Användning av cryoprotectants i orotade Pelargonium zonale sticklingar för att utöka deras hållbarhet

The rooting capacity of an unrooted Pelargonium zonale cutting decreases immensely 96 hours after being cut. The aim of this paper was to evaluate if two different cryoprotectants, 25% glucose and 30% trehalose, with the help of vacuum impregnation and pulse electric fields could result in an increase in the life expectancy of these cuttings. This was established by testing four different vacuum protocols were the average weight gain was noted. The optimal protocol was the first one where the average weight gain of the cutting was 17.13% when treated with glucose and was 24.75% when treated with trehalose. Pulsed electric fields parameters were optimised through trial and error were the optimum voltage was determined to be at 800V. Moreover, after treating the P. zonale cuttings with both vacuum impregnation and pulsed electric fields, they were stored at 6 ℃ for approximately 7 days and then they were planted in Jiffy-7 pots. This was repeated three times. Further, the root development was measured daily after approximately two weeks. The data was later analysed using a binary logistic regression where it illustrated that there was a significant difference between the untreated cuttings and the ones treated with 30% trehalose. A comparison between the two sugars conveyed that the cuttings treated with trehalose rooted better than those treated with glucose.Målet med detta kandidatarbete var att testa och se om man kan utöka hållbarheten hos orotade Pelargonium zonale sticklingar med hjälp av vacuumimpregnering, puls elektriska fält och frysskyddsmedel. De två frysskyddsmedel som provades var 25% glukos och 30% trehalos. Fyra olika vacuum protokoll testades där vikt ökningen mättes. Det optimala protokollet visade sig vara det första där hela sticklingsvikten ökade med 17.13% när den behandlades med glukos, och med 24.75% när den behandlades med trehalos. Parametern för de puls elektriska fälten optimerades med hjälp av trial and error. Den optimala spänningen låg på 800V. Därefter, behandlades sticklingarna med både vacuumimpregnering samt puls elektriska fält. De behandlade sticklingarna plus några obehandlade förvarades i ungefär en vecka vid 6 ℃ i ett kylskåp. Därpå planterades de i Jiffy-7. Detta upprepades tre gånger. Rottillväxten mättes ca. två veckor efter planteringen. Det insamlade data analyserades med hjälp av en binär logistik regression där man såg en signifikant skillnad mellan de obehandlade och de som hade behandlads med trehalos. En jämförelse mellan de två behandlingarna visade att de sticklingarna som hade behandlads med trehalos hade rotad sig betydligt bättre än de som hade behandlads med glukos

The power of light: Impact on the performance of biocontrol agents under minimal nutrient conditions

BackgroundThe spectral distribution of light (different wavelength) has recently been identified as an important factor in the dynamics and function of leaf-associated microbes. This study investigated the impact of different wavelength on three commercial biocontrol agents (BCA): Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BA), Pseudomonas chlororaphis (PC), and Streptomyces griseoviridis (SG). MethodsThe impact of light exposure on sole carbon source utilization, biofilm formation, and biosurfactant production by the selected BCA was studied using phenotypic microarray (PM) including 190 sole carbon sources (OmniLog (R), PM panels 1 and 2). The BCA were exposed to five monochromatic light conditions (420, 460, 530, 630, and 660 nm) and darkness during incubation, at an intensity of 50 mu mol m(-2) s(-1). ResultsLight exposure together with specific carbon source increased respiration in all three BCA. Different wavelengths of light influenced sole carbon utilization for the different BCA, with BA and PC showing increased respiration when exposed to wavelengths within the blue spectrum (420 and 460 nm) while respiration of selected carbon sources by SG increased in the presence of red light (630 and 660 nm). Only one carbon source (capric acid) generated biosurfactant production in all three BCA. A combination of specific wavelength of light and sole carbon source increased biofilm formation in all three BCA. BA showed significantly higher biofilm formation when exposed to blue (460 nm) and green (530 nm) light and propagated in D-sucrose, D-fructose, and dulcitol. PC showed higher biofilm formation when exposed to blue light. Biofilm formation by SG increased when exposed to red light (630 nm) and propagated in citraconic acid. ConclusionTo increase attachment and success in BCA introduced into the phyllosphere, a suitable combination of light quality and nutrient conditions could be used

Too complex and time-consuming to fit in! Physicians' experiences of elderly patients and their participation in medical decision making: a grounded theory study

Objective To explore physicians' thoughts and considerations of participation in medical decision making by hospitalised elderly patients. Design A qualitative study using focus group interviews with physicians interpreted with grounded theory and completed with a questionnaire. Setting and participants The setting was three different hospitals in two counties in Sweden. Five focus groups were conducted with physicians (n=30) in medical departments, with experience of care of elderly patients. Results Physicians expressed frustration at not being able to give good care to elderly patients with multimorbidity, including letting them participate in medical decision making. Two main categories were found: ‘being challenged’ by this patient group and  ‘being a small part of the healthcare production machine’. Both categories were explained by the core category ‘lacking in time’. The reasons for the feeling of ‘being challenged’ were explained by the subcategories ‘having a feeling of incompetence’, ‘having to take relatives into consideration’ and ‘having to take cognitive decline into account’. The reasons for the feeling of ‘being a small part of the healthcare production machine’ were explained by the subcategories ‘at the mercy of routines' and ‘inadequate remuneration system’, both of which do not favour elderly patients with multimorbidity. Conclusions Physicians find that elderly patients with multimorbidity lead to frustration by giving them a feeling of professional inadequacy, as they are unable to prioritise this common and rapidly growing patient group and enable them to participate in medical decision making. The reason for this feeling is explained by lack of time, competence, holistic view, appropriate routines and proper remuneration systems for treating these patients

