Locoregional hyperthermia of deep-seated tumours applied with capacitive and radiative systems. A simulation study

Background: Locoregional hyperthermia is applied to deep-seated tumours in the pelvic region. Two very different heating techniques are often applied: capacitive and radiative heating. In this paper, numerical simulations are applied to compare the performance of both techniques in heating of deep-seated tumours. Methods: Phantom simulations were performed for small (30 × 20 × 50 cm 3 ) and large (45 × 30 × 50 cm 3 ), homogeneous fatless and inhomogeneous fat-muscle, tissue-equivalent phantoms with a central or eccentric target region. Radiative heating was simulated with the 70 MHz AMC-4 system and capacitive heating was simulated at 13.56 MHz. Simulations were performed for small fatless, small (i.e. fat layer typically 3 cm) patients with cervix, prostate, bladder and rectum cancer. Temperature distributions were simulated using constant hyperthermic-level perfusion values with tissue constraints of 44 °C and compared for both heating techniques. Results: For the small homogeneous phantom, similar target heating was predicted with radiative and capacitive heating. For the large homogeneous phantom, most effective target heating was predicted with capacitive heating. For inhomogeneous phantoms, hot spots in the fat layer limit adequate capacitive heating, and simulated target temperatures with radiative heating were 2–4 °C higher. Patient simulations predicted therapeutic target temperatures with capacitive heating for fatless patients, but radiative heating was more robust for all tumour sites and patient sizes, yielding target temperatures 1–3 °C higher than those predicted for capacitive heating. Conclusion: Generally, radiative locoregional heating yields more favourable simulated temperature distributions for deep-seated pelvic tumours, compared with capacitive heating. Therapeutic temperatures are predicted for capacitive heating in patients with (almost) no fat

A Cluster of MYB Transcription Factors Regulates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Carrot (Daucus carota L.) Root and Petiole

Purple carrots can accumulate large quantities of anthocyanins in their roots and –in some genetic backgrounds- petioles, and therefore they represent an excellent dietary source of antioxidant phytonutrients. In a previous study, using linkage analysis in a carrot F2 mapping population segregating for root and petiole anthocyanin pigmentation, we identified a region in chromosome 3 with co-localized QTL for all anthocyanin pigments of the carrot root, whereas petiole pigmentation segregated as a single dominant gene and mapped to one of these “root pigmentation” regions conditioning anthocyanin biosynthesis. In the present study, we performed fine mapping combined with gene expression analyses (RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR) to identify candidate genes controlling anthocyanin pigmentation in the carrot root and petiole. Fine mapping was performed in four carrot populations with different genetic backgrounds and patterns of pigmentation. The regions controlling root and petiole pigmentation in chromosome 3 were delimited to 541 and 535 kb, respectively. Genome wide prediction of transcription factor families known to regulate the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway coupled with orthologous and phylogenetic analyses enabled the identification of a cluster of six MYB transcription factors, denominated DcMYB6 to DcMYB11, associated with the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. No anthocyanin biosynthetic genes were present in this region. Comparative transcriptome analysis indicated that upregulation of DcMYB7 was always associated with anthocyanin pigmentation in both root and petiole tissues, whereas DcMYB11 was only upregulated with pigmentation in petioles. In the petiole, the level of expression of DcMYB11 was higher than DcMYB7. DcMYB6, a gene previously suggested as a key regulator of carrot anthocyanin biosynthesis, was not consistently associated with pigmentation in either tissue. These results strongly suggest that DcMYB7 is a candidate gene for root anthocyanin pigmentation in all the genetic backgrounds included in this study. DcMYB11 is a candidate gene for petiole pigmentation in all the purple carrot sources in this study. Since DcMYB7 is co-expressed with DcMYB11 in purple petioles, the latter gene may act also as a co-regulator of anthocyanin pigmentation in the petioles. This study provides linkage-mapping and functional evidence for the candidacy of these genes for the regulation of carrot anthocyanin biosynthesis

