Syntactic abilities in old age and their relation to working memory and cognitive flexibility

The aim of the study was to describe the syntactic abilities of elderly people taking into account possible differences between young-olds (67–75; M = 72.55, SD = 1.99) and old-olds (76–90; M = 79.88, SD = 2.92) in this area. Spontaneously produced narrations were assessed taking into account the grammatical correctness, complexity and coherence. Working memory and cognitive flexibility (visual shifting and verbal fluency) were also measured. The analysis showed that the young-olds differ from the old-olds only in the coherence of their narrations. The relation between using anaphors and working memory capacity was also proved

Morphohistological and flow cytometric analyses of somatic embryogenesis in Trifolium nigrescens Viv.

Microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM) were used to study somatic embryogenesis (SE) from zygotic embryos of Trifolium nigrescens Viv. to determine if there were any relationships between characteristics of somatic embryos (morphology, anatomy, genome size stability) and their regenerability. Embryoids were induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 4 mg l−1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2 mg l−1 N6-[2-isopentenyl]-adenine (2iP) either directly from hypocotyls or via an intervening callus, depending on the duration of culture. The morphology of somatic embryos varied from zygotic-like structures to abnormal structures including horn-shaped, polycotyledonary, and fused embryoids. The incidence of abnormalities was higher in callus cultures than in direct regeneration. Horn-shaped embryoids were the most frequent type of abnormal embryos. Only embryoids having zygotic-like morphology regenerated into plantlets. Histological observations revealed that the absence of shoot and root apical meristems along with parenchymatization of embryos were major obstacles to conversion of horn-shaped embryoids. The estimated 2C value for T. nigrescens was 0.9 pg. FCM analysis revealed differences in DNA content between embryoids induced via an intervening callus and those produced directly from explants. Individuals with species-specific as well as increased DNA content were detected among those zygotic-like embryos derived from callus, but all horn-shaped embryoids had increased genome sizes. The observed lack of differences in DNA content between zygotic-like and horn-shaped embryoids, from direct SE, indicated that these phenotypic abnormalities were of physiological origin. The mean DNA content of regenerants was species-specific, suggesting that only diploid embryoids were capable for regeneration into plantlets

Lower extremity muscles activity in standing and sitting position with use of sEMG in patients suffering from Charcot–Marie–Tooth syndrome

There is very limited, evidenced data about movement possibilities in patients with high level of lower limb muscles atrophy and fatigue in patients suffering from Charcot–Marie–Tooth syndrome. Patient (age 46) suffering from Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease for 30 years with multiple movement restrictions and muscles atrophy above knees took part into the study. Tests were performed for 8 muscles of the lower limb and pelvis. Muscles electrical activity was tested in sitting and standing position (for knees extended and hyperextended). In the right leg rectus femoris, vastus lateralis obliquus, gluteus medius and semitendinosus muscles activated at first and were working the longest time. The highest activity was observed in standing position with knees extended. In the left leg rectus femoris and biceps femoris muscles activated at first and biceps femoris was working the longest time. Activity level in left lower limb is much lower than in the right one. Muscles weakness is asymmetric. Left leg is much weaker and engages antagonists and synergists muscles to compensate weaker rectus femoris, vastus medialis obliquus and vastus lateralis obliquus

Impact of chronic inflammatory airway disease on stroke severity and long-term survival after ischemic stroke - a retrospective analysis

Background Chronic inflammatory airway disease (CIAD) has emerged as independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and ischemic stroke but the impact of co-existing CIAD in patients with ischemic stroke is less clear. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 1013 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were consecutively admitted to the Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany within one year. Mean follow-up was 80 months (IQR 32–85 months). Using multivariable regression models we analyzed the impact of CIAD (defined as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma bronchiale) on stroke severity and outcome. Results Co-existing CIAD was evident in 7.1 % (n = 72) of all patients with acute ischemic stroke. Baseline characteristics of stroke patients with CIAD did not differ significantly from ischemic stroke patients without CIAD. Age (OR 1.17 [95 % CI 1.03-1.37] per decade), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.43 [95 % CI 2.47-4.78]) and coronary artery disease (OR 1.51 [95 % CI 1.07–2.14]) but not a history of CIAD (p = 0.30) were associated with severe stroke (NIHSS≥11) on hospital admission. Age (HR 1.70 [95 % CI 1.53-1.87] per decade), peripheral artery disease (HR 1.91 [95 % CI 1.35-2.7]), stroke severity at hospital admission (NIHSS per point HR 1.08 [95 % CI 1.06-1.10]), and history of CIAD (HR 1.43 [95 % CI 1.02-2.00]) were independently associated with mortality during long-term follow-up. However, CIAD was not significantly associated with short-term mortality after stroke. Conclusion Co-existing CIAD showed no significant association with stroke severity at hospital admission and early mortality after ischemic stroke. CIAD was negatively associated with long-term survival after ischemic stroke

