Developing 1D nanostructure arrays for future nanophotonics

There is intense and growing interest in one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures from the perspective of their synthesis and unique properties, especially with respect to their excellent optical response and an ability to form heterostructures. This review discusses alternative approaches to preparation and organization of such structures, and their potential properties. In particular, molecular-scale printing is highlighted as a method for creating organized pre-cursor structure for locating nanowires, as well as vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) templated growth using nano-channel alumina (NCA), and deposition of 1-D structures with glancing angle deposition (GLAD). As regards novel optical properties, we discuss as an example, finite size photonic crystal cavity structures formed from such nanostructure arrays possessing highQand small mode volume, and being ideal for developing future nanolasers

Upregulation of two ripening-related genes from a non-climacteric plant (pepper) in a transgenic climacteric plant (tomato)

Activities of promoters from the capsanthin/capsorubin synthase and fibrillin genes, which are molecular markers for ripening in the non-climacteric pepper fruits, have been studied in transgenic tomato plants that produce fruits of the climacteric type (characterized by an increase in respiration and ethylene production). The promoters of both genes were strongly upregulated during tomato fruit ripening in a manner similar to the induction of these genes in pepper fruits. Induction occurred at the mature green stage preceding ripening (a stage when ethylene production and respiration are known to rise in tomato fruits). Ethylene positively influenced the expression of both genes in tomato. Other plant growth regulators, namely abscisic acid, auxin and polyamines, did not alter gene expression. In contrast, water loss strongly induced both promoters. This dehydration-mediated gene induction was inhibited by mitochondrial respiration inhibitors (mainly of the alternative oxidase). A slight positive effect with light, apparently not linked to normal photosynthesis but rather to photooxidative stress, was also observed. Taken together, the data indicate that activation of oxidase systems, leading to changes in the cellular redox balance, mediates the induction of both genes in tomato. Various cellular compartments are likely to be contributors to this process, which leads to the developmental regulation of nuclear genes encoding plastid-located proteins

Infecção natural por Entamoeba histolytica Schaudinn, 1903 em Euphractus sexcinctus (tatu) mantidos em cativeiro Natural infection by Entamoeba histolytica Schaudinn, 1903 in Euphractus sexcinctus (armadillo) kept in captivity

<abstract language="eng">Fecal samples of two species of armadillos Euphractus sexcinctus (Xenarthra, Dasypodidae), kept in captivity were analysed by direct and sedimentation methods. Entamoeba histolytica Schaudinn, 1903 and E. coli Grassi, 1879 (Amoebida, Endamoebidae) cysts were observed, the former for the first time in armadillos. This parasitism is worthy of registration in the literature because of the possibility of transmission to the human being when these animals are kept in captivity

Fibroblastic subtype has a favourable prognosis in appendicular osteosarcoma of dogs

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive malignant bone neoplasm that occurs mostly in the appendicular skeleton of dogs and people. OS is classified based on the presence of malignant stroma and the formation of extracellular matrix into osteoblastic, chondroblastic and fibroblastic forms. This study investigated the correlation between the three histological subtypes of canine OS and clinical outcome. Additionally, we examined whether there was any difference in the immunolabelling of desmin, S100 and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) between the three histological subtypes. Formalin-fixed and paraffin wax-embedded tissues from 87 dogs with primary OS were available for this study. The survival times were correlated with appendicular OS subtypes in dogs that were treated surgically, received adjuvant chemotherapy and had no pulmonary metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Dogs with an appendicular fibroblastic OS had significantly prolonged mean average survival times (546 ± 105 days) in comparison with dogs having appendicular osteoblastic (257 ± 48 days) or appendicular chondroblastic (170 ± 28 days) OS (P = 0.003, Log Rank). The results also revealed that the appendicular chondroblastic subtype is a significant indicator for poor prognosis in dogs compared with the fibroblastic or osteoblastic subtypes (P = 0.006, Cox regression). Moreover, the findings indicated that there was no significant correlation between the localization of desmin, NSE or S100 and histological subtypes. Importantly, dogs with appendicular fibroblastic OS were found to have a better prognosis when compared with dogs with other subtypes. This may suggest that histological subtypes of appendicular OS have diverse behaviour and could be used to categorize patients for risk-based assessment