Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolB gene affects photosynthesis and chlorophyll content in transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants

Insertion of Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolB gene into plant genome affects plant development, hormone balance and defence. However, beside the current research, the overall transcriptional response and gene expression of rolB as a modulator in plant is unknown. Transformed rolB tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar Tondino has been used to investigate the differential expression profile. Tomato is a well-known model organism both at the genetic and molecular level, and one of the most important commercial food crops in the world. Through the construction and characterization of a cDNA subtracted library, we have investigated the differential gene expression between transgenic clones of rolB and control tomato and have evaluated genes specifically transcribed in transgenic rolB plants. Among the selected genes, five genes encoding for chlorophyll a/b binding protein, carbonic anhydrase, cytochrome b6/f complex Fe-S subunit, potassium efflux antiporter 3, and chloroplast small heat-shock protein, all involved in chloroplast function, were identified. Measurement of photosynthesis efficiency by the level of three different photosynthetic parameters (Fv/Fm, rETR, NPQ) showed rolB significant increase in non-photochemical quenching and a, b chlorophyll content. Our results point to highlight the role of rolB on plant fitness by improving photosynthesis

Randomized comparison of total laparoscopic, laparoscopically assisted vaginal and vaginal hysterectomies for myomatous uteri

To compare the operative data and early postoperative outcomes of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH), laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and vaginal hysterectomy (VH). One hundred and eight women requiring hysterectomy for enlarged myomatous uterus were randomly allocated into three treatment arms: TLH (n = 36); LAVH (n = 36); VH (n = 36). Randomization procedure was based on a computer-generated list. The primary outcome was the discharge time comparison. The secondary outcomes were operating time, blood loss, paralytic ileus time, intraoperative complications, postoperative pain, and early postoperative complications. The mean discharge time was shorter after VH than after LAVH and TLH (P = 0.001). Operating time significantly influenced the discharge time, considered as a dependent variable in general linear model analysis (P = 0.006). In contrast, blood loss did not influence the discharge time (P = 0.55).The mean operating time was significantly shorter in VH than in TLH and LAVH groups (P = 0.000).The intraoperative blood loss was greater during LAVH than during TLH and VH (P = 0.000).Paralytic ileus time was shorter after VH than after TLH and LAVH (P = 0.000). No intraoperative complications or conversion to laparotomy occurred. VH was the faster operative technique with smaller blood loss and shorter discharge time compared with the others two techniques. So, VH should be considered the preferred approach in patients with enlarged myomatous uteri. When VH is not feasible or salpingo-oophorectomy is required, LAVH or TLH should be considered as valid alternatives. It is necessary to continue prospective comparative studies between the various surgical options to identify the best approach for hysterectomy in each single woman

Systemic mastocytosis and essential thrombocythemia: Case report and literature overview

Case report of a patient with essential thrombocythemia and mastocytosis and overview of the literatur

GIADA performance during Rosetta mission scientific operations at comet 67P

The Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) instrument onboard Rosetta studied the dust environment of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko from 3.7 au inbound, through perihelion, to 3.8 au outbound, measuring the dust flow and the dynamic properties of individual particles. GIADA is composed of three subsystems: 1) Grain Detection System (GDS); 2) Impact Sensor (IS); and 3) Micro-Balances System (MBS). Monitoring the subsystems’ performance during operations is an important element for the correct calibration of scientific measurements. In this paper, we analyse the GIADA inflight calibration data obtained by internal calibration devices for the three subsystems during the period from 1 August 2014 to 31 October 2015. The calibration data testify a nominal behaviour of the instrument during these fifteen months of mission; the only exception is a minor loss of sensitivity for one of the two GDS receivers, attributed to dust contamination

Ricerche sulla crioconservazione di embrioni di Lepidotteri: sviluppo embrionale e sopravvivenza a seguito di trattamenti con agenti crioprotettivi

L’applicazione delle tecniche di crioconservazione, già sviluppate per gli embrioni di mammiferi, alla conservazione del germoplasma di artropodi presenta difficoltà legate all’elevata sensibilità al congelamento degli embrioni e alla riduzione della permeabilità ai crioprotettivi dovuta alla presenza dei rivestimenti esterni delle uova ( corion e membrana vitellina). Obiettivo del presente lavoro è la definizione di protocolli di conservazione di uova di Lepidotteri, condotte utilizzando stadi embrionali diversi di due specie modello di rilevante importanza nei settori degli studi di base e delle ricerche di tipo applicato, Galleria mellonella L. e Bombyx mori L. Studi preliminari sull’embriologia di queste due specie ci hanno permesso d’individuare gli con più elevata resistenza agli stress termici e quindi maggiormente idonei per le successive prove di crioconservazione. Vari protocolli per la decorionizzazione e permeabilizzazione degli embrioni sono stati messi a confronto