Extracellular matrix surface network is associated with non-morphogenic calli of Helianthus tuberosus cv. Albik produced from various explants

Helianthus tuberosus is economically important species. To improve characters of this energetic plant via genetic modification, production of callus tissue and plant regeneration are the first steps. A new, potentially energetic cultivar Albik was used in this study to test callus induction and regeneration. Callus was produced on leaves, petioles, apical meristems and stems from field-harvested plants but was totally non-morphogenic. Its induction started in the cortex and vascular bundles as confirmed by histological analysis. The surface of heterogeneous callus was partially covered with a membranous extracellular matrix surface network visible in scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The results clearly indicate that: (i) the morphogenic capacity of callus in topinambur is genotype dependent, (ii) cv. Albik of H. tuberosus proved recalcitrant in in vitro regeneration, and (iii) extracellular matrix surface network is not a morphogenic marker in this cultivar

Influence of uniaxial pressure on dielectric properties of (1-x)Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–xSrTiO3 for x = 0.01, 0.04, and 0.1 ceramics

The publication costs of this article were covered by the Estonian Academy of Sciences and the University of Tartu.The conventional solid-state sintering was applied to synthesized (1-x)Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-xSrTiO3 (x = 0.01, 0.04, and 0.1) ceramics. Dielectric measurements of these ceramics were taken in the temperature range from 20 to 600 °C, in the frequency range from 1 kHz to 2 MHz and under uniaxial pressure ranging from 10 to 1100 bar. The study of the dielectric behaviour showed that the influence of uniaxial pressure on the investigated properties was considerable. The peaks εm gradually decreased and shifted towards lower temperatures with an increase of uniaxial pressure for all samples. The first effect developed with an increase of the strontium ion concentration. Experimental results revealed most interesting properties of the material in the context of its potential applications.Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART

Arabinogalactan-protein and pectin epitopes in relation to an extracellular matrix surface network and somatic embryogenesis and callogenesis in Trifolium nigrescens Viv

The formation of an extracellular matrix surface network (ECMSN), and associated changes in the distribution of arabinogalactan-protein and pectin epitopes, have been studied during somatic embryogenesis (SE) and callogenesis of Trifolium nigrescens Viv. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed the occurrence of an ECMSN on the surface of cotyledonary-staged somatic embryos as well as on the peripheral, non-regenerating callus cells. The occurrence of six AGP (JIM4, JIM8, JIM13, JIM16, LM2, MAC207) and four pectin (JIM5, JIM7, LM5, LM6) epitopes was analysed during early stages of SE, in cotyledonary-staged somatic embryos and in non-embryogenic callus using monoclonal antibodies. The JIM5 low methyl-esterified homogalacturonan (HG) epitope localized to ECMSN on the callus surface but none of the epitopes studied were found to localize to ECMSN over mature somatic embryos. The LM2 AGP epitope was detected during the development of somatic embryos and was also observed in the cell walls of meristematic cells from which SE was initiated. The pectic epitopes JIM5, JIM7, LM5 and LM6 were temporally regulated during SE. The LM6 arabinan epitope, carried by side chains of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), was detected predominantly in cells of embryogenic swellings, whilst the LM5 galactan epitope of RG-I was uniformly distributed throughout the ground tissue of cotyledonary-staged embryoids but not detected at the early stages of SE. Differences in the distribution patterns of low and high methyl-esterified HG were detected: low ester HG (JIM5 epitope) was most abundant during the early steps of embryo formation and highly methyl-esterified form of HG (JIM7 epitope) became prevalent during embryoid maturation