Expression analysis of transcription factors from the interaction between cacao and Moniliophthora perniciosa (Tricholomataceae)

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is one of the most important tropical crops; however, production is threatened by numerous pathogens, including the hemibiotrophic fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, which causes witches' broom disease. To understand the mechanisms that lead to the development of this disease in cacao, we focused our attention on cacao transcription factors (TFs), which act as master regulators of cellular processes and are important for the fine-tuning of plant defense responses. We developed a macroarray with 88 TF cDNA from previously obtained cacao-M. perniciosa interaction libraries. Seventy-two TFs were found differentially expressed between the susceptible (Catongo) and resistant (TSH1188) genotypes and/or during the disease time course - from 24 h to 30 days after infection. Most of the differentially expressed TFs belonged to the bZIP, MYB and WRKY families and presented opposite expression patterns in susceptible and resistant cacao-M. perniciosa interactions (i.e., up-regulated in Catongo and down-regulated in TSH1188). The results of the macroarray were confirmed for bZIP and WRKY TFs by real-time PCR. These differentially expressed TFs are good candidates for subsequent functional analysis as well as for plant engineering. Some of these TFs could also be localized on the cacao reference map related to witches' broom resistance, facilitating the breeding and selection of resistant cacao trees. (Résumé d'auteur

A prediction algorithm for drug response in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy based on clinical and genetic information

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOMesial temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common form of adult epilepsy in surgical series. Currently, the only characteristic used to predict poor response to clinical treatment in this syndrome is the presence of hippocampal sclerosis. Single nucleotide121FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO2013/07559-

The Use Of Corticosteroid For The Prophylaxis Of Fat Embolism Syndrome In Patients With Long Bone Fracture [uso De Corticoide Na Profilaxia Para Síndrome De Embolia Gordurosa Em Pacientes Com Fratura De Osso Longo]

The "Evidence-based Telemedicine - Trauma & Acute Care Surgery" (EBT-TACS) Journal Club conducted a critical review of the literature and selected three recent studies on the use of corticosteroids for the prophylaxis of fat embolism syndrome (FES). The review focused on the potential role of corticosteroids administration to patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at risk of developing post-traumatic fat embolism. The first study was prospective and aimed at identifying reliable predictors, which could be detected early and were associated with the onset of fat embolism syndrome in trauma patients. The second manuscript was a literature review on the role of corticosteroids as a prophylactic measure for FES. The last manuscript was a meta-analysis on the potential for corticosteroids to prophylactically reduce the risk of fat embolism syndrome in patients with long bone fractures. The main conclusions and recommendations reached were that traumatized patients should be monitored with non-invasive pulse oximetry and lactate levels since these commonly-available tests may predict the development of FES, and the lack of evidence to recommend the use of steroids for the prophylaxis of this syndrome.405423426Gopinathan, N.R., Sen, R.K., Viswanathan, V.K., Aggarwal, A., Mallikarjun, H.C., Rajaram Manoharan, S.R., Early, reliable, utilitarian predictive factors for fat embolism syndrome in polytrauma patients (2013) Indian J Crit Care Med., 17 (1), pp. 38-42Sen, R.K., Tripathy, S.K., Krishnan, V., Role of corticosteroid as a prophylactic measure in fat embolism syndrome: A literature review (2012) Musculoskelet Surg., 96 (1), pp. 1-8Bederman, S.S., Bhandari, M., McKee, M.D., Schemitsch, E.H., Do corticosteroids reduce the risk of fat embolism syndrome in patients with long-bone fractures? A meta-analysis (2009) Can J Surg., 52 (5), pp. 386-393Moore, F.A., Haenel, J.B., Moore, E.E., Whitehill, T.A., Incommensurate oxygen consumption in response to maximal oxygen availability predicts postinjury multiple oxygen failure (1992) J Trauma., 33 (1), pp. 58-65. , discussion 65-7Kim, P.K., Deutschman, C.S., Inflammatory responses and mediators (2000) Surg Clin North Am., 80 (3), pp. 885-894Kallenbach, J., Lewis, M., Zaltzman, M., Feldman, C., Orford, A., Zwi, S., 'Low-dose' corticosteroid prophylaxis against fat embolism (1987) J Trauma., 27 (10), pp. 1173-1176Lindeque, B.G., Schoeman, H.S., Dommisse, G.F., Boeyens, M.C., Vlok, A.L., Fat embolism and the fat embolism syndrome. A double-blind therapeutic study (1987) J Bone Joint Surg Br., 69 (1), pp. 128-131Schonfeld, S.A., Ploysongsang, Y., DiLisio, R., Crissman, J.D., Miller, E., Hammerschmidt, D.E., Fat embolism prophylaxis with corticosteroids. A prospective study in high-risk patients (1983) Ann Intern Med., 99 (4), pp. 438-44

Strange form factors in the context of SAMPLE, HAPPEX, and A4 experiments

The strange properties of the nucleon are investigated within the framework of the SU(3) chiral quark-soliton model assuming isospin symmetry and applying the symmetry conserving SU(3) quantization. We present the form factors $G^0_{E,M}(Q^2)$, $G^Z_M(Q^2)$ and the electric and magnetic strange form factors $G^s_{E,M}(Q^2)$ incorporating pion and kaon asymptotics. The results show a fairly good agreement with the recent experimental data from the SAMPLE and HAPPEX collaborations. We also present predictions for future measurements including the A4 experiment at MAMI (Mainz).Comment: 10 pages with four figures. RevTeX4 is used. Few lines are changed. Accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.

