Various temperature effects on spikelet growth in hulless oat during grain-filling stage

Temperature conditions affect growth and grain development during the grain-filling stage, but a comprehensive analysis of oat subjected to different temperatures during grain development has not been studied. In this study, an integrated physiological and proteomic examination of oat spikelets was performed to analyze the influence of five different day-time temperatures on stress-relative parameters and grain development. Physiological analysis showed decrease of total chlorophyll, shoot dry weight and spikelet shape development and increased activation of MDA, soluble sugar and antioxidant enzymes, with increase of temperatures. However, considering major grain yield components and storage materials, there should be an optimum temperature during ripening period. The result of proteomic analysis showed significantly high expressions of stress-related gene in high temperature treatment and grain storage materials in optimum temperature. Our findings indicate that temperature conditions during the grain-filling period exert a major influence on yield potential

Optimization of protoplast regeneration in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana

Background Plants have a remarkable reprogramming potential, which facilitates plant regeneration, especially from a single cell. Protoplasts have the ability to form a cell wall and undergo cell division, allowing whole plant regeneration. With the growing need for protoplast regeneration in genetic engineering and genome editing, fundamental studies that enhance our understanding of cell cycle re-entry, pluripotency acquisition, and de novo tissue regeneration are essential. To conduct these studies, a reproducible and efficient protoplast regeneration method using model plants is necessary. Results Here, we optimized cell and tissue culture methods for improving protoplast regeneration efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana. Protoplasts were isolated from whole seedlings of four different Arabidopsis ecotypes including Columbia (Col-0), Wassilewskija (Ws-2), Nossen (No-0), and HR (HR-10). Among these ecotypes, Ws-2 showed the highest potential for protoplast regeneration. A modified thin alginate layer was applied to the protoplast culture at an optimal density of 1 × 106 protoplasts/mL. Following callus formation and de novo shoot regeneration, the regenerated inflorescence stems were used for de novo root organogenesis. The entire protoplast regeneration process was completed within 15 weeks. The in vitro regenerated plants were fertile and produced morphologically normal progenies. Conclusion The cell and tissue culture system optimized in this study for protoplast regeneration is efficient and reproducible. This method of Arabidopsis protoplast regeneration can be used for fundamental studies on pluripotency establishment and de novo tissue regeneration.This work was supported by the Samsung Science and Technology Foundation under Project Number SSTF-BA2001-10

Optimization of protoplast regeneration in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana

Background Plants have a remarkable reprogramming potential, which facilitates plant regeneration, especially from a single cell. Protoplasts have the ability to form a cell wall and undergo cell division, allowing whole plant regeneration. With the growing need for protoplast regeneration in genetic engineering and genome editing, fundamental studies that enhance our understanding of cell cycle re-entry, pluripotency acquisition, and de novo tissue regeneration are essential. To conduct these studies, a reproducible and efficient protoplast regeneration method using model plants is necessary. Results Here, we optimized cell and tissue culture methods for improving protoplast regeneration efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana. Protoplasts were isolated from whole seedlings of four different Arabidopsis ecotypes including Columbia (Col-0), Wassilewskija (Ws-2), Nossen (No-0), and HR (HR-10). Among these ecotypes, Ws-2 showed the highest potential for protoplast regeneration. A modified thin alginate layer was applied to the protoplast culture at an optimal density of 1 x 10(6) protoplasts/mL. Following callus formation and de novo shoot regeneration, the regenerated inflorescence stems were used for de novo root organogenesis. The entire protoplast regeneration process was completed within 15 weeks. The in vitro regenerated plants were fertile and produced morphologically normal progenies. Conclusion The cell and tissue culture system optimized in this study for protoplast regeneration is efficient and reproducible. This method of Arabidopsis protoplast regeneration can be used for fundamental studies on pluripotency establishment and de novo tissue regeneration.Y

Prospective Multi-Center Trial for the Efficacy of Ecabet Sodium on the Relief of Dyspepsia in Korean Patients with Chronic Gastritis

Anti-peptic and anti-inflammatory actions of ecabet sodium might be beneficial in either improving gastritis or relieving dyspeptic symptoms. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of ecabet sodium on dyspeptic symptoms and to elucidate the molecular mechanism attributable to symptom relief in patients with chronic gastritis. Two hundred and sixty eight chronic gastritis patients with persistent dyspepsia received ecabet sodium 1 g b.i.d. for 2 weeks, after which dyspeptic symptoms were reassessed with a questionnaires as before. The changes of interleukin-8 (IL-8), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in gastric juices were measured by ELISA. The changes of nitrotyrosine in gastric mucosa were measured by immunohistochemical staining. The most common dyspeptic symptom in Korean patients with chronic gastritis was epigastric soreness (76.8%), which was improved significantly after ecabet sodium treatment (81.7%, p<0.001). Ecabet sodium was more effective in patients with epigastric pain than vague abdominal discomfort (p = 0.02), especially in patients with old age. Complete relief of discomfort was more highly achieved in patients with positive Helicobacter pylori than without (p = 0.01). In spite of clear tendency that the decreased levels of IL-8, iNOS, and PGE2 and increased levels of VEGF were measured in gastric juices after ecabet sodium treatment, no statistical significance was noted, which might be due to high inter-individual variations. The nitrotyrosine expressions were significantly decreased after ecabet sodium treatment than before (p<0.01). In conclusion, ecabet sodium treatment was very useful for the relief of dyspeptic symptoms in chronic gastritis, to which both attenuated inflammatory and enhanced regenerative mechanisms were contributive

