared with risperidone and oral typicals (Fig. 3) . Social functioning also improved in all treatment groups, but more patients had social activities in the olanzapine group than in the clozapine group (after 6, 12 and 18 months continuous treatment) or typical antipsychotic groups (oral typical: after 6 and 12 months; depot typical: after 6 months continuous treatment) (Tab. V). Olanzapine, clozapine and quetiapine were associated with less EPS after treatment in all four epochs (Tab. VI). Olanzapine and clozapine were associated with higher average weight gain Conclusion

RGS4 negatively modulates Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ opioid receptor signaling: implication for L-Dopa induced dyskinesia

Background and purpose Regulator of G-protein signal 4 (RGS4) is a signal transduction protein that accelerates intrinsic GTPase activity of Gαi/o and Gαq subunits, suppressing GPCR signaling. Here we investigate whether RGS4 modulates nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) opioid (NOP) receptor signaling and this modulation has relevance for L-Dopa-induced dyskinesia. Experimental approach HEK293T cells transfected with NOP, NOP/RGS4 or NOP/RGS19 were challenged with N/OFQ and the small molecule NOP agonist AT-403, using D1-stimulated cAMP levels as a readout. Primary rat striatal neurons and adult mouse striatal slices were challenged with N/OFQ or AT-403 in the presence of the experimental RGS4 chemical probe, CCG-203920, and D1-stimulated cAMP or phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (pERK) responses were monitored. In vivo, CCG-203920 was co-administered with AT-403 and L-Dopa to 6-hydroxydopamine hemilesioned rats, and dyskinetic movements, striatal biochemical correlates of dyskinesia (pERK and pGluR1 levels) and striatal RGS4 levels were measured. Key results RGS4 expression reduced NOFQ and AT-403 potency and efficacy in HEK293T cells. CCG-203920 increased N/OFQ potency in primary rat striatal neurons, and potentiated AT-403 response in mouse striatal slices. CCG-203920 enhanced AT-403 mediated inhibition of dyskinesia and its biochemical correlates, without compromising its motor-improving effects. Unilateral dopamine depletion caused bilateral reduction of RGS4 levels, which was reversed by L-Dopa. L-Dopa acutely upregulated RGS4 in the lesioned striatum. Conclusions and Implications RGS4 physiologically inhibits NOP receptor signaling. CCG-203920 enhanced NOP responses and improved the antidyskinetic potential of NOP receptor agonists, mitigating the effects of striatal RGS4 upregulation occurring during dyskinesia expression

PON1 polymorphisms can predict generalized anxiety and depressed mood in patients with multiple chemical sensitivity

Background: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic condition with somatic, cognitive and affective symptoms that follow contact with chemical agents at usually non toxic concentrations. We aimed to assess the role of genetic polymorphisms involved in oxidative stress on anxiety and depression in MCS. Materials &amp; methods: Our study investigated the CAT rs1001179, MPO rs2333227, PON1 rs662 and PON1 rs705379 polymorphisms in MCS. Results: The AG genotype of the PON1 rs662 and the TT and CT genotypes of the PON1 rs705379 were involved in anxiety and depression. Discussion: These results are in line with existing evidence of PON1 involvement in MCS and suggest a further role of this gene in the exhibition of anxiety and depression in this disease