The ER luminal binding protein (BiP) mediates an increase in drought tolerance in soybean and delays drought-induced leaf senescence in soybean and tobacco

The ER-resident molecular chaperone BiP (binding protein) was overexpressed in soybean. When plants growing in soil were exposed to drought (by reducing or completely withholding watering) the wild-type lines showed a large decrease in leaf water potential and leaf wilting, but the leaves in the transgenic lines did not wilt and exhibited only a small decrease in water potential. During exposure to drought the stomata of the transgenic lines did not close as much as in the wild type, and the rates of photosynthesis and transpiration became less inhibited than in the wild type. These parameters of drought resistance in the BiP overexpressing lines were not associated with a higher level of the osmolytes proline, sucrose, and glucose. It was also not associated with the typical drought-induced increase in root dry weight. Rather, at the end of the drought period, the BiP overexpressing lines had a lower level of the osmolytes and root weight than the wild type. The mRNA abundance of several typical drought-induced genes [NAC2, a seed maturation protein (SMP), a glutathione-S-transferase (GST), antiquitin, and protein disulphide isomerase 3 (PDI-3)] increased in the drought-stressed wild-type plants. Compared with the wild type, the increase in mRNA abundance of these genes was less (in some genes much less) in the BiP overexpressing lines that were exposed to drought. The effect of drought on leaf senescence was investigated in soybean and tobacco. It had previously been reported that tobacco BiP overexpression or repression reduced or accentuated the effects of drought. BiP overexpressing tobacco and soybean showed delayed leaf senescence during drought. BiP antisense tobacco plants, conversely, showed advanced leaf senescence. It is concluded that BiP overexpression confers resistance to drought, through an as yet unknown mechanism that is related to ER functioning. The delay in leaf senescence by BiP overexpression might relate to the absence of the response to drought

Parental role conflict: the nursing diagnosis in mothers of hospitalized newborns

OBJECTIVE: To verify if mothers of newborns hospitalized recognize the defining characteristics of parental role conflict as representative of that experience. METHODS: A cross-sectional and descriptive study, developed in a neonatal unit of a public teaching hospital in the state of São Paulo. The sample consisted of 100 women who assigned scores of 1 to 5 to the defining characteristics of the diagnosis, where 1 meant not at all characteristic and 5 meant completely characteristic of what I am experiencing. RESULT: Of the total sample, 96 women self-identified with the diagnosis. The most prevalent defining characteristics were: anxiety, mother expresses concern(s) in relation to changes in maternal role; verbalizes feelings of frustration, reports concern about family and fear. Women who were with their children less often during hospitalization had a higher number of defining characteristics. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of the defining characteristics of the studied diagnosis, suggesting the relevance of the topic and the need for further studies to be developed in the neonatal unit.OBJETIVO: Verificar si las madres de los recién nacidos hospitalizados reconocen las características definitorias de conflicto de rol parental como representativas de esa experiencia. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal y descriptivo realizado en una unidad neonatal de un hospital de enseñanza pública en el estado de São Paulo. La muestra consistió en 100 mujeres que le asignaron puntuaciones de 1 a 5 para las características que definen el diagnóstico, en la que 1 significa nada característico y 5 significa completamente característico de lo que estoy viviendo. RESULTADOS: De la muestra total, 96 mujeres se auto-identificaron con el diagnóstico. Las características más comunes que definen fueron: ansiedad,expresa preocupación por los cambios en el rol parental,expresa sentimientos de frustración,expresa preocupación sobre la familia (p. ej., funcionamiento, comunicación, salud),y temor. Las mujeres que estaban con sus hijos con menor frecuencia durante la hospitalización tenían un mayor número de características definitorias. CONCLUSIÓN: Se observó una alta prevalencia de las características definitorias del diagnóstico estudiado, lo que sugiere la relevancia del tema y la necesidad de nuevos estudios que se desarrollarán en la unidad neonatal.OBJETIVO: verificar se mães de recém-nascidos hospitalizados reconhecem as Características Definidoras do conflito no desempenho do papel de mãe como representativas do que vivenciam. MÉTODO: estudo transversal e descritivo, desenvolvido em uma unidade neonatal de um hospital público de ensino do Estado de São Paulo. A amostra foi constituída por 100 mulheres que atribuíram escores de 1 a 5 às características definidoras do diagnóstico, em que 1 significava absolutamente não característico e 5 totalmente característico do que estou vivenciando. RESULTADO: do total da amostra, 96 mulheres identificaram-se com o diagnóstico. As características definidoras mais prevalentes foram: ansiedade; mãe expressa preocupação(ões) em relação a mudanças no papel materno; verbaliza sentimentos de frustração; mãe expressa preocupação(ões) em relação à família e medo. As mulheres que estiveram menos vezes com os filhos, durante a internação, apresentaram maior número de características definidoras. CONCLUSÃO: verificou-se alta prevalência de características definidoras do diagnóstico estudado, o que sugere a pertinência da temática e a necessidade de que mais estudos sejam desenvolvidos na unidade neonatal.Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas Faculdade de EnfermagemUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de EnfermagemUNIFESP, EPESciEL