Imbalanced Lignin Biosynthesis Promotes the Sexual Reproduction of Homothallic Oomycete Pathogens

Lignin is incorporated into plant cell walls to maintain plant architecture and to ensure long-distance water transport. Lignin composition affects the industrial value of plant material for forage, wood and paper production, and biofuel technologies. Industrial demands have resulted in an increase in the use of genetic engineering to modify lignified plant cell wall composition. However, the interaction of the resulting plants with the environment must be analyzed carefully to ensure that there are no undesirable side effects of lignin modification. We show here that Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with impaired 5-hydroxyguaiacyl O-methyltransferase (known as caffeate O-methyltransferase; COMT) function were more susceptible to various bacterial and fungal pathogens. Unexpectedly, asexual sporulation of the downy mildew pathogen, Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis, was impaired on these mutants. Enhanced resistance to downy mildew was not correlated with increased plant defense responses in comt1 mutants but coincided with a higher frequency of oomycete sexual reproduction within mutant tissues. Comt1 mutants but not wild-type Arabidopsis accumulated soluble 2-O-5-hydroxyferuloyl-l-malate. The compound weakened mycelium vigor and promoted sexual oomycete reproduction when applied to a homothallic oomycete in vitro. These findings suggested that the accumulation of 2-O-5-hydroxyferuloyl-l-malate accounted for the observed comt1 mutant phenotypes during the interaction with H. arabidopsidis. Taken together, our study shows that an artificial downregulation of COMT can drastically alter the interaction of a plant with the biotic environment

The need for harmonization and innovation of neuropsychological assessment in neurodegenerative dementias in Europe: consensus document of the Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Diseases Working Group

Cognitive, behavioural, and functional assessment is crucial in longitudinal studies of neurodegenerative dementias (NDD). Central issues, such as the definition of the study population (asymptomatic, at risk, or individuals with dementia), the detection of change/decline, and the assessment of relevant outcomes depend on quantitative measures of cognitive, behavioural, and functional status. Currently, we are far from having available reliable protocols and tools for the assessment of dementias in Europe. The main problems are the heterogeneity of the tools used across different European countries, the lack of standardisation of administration and scoring methods across centres, and the limited information available about the psychometric properties of many tests currently in widespread use. This situation makes it hard to compare results across studies carried out in different centres, thus hampering research progress, in particular towards the contribution to a “big data” common data set. We present here the results of a project funded by the Joint Program for Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND) and by the Italian Ministry of Health. The project aimed at providing a consensus framework for the harmonisation of assessment tools to be applied to research in neurodegenerative disorders affecting cognition across Europe. A panel of European experts reviewed the current methods of neuropsychological assessment, identified pending issues, and made recommendations for the harmonisation of neuropsychological assessment of neurodegenerative dementias in Europe. A consensus was achieved on the general recommendations to be followed in developing procedures and tools for neuropsychological assessment, with the aim of harmonising tools and procedures to achieve more reliable data on the cognitive-behavioural examination. The results of this study should be considered as a first step to enhancing a common view and practise on NDD assessment across European countries

Educação de Enfermagem sem distâncias: uma ruptura espaço/temporal Educación de Enfermería sin distancias: una ruptura espacio/temporal Nursing education with no distance: a space and time rupture

Este artigo apresenta concepções pedagógicas e aspectos sobre a legislação da educação a distância, assim como tece considerações sobre tecnologias educacionais e relata a experiência de utilização de ambiente on-line de aprendizagem na graduação de Enfermagem. Foi oferecido um curso via Internet, no ambiente WebCT. O tema do curso foi Terapia Intravenosa (TIV). Inscreveram-se 49 alunos, destes, 25 concluíram 50% das atividades previstas. A utilização da Internet pode motivar o aprendiz e facilitar a inclusão digital do aluno de Enfermagem. Assim, a Internet pode ser vista como uma ferramenta auxiliar útil que possibilita uma ruptura espaço/temporal, em que o tempo e o espaço são estabelecidos de acordo com as necessidades, os interesses e a disponibilidade dos discentes.<br>Este artículo presenta concepciones pedagógicas y aspectos de la legislación de la educación a distancia. Presenta también consideraciones sobre las tecnologías educativas y relata la experiencia de la utilización de la Internet en la educación de enfermería. Fue ofrecido un curso vía Internet, en ambiente WebCT, sobre el tema Terapia Intravenosa. Se inscribieron en el curso 49 estudiantes de los cuales 25 concluyeron el 50% de las actividades previstas. Así, la Internet puede ser vista como una herramienta auxiliar útil que posibilita una ruptura espacio/temporal, donde el tiempo y el espacio son establecidos de acuerdo con las necesidades, las metas y la disposición de los aprendices.<br>This article presents pedagogical assumptions and some distance educational policies. It also presents considerations about educational technologies, and describes the experience of using the Internet in the nursing education undergraduate courses. It was offered a course via Internet, in the WebCT environment. The subject theme was Intravenous Therapy. Initially 49 students enrolled in the course, among these, 25 completed 50% of the course activities. Internet can stimulate and facilitate the nursing student digital inclusion. Thus, Internet can be seen as a useful auxiliary tool that allows a space and time flexibility, where these factors are determined according to learner's interests and availability