Rangelands Vegetation Mapping at Species Composition Level Using the \u3cb\u3eSPiCla\u3c/b\u3e Method: \u3cb\u3eS\u3c/b\u3eDM Based \u3cb\u3ePi\u3c/b\u3exel \u3cb\u3eCla\u3c/b\u3essification and Fuzzy Accuracy. A New Approach of Map Making

Vegetation maps have been made since centuries. The vegetation cover was represented as homogeneous mapping units (polygons), representing different vegetation types, where each type consists a combination of different plant species (floristic composition). More recent, with the use of satellite imagery, the polygons have been replaced by pixels with similar content as the polygon maps. In both approaches, field-observations were linked to the mapping units (polygons or pixels) often resulting in a complex of different vegetation types per mapping unit. In our new approach field data (sample points) on presence and abundance of individual grass species are spatially extrapolated based on a set of environmental layers, using the species distribution modelling approach (SDM). When combined, each pixel will contain its own set of information about the vegetation structure and its floristic composition. This new methodology (SPiCla) results in a very accurate and detailed vegetation map at pixel level, allowing extraction of very detailed, accurate and easy to update spatial information on e.g., forage production and quality (palatability) for rangelands management. As no exact boundaries exist, but only gradients, we introduced fuzzy accuracy. The resolution mainly depends on the resolution of (or one of) the environmental layers used, scale of interest and workability. The methodology is generic and applicable to any other region in the world

Managing children with daytime urinary incontinence:a survey of Dutch general practitioners

Background: In the Netherlands, parents of children with daytime urinary incontinence (UI) first consult general practitioners (GPs). However, GPs need more specific guidelines for daytime UI management, resulting in care and referral decisions being made without clear guidance.Objectives: We aimed to identify Dutch GP considerations when treating and referring a child with daytime UI.Methods: We invited GPs who referred at least one child aged 4–18 years with daytime UI to secondary care. They were asked to complete a questionnaire about the referred child and the management of daytime UI in general.Results: Of 244 distributed questionnaires, 118 (48.4%) were returned by 94 GPs. Most reported taking a history and performing basic diagnostic tests like urine tests (61.0%) and physical examinations (49.2%) before referral. Treatment mostly involved lifestyle advice, with only 17.8% starting medication. Referrals were usually at the explicit wish of the child/parent (44.9%) or because of symptom persistence despite treatment (39.0%). GPs usually referred children to a paediatrician (n = 99, 83.9%), only referring to a urologist in specific situations. Almost half (41.4%) of the GPs did not feel competent to treat children with daytime UI and more than half (55.7%) wanted a clinical practice guideline. In the discussion, we explore the generalisability of our findings to other countries.Conclusion: GPs usually refer children with daytime UI to a paediatrician after a basic diagnostic assessment, usually without offering treatment. Parental or child demand is the primary stimulus for referral.</p

Complex polar machinery required for proper chromosome segregation in vegetative and sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis

Chromosome segregation is an essential process of cell multiplication. In prokaryotes, segregation starts with the newly replicated sister origins of replication, oriCs, which move apart to defined positions in the cell. We have developed a genetic screen to identify mutants defective in placement of oriC during spore development in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. In addition to the previously identified proteins Soj and DivIVA, our screen identified several new factors involved in polar recruitment of oriC: a reported regulator of competence ComN, and the regulators of division site selection MinD and MinJ. Previous work implicated Soj as an important regulator of oriC positioning in the cell. Our results suggest a model in which the DivIVA-interacting proteins ComN and MinJ recruit MinD to the cell pole, and that these proteins work upstream of Soj to enable oriC placement. We show that these proteins form a polar complex, which acts in parallel with but distinct from the sporulation-specific RacA pathway of oriC placement, and also functions during vegetative growth. Our study further shows that MinD has two distinct cell cycle roles, in cell division and chromosome segregation, and highlights that cell probably use multiple parallel mechanisms to ensure accurate chromosome segregation.</p

Dispatched Homolog 2 is targeted by miR-214 through a combination of three weak microRNA recognition sites

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by inhibiting translation of target mRNAs through pairing with miRNA recognition elements (MREs), usually in 3′ UTRs. Because pairing is imperfect, identification of bona fide mRNA targets presents a challenge. Most target recognition algorithms strongly emphasize pairing between nucleotides 2–8 of the miRNA (the ‘seed’ sequence) and the mRNA but adjacent sequences and the local context of the 3′ UTR also affect targeting. Here, we show that dispatched 2 is a target of miR-214. In zebrafish, dispatched 2 is expressed in the telencephalon and ventral hindbrain and is essential for normal zebrafish development. Regulation of dispatched 2 by miR-214 is via pairing with three, noncanonical, weak MREs. By comparing the repression capacity of GFP reporters containing different dispatched 2 sequences, we found that a combination of weak sites, which lack canonical seed pairing, can effectively target an mRNA for silencing. This finding underscores the challenge that prediction algorithms face and emphasizes the need to experimentally validate predicted MREs