Primary cementless stems in septic hip revision: Indications and results

Purpose: The aim of our work is to evaluate results obtained from a cohort of patients affected by periprosthetic joint infection and treated with a primary cementless stem in a two-stage technique framework. Methods: Eighty-four patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 37.4 months. The main demographic, surgical, clinical, and radiographic data were recorded. A femoral window for stem removal was performed in 33 patients. Results: Statistically significant improvement was noted for both the Harris Hip score and the Oxford Hip score. Postsurgical complications included thigh pain in three patients, subsidence (>2 mm) in one patient, implant dislocation in two patients, cup revision in one patient, implant revision for septic failure in two patients, and stem revision for varus position in one patient. The stem survivorship rate was 96.3%. There were no significant differences between the groups in which a cortical window was created or not. Conclusion: Femoral stem revision with primary cementless stems is a viable option in selected patients undergoing two-stage hip revision surgery. Correct indication is a cornerstone of good outcome. The use of a cortical window does not affect the final outcome or implant survivorship rate

Arbustos de la estepa patagónica : ¿adaptados a tolerar la sequía o el pastoreo?

61-70Features that confer plants tolerance to drought also provide tolerance to herbivory. Therefore, even the plants of arid zones with a short grazing history would be tolerant to herbivory. Evolutionary history of grazing in central and northwest Patagonian steppes has been considered brief and dominant spiny shrubs have been considered adapted to tolerate drought. Here, we present experimental evidences that question that conceptual model. (1) The three most conspicuous shrubs in the dominant community at south-western Chubut (Mulinum spinosum, Adesmia volckmanni and Senecio filaginoides) are not subjected to severe water stress conditions because their roots explore deep soil layers with relatively high water potentials almost all year. That is reflected in high leaf water potential, high isotopic discrimination against heavy carbon isotope and low response to rainfall. (2) Instead, the three shrubs show evasion herbivory strategies. M. spinosum and A. volckmanni have very aggressive thorns, while S. filaginoides has a high content of carbon-based secondary metabolites. These chemical compounds are believed to have an anti-herbivory role. Besides that, in two of these three species, levels of physical or chemical defences were increased under grazing conditions. (3) Finally, as defensive strategies do not preclude herbivore consumption in absolute terms, shrubs are important components of sheep diet. Sheeps eat leaves of non-chemically defended species and flowers of all of them. These evidences suggest that grazing pressure of native herbivores would have been high and persistent enough to promote natural selection processes that conducted to dominance of grazing resistant shrub genotypes

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizae on tomato yield, nutrient uptake, water relations, and soil carbon dynamics under deficit irrigation in field conditions

Abstract not availableTimothy M. Bowles, Felipe H. Barrios-Masias, Eli A. Carlisle, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Louise E. Jackso

How important is the mycorrhizal pathway for plant Zn uptake?

INTRODUCTION Formation of arbuscular mycorrhizas can enhance plant uptake of immobile nutrients such as zinc (Zn) and phosphorus (P). Enhancement of Zn uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on Zn-deficient soils has been studied previously, however, the quantity of Zn that is contributed by the AM pathway of uptake to the plant has not previously been reported for soil of any Zn status. METHODS We grew a mycorrhiza-defective mutant tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotype (rmc) and its mycorrhizal wild-type progenitor (76R) in pots containing a hyphal compartment (HC) accessible only by the external hyphae of AM fungi, and containing the radioisotope 65Zn. This was repeated at three soil Zn concentrations, ranging from low to high. We estimated the amount of Zn delivered via both the AM and direct (root) pathways. RESULTS Up to 24 % of Zn in the shoots of the AM plants was delivered via the AM pathway at the lowest soil Zn treatment. This decreased significantly, to 8 %, as soil Zn concentration increased. No 65Zn was detected in the tissues of the non-mycorrhizal genotype. CONCLUSIONS The relative contribution to shoot Zn by the AM pathway of uptake was highest when soil Zn was low, and decreased with increasing soil Zn concentration.Stephanie J. Watts-Williams, F. Andrew Smith, Michael J. McLaughlin, Antonio F. Patti, Timothy R. Cavagnar

