Chronic Cough and Eosinophilic Esophagitis: An Uncommon Association

An increasing number of children, usually with gastrointestinal symptoms, is diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (EE), and a particular subset of these patients complains of airway manifestations. We present the case of a 2-year-old child with chronic dry cough in whom EE was found after a first diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) due to pathological 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. Traditional allergologic tests were negative, while patch tests were diagnostic for cow's milk allergy. We discuss the intriguing relationship between GERD and EE and the use of patch test for the allergologic screening of patients

Underwater intervention robotics: An outline of the Italian national project Maris

The Italian national project MARIS (Marine Robotics for Interventions) pursues the strategic objective of studying, developing, and integrating technologies and methodologies to enable the development of autonomous underwater robotic systems employable for intervention activities. These activities are becoming progressively more typical for the underwater offshore industry, for search-and-rescue operations, and for underwater scientific missions. Within such an ambitious objective, the project consortium also intends to demonstrate the achievable operational capabilities at a proof-of-concept level by integrating the results with prototype experimental systems

RNA extraction from plant tissue - The use of calcium to precipitate contaminating pectic sugars

Several protocols and commercial kits are used for the extraction of nucleic acids from different plant tissues. Although there are several procedures available to remove sugars, which hinder the extraction of clean genomic DNA, there are few to assist with extraction of RNA. Those presently used include precipitations with ethylene glycol monobutyl ether or lithium chloride (LiCl), or centrifugation in cesium chloride (CsCl) gradients, but these generally either do not allow high recovery of RNA, are time consuming, rely on hazardous chemicals or need special equipment. Here we present the use of the simple cation, Ca2+, which has been tested and shown to be very efficient for the precipitation of high molecular weight pectic sugars during RNA extraction. Results are presented for different plant tissues, especially tissues of peach and apple fruits at varying ripening stages

The ethylene biosynthetic and signal transduction pathways are differently affected by 1-MCP in apple and peach fruit

1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is an antagonist of ethylene for receptor binding sites and the effects of its application differ in relation to a number of factors including genotype and ripening physiology. Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. 'Summer Rich') and apple (Malus x domestica L. Borkh cv. 'Golden Delicious') fruits were incubated with 1-MCP (1 mu L l(-1)) for 24 h at 20 degrees C and respiration rate, ethylene production and fruit firmness, together with ACC synthase, ACC oxidase, ETR1, ERS1, and CTR1 gene expression patterns were assessed throughout the post-treatment phase. 1-MCP was confirmed to be effective in delaying ripening in apples while in peaches only a limited effect of the chemical was observed. A dramatic inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis and ACS gene expression was induced by 1-MCP in apples whereas no marked difference was observed in peaches between the two controls (in air and in sealed jars without 1-MCP) and the treated fruit. In apples, Md-ETR1 and Md-ERS1 gene expression was down-regulated by 1-MCP starting from the end of the treatment, while Md-CTR1 appeared negatively affected by the chemical at a later stage. Transcription of Pp-ETR1, Pp-ERS1 and Pp-CTR1 genes appeared unaffected in 1-MCP treated peaches. Differences in receptor transcript levels between control fruit maintained in air and those enclosed in sealed jars without 1-MCP may be due to an effect of CO2 that rapidly accumulates following incubation of ripening peaches. Results support the hypothesis that the different behaviour of peaches and apples in response to 1-MCP application might be related to differences in terms of ratio, expression patterns and/or turn-over of the ethylene receptors

Grape berry ripening delay induced by a pre-véraison NAA treatment is paralleled by a shift in the expression pattern of auxin- and ethylene-related genes

International audienc

La regolazione ormonale dell’invaiatura della bacca di vite: un possibile modello basato sull’analisi dei profili trascrizionali di bacche trattate con acido naftalenacetico

I meccanismi regolativi attivi durante la maturazione della bacca d’uva sono prevalentemente basati sulle interazioni tra auxina, etilene, acido abscissico (ABA) e brassinosterodi (BR). In particolare, le auxine agiscono come repressori della maturazione, mentre etilene, ABA e BR operano come induttori. Per apportare nuove informazioni sulle interazioni ormonali presenti all’avvio della maturazione (invaiatura) è stato effettuato un trattamento con auxina sintetica (acido naftalacetico, NAA), una settimana prima dell’invaiatura. Il trattamento causa un forte ritardo della progressione degli eventi associati alla maturazione: aumento di dimensione della bacca, accumulo di antociani e zuccheri e riduzione degli acidi organici. Questi eventi sono accompagnati da significative variazioni della trascrizione di geni associati ai metabolismi primario, secondario e ormonale. I dati relativi a questi ultimi sono stati analizzati mediante HORMONOMETER, uno strumento bioinformatico che consente di valutare gli effetti dell’applicazione di ormoni e le loro interazioni sulla base di dati trascrittomici. I risultati ottenuti evidenziano che, a sette giorni dal trattamento, le concentrazioni di auxina tornano a livelli biologicamente compatibili grazie all’attivazione di un processo di omeostasi. Questa ipotesi è suffragata da analisi di trascritti (via qPCR) che mostrano un’induzione di geni coinvolti nella coniugazione (GH3-like) della auxine e di quelli che ne regolano l’azione (IAA4- e IAA31-like). Per quanto attiene alle interazioni è stato osservato che l’NAA induce i geni della biosintesi dell’etilene (ACS e ACO) ma esercita un forte effetto negativo su quelli associati alla sua percezione (EIN4) ed azione (ERFs). A questo si contrappone un inaspettato effetto sinergico, seppur limitato, delle auxine sulla catena trasduttiva dell’ABA. L’insieme dei dati ottenuti è stato organizzato in un modello della regolazione ormonale dell’invaiatura che sarà presentato e discusso

