Pre-breeding canola for heat stress tolerance – a prototype facility for large-scale screening at flowering stage

This research is developing methodology to facilitate large-scale screening of heat stress tolerance in canola at flowering stage, and will identify heat tolerant germplasm for Australian plant breeders. The new methods and heat tolerant germplasm will be transferred to canola breeders, which will accelerate the future commercial release of heat tolerant varieties. Our aim is to help Australian growers to maintain canola productivity as temperatures rise in response to climate change

Glia and alpha-synuclein in neurodegeneration: A complex interaction

Abstractα-Synucleinopathies (ASP) comprise adult-onset, progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) that are characterized by α-synuclein (AS) aggregates in neurons or glia. PD and DLB feature neuronal AS-positive inclusions termed Lewy bodies (LB) whereas glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs, Papp–Lantos bodies) are recognized as the defining hallmark of MSA. Furthermore, AS-positive cytoplasmic aggregates may also be seen in astroglial cells of PD/DLB and MSA brains. The glial AS-inclusions appear to trigger reduced trophic support resulting in neuronal loss. Moreover, microgliosis and astrogliosis can be found throughout the neurodegenerative brain and both are key players in the initiation and progression of ASP. In this review, we will highlight AS-dependent alterations of glial function and their impact on neuronal vulnerability thereby providing a detailed summary on the multifaceted role of glia in ASP

Toll-like receptor 4 deficiency facilitates α-synuclein propagation and neurodegeneration in a mouse model of prodromal Parkinson's disease

The evidence linking innate immunity mechanisms and neurodegenerative diseases is growing, but the specific mechanisms are incompletely understood. Experimental data suggest that microglial TLR4 mediates the uptake and clearance of α-synuclein also termed synucleinophagy. The accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein throughout the brain is central to Parkinson's disease (PD). The distribution and progression of the pathology is often attributed to the propagation of α-synuclein. Here, we apply a classical α-synuclein propagation model of prodromal PD in wild type and TLR4 deficient mice to study the role of TLR4 in the progression of the disease. Our data suggest that TLR4 deficiency facilitates the α-synuclein seed spreading associated with reduced lysosomal activity of microglia. Three months after seed inoculation, more pronounced proteinase K-resistant α-synuclein inclusion pathology is observed in mice with TLR4 deficiency. The facilitated propagation of α-synuclein is associated with early loss of dopamine transporter (DAT) signal in the striatum and loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta of TLR4 deficient mice. These new results support TLR4 signaling as a putative target for disease modification to slow the progression of PD and related disorders

Topical intranasal analgesia with EMLA for closed rhinoplasty

Background: Rhinoplasty is a traumatic procedure associated with postoperative pain. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of topically administered intranasal EMLA 5% cream (lidocaine 25 mg/ prilocaine 25 mg) on the pain experienced in the postoperative period by patients who underwent closed rhinoplasty.Materials and methods: The study was conducted between October 2014 and May 2016 and included 66 patients divided in two groups, all of whom underwent closed rhinoplasty. In the first group (n = 33) when packaging and placing the nasal splint, each intranasal tampon (with Gelaspon) was applied with 2 ml EMLA 5% cream, and in the control group (n = 33) 2 ml Deflamol ointment was applied on each tampon. All patients were operated under general anesthesia after introduction with intravenous Propofol and maintenance of the anesthesia with Sevoflurane and opioid analgesic. After placing the patient under general anesthesia, the otorhinolaryngologist carries on with local infiltration anesthesia with a solution of lidocaine 0.5%and adrenaline 1: 100,000 4-6 ml. All patients received oral antibiotic treatment (with Klacid or Zinnat) for the period of the packaging. No corticosteroids were included in the therapeutic scheme. Post-operative pain was assessed on a visual analog scale on the 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 hour in the patients of both groups.Results: The statistical analysis shows that there is a significant differencein reported results for the treatment of post-operative pain on the 1, 6 and 12 hour period in both groups studied. Four of the patients (12%) in the EMLA group had results from the VAS > 40 mm and required administration of a non-opioid analgesic in the first 24 hours, whilst in the control group this number of patients was 13 (39%).Conclusion: Intranasal application EMLA 5% cream in the packaging for reducing postoperative pain in patients who underwent closed rhinoplasty proves to be a simple and effective technique, in which we have not found adverse side effects in the study group patients despite this off label usage

Necrotising sinusitis with orbital complication in patient with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS)

