ESCRT-I Component VPS23A Affects ABA Signaling by Recognizing ABA Receptors for Endosomal Degradation

[EN] Recent discovery of PYR/PYL/RCAR-type abscisic acid (ABA) receptors has become one of most significant advances in plant science in the past decade. In mammals, endosomal sorting acts as an important pathway to downregulate different types of receptors, but its role in plant hormone signaling is poorly understood. Here, we report that an ubiquitin E2-like protein, VPS23A, which is a key component of ESCRT-I, negatively regulates ABA signaling. VPS23A has epistatic relationship with PYR/PYL/RCAR-type ABA receptors and disruption of VPS23A enhanced the activity of key kinase OST1 in the ABA signaling pathway under ABA treatment. Moreover, VPS23A interacts with PYR1/PYLs and K63-linked diubiquitin, and PYL4 possesses K63-linked ubiquitinated modification in vivo. Further analysis revealed that VPS23A affects the subcellular localization of PYR1 and the stability of PYL4. Taken together, our results suggest that VPS23A affects PYR1/PYL4 via vacuole-mediated degradation, providing an advanced understanding of both the turnover of ABA receptors and ESCRTs in plant hormone signaling.This research was supported by grant 2016YFA0500500 from the National Basic Research Program of China and NSFC 31571441 from the National Science Foundation of China.Yu, F.; Lou, L.; Tian, M.; Li, Q.; Ding, Y.; Cao, X.; Wu, Y.... (2016). ESCRT-I Component VPS23A Affects ABA Signaling by Recognizing ABA Receptors for Endosomal Degradation. Molecular Plant. 9(12):1570-1582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2016.11.002S1570158291

Strategy for enhancing reliability and lifetime of DC-AC inverters used for wind turbines

Lifetime of wind turbine inverters is below expectations therefore, novel design and drive strategies are timely required to achieve optimum life span. In this work, a novel driving strategy to mitigate stresses on inverters is proposed. First, an electro thermal analysis was carried out using finite element modelling methods. Subsequently, the outcomes of the models were validated using DC/AC IGBT based power inverter module interfaced to 1.1 kW electrical outputs of a horizontal wind turbine operated under different wind speeds. Real time data was collected using both dSPACE system and high speed thermal imaging camera. The proposed driving method is based on adjusting the switching frequency according to wind speed. Edge detection scheme was embedded in Simulink to determine temperature fluctuations caused by variations in wind speed profile. Effects of these fluctuations are mitigated by regulating the switching frequency and power losses based on a look up table and interpolation method. The proposed strategy of operation reduces cyclic temperature depended lifetime span (total lifetime consumption) to 1.45×10−5 cycles compared to 1.88×10−5 when operated under conventional fixed frequency. Wire-bond thermal stress was also reduced from 54.5 MPa, for the fixed switching frequency, to 45.5 MPa. This represents about 21% reduction in total lifetime consumption of inverter's wire-bond which, brings huge benefits to wind energy industry

What makes people decide who to turn to when faced with a mental health problem? Results from a French survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The unequal use of mental health care is a great issue, even in countries with universal health coverage. Better knowledge of the factors that have an impact on the pathway to mental health care may be a great help for designing education campaigns and for best organizing health care delivery. The objective of this study is to explore the determinants of help-seeking intentions for mental health problems and which factors influence treatment opinions and the reliance on and compliance with health professionals' advice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>441 adults aged 18 to 70 were randomly selected from the general population of two suburban districts near Paris and agreed to participate in the study (response rate = 60.4%). The 412 respondents with no mental health problems based on the CIDI-SF and the CAGE, who had not consulted for a mental health problem in the previous year, were asked in detail about their intentions to seek help in case of a psychological disorder and about their opinion of mental health treatments. The links between the respondents' characteristics and intentions and opinions were explored.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>More than half of the sample (57.8%) would see their general practitioner (GP) first and 46.6% would continue with their GP for follow-up. Mental health professionals were mentioned far less than GPs. People who would choose their GP first were older and less educated, whereas those who would favor mental health specialists had lower social support. For psychotherapy, respondents were split equally between seeing a GP, a psychiatrist or a psychologist. People were reluctant to take psychotropic drugs, but looked favorably on psychotherapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>GPs are often the point of entry into the mental health care system and need to be supported. Public information campaigns about mental health care options and treatments are needed to educate the public, eliminate the stigma of mental illness and eliminate prejudices.</p