In vitro effect of seven essential oils on the reproduction of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus

AbstractThe acaricidal effect of seven essential oils was examined in vitro against the cattle tick (Rhipicephalus microplus). Engorged female ticks were manually collected in farms of Southern Brazil and placed into petri dishes (n=10) in order to test the following oils: juniper (Juniperus communis), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii), cedar (Cedrus atlantica), lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), ginger (Zingiber officinale), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and bergamot (Citrus aurantium var bergamia) at concentrations of 1%, 5%, and 10% each. A control group was used to validate the tests containing Triton X-100 only. Treatment effectiveness was measured considering inhibition of tick oviposition (partial or total), egg’s weight, and hatchability. C. martinii, C. citratus and C. atlantica essential oils showed efficacy higher than 99% at all concentrations tested. In addition, J. communis, Z. officinale, P. graveolens, and C. aurantium var bergamia oils showed efficiency ranging from 73% to 95%, depending on the concentration tested, where higher concentrations showed greater efficacy. It was concluded that essential oils can affect tick reproduction in vitro by inhibiting oviposition and hatchability

Ammonia Airship Cooling: An Option for Renewable Cooling in the Tropics

The world is warming, and the demand for cooling is increasing. Developing a future green hydrogen economy will also increase the demand for cooling for hydrogen liquefaction. This increase in cooling demand will happen mainly in tropical and developing countries due to their increase in population, improvements in quality of life, and the export of their renewable potential with liquid hydrogen. To solve this increase in demand for cooling, this paper proposes the use of ammonia airship cooling (AAC). AAC extracts cold from the tropopause (−80 °C) with airships and ammonia refrigeration cycles. The liquid ammonia is then transported back to the surface to provide low temperature cooling services (−33 °C). This cooling service is particularly interesting for lowering the electricity consumption in hydrogen liquefaction plants. If all the technological challenges mentioned in the paper are addressed, it is estimated that the cost of cooling with the technology is 8.25 USD/MWht and that AAC could reduce the electricity demand for hydrogen liquefaction by 30%. AAC is an innovative renewable cooling technology that has the potential to complement other renewable energy sources in a sustainable future

A large mid-Holocene estuary was not present in the lower River Murray, Australia

Recent research has suggested that during the mid-Holocene (c. 8500 to 5000 cal yr BP) a large estuary occupied the lower River Murray and its terminal lakes (Lakes Alexandrina and Albert: herein the Lower Lakes) in South Australia. This research has questioned both reconstructions of past River Murray discharge and contemporary environmental water provisions aimed at maintaining the freshwater state of the Lower Lakes. We show that (1) a large mid-Holocene estuary extending into the lower River Murray was not physically possible, and (2) that the River Murray and Lower Lakes were predominantly fresh during the mid-Holocene. Sea level was well below present at the time of purported initiation of estuarine sedimentation and, therefore, could not have allowed formation of an estuary. Holocene human occupation of the lower River Murray valley, that was reliant on freshwater resources, negates the existence of a large estuary in the valley. A variety of freshwater indicators in sediments from in, and around, the Lower Lakes negate the notion of significant marine incursion. Hence, current management of the Lower Lakes as freshwater ecosystems is consistent with their Holocene history.J. Tibby, B. Bourman, C. Wilson, L. M. Mosley, A. P. Belperio, D. D. Ryan ... et al

Aging-related predictive factors for oxygenation improvement and mortality in COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients exposed to prone position: A multicenter cohort study

Background: Elderly patients are more susceptible to Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and are more likely to develop it in severe forms, (e.g., Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome [ARDS]). Prone positioning is a treatment strategy for severe ARDS; however, its response in the elderly population remains poorly understood. The main objective was to evaluate the predictive response and mortality of elderly patients exposed to prone positioning due to ARDS-COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study involved 223 patients aged ≥ 65 years, who received prone position sessions for severe ARDS due to COVID-19, using invasive mechanical ventilation. The PaO2/FiO2 ratio was used to assess the oxygenation response. The 20-point improvement in PaO2/FiO2 after the first prone session was considered for good response. Data were collected from electronic medical records, including demographic data, laboratory/image exams, complications, comorbidities, SAPS III and SOFA scores, use of anticoagulants and vasopressors, ventilator settings, and respiratory system mechanics. Mortality was defined as deaths that occurred until hospital discharge. Results: Most patients were male, with arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus as the most prevalent comorbidities. The non-responders group had higher SAPS III and SOFA scores, and a higher incidence of complications. There was no difference in mortality rate. A lower SAPS III score was a predictor of oxygenation response, and the male sex was a risk predictor of mortality. Conclusion: The present study suggests the oxygenation response to prone positioning in elderly patients with severe COVID-19-ARDS correlates with the SAPS III score. Furthermore, the male sex is a risk predictor of mortality