Weed management in banana production: The use of Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng as a nonleguminous cover crop

During a survey of weeds in the Tiko banana plantations, the plant Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng was found to have invaded large areas of the plantation with no visible adverse effects on the banana crop. The effects of this Acanthaceae on banana yield parameters, snails’ population and weed species diversity and abundance were evaluated, with the intension of recommending the plant as a cover crop in weed management in banana plantations. Of the 73 weed species identified in Tiko banana plantation, only nine were found growing in association with N. canescens. These weed species also showed reduced abundance and vigour. The reduction in abundance ranged from 60 to 100%. The reduction in abundance was more pronounced during the dry season when cover crop growth was dense, than in the rainy season when there was reduced growth. The pseudo - stem circumference, bunch weight and hand class were significantly higher (p > /0.05) for plants grown with cover crop than for those grown without. The number of snails on and around the pseudo - stem was also significantly reduced in banana grown with N. canescens cover crop than in plants grown without. N. canescens has an added advantage in that it is prostrate and does not climb on the banana pseudo - stem. This may be a good alternative weed management tool in banana production. The techniques of mass production need to be developed

LEFTY2 inhibits endometrial receptivity by downregulating Orai1 expression and store-operated Ca²+ entry

Early embryo development and endometrial differentiation are initially independent processes, and synchronization, imposed by a limited window of implantation, is critical for reproductive success. A putative negative regulator of endometrial receptivity is LEFTY2, a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family. LEFTY2 is highly expressed in decidualizing human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, coinciding with the closure of the window of implantation. Here, we show that flushing of the uterine lumen in mice with recombinant LEFTY2 inhibits the expression of key receptivity genes, including Cox2, Bmp2, and Wnt4, and blocks embryo implantation. In Ishikawa cells, a human endometrial epithelial cell line, LEFTY2 downregulated the expression of calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1, encoded by ORAI1, and inhibited store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Furthermore, LEFTY2 and the Orai1 blockers 2-APB, MRS-1845, as well as YM-58483, inhibited, whereas the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin, strongly upregulated COX2, BMP2 and WNT4 expression in decidualizing HESCs. These findings suggest that LEFTY2 closes the implantation window, at least in part, by downregulating Orai1, which in turn limits SOCE and antagonizes expression of Ca2+-sensitive receptivity genes

A systematic review of physiological reactivity to stimuli in autism

Objective: The prevalence of abnormal behavioural responses to a variety of stimuli among individuals with autism has led researchers to examine whether physiological reactivity is typical in this population. The current paper reviewed studies assessing physiological reactivity to sensory, social and emotional, and stressor stimuli in individuals with autism. Methods: Systematic searches of electronic databases identified 57 studies that met our inclusion criteria. A novel measure of methodological quality suitable for use with non-randomised, non-interventional, psychophysiological studies was also developed and applied. Results: Individuals with autism were found to respond differently than typically developing controls in 78.6%, 66.7%, and 71.4% of sensory, social and emotional, and stressor stimulus classes, respectively. Conclusions: Individual differences in physiological reactivity are clearly present in autism, suggesting additional research is needed to determine the variables relating to physiological reactivity among those with ASD and to examine the possibility of physiological subtype responders in this population

Accelerated apoptotic death and <i>in vivo</i> turnover of erythrocytes in mice lacking functional mitogen- and stress-activated kinase MSK1/2

