Genetic and genomic characterization of the LOP locus from Pilosella piloselloides subsp. Praealta : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science at Lincoln University

Apomixis is an asexual way of reproduction leading to the creation of clones of the mother plant. It is controlled by two independent loci in Pilosella piloselloides subsp. Praealta (Hawkweed): LOA (Loss of apomeiosis) and LOP (Loss of parthenogenesis), which are dominant. Apomictic plants develop one extremely competitive genotype and spread it in a colonial strategy. Only a few crops are apomictic; however, the natural creation of clones could considerably speed up the process of plant breeding and quickly stabilize new varieties adapted to climate change. Pilosella is one of the model plants to study apomixis. The purpose of this work was to investigate the LOP locus on a genetic and genomic level to better understand the mechanism of apomictic plants in the hope of applying it to crops. Using a panel of deletion mutants, this study made it possible to define the size of the LOP locus to about 650kb. A sequence of acceptable quality was checked for this locus using BAC isolates. Finally, the PAR gene contained in the locus for parthenogenesis in Taraxacum (dandelion) (Underwood et al., 2020) was sequenced in Pilosella and several species from the Asteraceae family, indicating the level of conservation of the dominant allele compared to the recessive alleles

Assessing Hafting Adhesive Efficiency in the Experimental Shooting of Projectile Points: A new Device for Instrumented and Ballistic Experiments

International audienceWith the aim of providing better control of shooting experiments performed with replicas of prehistoric projectiles, we have conducted an instrumental archaeology study on the efficiency of prehistoric projectile points by placing emphasis on their adhesion and ballistic characteristics. In order to avoid any reproducibility problems, hafting adhesives were made with controlled mixtures of commercial rosin (also called ‘colophany’) and beeswax added as a plasticizer. An original experimental device has been developed to instrument a bow, allowing the control of both the trajectories and the velocities of the different shoots. In the course of an experimental programme on Sauveterrian microliths from the Mesolithic period of the South of France, the experimental system was applied to composite replica projectile tips of Mesolithic hunters. Arrows being shot at transparent targets were filmed in order to evaluate the penetration length and residual damage. Interestingly, this study reveals that the properties of the mixture are highly dependent on the velocity of the arrows. It was shown that—contrary to previous experiments that usually used a mixture in which rosin predominates— the most efficient adhesive is made of 70 wt% beeswax with only 30 wt% rosin. This result is of great importance for improving further shooting experiments and overcoming the problems frequently mentioned due to the loss of the flint armatures before they reach the animal target, or at least before penetration. When using this appropriate mixture, the lateral armatures are resistant to most of the shots. Experiments performed on real boars’ flesh have also shown that the presence of lateral microliths allows the laceration inflicted on the target to be enlarged. Finally, a critical parameter has been identified, which is the location on the arrow of the microlithic element

Efficacy of Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation in Catatonia: A Review and Case Series

Catatonia is a severe neuropsychiatric syndrome, usually treated by benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy. However, therapeutic alternatives are limited, which is particularly critical in situations of treatment resistance or when electroconvulsive therapy is not available. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising non-invasive neuromodulatory technique that has shown efficacy in other psychiatric conditions. We present the largest case series of tDCS use in catatonia, consisting of eight patients in whom tDCS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction was employed. We used a General Linear Mixed Model to isolate the effect of tDCS from other confounding factors such as time (spontaneous evolution) or co-prescriptions. The results indicate that tDCS, in addition to symptomatic pharmacotherapies such as lorazepam, seems to effectively reduce catatonic symptoms. These results corroborate a synthesis of five previous case reports of catatonia treated by tDCS in the literature. However, the specific efficacy of tDCS in catatonia remains to be demonstrated in a randomized controlled trial. The development of therapeutic alternatives in catatonia is of paramount importance

Viral sequence variation in chronic carriers of hepatitis C virus has a low impact on liver steatosis.: HCV variability and steatosis

International audienceMost clinical studies suggest that the prevalence and severity of liver steatosis are higher in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 than in patients infected with other genotypes. This may reflect the diversity and specific intrinsic properties of genotype 3 virus proteins. We analyzed the possible association of particular residues of the HCV core and NS5A proteins known to dysregulate lipid metabolism with steatosis severity in the livers of patients chronically infected with HCV. We used transmission electron microscopy to quantify liver steatosis precisely in a group of 27 patients, 12 of whom were infected with a genotype 3 virus, the other 15 being infected with viruses of other genotypes. We determined the area covered by lipid droplets in liver tissues and analyzed the diversity of the core and NS5A regions encoded by the viral variants circulating in these patients. The area covered by lipid droplets did not differ significantly between patients infected with genotype 3 viruses and those infected with other genotypes. The core and NS5A protein sequences of the viral variants circulating in patients with mild or severe steatosis were evenly distributed throughout the phylogenic trees established from all the collected sequences. Thus, individual host factors seem to play a much greater role than viral factors in the development of severe steatosis in patients chronically infected with HCV, including those infected with genotype 3 viruses

