In vitro shoot regeneration from leaf discs of Betula pendula "Dalecarlica" EM 85

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of leaf discs as source material for regeneration studies and to test the effects of various organic additions to the medium. Zeatin has already been shown to be effective in inducing regeneration in birch whilst putrescine and cefotaxime can aid regeneration from leaf discs in other tree species such as apple and pea

Effetto della concentrazione dei sali minerali e di IBA sulla radicazione in vitro di Sorbus domestica e S. torminalis

Sorbus spp. are supposed suitable for development of marginal sites and the demand for their high-quality timber is extremely high on the European market. Micropropagation has been investigated as a tool for large scale propagation of these species. S. domestica 'Tosca3' shootlets showed higher rooting ability than S. torminalis. The different responses to in vitro rooting treatments shown by seedling of S. domestica and S. torminalis were due both to intra and inter genetic variability. Reducing the MS medium strength to one half had beneficial effect on S. domestica \u2018Tosca 3\u2019 and on two out of the eight tested S. torminalis genotypes. The IBA tested concentrations significantly affected S. domestica \u2018Tosca 3' and four S. torminalis genotypes rooting performance

Contributo della micropropagazione alla valorizzazione del sorbo da legno

Nell\u2019attivit\ue0 di micropropagazione di selezioni autoctone da legno di S. torminalis e S. domestica la fase di radicazione si \ue8 rivelata critica per S. torminalis e quella d\u2019ambientamento per entrambe. Nel presente lavoro si evidenzia l\u2019influenza del genotipo e della citochinina sulla fase di radicazione di S. torminalis e si descrive l\u2019evoluzione dell\u2019apparato fogliare durante la fase di ambientamento delle colture.Sorbus spp. is particularly important for timber production as the price of its good-quality wood is extremely high and its demand is increasing on the European market. The use of in vitro propagation allows the large-scale production of interesting accessions as those selected at DIPROVE of Milan University. Whereas rooting was critic for S. torminalis accessions acclimatization appeared critical also for S. domestica. S. torminalis gave better rooting and in vivo survival when preconditioned on BA free medium. Changes in the morphological and histological features and in the development of the mesophyll layer of persistent (ex vitro) leaves as compared to both in vitro and new formed ones were observed

Second-order grey-scale texture analysis of pleural ultrasound images to differentiate acute respiratory distress syndrome and cardiogenic pulmonary edema

Discriminating acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) may be challenging in critically ill patients. Aim of this study was to investigate if gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) analysis of lung ultrasound (LUS) images can differentiate ARDS from CPE. The study population consisted of critically ill patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) with acute respiratory failure and submitted to LUS and extravascular lung water monitoring, and of a healthy control group (HCG). A digital analysis of pleural line and subpleural space, based on the GLCM with second order statistical texture analysis, was tested. We prospectively evaluated 47 subjects: 16 with a clinical diagnosis of CPE, 8 of ARDS, and 23 healthy subjects. By comparing ARDS and CPE patients’ subgroups with HCG, the one-way ANOVA models found a statistical significance in 9 out of 11 GLCM textural features. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons found statistical significance within each matrix feature for ARDS vs. CPE and CPE vs. HCG (P ≤ 0.001 for all). For ARDS vs. HCG a statistical significance occurred only in two matrix features (correlation: P = 0.005; homogeneity: P = 0.048). The quantitative method proposed has shown high diagnostic accuracy in differentiating normal lung from ARDS or CPE, and good diagnostic accuracy in differentiating CPE and ARDS. Gray-level co-occurrence matrix analysis of LUS images has the potential to aid pulmonary edemas differential diagnosis

Stone formation in peach fruit exhibits spatial coordination of the lignin and flavonoid pathways and similarity to Arabidopsis dehiscence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lignification of the fruit endocarp layer occurs in many angiosperms and plays a critical role in seed protection and dispersal. This process has been extensively studied with relationship to pod shatter or dehiscence in <it>Arabidopsis</it>. Dehiscence is controlled by a set of transcription factors that define the fruit tissue layers and whether or not they lignify. In contrast, relatively little is known about similar processes in other plants such as stone fruits which contain an extremely hard lignified endocarp or stone surrounding a single seed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we show that lignin deposition in peach initiates near the blossom end within the endocarp layer and proceeds in a distinct spatial-temporal pattern. Microarray studies using a developmental series from young fruits identified a sharp and transient induction of phenylpropanoid, lignin and flavonoid pathway genes concurrent with lignification and subsequent stone hardening. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction studies revealed that specific phenylpropanoid (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase) and lignin (caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, peroxidase and laccase) pathway genes were induced in the endocarp layer over a 10 day time period, while two lignin genes (<it>p-</it>coumarate 3-hydroxylase and cinnamoyl CoA reductase) were co-regulated with flavonoid pathway genes (chalcone synthase, dihydroflavanol 4-reductase, leucoanthocyanidin dioxygen-ase and flavanone-3-hydrosylase) which were mesocarp and exocarp specific. Analysis of other fruit development expression studies revealed that flavonoid pathway induction is conserved in the related Rosaceae species apple while lignin pathway induction is not. The transcription factor expression of peach genes homologous to known endocarp determinant genes in <it>Arabidopsis </it>including <it>SHATTERPROOF</it>, <it>SEEDSTCK </it>and <it>NAC SECONDARY WALL THICENING PROMOTING FACTOR 1 </it>were found to be specifically expressed in the endocarp while the negative regulator <it>FRUITFU</it>L predominated in exocarp and mesocarp.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, the data suggests, first, that the process of endocarp determination and differentiation in peach and <it>Arabidopsis </it>share common regulators and, secondly, reveals a previously unknown coordination of competing lignin and flavonoid biosynthetic pathways during early fruit development.</p

Il sorbo da legno : una risorsa da valorizzare

Sorbus. domestica (service tree) and S. torminalis (wild service tree) are characterised by slow growth and adaptability to low fertility soil. They are interesting for forestry, ornamental and food purposes and particularly important for timber production as the price of their good-quality wood is extremely high and its demand is increasing on the European market. Sorbus spp. are traditionally propagated by seed thus yelding a wide variability of the progeny. The use of in vitro culture as a tool of vegetative propagation could allow both the large-scale production of interesting genotypes and the exploitation of any carry over effects of the technique particularly in term of increased vigour of the ex in vitro plants. This research is part of a wider project founded by Regione Lombardia aimed at finding Sorbus torminalis and S. domestica distinctive individuals, collecting seeds and vegetative material to perform germination and micropropagation trials. Seedlings are growing in selection fields, monitored and selected for the best growth performances, form and stem characteristics. Those showing the desired traits undergo in vitro propagation with the goal to provide material to set up pilot fields, in areas with differing pedoclimatic conditions, for testing timber properties. A seedling orchard of S. torminalis was established in 2003 at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Crop Production, University of Milano. The objective of this orchard is the production of selected plus trees mainly based on trunk form traits and fast growth. Seedlings growth measures as recorded at pre-plantation and after two years in the field are reported. Some significant correlations between pre-plantation and post-plantation growth data are shown