Background: Macrophage activation syndrome (MAC) is a potentially fatal clinical-laboratory syndrome of uncontrolled hyperinflammation arising as a result of hereditary or acquired immune-mediated processes of cellular overactivation and nonmalignant proliferation of tissue macrophages/histiocytes, which can cause multiorgan failure.Case report: We present a clinical case of 15-years old child, who was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in 2019. The disease started with macrophage activation syndrome. In the next years the child had multiple hospitalizations in the Pediatrics clinic, but in the course of the disease it developed the picture of severe necrotic pansinuitis with an orbital complication, which required an immediate surgical intervention. Ever since the child had an ongoing necrotizing process in the area of the nasal passages, sinuses, upper jaw and hard palate. Other complications were breakthrough of the hard palate, loss of healthy teeth from the upper dentition and creation of direct communication between the oral cavity and the left maxillary sinus.Conclusions: The diagnosis of MAS is difficult to make, but increased awareness of this disease is an essential for its recognition. The struggle with autoimmune diseases often lasts for years with periods of exacerbation and remission of symptoms. Complications related to them can affect different organs and systems and require interdisciplinary approach

Chicken egg white — characteristics of its properties and the prospects for functional foods development

The overview presents the literature data and the results of our own research on prospects of using the chicken eggs as the basis of functional foods. The composition of chicken eggs and their components, characteristics of egg white proteins properties are presented thereto. The biologically active compounds included into egg composition are analyzed. The data on the biological value of egg white are given. The characteristic of egg white foaming ability is presented. It has been shown that the ability of proteins to form stable intermolecular structures, especially with partially denaturated proteins, allows them forming viscoelastic superficial films that ensure foam stability. The high foaming ability of chicken egg protein macromolecules is directly related to their interphase properties, i. e. the ability to form interphase layers at the “liquid —  gas” interface. The foaming properties of the various egg proteins are not equal, and therefore they contribute to foaming properties at various extents. The model of egg white proteins gelation is considered and the factors influencing the gelation process are described. It has been shown that very important changes in proteins properties are caused by denaturation. The proteins lose their ability to hydrate; the protective aqueous shell around the globules disappears, the proteins stick together, grow larger and lose solubility. This process is called coagulation. The influence of denaturation and aggregation on variations of protein properties is described below. Data on protein fortification with functional ingredients (calcium, iodine, plant polyphenols) and creation of functional egg and meat foods are presented here

Soil water repellence increased early wheat growth and nutrient uptake

Purpose Soil water repellence causes uneven soil wetting which can constrain dryland crop and pasture establishment and yield. The same processes are likely to affect nutrient availability from soil and fertiliser, but the effects of repellence on crop growth and nutrition per se have seldom been reported. Here, we investigated early wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Mace) growth and nutrient uptake responses to repellence. Methods Wheat was furrow-sown in severely repellent sandy loam soil (with a wettable furrow base to allow for germination) or completely wettable soil, under uniform plant density and variable topsoil thickness (20 or 100 mm) and fertiliser band placement (below or away from the seed). Tiller number, shoot dry matter, shoot N concentration, total nutrient uptake, and root length density (RLD) were determined. Results Contrary to expectations, repellence significantly increased tiller number (by up to 2 tillers per plant), shoot dry matter (by 82%), shoot N concentration (by 0.3% N), and total nutrient uptake (by 87%) at 51 days after sowing, regardless of topsoil thickness and fertiliser placement. In the furrow, RLD of repellent treatments was also nearly double that in wettable treatments when fertiliser was banded below the seed. Results suggest that preferential soil wetting of the furrow in repellent treatments favoured plant nutrient uptake under regular but low water supply. Conclusion We conclude that for water-repellent soils with limited water supply, water harvesting techniques such as furrow sowing and banding wetting agents could boost water and nutrient uptake and early crop growth

Oligodendroglial alpha-synucleinopathy and MSA-like cardiovascular autonomic failure: Experimental evidence

AbstractMultiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal, rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with limited symptomatic treatment options. Discrimination of MSA from other degenerative disorders crucially depends on the presence of early and severe cardiovascular autonomic failure (CAF). We have previously shown that neuropathologic lesions in the central autonomic nuclei similar to the human disease are present in transgenic MSA mice generated by targeted oligodendroglial overexpression of α-syn using the PLP promoter. We here explore whether such lesions result in abnormalities of heart rate variability (HRV) and circadian rhythmicity which are typically impaired in MSA patients.HRV analysis was performed in five month old transgenic PLP-α-syn (tg) MSA mice and age-matched wild type controls. Decreased HRV and alterations in the circadian rhythmicity were detected in the tg MSA group. The number of choline-acetyltransferase-immunoreactive neurons in the nucleus ambiguus was significantly decreased in the tg group, whereas the levels of arginine-vasopressin neurons in the suprachiasmatic and paraventricular nucleus were not affected. Our finding of impaired HRV and circadian rhythmicity in tg MSA mice associated with degeneration of the nucleus ambiguus suggests that a cardinal non-motor feature of human MSA can be reproduced in the mouse model strengthening its role as a valuable testbed for studying selective vulnerability and assessing translational therapies