Seedless x seedless grape progeny: Technique, results and perspectives

Recent refinements in the in vitro embryo rescue technique employed to raise progenies from abortive ovules of seedless x seedless cultivars include addition of 0.2 ppm NAA (naphtaleneacetic acid) to the medium, inducing highly improved root systems and faster plant development. Selling seedless Vitis vinifera yielded seedless progeny only. Open pollinated Perlette and Flame Seedless gave rise to a high percentage (75 and 87%, respectively) of seedless progeny. Progeny from various crosses between seedless cultivars segregated into 65 normal seeded and 204 seedless. From the totality of 204 seedless progeny 192 bore fruit with very slight seed traces. Progeny from crosses between seeded and seedless segregated only 7.5-8% individuals with comparably slight seed traces, amounting to 1/3 of the progeny rated as seedless. Fresh weight determinations of aborted seeds per berry showed a pronouncedly lower weight in progenies from seedless x seedless crosses. Reduction in average berry size in the seedless fraction of seedless x seedless progenies compared to midparent values was of a similar order of magnitude as that obtained in seedless progeny derived from seeded x seedless crosses

Contributions of Gut Bacteria and Diet to Drug Pharmacokinetics in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. Besides deciphering the mechanisms that underlie the etiology of the disease, it is important to elucidate the factors that influence the efficacy of the treatment therapeutics. Levodopa, which remains the golden treatment of the disease, is absorbed in the proximal small intestine. A reduction in levodopa absorption, leads to reduction in striatal dopamine levels and, in turn, an "off"-episode. In fact, motor fluctuations represent a major problem during the progression of the disease and alteration between "on" (mobility often with dyskinesia) and "off" (immobility, akinesia) episodes contribute to a decreased quality of life. Dietary amino acids can interfere with the absorption of levodopa from the gut lumen and its transport through the blood brain barrier. In addition, higher abundance of specific gut bacteria that restrict levodopa absorption plays a significant role in motor fluctuations in a subset of Parkinson's disease patients. Here, we review the impact of factors potentially interfering with levodopa absorption, focusing on levodopa transport, diet, and gut bacterial interference with the bioavailability of levodopa

The effect of prior knowledge and decision-making style on the online purchase decision-making process: A typology of consumer shopping behaviour

This paper provides an empirical typology of online decision-making purchasing behaviour. The study explores how the online purchase process is affected by individual decision-making style and knowledge of product. Drawing from the decision analysis and consumer behaviour literatures, we present a typology of online purchase decision-making behaviour and introduce four archetypes of online consumers. A number of experiments have been conducted in two online settings: retail banking and mobile networks. Based on an extensive video analysis, we have captured four process-related dimensions (number of cycles, duration, number of alternatives and number of criteria) using a business process modelling approach. Significant differences in all process-related dimensions were found across the four archetypes. The study improves understanding of the different types of online consumers and their process outcomes. The findings are useful for online retailers seeking to improve the way they support the four archetypes of online shoppers throughout the decision-making purchasing process

A Fast and Accessible Methodology for Micro-Patterning Cells on Standard Culture Substrates Using Parafilm™ Inserts

Micropatterning techniques provide direct control over the spatial organization of cells at the sub-mm scale. Regulation of these spatial parameters is important for controlling cell fate and cell function. While micropatterning has proved a powerful technique for understanding the impact of cell organization on cell behaviour, current methods for micropatterning cells require complex, specialized equipment that is not readily accessible in most biological and bioengineering laboratories. In addition, currently available methods require significant protocol optimization to ensure reliable and reproducible patterning. The inaccessibility of current methods has severely limited the widespread use of micropatterning as a tool in both biology and tissue engineering laboratories. Here we present a simple, cheap, and fast method to micropattern mammalian cells into stripes and circular patterns using Parafilm™, a common material found in most biology and bioengineering laboratories. Our method does not require any specialized equipment and does not require significant method optimization to ensure reproducible patterning. Although our method is limited to simple patterns, these geometries are sufficient for addressing a wide range of biological problems. Specifically, we demonstrate i) that using our Parafilm™ insert method we can pattern and co-pattern ARPE-19 and MDCK epithelial cells into circular and stripe micropatterns in tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) wells and on glass slides, ii) that we can contain cells in the desired patterns for more than one month and iii) that upon removal of the Parafilm™ insert we can release the cells from the containment pattern and allow cell migration outward from the original pattern. We also demonstrate that we can exploit this confinement release feature to conduct an epithelial cell wound healing assay. This novel micropatterning method provides a reliable and accessible tool with the flexibility to address a wide range of biological and engineering problems that require control over the spatial and temporal organization of cells

Pengalaman Keluarga Memenuhi Kebutuhan Nutrisi Balita Gizi Kurang

Peran keluarga sangat penting dalam memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi Balita. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan pemahaman yang mendalam tentang pengalaman keluarga dalam memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi Balita gizi kurang. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif (fenomenologi desktiptif) dengan wawancara mendalam yang datanya dianalisis dengan teknik Collaizi. Penelitian ini menemukan tujuh tema yaitu perasaan keluarga, penilaian keluarga, strategi pemberian makan, sistem pendukung keluarga dan masyarakat, motivasi, dan harapan keluarga. Kesimpulan dari hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa pengalaman keluarga dalam memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi Balita gizi kurang sangat beragam. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan gambaran dalam memberikan intervensi keperawatan terhadap keluarga dalam mengatasi masalah gizi kurang pada Balita dan memberikan masukan bagi pemerintah dalam upaya mengatasi masalah gizi kurang pada Balita