Broadband Electromagnetic Sensing for Food Quality Control: A Preliminary Experimental Study

Quality control is of great importance in food industry, both for the evaluation of product characteristics and to avoid the occurrence of foreign bodies contamination in packaged items. With respect to the inspections against possible contaminants inside the product, different technologies are currently adopted along production chain lines. However, the number of accidents involving low density objects remains very large. To overcome this limitation, the use of electromagnetic technologies has been recently proposed. In this work, the synergic use of terahertz and microwaves technologies is proposed, so to provide high resolution images and in-depth inspections of different scenarios, including low density materials. A focus study on sugar samples is considered, reporting both its broadband characterization at microwaves and preliminary terahertz imaging to evaluate the integrity of the packaging. Ongoing research is devoted to the development and validation of a microwave device for monitoring food products along the production line

Respuesta al déficit hídrico en el crecimiento de forestales del bosque urbano de Mendoza. Análisis comparativo en árboles jóvenes

The objective was to evaluate the young plants response of four urban forest species at different levels of water deficit. The manipulative experiment was conducted in nursery for three growing seasons, with saplings of Platanus x hispanica cv. acerifolia (London plane), Morus alba (mulberry), Fraxinus americana (American ash) and Acacia visco (visco). The catering treatments were: control (replacement of 100% water transpired), moderate deficit watering (replacement of 66% water transpired) and severe deficit watering (replacement of 33% water transpired). Response variables measured were height, stem diameter, leaf area and annual tree-rings width. Plants under severe deficit watering showed decreases in all growth parameters considered. Acacia visco under moderate deficit watering equivalent to 66% of transpired water had a growth comparable to control. Therefore, this specie could be considered relevant to new forestations in moderate water stress conditions.El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la respuesta de plantas jóvenes de cuatro especies forestales urbanas a diferentes niveles de déficit hídrico. El ensayo se realizó en vivero, durante tres ciclos vegetativos, con plantas de Platanus x hispanica cv. acerifolia (plátano), Morus alba (morera), Fraxinus americana (fresno americano) y Acacia visco (visco). Los tratamientos de riego fueron: control (reposición del 100% transpirado); riego deficitario moderado (reposición del 66% transpirado) y riego deficitario severo (reposición del 33% transpirado). Las variables de respuesta evaluadas fueron altura, diámetro de tallos, área foliar y ancho de anillos de crecimiento. Las plantas bajo riego deficitario severo presentaron disminuciones en todos los parámetros de crecimiento considerados. Acacia visco resultó con crecimientos comparables al control, bajo riego deficitario equivalente al 66% del agua transpirada, con lo cual puede ser considerada especie de interés para forestaciones en condiciones de estrés hídrico moderado

A slow release nitrogen fertiliser produced by simultaneous granulation and superheated steam drying of urea with brown coal

Background: The inefficient use of nitrogen (N) fertiliser as a consequence of N losses from soil is a pressing issue in broad-acre agricultural systems. The research reported here tested the hypothesis that granulation of synthetic N fertiliser (urea) with a natural organic C resource (brown coal) would reduce fertiliser N loss from the soil system. Results: Urea-enriched brown coal granules were simultaneously formed and dried within a pilot-scale superheated steam dryer. After application to unplanted soil columns, the urea-brown coal granules reduced nitrous oxide emission by up to 40 %, reduced mineral nitrogen leaching and maintained higher levels of N in topsoil when compared to conventional urea alone. Reduced gaseous N losses without a reduction in plant N uptake were also observed in planted soil columns treated with urea-brown coal granules. Conclusions: Brown coal-urea blended fertiliser showed potential for more efficient use of N in the long term and has environmental benefits in retaining more N in the soil