A mechanistic framework for auxin dependent Arabidopsis root hair elongation to low external phosphate

Phosphate (P) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth. Roots employ adaptive mechanisms to forage for P in soil. Root hair elongation is particularly important since P is immobile. Here we report that auxin plays a critical role promoting root hair growth in Arabidopsis in response to low external P. Mutants disrupting auxin synthesis (taa1) and transport (aux1) attenuate the low P root hair response. Conversely, targeting AUX1 expression in lateral root cap and epidermal cells rescues this low P response in aux1. Hence auxin transport from the root apex to differentiation zone promotes auxin-dependent hair response to low P. Low external P results in induction of root hair expressed auxin-inducible transcription factors ARF19, RSL2, and RSL4. Mutants lacking these genes disrupt the low P root hair response. We conclude auxin synthesis, transport and response pathway components play critical roles regulating this low P root adaptive response

Gut microbiome composition is linked to whole grain-induced immunological improvements

The involvement of the gut microbiota in metabolic disorders, and the ability of whole grains to affect both host metabolism and gut microbial ecology, suggest that some benefits of whole grains are mediated through their effects on the gut microbiome. Nutritional studies that assess the effect of whole grains on both the gut microbiome and human physiology are needed. We conducted a randomized cross-over trial with four-week treatments in which 28 healthy humans consumed a daily dose of 60 g of whole-grain barley (WGB), brown rice (BR), or an equal mixture of the two (BR+WGB), and characterized their impact on fecal microbial ecology and blood markers of inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism. All treatments increased microbial diversity, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and the abundance of the genus Blautia in fecal samples. The inclusion of WGB enriched the genera Roseburia, Bifidobacterium and Dialister, and the species Eubacterium rectale, Roseburia faecis and Roseburia intestinalis. Whole grains, and especially the BR+WGB treatment, reduced plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and peak postprandial glucose. Shifts in the abundance of Eubacterium rectale were associated with changes in the glucose and insulin postprandial response. Interestingly, subjects with greater improvements in IL-6 levels harbored significantly higher proportions of Dialister and lower abundance of Coriobacteriaceae. In conclusion, this study revealed that a short-term intake of whole grains induced compositional alterations of the gut microbiota that coincided with improvements in host physiological measures related to metabolic dysfunctions in humans

Detection of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) in the municipality of Istmina, Chocó, Colombia.

Notificar el hallazgo de A. albopictus en el municipio de Istmina, Chocó, y dar cuenta de su importancia en salud pú[email protected]

Monitoring Steady Flow Effects on Cell Distribution in Engineered Valve Tissues by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In heart valve tissue engineering, assessment of cell migration under dynamic states can provide insights on the evolving tissue structure. We labeled human vascular smooth muscle (SMCs), endothelial (ECs), and bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) microparticles and visualized them using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under steady flow. We determined that vascular cells were able to remain reasonably viable and proliferate well after being labeled with SPIO microparticles (200 μg/mL) for 48 hours. SPIO-labeled cells were successfully visualized using T 2 * contrast. When physiologically representative shear stresses (5–6 dynes/cm 2 ) were applied to SMC-EC coculture–seeded scaffolds, hypointense regions seemed to have decreased after 2 weeks in some locations, whereas others revealed sustained levels of T 2 * contrast; similar observations were seen in the case of BMSC-seeded scaffolds. This could be attributable to increased out-of-plane cell migratory activity, which occurred from the fluid-induced mechanical cues received, which was not previously evidenced in static culture. Vascular cells and BMSCs were labeled with remarkably high concentrations of SPIO. Moreover, steady fluid flow enhanced intrascaffold cell migration of vascular SMCs and ECs as well as BMSCs, which, in turn, significantly improved construct cellularity and extracellular collagen conten