Thermal analysis of grapevine shoot tips during dehydration and vitrification

The wider use of cryopreservation methods for conservation of plant genetic resources is limited by a sensitivity of different genotypes to specific procedures. Thermal analysis can improve routine use of these methods, by means of determination of melting point and proportion of freezable water after dehydration at each step of the cryoprotocol. Changes in these characteristics during explants dehydration were compared with changes in their viability in three grapevine varieties ('Blussard modry', 'Portugal modry' and 'Kerner'). The highest sensitivity to dehydration was found in the variety 'Kerner'. The proportion of freezable water during dehydration was affected mostly by cryoprotective solutions and partly by genotype. Tested protocol could allow using the cryopreservation procedure for preservation of grapevine variety with different sensitivity to dehydration. It was demonstrated that thermal analysis was a useful tool to validate cryoprotective solutions used for grapevine cryoconservation

Phytosanitary rules for grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) propagation material introduction into EU for germplasm conservation and scientific purposes

Annex

Field genebank standards for grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.)

Annex

Mobile technology for improved governance, resilience and sustainability of water supplies in Ethiopia

The non-functionality of water schemes remains a major factor preventing climate resilient development. Communities most at-risk to the effects of climate change often rely on deep groundwater sources during times of drought. These water schemes rely on complex technology to extract water from the deep groundwater sources. When the water schemes fail, support from external service providers, typically the Woreda, Zonal or Regional Water Officers, is necessary for repairs. This paper examines the multiple dimensions of sustainability in rural, drought-prone Ethiopia. It focusses in on the intersection of the institutional, social and economic sustainability dimensions and the information management system needed to ensure downward accountability of service providers towards communities. The innovative WaterReport technology is introduced as a mechanism for enhancing these three dimensions of sustainability

Contribution of Cystine-Glutamate Antiporters to the Psychotomimetic Effects of Phencyclidine

Altered glutamate signaling contributes to a myriad of neural disorders, including schizophrenia. While synaptic levels are intensely studied, nonvesicular release mechanisms, including cystine–glutamate exchange, maintain high steady-state glutamate levels in the extrasynaptic space. The existence of extrasynaptic receptors, including metabotropic group II glutamate receptors (mGluR), pose nonvesicular release mechanisms as unrecognized targets capable of contributing to pathological glutamate signaling. We tested the hypothesis that activation of cystine–glutamate antiporters using the cysteine prodrug N-acetylcysteine would blunt psychotomimetic effects in the rodent phencyclidine (PCP) model of schizophrenia. First, we demonstrate that PCP elevates extracellular glutamate in the prefrontal cortex, an effect that is blocked by N-acetylcysteine pretreatment. To determine the relevance of the above finding, we assessed social interaction and found that N-acetylcysteine reverses social withdrawal produced by repeated PCP. In a separate paradigm, acute PCP resulted in working memory deficits assessed using a discrete trial t-maze task, and this effect was also reversed by N-acetylcysteine pretreatment. The capacity of N-acetylcysteine to restore working memory was blocked by infusion of the cystine–glutamate antiporter inhibitor (S)-4-carboxyphenylglycine into the prefrontal cortex or systemic administration of the group II mGluR antagonist LY341495 indicating that the effects of N-acetylcysteine requires cystine–glutamate exchange and group II mGluR activation. Finally, protein levels from postmortem tissue obtained from schizophrenic patients revealed significant changes in the level of xCT, the active subunit for cystine–glutamate exchange, in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These data advance cystine–glutamate antiporters as novel targets capable of reversing the psychotomimetic effects of PCP

Targeting cyclin B1 inhibits proliferation and sensitizes breast cancer cells to taxol

Background Cyclin B1, the regulatory subunit of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), is essential for the transition from G2 phase to mitosis. Cyclin B1 is very often found to be overexpressed in primary breast and cervical cancer cells as well as in cancer cell lines. Its expression is correlated with the malignancy of gynecological cancers. Methods In order to explore cyclin B1 as a potential target for gynecological cancer therapy, we studied the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on different gynecological cancer cell lines by monitoring their proliferation rate, cell cycle profile, protein expression and activity, apoptosis induction and colony formation. Tumor formation in vivo was examined using mouse xenograft models. Results Downregulation of cyclin B1 inhibited proliferation of several breast and cervical cancer cell lines including MCF-7, BT-474, SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231 and HeLa. After combining cyclin B1 siRNA with taxol, we observed an increased apoptotic rate accompanied by an enhanced antiproliferative effect in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, control HeLa cells were progressively growing, whereas the tumor growth of HeLa cells pre-treated with cyclin B1 siRNA was strongly inhibited in nude mice, indicating that cyclin B1 is indispensable for tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion Our data support the notion of cyclin B1 being essential for survival and proliferation of gynecological cancer cells. Concordantly, knockdown of cyclin B1 inhibits proliferation in vitro as well as in vivo. Moreover, targeting cyclin B1 sensitizes breast cancer cells to taxol, suggesting that specific cyclin B1 targeting is an attractive strategy for the combination with conventionally used agents in gynecological cancer therapy

Dehydration of grapevine dormant buds in relation to cryopreservation

vokMyynti MTT, Tietopalvelut 31600 Jokioine

Electrical Resistivity and Positron Lifetime Studies of Precipitation Effects in Al-Cu-Based Alloys

The improved workability of the commercial automatic machine designed alloy Al-Cu-Bi-Pb is guaranteed by the presence of Pb. Nevertheless, the toxic element Pb reduces some of the alloy properties. Therefore new Pb-free machinable Al-based alloys are developed. The Al-Cu-Bi-Sn alloy belongs to these non-traditional materials. The contribution deals with the investigation of precipitation effects in Al-Cu-Bi-Sn alloy during step-by-step isochronal annealing up to 500°C after previous solution heat treatment by means of positron annihilation spectroscopy completed with electrical resistivity measurements and results of independent transmission electron microscopy studies. The used combination of experimental methods gives the possibility to detect separately the redistribution of Sn and Cu atoms in the matrix and to study the influence of vacancies on this process