The power of light from a non-phototrophic perspective: a phyllosphere dilemma

Plants and crop stands are considered holobionts, colonized by both autotrophic and by non-phototrophic heterotrophic microbiota. The dilemma in the exisiting body of studies is that the focus is primarily directed towards environmental specificties relevant for phototrophic organisms (predominantly plants), but does not take into account non-phototrophs. By definition, non-phototrophic heterotrophic bacteria do not use light as an energy source. Light energy and wavelength are rather used as a signal that can provoke shifts in both their metabolism and microbial lifestyle. Reaction and recovery time can vary between organisms and is dependent on the organism’s physiological stage. The length of the lighting event affects the energy an organism is exposed to. We argue that to obtain a deeper and more distinct understanding of light exposure (irradiance, exposure length), quantity (light intensity), and quality (wavelength/spectral distribution, bandwidth at full-width half-maximum) related mechanisms on non-phototrophic bacteria in the phyllosphere, the light environment needs to be further strictly characterized. This includes information on the actual energy hitting planktonic or sessile non-phototrophic bacteria resident on and inside plants aboveground. Mapping the light environment in ecosystems aids in unraveling light-phyllosphere interactions and strengthens their transdisciplinary character. This issue is fundamental in order to revisit and repeat others’ experimental approaches and findings but also to be able to translate findings into further action

Prevention of Rat Intestinal Injury with a Drug Combination of Melatonin and Misoprostol

A healthy intestinal barrier prevents uptake of allergens and toxins, whereas intestinal permeability increases following chemotherapy and in many gastrointestinal and systemic diseases and disorders. Currently, there are no approved drugs that target and repair the intestinal epithelial barrier while there is a medical need for such treatment in gastrointestinal and related conditions. The objective of this single-pass intestinal perfusion study in rats was to investigate the preventive cytoprotective effect of three mucosal protective drugs¿melatonin, misoprostol, and teduglutide¿with different mechanisms of action on an acute jejunal injury induced by exposing the intestine for 15 min to the anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The effect was evaluated by monitoring intestinal clearance of 51Cr-labeled ethylenediaminetetraacetate and intestinal histology before, during, and after luminal exposure to SDS. Our results showed that separate pharmacological pretreatments with luminal misoprostol and melatonin reduced acute SDS-induced intestinal injury by 47% and 58%, respectively, while their use in combination abolished this injury. This data supports further development of drug combinations for oral treatments of conditions and disorders related to a dysregulated or compromised mucosal epithelial barrier

Glioblastoma stem cells express non-canonical proteins and exclusive mesenchymal-like or non-mesenchymal-like protein signatures

Glioblastoma (GBM) cancer stem cells (GSCs) contribute to GBM's origin, recurrence, and resistance to treatment. However, the understanding of how mRNA expression patterns of GBM subtypes are reflected at global proteome level in GSCs is limited. To characterize protein expression in GSCs, we performed in-depth proteogenomic analysis of patient-derived GSCs by RNA-sequencing and mass-spectrometry. We quantified > 10 000 proteins in two independent GSC panels and propose a GSC-associated proteomic signature characterizing two distinct phenotypic conditions; one defined by proteins upregulated in proneural and classical GSCs (GPC-like), and another by proteins upregulated in mesenchymal GSCs (GM-like). The GM-like protein set in GBM tissue was associated with necrosis, recurrence, and worse overall survival. Through proteogenomics, we discovered 252 non-canonical peptides in the GSCs, i.e., protein sequences that are variant or derive from genome regions previously considered non-protein-coding, including variants of the heterogeneous ribonucleoproteins implicated in RNA splicing. In summary, GSCs express two protein sets that have an inverse association with clinical outcomes in GBM. The discovery of non-canonical protein sequences questions existing gene models and pinpoints new protein targets for research in GBM

Associations between health-related quality of life, physical function and fear of falling in older fallers receiving home care

Falls and injuries in older adults have significant consequences and costs, both personal and to society. Although having a high incidence of falls, high prevalence of fear of falling and a lower quality of life, older adults receiving home care are underrepresented in research on older fallers. The objective of this study is to determine the associations between health-related quality of life (HRQOL), fear of falling and physical function in older fallers receiving home care

Pirfenidone in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis:expert panel discussion on the management of drug-related adverse events

Pirfenidone is currently the only approved therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, following studies demonstrating that treatment reduces the decline in lung function and improves progression-free survival. Although generally well tolerated, a minority of patients discontinue therapy due to gastrointestinal and skin-related adverse events (AEs). This review summarizes recommendations based on existing guidelines, research evidence, and consensus opinions of expert authors, with the aim of providing practicing physicians with the specific clinical information needed to educate the patient and better manage pirfenidone-related AEs with continued pirfenidone treatment. The main recommendations to help prevent and/or mitigate gastrointestinal and skin-related AEs include taking pirfenidone during (or after) a meal, avoiding sun exposure, wearing protective clothing, and applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with high ultraviolet (UV) A and UVB protection. These measures can help optimize AE management, which is key to maintaining patients on an optimal treatment dose.Correction in: Advances in Therapy, Volume 31, Issue 5, pp 575-576 , doi: 10.1007/s12325-014-0118-8</p