Effects of Light Wavelength on Daughter Cladode Growth and Quality in Edible Cactus Nopalea cochenillifera Cultured in a Plant Factory with Artificial Light

In this study, we investigated the effects of different-colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the growth and quality of daughter cladodes of the edible cactus Nopalea cochenillifera. Cladodes were cultured hydroponically using the deep-flow technique under red, blue, or a combination of red and blue, or red, blue, and green light in an enclosed-type plant factory. We found that daughter cladodes developed from the mother cladodes in all the treatments, despite pH of the nutrient solution drastically decreasing over time. However, the elongation growth rate of the first daughter cladodes and the number of daughter cladodes produced were highest under red light and lowest under blue light, indicating that blue light suppresses daughter cladode development. The total fresh weight (FW) of the daughter cladodes emerging from a single mother cladode was also lowest under blue light. However, the average FW of the daughter cladodes was the highest under blue light, or under simultaneous irradiation with red and blue light. The number of spines, which is an undesirable characteristic in edible cacti, was significantly lower under red light than under blue light, while the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the daughter cladodes was the highest under blue light or under simultaneous irradiation with red and blue light. Our results show that light wavelength has a strong effect on daughter cladode development in N. cochenillifera, so controlling the light environment represents an effective approach for improving the growth and quality of this edible cactus

Leaves Of Cut Rose Flower Convert Exogenously Applied Glucose To Sucrose And Translocate It To Petals

To understand the role that the leaves play in the translocation of soluble carbohydrates in cut rose flowers, we first evaluated the effect of leaf removal on flower quality and the sugar content in petals. Cut rose flowers with leaves had higher soluble sugar content in petals compared with cut flower without leaves. Next, we treated cut flowers with radioactive glucose to clarify translocation routes of exogenously applied sugar. There was no significant difference between the specific radioactivity of sucrose and glucose in leaves, but specific radioactivity of sucrose in petals was much higher than that of glucose. These results suggested that most of the exogenously applied glucose first moved to the leaves, where it was converted into sucrose and then the synthesised sucrose was translocated to the petals. Our results showed that the leaves of cut rose flowers play an important role in the metabolism and transportation of exogenously applied soluble carbohydrates toward the petals, thus contributing to sustaining the post-harvest quality

LEAVES OF CUT ROSE FLOWER CONVERT EXOGENOUSLY APPLIED GLUCOSE TO SUCROSE AND TRANSLOCATE IT TO PETALS

ABSTRACT To understand the role that the leaves play in the translocation of soluble carbohydrates in cut rose flowers, we first evaluated the effect of leaf removal on flower quality and the sugar content in petals. Cut rose flowers with leaves had higher soluble sugar content in petals compared with cut flower without leaves. Next, we treated cut flowers with radioactive glucose to clarify translocation routes of exogenously applied sugar. There was no significant difference between the specific radioactivity of sucrose and glucose in leaves, but specific radioactivity of sucrose in petals was much higher than that of glucose. These results suggested that most of the exogenously applied glucose first moved to the leaves, where it was converted into sucrose and then the synthesised sucrose was translocated to the petals. Our results showed that the leaves of cut rose flowers play an important role in the metabolism and transportation of exogenously applied soluble carbohydrates toward the petals, thus contributing to sustaining the post-harvest quality

Two UGT84A Family Glycosyltransferases Regulate Phenol, Flavonoid, and Tannin Metabolism in Juglans regia (English Walnut).

We showed previously that gallic acid is produced in walnut from 3-dehydroshikimate by a shikimate dehydrogenase (JrSkDH). This study focuses on the next step in the hydrolysable tannin pathway, the formation of 1-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose from the phenolic gallic acid and UDP glucose by a glycosyltransferase. JrGGT1 (UGT84A73) and JrGGT2 (UGT84A74) are predicted to be two such glycosyltransferases, which we expressed in tobacco plants. GC-MS analysis of the transgenic tobacco revealed moderate, yet significant alterations in plant secondary metabolism, such as depleted phenolic acids, including gallic acid. We postulate that these effects are due to JrGGT1 and JrGGT2 activity, as JrGGT orthologs glycosylate these phenolic compounds in vitro. Moreover, JrGGT expression in tobacco caused upregulation of shikimic acid pathway metabolites and differing responses in phenylpropanoids, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. In transcriptome analysis of walnut pellicle tissues, both JrGGTs showed substantial and significant expression correlations with the gallic acid-producing JrSkDHs and were highly coexpressed with the genetic circuits constituting the shikimic acid and phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathways. Verification of JrGGT gene expression by transcriptome analysis of 20 walnut tissues revealed striking similarities with that of the pellicle data, with the greatest expression in roots, wood, buds, and leaves of Juglans regia cv. Chandler: tissues that typically accumulate hydrolysable tannins. Like the transgenic tobacco, pellicle metabolomic analyses revealed that many phenylpropanoids correlated negatively with JrGGT expression, while shikimic acid pathway metabolites correlated positively with JrGGT expression. This research supports the hypothesis that JrGGT1 and JrGGT2 play non-trivial roles in metabolism of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and ostensibly, tannins

Two UGT84A Family Glycosyltransferases Regulate Phenol, Flavonoid, and Tannin Metabolism in Juglans regia (English Walnut).