Grape berry ripening delay induced by a pre-véraison NAA treatment is paralleled by a shift in the expression pattern of auxin- and ethylene-related genes

Abstract Background Auxins act as repressors of ripening inception in grape (véraison), while ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) play a positive role as inducers of the syndrome. Despite the increasing amount of information made available on this topic, the complex network of interactions among these hormones remains elusive. In order to shed light on these aspects, a holistic approach was adopted to evaluate, at the transcriptomic level, the crosstalk between hormones in grape berries, whose ripening progression was delayed by applying naphtalenacetic acid (NAA) one week before véraison. Results The NAA treatment caused significant changes in the transcription rate of about 1,500 genes, indicating that auxin delayed grape berry ripening also at the transcriptional level, along with the recovery of a steady state of its intracellular concentration. Hormone indices analysis carried out with the HORMONOMETER tool suggests that biologically active concentrations of auxins were achieved throughout a homeostatic recovery. This occurred within 7 days after the treatment, during which the physiological response was mainly unspecific and due to a likely pharmacological effect of NAA. This hypothesis is strongly supported by the up-regulation of genes involved in auxin conjugation (GH3-like) and action (IAA4- and IAA31-like). A strong antagonistic effect between auxin and ethylene was also observed, along with a substantial ‘synergism’ between auxins and ABA, although to a lesser extent. Conclusions This study suggests that, in presence of altered levels of auxins, the crosstalk between hormones involves diverse mechanisms, acting at both the hormone response and biosynthesis levels, creating a complex response network.</p

Different response of apple and peach fruits to 1-MCP: a case of different sensitivity to ethylene?

1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is known as an antagonist of ethylene action. A number of different trials demonstrated that not all climacteric fruits respond in a similar way to 1-MCP treatment: two examples are represented by apple and peach fruits. When applied on apples, 1-MCP is particularly effective in delaying ripening, while in peaches the rate of softening is slowed down only during the incubation period and a quick recovery of ripening parameters occurs in the post-treatment phase. In order to elucidate this different behavior, specific trials on peaches and apples have been performed. As expected, apple (cv. \u2018Golden Delicious\u2019 and \u2018Royal Gala\u2019) fruits responded to 1-MCP (0.625 ppm for 24h) maintaining firmness and producing little ethylene for the considered period (24 days) at 20\ub0C, whereas in peaches (cv. \u2018Summer Rich\u2019), 1-MCP (1ppm for 24 or 72h) was effective in reducing ethylene evolution and slowing down the softening process only during the incubation time and a short period thereafter. The quick recoveries of ethylene biosynthesis and the softening process observed in peaches during the post-treatment phase are associated with increases of PpACO1 and polygalacturonase (PG) gene expression. A molecular approach was used to investigate the sensitivity of both apples and peaches to ethylene. ETR1 (a member of the ethylene receptor family) gene expression was monitored via RT-PCR and a different behavior between apples and peaches has been observed: in fact, following 1-MCP treatment, MdETR1 transcript accumulation showed a decreasing trend, whereas the amount of PpETR1 mRNA did not significantly change throughout the considered periods

Systemic allergic reactions induced by labile plant‐food allergens: Seeking potential cofactors. A multicenter study

Background: Heat-and-pepsin-sensitive plant food allergens (PR-10 and profilin) sometimes cause systemic reaction.Objective: To detect the risk factors for systemic reactions induced by labile food allergens.Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was performed on patients with a documented history of systemic allergic reaction to labile plant food allergens and on age-matched controls with a history of oral allergy syndrome (OAS) induced by the same foods. Offending foods, their amount, and state (solid or liquid), and potential cofactors (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, protonic pump inhibitors, exercise, alcohol, and fasting) were considered.Results: We studied 89 patients and 81 controls. Sensitization to PR-10 or profilin, IgE to Bet v 1 and/or Bet v 2, and foods causing OAS were similar in the two groups. Twenty patients experienced &gt;1 systemic allergic reaction. Tree nuts, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, and soymilk were the main offending foods. Seventeen (19%) patients were taking a PPI when the systemic reaction occurred (vs 5% in controls; P &lt; .025). The ingestion of the offending food in liquid form (soymilk) was frequent among patients (15%) but unusual among controls (2%; P &lt; .025). Soy milk-induced systemic reactions were independent of PPI treatment. Fasting and excess of allergen, but not NSAID and exercise, were other relevant cofactors for systemic reactions. Systemic reactions occurred without any identifiable cofactor in 39 (44%) cases.Conclusion: PR-10- and profilin-induced systemic reactions are facilitated by PPI, ingestion of large amounts of unprocessed foods, and fasting. Soybean beverages represent a risk for PR-10 hypersensitive patients and should be avoided