The mitogen- and stress-activated kinase MSK1/2 plays a decisive role in apoptosis. In analogy to apoptosis of nucleated cells, suicidal erythrocyte death called eryptosis is characterized by cell shrinkage and cell membrane scrambling leading to phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. Here, we explored whether MSK1/2 participates in the regulation of eryptosis. To this end, erythrocytes were isolated from mice lacking functional MSK1/2 (msk−/−) and corresponding wild-type mice (msk+/+). Blood count, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration and mean erythrocyte volume were similar in both msk−/− and msk+/+ mice, but reticulocyte count was significantly increased in msk−/− mice. Cell membrane PS exposure was similar in untreated msk−/− and msk+/+ erythrocytes, but was enhanced by pathophysiological cell stressors ex vivo such as hyperosmotic shock or energy depletion to significantly higher levels in msk−/− erythrocytes than in msk+/+ erythrocytes. Cell shrinkage following hyperosmotic shock and energy depletion, as well as hemolysis following decrease of extracellular osmolarity was more pronounced in msk−/− erythrocytes. The in vivo clearance of autologously-infused CFSE-labeled erythrocytes from circulating blood was faster in msk−/− mice. The spleens from msk−/− mice contained a significantly greater number of PS-exposing erythrocytes than spleens from msk+/+ mice. The present observations point to accelerated eryptosis and subsequent clearance of erythrocytes leading to enhanced erythrocyte turnover in MSK1/2-deficient mice

The use of HaloTag-based technology in flow and laser scanning cytometry analysis of live and fixed cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Combining the technologies of protein tag labeling and optical microscopy allows sensitive analysis of protein function in cells.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Here, we describe development of applications using protein tag technology (HaloTag (HT)-based) for flow and laser scanning cytometry (LSC). Cell lines, expressing recombinant surface β1-integrin-HT and HT-p65 fusion protein, and a CD4 T cell line (Jurkat) infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reporter virus expressing the unfused HT (HIV-1_Lai-Halo), were stained with different HT ligands and successfully detected by flow cytometers equipped with 488 and 561 nm lasers as well as a laser scanning cytometer (equipped with 488 and 405 nm lasers) alone or combined with cell cycle and viability markers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Use of HT technology for cytometric applications has advantages over its use in microscopy as it allows for the statistical measurement of protein expression levels in individual cells within a heterogeneous cell population in combination with cell cycle analysis. Another advantage is the ability of the HaloTag to withstand long fixation and high concentration of fixative, which can be useful in research of infectious agents like HIV and/or mycobacteria.</p

Coliform pyosalpinx as a rare complication of appendicectomy: a case report and review of the literature on best practice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Coliform pyosalpinx is a rare entity. We report a case that occurred three months after appendicectomy for gangrenous appendicitis. There follows a literature review on best practice for the treatment of pyosalpinx.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A seventeen year old girl presented with an acute abdomen three months after an appendicectomy for gangrenous appendicitis. Intraoperative findings were bilateral pyosalpinx treated by aspiration, saline and Betadine irrigation and intravenous antibiotics.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Microbiological analysis of the pus revealed <it>Escherichia coli </it>and anaerobes. Chlamydia and Candida were not isolated. This is the first known reported case of Coliform Pyosalpinx following appendicectomy. The best treatment does not necessarily involve salpingectomy especially in women of reproductive age where fertility may become compromised.</p

Gauge-independent MS‾\overline{MS} renormalization in the 2HDM

We present a consistent renormalization scheme for the CP-conserving Two-Higgs-Doublet Model based on $\overline{MS}$ renormalization of the mixing angles and the soft-$Z_2$-symmetry-breaking scale $M_{sb}$ in the Higgs sector. This scheme requires to treat tadpoles fully consistently in all steps of the calculation in order to provide gauge-independent $S$-matrix elements. We show how bare physical parameters have to be defined and verify the gauge independence of physical quantities by explicit calculations in a general $R_{\xi}$-gauge. The procedure is straightforward and applicable to other models with extended Higgs sectors. In contrast to the proposed scheme, the $\overline{MS}$ renormalization of the mixing angles combined with popular on-shell renormalization schemes gives rise to gauge-dependent results already at the one-loop level. We present explicit results for electroweak NLO corrections to selected processes in the appropriately renormalized Two-Higgs-Doublet Model and in particular discuss their scale dependence.Comment: 52 pages, PDFLaTeX, PDF figures, JHEP version with Eq. (5.23) correcte