Changes in Histopathological and Serological Findings of the Liver after Treatment in Rabbit Clonorchiasis

In order to elucidate the recovery course and the residual change of clonorchiasis after praziquantel treatment, the changing pattem of histopathological findings of the liver, along with the serological, biochemical and hematological parameters, were evaluated in experimental rabbit clonorchiasis. Twenty rabbits were infected each with 300 metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis and treated with praziquantel 200 mg/kg 14 weeks after infection. Until one year after infection, a Widening of the bile ducts, proliferation of biliary epithelium, and periductal fibrosis were observed in the liver, although the lesions became much milder than those of the untreated rabbits. The levels of anti-e. sinensis IgG antibody in the sera by EUSA decreased continuously after treatment. Biochemical items and hematological parameters showed no consistent changing pattem after infection or after treatment. It can be suggested that the histopathological lesions of rabbit cionorchlais, i.e., duct dilatation, hyperplasia of biliary epithelium and periductal fibrosis, may be hardly reversible. However, the level of circulating specific IgG antibody decreased significantly according to the healing process of inflammation

LYL1 gene amplification predicts poor survival of patients with uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma: analysis of the Cancer genome atlas data

Background Somatic amplifications of the LYL1 gene are relatively common occurrences in patients who develop uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) as opposed to other cancers. This study was undertaken to determine whether such genetic alterations affect survival outcomes of UCEC. Methods In 370 patients with UCEC, we analysed clinicopathologic characteristics and corresponding genomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Patients were stratified according to LYL1 gene status, grouped as amplification or non-amplification. Heightened levels of cancer-related genes expressed in concert with LYL1 amplification were similarly investigated through differentially expressed gene and gene set enrichment analyses. Factors associated with survival outcomes were also identified. Results Somatic LYL1 gene amplification was observed in 22 patients (5.9%) with UCEC. Patients displaying amplification (vs. non-amplification) were significantly older at the time of diagnosis and more often were marked by non-endometrioid, high-grade, or advanced disease. In survival analysis, the amplification subset showed poorer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates (3-year PFS: 34.4% vs. 79.9%, P = 0.031; 5-year OS: 25.1% vs. 84.9%, P = 0.014). However, multivariate analyses adjusted for tumor histologic type, grade, and stage did not confirm LYL1 gene amplification as an independent prognostic factor for either PFS or OS. Nevertheless, MAPK, WNT, and cell cycle pathways were significantly enriched by LYL1 gene amplification (P < 0.001, P = 0.002, and P = 0.004, respectively). Conclusions Despite not being identified as an independent prognostic factor in UCEC, LYL1 gene amplification is associated with other poor prognostic factors and correlated with upregulation of cancer-related pathways

Madurese Seafarers. Prahus, Timber and Illegality on the Margins of the Indonesian State, Kurt Stenross

Dans l’archipel indonésien, l’une des singularités de Madura est d’être une île aride et déshéritée dans un arc d’îles prospères. Les Madourais, quant à eux, constituent le troisième groupe ethnique du pays, estimé en l’absence de statistiques par ethnie à environ 13 millions d’individus dont seulement 2,5 millions sur l’île. Cette île, si proche et pourtant si différente de Java, hormis quelques études linguistiques (Kiliaan, Hendricks conduites vers 1830) a longtemps été ignorée par la comm..

Identification of hypoxanthine as a urine marker for non-Hodgkin lymphoma by low-mass-ion profiling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a hematologic malignancy for which good diagnostic markers are lacking. Despite continued improvement in our understanding of NHL, efforts to identify diagnostic markers have yielded dismal results. Here, we translated low-mass-ion information in urine samples from patients with NHL into a diagnostic marker.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To minimize experimental error, we tested variable parameters before MALDI-TOF analysis of low-mass ions in urine. Urine from 30 controls and 30 NHL patients was analyzed as a training set for NHL prediction. All individual peak areas were normalized to total area up to 1000 m/z. The training set analysis was repeated four times. Low-mass peaks that were not affected by changes in experimental conditions were collected using MarkerView™ software. Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) searches and ESI LC-MS/MS analyses were used to identify low-mass ions that exhibited differential patterns in control and NHL urines. Identified low-mass ions were validated in a blinded fashion in 95 controls and 66 NHL urines to determine their ability to discriminate NHL patients from controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 30 highest-ranking low-mass-ion peaks were selected from the 60-urine training set, and three low-mass-ion peaks with high intensity were selected for identification. Of these, a 137.08-m/z ion showed lower mass-peak intensity in urines of NHL patients, a result that was validated in a 161-urine blind validation set (95 controls and 66 NHL urines). The 130.08-m/z ion was identified from HMDB searches and ESI LC-MS/MS analyses as hypoxanthine (HX). The HX concentration in urines of NHL patients was significantly decreased (P < 0.001) and was correlated with the mass-peak area of the 137.08-m/z ion. At an HX concentration cutoff of 17.4 μM, sensitivity and specificity were 79.2% and 78.4%, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study represents a good example of low-mass-ion profiling in the setting of disease screening using urine. This technique can be a powerful non-invasive diagnostic tool with high sensitivity and specificity for NHL screening. Furthermore, HX identified in the study may be a useful single urine marker for NHL screening.</p