We showed previously that gallic acid is produced in walnut from 3-dehydroshikimate by a shikimate dehydrogenase (JrSkDH). This study focuses on the next step in the hydrolysable tannin pathway, the formation of 1-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose from the phenolic gallic acid and UDP glucose by a glycosyltransferase. JrGGT1 (UGT84A73) and JrGGT2 (UGT84A74) are predicted to be two such glycosyltransferases, which we expressed in tobacco plants. GC-MS analysis of the transgenic tobacco revealed moderate, yet significant alterations in plant secondary metabolism, such as depleted phenolic acids, including gallic acid. We postulate that these effects are due to JrGGT1 and JrGGT2 activity, as JrGGT orthologs glycosylate these phenolic compounds in vitro. Moreover, JrGGT expression in tobacco caused upregulation of shikimic acid pathway metabolites and differing responses in phenylpropanoids, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. In transcriptome analysis of walnut pellicle tissues, both JrGGTs showed substantial and significant expression correlations with the gallic acid-producing JrSkDHs and were highly coexpressed with the genetic circuits constituting the shikimic acid and phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathways. Verification of JrGGT gene expression by transcriptome analysis of 20 walnut tissues revealed striking similarities with that of the pellicle data, with the greatest expression in roots, wood, buds, and leaves of Juglans regia cv. Chandler: tissues that typically accumulate hydrolysable tannins. Like the transgenic tobacco, pellicle metabolomic analyses revealed that many phenylpropanoids correlated negatively with JrGGT expression, while shikimic acid pathway metabolites correlated positively with JrGGT expression. This research supports the hypothesis that JrGGT1 and JrGGT2 play non-trivial roles in metabolism of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and ostensibly, tannins

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Sampling for Personalized Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal solid malignancy, and the number of patients with pancreatic cancer is increasing. Systemic chemotherapies are often ineffective for such patients, and there is an urgent need for personalized medicine. Unlike other types of cancer, personalized treatments for pancreatic cancer are still in development. Consequently, pancreatic cancer is less sensitive to anticancer drugs and is often refractory to common treatments. Therefore, advances in personalized medicine for pancreatic cancer are necessary. This review examined advances in personalized medicine for pancreatic cancer, including the use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided sampling. EUS-guided sampling is widely used for diagnosing pancreatic tumors and is expected to be applied to sampled tissues. Additionally, there has been an increase in clinical research using EUS-guided sampling. The combination of precision medicine using genomic testing and pharmacological profiles based on high-throughput drug sensitivity testing using patient-derived organoids is expected to revolutionize pancreatic cancer treatment

Endoscopic Diagnosis of Biliary Stricture Combined with Digital Cholangioscope: A Case Series

The endoscopic diagnosis of biliary tract lesions is applied as a non-invasive method; however, its diagnostic accuracy is not yet high. Moreover, digital cholangioscopy is used for directly visualizing the inside of the bile duct, resulting in a more precise biopsy. We present the case series of the outcomes of diagnosis using digital cholangioscopy in patients who underwent cholangioscopy for the evaluation of biliary stenosis in our department between January 2014 and March 2021. The controls were those who underwent a biopsy for biliary stenosis with conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Background data for each case were collected, and the clinical outcomes by biopsy were evaluated, focusing on the accuracy of the diagnosis. Cholangioscopy was performed in 15 cases, while a conventional biopsy by ERCP was performed in 172 cases. Nine of 15 cases (60.0%) were diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. The number of specimens obtained through conventional ERCP and cholangioscopy was 2.5 ± 1.3 and 3.3 ± 1.5, respectively (p = 0.043). The diagnostic accuracy of conventional ERCP and cholangioscopy were 65.7% (113 of 172 cases) and 100%, respectively, which was significantly higher in the group with cholangioscopy. Digital cholangioscopy is useful when the diagnosis of the biliary stricture using the conventional ERCP method is difficult

The identification of the Rosa S -locus provides new insights into the breeding and wild origins of continuous-flowering roses

International audienceAbstract This study aims to: (i) identify the Rosa S-locus controlling self-incompatibility (SI); (ii) test the genetic linkage of the S-locus with other loci controlling important ornamental traits, such as the continuous-flowering (CF) characteristic; (iii) identify the S-alleles (SC) of old Chinese CF cultivars (e.g, Old Blush, Slater’s Crimson China) and examine the changes in the frequency of cultivars with Sc through the history of breeding; (iv) identify wild species carrying the Sc-alleles to infer wild origins of CF cultivars. We identified a new S-RNase (SC2) of Rosa chinensis in a contig from a genome database that has not been integrated into one of the seven chromosomes yet. Genetic mapping indicated that SC2 is allelic to the previously-identified S-RNase (SC1) in chromosome 3. Pollination experiments with half-compatible pairs of roses confirmed that they are the pistil-determinant of SI. The segregation analysis of an F1-population indicated genetic linkage between the S-locus and the floral repressor gene KSN. The non-functional allele ksn is responsible for the CF characteristic. A total of five S-alleles (SC1–5) were identified from old CF cultivars. The frequency of cultivars with SC dramatically increased after the introgression of ksn from Chinese to European cultivars and remains high (80%) in modern cultivars, suggesting that S-genotyping is helpful for effective breeding. Wild individuals carrying SC were found in Rosa multiflora (SC1), Rosa chinensis var. spontanea (SC3), and Rosa gigantea (SC2, SC4), supporting the hypothesis of hybrid origins of CF cultivars and providing a new evidence for the involvement of Rosa multiflora