Transcriptome Analysis of the Vernalization Response in Barley (Hordeum vulgare) Seedlings

Temperate cereals, such as wheat (Triticum spp.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare), respond to prolonged cold by becoming more tolerant of freezing (cold acclimation) and by becoming competent to flower (vernalization). These responses occur concomitantly during winter, but vernalization continues to influence development during spring. Previous studies identified VERNALIZATION1 (VRN1) as a master regulator of the vernalization response in cereals. The extent to which other genes contribute to this process is unclear. In this study the Barley1 Affymetrix chip was used to assay gene expression in barley seedlings during short or prolonged cold treatment. Gene expression was also assayed in the leaves of plants after prolonged cold treatment, in order to identify genes that show lasting responses to prolonged cold, which might contribute to vernalization-induced flowering. Many genes showed altered expression in response to short or prolonged cold treatment, but these responses differed markedly. A limited number of genes showed lasting responses to prolonged cold treatment. These include genes known to be regulated by vernalization, such as VRN1 and ODDSOC2, and also contigs encoding a calcium binding protein, 23-KD jasmonate induced proteins, an RNase S-like protein, a PR17d secretory protein and a serine acetyltransferase. Some contigs that were up-regulated by short term cold also showed lasting changes in expression after prolonged cold treatment. These include COLD REGULATED 14B (COR14B) and the barley homologue of WHEAT COLD SPECIFIC 19 (WSC19), which were expressed at elevated levels after prolonged cold. Conversely, two C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR (CBF) genes showed reduced expression after prolonged cold. Overall, these data show that a limited number of barley genes exhibit lasting changes in expression after prolonged cold treatment, highlighting the central role of VRN1 in the vernalization response in cereals

Centralised Biological Therapy Registry for Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis – Overview and Methodology

The introduction of new pharmacotherapy entities in the last decade accentuate the necessity to set up treatment guidelines based on real life evidence. Randomized controlled trials remain golden standard of a research. Data derived from studies aiming on daily clinical practice should bring needed, added value. Disease prevalence growth, due to increased life expectancy, better diagnostic procedures and earlier medical intervention, as well as ever growing demand for highly priced, sophistically produced drugs put stress on healthcare budgets even in developed countries. Large databases commonly called - therapy registries are implemented to collect data on therapy effectivity in terms of effectiveness, safety and patient long-term on therapy survival. Registries importance rose together with biological therapies introduction. New in class molecules entered the market conditionally being obliged to provide additional e.g. safety data. Such procedures require involvement of many different professionals, e.g. physicians, professional medical bodies, IT experts, database administrators, statisticians and government institutions. Paper based, followed by computer based forms were distributed among physicians to collect these data. eHealth technologies provide physicians with centralized, more intuitive applications. The particularities of different diagnosis caused great variations within each specific registry launched. Important information was missing since they were pointed out as optional and many were redundant causing frustration among physicians due to inadequate administrative workload. The main objective of this work was to set up the therapy registry standards and procedures. Methodology of „ideal“ moderate to severe plaque psoriasis biology therapy registry development, introduction, administration and evaluation was prepared to assist any government institution or professional body when planning registry deployment. Electronic application based on widely used MS Excel platform was developed and installed in the biological therapy centers as a standalone application for the pilot use

Biosimilar medicines and patient registries – expectations, limitations, and opportunities

Introduction: Biology therapies in a various medical specializations and for a broad spectrum of indications were launched during last two decades. As a new in class the therapies were obliged to provide additional data re gar ding efficacy and safety after their real medical practice integration. Patient registries, databases collecting various patient data, were introduced to grant data on the treatment effectiveness, safety, and long-term on treatment survival. Satisfactory treatment effect and acceptable safety profile were confirmed after couple of years of careful observation. However, the benefits were usually offered at much higher treatment costs compared to the standard therapies. Biologically similar drugs, so-called biosimilars (B.S), are being launched after original molecule patent protection expiry during recent years. They were expected as an ideal solution to avoid distinct impact on the medical budget: comparable effect for less money. The unsubstantiated doubts about biosimilar efficacy and safety were the reason of the late launch in many markets. Since biosimilars are considered as new therapy entities, the cautiousness to certain extent should be required. Information gained from post-marketing observations and patient registries over several years, confirmed the biosimilar product comparable quality. Healthcare budget savings could secure easier therapy access for more new patients