Neurological soft signs in obsessive-compulsive disorder: two empirical studies and meta-analysis

Neurological soft signs (NSS) have been inconsistently reported in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) but may make an impact on treatment response. Method: The current study examined the presence of NSS in two independent European samples of OCD patients (combined 85 patients and 88 matched healthy controls) using a standardized instrument and conducted a meta-analysis of all published studies identified in the literature with the aim to provide a more definitive answer to the question of whether OCD patients are characterized by increased NSS. Results Both empirical studies found elevated NSS scores in patients compared with matched controls. The results of the meta-analysis, which included 15 studies (combined 498 patients and 520 controls) showed large effect sizes (Hedges' g=1.27, 95% confidence interval 0.80-1.75), indicating that OCD patients have significantly higher rates of NSS than matched controls on both sides of the body and in multiple domains (motor coordination, sensory integration and primitive reflexes). The results were robust and remained largely unchanged in our reliability analyses, which controlled for possible outliers. Meta-regression was employed to examine the role of potential variables of interest including sociodemographic variables, symptom severity, medication effects and the use of different instruments, but none of these variables was clearly associated with NSS. Conclusions: As a group, OCD patients are characterized by increased rates of NSS, compared with healthy controls. However, their origins and potential clinical importance remain to be clarified. Future directions for research are discussed

GIADA: its status after the Rosetta cruise phase and on-ground activity in support of the encounter with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

GIADA (Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator) on-board the Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko was designed to study the physical and dynamical properties of dust particles ejected by the comet during the encounter. In this paper we report the results of the analysis of data collected by GIADA during the past seven years of the cruise phase. During this period the GIADA detection subsystems were switched on for periodic in-flight payload checkouts to monitor their state of-health including potential changes in its performance that could affect its data collection. Only slight variations in sensitivity and dynamical range were identified that will not affect the GIADA measurement capability during the Rosetta comet encounter and rendezvous phase. The GIADA microbalance system detected the presence of low-volatility material over a period of about 169 days when the GIADA cover remained partially opened. It is highly probable that this material originated from the spacecraft itself, as a spacecraft’s outgassing was observed by the ROSINA mass spectrometer (on-board Rosetta) during the cruise phase. The identification of the low-volatility mass deposited on the microbalances as self-contamination will allow us to evaluate the mass rate background to be subtracted from the GIADA science data. These results obtained from GIADA cruise data analysis coupled with laboratory calibration data obtained from measurements using the GIADA spare model for selected cometary dust analogs will be the basis for the interpretation of the GIADA scientific data

67P/C-G inner coma dust properties from 2.2 au inbound to 2.0 auoutbound to the Sun

GIADA (Grain Impact Analyzer and Dust Accumulator) on-board the Rosetta space probe is designed to measure the momentum, mass and speed of individual dust particles escaping the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (hereafter 67P). From 2014 August to 2016 June, Rosetta escorted comet 67P during its journey around the Sun. Here, we focus on GIADA data taken between 2015 January and 2016 February which included 67P's perihelion passage. To better understand cometary activity and more specifically the presence of dust structures in cometary comae, we mapped the spatial distribution of dust density in 67P's coma. In this manner, we could track the evolution of high-density regions of coma dust and their connections with nucleus illumination conditions, namely tracking 67P's seasons. We also studied the link between dust particle speeds and their masses with respect to heliocentric distance, i.e. the level of cometary activity. This allowed us to derive a global and a local correlation of the dust particles' speed distribution with respect to the H2O production rate. © 2016 The Authors.Peer Reviewe

Density and Charge of Pristine Fluffy Particles from Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko

The Grain Impact Analyzer and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) instrument on board ESA’s Rosetta mission is constraining the origin of the dust particles detected within the coma of comet 67 P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P). The collected particles belong to two families: (i) compact particles (ranging in size from 0.03 to 1 mm), witnessing the presence of materials that underwent processing within the solar nebula and (ii) fluffy aggregates (ranging in size from 0.2 to 2.5 mm) of sub-micron grains that may be a record of a primitive component, probably linked to interstellar dust. The dynamics of the fluffy aggregates constrain their equivalent bulk density to -3. These aggregates are charged, fragmented, and decelerated by the spacecraft negative potential and enter GIADA in showers of fragments at speeds -1. The density of such optically thick aggregates is consistent with the low bulk density of the nucleus. The mass contribution of the fluffy aggregates to the refractory component of the nucleus is negligible and their coma brightness contribution is less than 15%