Impact of parental lifestyle patterns in the preconception and pregnancy periods on childhood obesity

International audienceIntroduction High prevalence of overweight and obesity already observed in preschool children suggests the involvement of early-life risk factors. Preconception period and pregnancy are crucial windows for the implementation of child obesity prevention interventions with parental lifestyle factors as relevant targets. So far, most studies have evaluated their role separately, with only a few having investigated their potential synergistic effect on childhood obesity. Our objective was to investigate parental lifestyle patterns in the preconception and pregnancy periods and their association with the risk of child overweight after 5 years. Materials and methods We harmonized and interpreted results from four European mother-offspring cohorts participating in the EndObesity Consortium [EDEN, France; Elfe, France; Lifeways, Ireland; and Generation R, Netherlands] with data available for 1,900, 18,000, 1,100, and 9,500 families, respectively. Lifestyle factors were collected using questionnaires and included parental smoking, body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. We applied principal component analyses to identify parental lifestyle patterns in preconception and pregnancy. Their association with risk of overweight (including obesity; OW-OB) and BMI z -scores between 5 and 12 years were assessed using cohort-specific multivariable logistic and linear and regression models (adjusted for potential confounders including parental age, education level, employment status, geographic origin, parity, and household income). Results Among the various lifestyle patterns derived in all cohorts, the two explaining the most variance were characterized by (1) “high parental smoking, low maternal diet quality (and high maternal sedentary behavior in some cohorts)” and, (2) “high parental BMI and low gestational weight gain.” Patterns characterized by high parental BMI, smoking, low diet quality or high sedentary lifestyle before or during pregnancy were associated with higher risk of OW-OB in children, and BMI z -score at any age, with consistent strengths of associations in the main cohorts, except for lifeways. Conclusion This project provides insight into how combined parental lifestyle factors in the preconception and pregnancy periods are associated with the future risk of child obesity. These findings are valuable to inform family-based and multi-behavioural child obesity prevention strategies in early life

Light-stable silver N-Heterocyclic carbene catalysts for the alkynylation of ketones in air

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Royal Society (University Research Fellowship to C.S.J.C) for funding.N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) silver(I) complexes were efficiently employed in the alkynylation of ketones. These cationic complexes were found highly active and efficient under mild conditions without the need of additive, and in air. The mechanism of this transformation was investigated. Experiments suggest the formation of a silver-acetylide key intermediate and the release of one ligand from the silver centre enabling the transformation.PostprintPeer reviewe

The medical student

The Medical Student was published from 1888-1921 by the students of Boston University School of Medicine

Apical Function in Neocortical Pyramidal Cells: A Common Pathway by Which General Anesthetics Can Affect Mental State

It has been argued that general anesthetics suppress the level of consciousness, or the contents of consciousness, or both. The distinction between level and content is important because, in addition to clarifying the mechanisms of anesthesia, it may help clarify the neural bases of consciousness. We assess these arguments in the light of evidence that both the level and the content of consciousness depend upon the contribution of apical input to the information processing capabilities of neocortical pyramidal cells which selectively amplify relevant signals. We summarize research suggesting that what neocortical pyramidal cells transmit information about can be distinguished from levels of arousal controlled by sub-cortical nuclei and from levels of prioritization specified by interactions within the thalamocortical system. Put simply, on the basis of the observations reviewed, we hypothesize that when conscious we have particular, directly experienced, percepts, thoughts, feelings and intentions, and that general anesthetics affect consciousness by interfering with the subcellular processes by which particular activities are selectively amplified when relevant to the current context

Insights into the catalytic activity of [Pd(NHC)(cin)Cl] (NHC = IPr, IPrCl, IPrBr) complexes in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

The authors gratefully acknowledge the European Commission (EC) for funding through the seventh framework program SYNFLOW, the European Research Council (ERC) (Advanced Investigator Award “FUNCAT” to S. P. N.), The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and AstraZeneca (Studentship to C. M. Z.).The influence of C4,5-halogenation on palladium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes and their activity in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction have been investigated. Two [Pd(NHC)(cin)Cl] complexes bearing IPrCl and IPrBr ligands were synthesized. After determining electronic and steric properties of these ligands, their properties were compared to those of [Pd(IPr)(cin)Cl]. The three palladium complexes were studied using DFT calculations to delineate their behaviour in the activation step leading to the putative 12-electron active catalyst. Experimentally, their catalytic activity in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction involving a wide range of coupling partners (30 entries) at low catalyst loading was studied.PostprintPeer reviewe