Runa dla kompozytów z elektroprzędzonych nanowłókien z PVA i celulozy

A study of the manufacturing and characterisation of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibre mats reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is presented. Results obtained from Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the products are discussed and interpreted. PVA nano-fibre mats reinforced with MCC nano-whiskers (CNWs) were prepared from aqueous PVA solutions by NanospiderTM high-voltage electro-spinning on NS Lab 200 (Elmarco) equipment with a circular cylinder as the emitting electrode. PVA/CNWs mats of a modal nano-fibre diameter of 300 nm and average diameter within the range from 350 to 294 nm were obtained by the electro-spinning technique. Solution parameters, such as the content of CNWs in the solution and PVA concentration and viscosity were varied in an attempt to produce possibly finer cellulose nano-fibres.Przedstawiono badania dotyczące wytwarzania i charakterystyki nanowłókien z PVA wzmocnionych mikrokrystaliczną celulozą. Włókna otrzymywano za pomocą elektroprzędzenia przy zastosowaniu urządzenia Nanospider i formowania runa. Włókna badano za pomocą spektroskopii ATR-FTIR i elektromikroskopii skaningowej SEM. Uzyskano włókna o modalnej średnicy 300 nm i średniej w zakresie 294-350 nm. W celu uzyskania możliwie najcieńszych włókien stosowano rożne warunki przędzenia i stężenia roztworu przędzalniczego

Screening of Patients with Psoriasis for Psoriatic Arthritis in the Slovak Republic

Global prevalence of psoriasis is ranging from 0.91 % to 8.5 % [1]. Exact numbers are missing for Slovakia. 1-5% range is the most probable while 2 % is also mentioned as an average prevalence for the European population. There is approximately 110 thousand patients suffering from psoriasis when extrapolating from total population of 5.5 million [2]. Extracutaneous manifestation is observed in 11–30 % of patients after years of solely skin symptoms presentation [3, 4, 5, 6]

Distinguishing Nitrous Oxide Production from Nitrification and Denitrification on the Basis of Isotopomer Abundances

The intramolecular distribution of nitrogen isotopes in N(2)O is an emerging tool for defining the relative importance of microbial sources of this greenhouse gas. The application of intramolecular isotopic distributions to evaluate the origins of N(2)O, however, requires a foundation in laboratory experiments in which individual production pathways can be isolated. Here we evaluate the site preferences of N(2)O produced during hydroxylamine oxidation by ammonia oxidizers and by a methanotroph, ammonia oxidation by a nitrifier, nitrite reduction during nitrifier denitrification, and nitrate and nitrite reduction by denitrifiers. The site preferences produced during hydroxylamine oxidation were 33.5 ± 1.2‰, 32.5 ± 0.6‰, and 35.6 ± 1.4‰ for Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrosospira multiformis, and Methylosinus trichosporium, respectively, indicating similar site preferences for methane and ammonia oxidizers. The site preference of N(2)O from ammonia oxidation by N. europaea (31.4 ± 4.2‰) was similar to that produced during hydroxylamine oxidation (33.5 ± 1.2‰) and distinct from that produced during nitrifier denitrification by N. multiformis (0.1 ± 1.7‰), indicating that isotopomers differentiate between nitrification and nitrifier denitrification. The site preferences of N(2)O produced during nitrite reduction by the denitrifiers Pseudomonas chlororaphis and Pseudomonas aureofaciens (−0.6 ± 1.9‰ and −0.5 ± 1.9‰, respectively) were similar to those during nitrate reduction (−0.5 ± 1.9‰ and −0.5 ± 0.6‰, respectively), indicating no influence of either substrate on site preference. Site preferences of ∼33‰ and ∼0‰ are characteristic of nitrification and denitrification, respectively, and provide a basis to quantitatively apportion N(2)O