Somatically ill persons’ self-nominated quality of life domains: review of the literature and guidelines for future studies

OBJECTIVE: To review which domains somatically ill persons nominate as constituting their QoL. Specific objective is to examine whether the method of enquiry affect these domains. METHODS: We conducted two literature searches in the databases PubMed/Medline, CINAHL and Psychinfo for qualitative studies examining patients' self-defined QoL domains using (1) SEIQoL and (2) study-specific questions. For each database, two researchers independently assessed the eligibility of the retrieved abstracts and three researchers subsequently classified all QoL domains. RESULTS: Thirty-six eligible papers were identified: 27 studies using the SEIQoL, and nine presenting data derived from study-specific questions. The influence of the method of enquiry on patients' self-nominated QoL domains appears limited: most domains were presented in both types of studies, albeit with different frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides a comprehensive overview of somatically ill persons' self-nominated QoL domains. However, limitations inherent to reviewing qualitative studies (e.g., the varying level of abstraction of patients' self-defined QoL domains), limitations of the included studies and limitations inherent to the review process, hinder cross-study comparisons. Therefore, we provide guidelines to address shortcomings of qualitative reports amenable to improvement and to stimulate further improvement of conducting and reporting qualitative research aimed at exploring respondents' self-nominated QoL domains

Pharmacological targeting of the KIT growth factor receptor: a therapeutic consideration for mast cell disorders

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72410/1/bjp.2008.204.pd

Cervical lymph node metastasis in high-grade transformation of head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma: a collective international review

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is among the most common malignant tumors of the salivary glands. It is characterized by a prolonged clinical course, with frequent local recurrences, late onset of metastases and fatal outcome. High-grade transformation (HGT) is an uncommon phenomenon among salivary carcinomas and is associated with increased tumor aggressiveness. In AdCC with high-grade transformation (AdCC-HGT), the clinical course deviates from the natural history of AdCC. It tends to be accelerated, with a high propensity for lymph node metastasis. In order to shed light on this rare event and, in particular, on treatment implications, we undertook this review: searching for all published cases of AdCC-HGT. We conclude that it is mandatory to perform elective neck dissection in patients with AdCC-HGT, due to the high risk of lymph node metastases associated with transformation

Wheat flour protein content and water absorption analysis in a doubled haploid population

A wheatmaize induced doubled haploid population that segregates at the Awned locus for awned and awnless phenotypes were studied at two field sites using a genetic linkage map. Interval QTL analysis indicated that significant QTLs for wheat flour water absorption and protein content were located on a linkage group associated with the morphological marker, awns. The QTL peak for flour water absorption was located at the Awned locus (B1, 5AL), whilst the QTL peak for protein content was located nearby, 10.1 cm away from the Awned locus. The locations of those QTL were confirmed by analysing data from two independent field trials conducted under different environment conditions. The QTL identified for water absorption controlled 12% and 11% of the observed variance at the two field trials, whilst for flour protein content the QTL explained 7% and 19% of the variance respectively. Variance component analysis indicated that the QTL for water absorption controlled approximately 14.8–25.0% and 13.6–23% of the genetic variance at the two sites studied (Roma and Jimbour) whilst the QTL for protein content explained between 12.8% and 30.4% of the genetic variance at Roma and 34.7–82.6% at Jimbour. Cross-site analysis with composite interval mapping approach resulted in significant LOD values of 6.12 and 9.94 for water absorption and protein content, respectively. The QTL for water absorption was independent from the hardness locus