Parents' expectations of the outpatient care for daytime urinary incontinence in children:A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION: Daytime urinary incontinence (UI) can have an enormous impact on a child's life, lowering both self-esteem and quality of life. Although most children start therapy after their first visit to our outpatient clinic, no studies have reported on parents' or patients' expectations of care for daytime UI in this setting. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the expectations of the parents of children referred to an outpatient clinic for daytime UI. STUDY DESIGN: This was a qualitative study that involved performing semi-structured interviews with the parents of children who had been referred for daytime UI (with or without nocturnal enuresis). Interviews took place between July 2018 and October 2018 and continued until saturation was reached. The results were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to Giorgi's strategy of phenomenological data analysis. RESULTS: Nine parents of children, aged 5-12 years old, were interviewed, revealing "(Experienced) Health," Self-management," and "Social Impact" as the main themes that influenced parental expectations. All parents wanted to know if there was a medical explanation for UI, some were satisfied when diagnostics revealed no underlying condition, and others wanted treatment. Parents expressed no preferences about diagnostics or the content and duration of treatment, but they hoped that any previously attempted ineffective steps would not be repeated. Some parents defined treatment success as their child becoming completely dry, but most stated that learning coping strategies was more important. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to explore the expectations of parents when attending outpatient care for children with daytime UI. We employed a strong theoretical framework with a clear interview guide. The main limitations are that we only interviewed parents and that this was a qualitative study, precluding the drawing of firm conclusions. Nevertheless, our results point to the need for quantitative evaluation. CONCLUSION: Expectations seem to be influenced by (experienced) health, efforts at self-management, and the social impact of UI, making it critical that these themes are addressed. It was interesting to note that parents do not always attend outpatient departments with the goal of completely resolving daytime UI. Instead, some only want to know if there is an underlying medical condition or want to reduce the social impact by learning coping mechanisms. Excluding underlying medical conditions may therefore stimulate acceptance of watchful waiting without the need to start treatment

Association of ECG characteristics with clinical and echocardiographic outcome to CRT in a non-LBBB patient population

Purpose: Effectiveness of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients without left bundle branch block (non-LBBB) QRS morphology is limited. Additional selection criteria are needed to identify these patients. Methods: Seven hundred ninety consecutive patients with non-LBBB morphology, who received a CRT-device in 3 university centers in the Netherlands, were selected. Pre-implantation 12-lead ECGs were evaluated on morphology, duration, and area of the QRS complex, as well as on PR interval, left ventricular activation time (LVAT), and the presence of fragmented QRS (fQRS). Association of these ECG features with the primary endpoint: a combination of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, cardiac transplantation and all-cause mortality, and secondary endpoint—echocardiographic reduction of left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV)—were evaluated. Results: The primary endpoint occurred more often in non-LBBB patients with with PR interval ≥ 230ms, QRS area < 109μVs, and with fQRS. Multivariable regression analysis showed independent associations of QRS area (HR 2.33 [1.44, 3.77], p = 0.001) and PR interval (HR 2.03 [1.51, 2.74], p < 0.001) only. Mean LVESV reduction was significantly lower in patients with baseline RBBB, QRS duration < 150 ms, PR interval ≥ 230 ms, and in QRS area < 109 μVs. Multivariable regression analyses only showed significant associations between QRS area ≥ 109 μVs (OR 2.00 [1.09, 3.66] p = 0.025) and probability of echocardiographic response to CRT. Conclusions: In the heterogeneous non-LBBB patient population, QRS area and PR prolongation rather than traditional QRS duration and morphology are associated to both clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of CRT

Potato tuber pectin structure is influenced by pectin methyl esterase activity and impacts on cooked potato texture

Although cooked potato tuber texture is an important trait that influences consumer preference, a detailed understanding of tuber textural properties at the molecular level is lacking. Previous work has identified tuber pectin methyl esterase activity (PME) as a potential factor impacting on textural properties. In this study, tuber PME isoform and gene expression profiles have been determined in potato germplasm with differing textural properties as assessed using an amended wedge fracture method and a sloughing assay, revealing major differences between the potato types. Differences in pectin structure between potato types with different textural properties were revealed using monoclonal antibodies specific for different pectic epitopes. Chemical analysis of tuber pectin clearly demonstrated that, in tubers containing a higher level of total PME activity, there was a reduced degree of methylation of cell wall pectin and consistently higher peak force and work done values during the fracture of cooked tuber samples, demonstrating the link between PME activity, the degree of methylation of cell wall pectin, and cooked tuber textural properties

MiR-10 Represses HoxB1a and HoxB3a in Zebrafish

BACKGROUND: The Hox genes are involved in patterning the anterior-posterior axis. In addition to the protein coding Hox genes, the miR-10, miR-196 and miR-615 families of microRNA genes are conserved within the vertebrate Hox clusters. The members of the miR-10 family are located at positions associated with Hox-4 paralogues. No function is yet known for this microRNA family but the genomic positions of its members suggest a role in anterior-posterior patterning. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using sensor constructs, overexpression and morpholino knockdown, we show in Zebrafish that miR-10 targets HoxB1a and HoxB3a and synergizes with HoxB4 in the repression of these target genes. Overexpression of miR-10 also induces specific phenotypes related to the loss of function of these targets. HoxB1a and HoxB3a have a dominant hindbrain expression domain anterior to that of miR-10 but overlap in a weaker expression domain in the spinal cord. In this latter domain, miR-10 knockdown results in upregulation of the target genes. In the case of a HoxB3a splice variant that includes miR-10c within its primary transcript, we show that the microRNA acts in an autoregulatory fashion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We find that miR-10 acts to repress HoxB1a and HoxB3a within the spinal cord and show that this repression works cooperatively with HoxB4. As with the previously described interactions between miR-196 and HoxA7 and Hox-8 paralogues, the target genes are located in close proximity to the microRNA. We present a model in which we postulate a link between the clustering of Hox genes and post-transcriptional gene regulation. We speculate that the high density of transcription units and enhancers within the Hox clusters places constraints on the precision of the transcriptional control that can be achieved within these clusters and requires the involvement of post-transcriptional gene silencing to define functional domains of genes appropriately