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De novo lumen formation necessitates the precise segregation of junctional proteins from apical surfaces, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using a zebrafish model, we develop a series of molecular reporters, photo-convertible and optogenetic tools to study the establishment of apical domains. Our study identifies Rasip1 as one of the earliest apical proteins recruited, which suppresses actomyosin contractility at junctional patches by inhibiting NMII, thereby allowing for the sustained outward flow of junctional complexes. Following the establishment of apical compartments, Rasip1 shuttles between junctions and the apical compartments in response to local high tension. Rasip1 confines Cdh5 to junctions by suppressing apical contractility. Conversely, the recruitment of Rasip1 to junctions is regulated by Heg1 and Krit1 to modulate contractility along junctions. Overall, de novo lumen formation and maintenance depend on the precise control of contractility within apical compartments and junctions, orchestrated by the dynamic recruitment of Rasip1. How junctional proteins are sorted to establish apical domains during de novo lumen formation remains poorly understood. Here they show that Rasip1 regulates contractility to control the segregation of apical and junctional compartments during vascular lumen formation in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent problems of patients with myelofibrosis (MF) are cytopenias, debiliating disease-related symptoms and splenomegaly. Whereas the latter are usually addressed by the JAK1/2 inhibitors ruxolitinib and fedratinib, cytopenias often remain critical. Momelotinib, a JAK1/2 inhibitor recently approved for the treatment of anemic MF patients, was shown to improve anemia via a direct inhibition of activin A receptor type I. In this German-wide, multicenter, retrospective analysis the safety and efficacy profile of momelotinib was evaluated in a real world setting within a cohort of 60 MF patients independent of pre-treatment. The median duration of treatment was 12 weeks. As a new, but manageable safety finding, creatinine increase (CTC°1–2) was detected in 10/60 patients (17%). Interestingly, not only hemoglobin levels increased in 84% of patients, but also platelet values (67%). In the cohort of transfusion-dependent individuals (n = 38), transfusion requirement improved in 15 patients (39%) with 8 reaching transfusion independency (21%). Transfusion independency was achieved within a median of 4 weeks (range 2–12). Spleen size decreased in 13/53 individuals (25%) with a median response time of 6 weeks. Thereof, 11 patients had been pre-treated with JAK inhibitor(s) (85%). Clinical improvement was detected in 24/51 symptomatic individuals (47%) with a median response time of 4 weeks. 5 patients stopped treatment due to side effects (8%), 6 patients due to a worsening of clinical symptoms (10%). Taken together, the MoReLife analysis identifies momelotinib as potent and safe therapeutic option also for heavily pre-treated cytopenic MF patients under real world conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment discharged from the Greenland Ice Sheet delivers nutrients to marine ecosystems around Greenland and shapes seafloor habitats. Current estimates of the total sediment flux are constrained by observations from land-terminating glaciers only. Addressing this gap, our study presents a budget derived from observations at 30 marine-margin locations. Analyzing sediment cores from nine glaciated fjords, we assess spatial deposition since 1950. A significant correlation is established between mass accumulation rates, normalized by surface runoff, and distance down-fjord. This enables calculating annual sediment flux at any fjord point based on nearby marine-terminating outlet glacier melt data. Findings reveal a total annual sediment flux of 1.324 + /− 0.79 Gt yr-1 over the period 2010-2020 from all marine-terminating glaciers to the fjords. These estimates are valuable for studies aiming to understand the basal ice sheet conditions and for studies predicting ecosystem changes in Greenland's fjords and offshore areas as the ice sheet melts and sediment discharge increase. As Greenland's huge calving glaciers melt, they pump sediment deep into biologically rich fjords. In this study, the quantity and path of this sediment is tracked and an empirical relationship is found between sediment and the amount of surface melt on the glacier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have evolved mechanisms to survive herbivory. One such mechanism is the induction of defences upon attack that can operate intergenerationally. Cool-season grasses (sub-family Pooideae) obtain defences via symbiosis with vertically transmitted fungal endophytes (genus Epichloë) and can also show inducible responses. However, it is unknown whether these herbivore-induced responses can have intergenerational effects. We hypothesized that herbivory by aphids on maternal plants induces the intergenerational accumulation of endophyte-derived defensive alkaloids and resistance intensification in the progeny. We subjected mother plants symbiotic or not with Epichloë occultans, a species known for its production of anti-insect alkaloids known as lolines, to the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi. Then, we evaluated the progeny of these plants in terms of loline alkaloid concentration, resistance level (through herbivore performance), and shoot biomass. Herbivory on mother plants did not increase the concentration of lolines in seeds but it tended to affect loline concentration in progeny plants. There was an overall herbivore-induced intergenerational effect increasing the endophyte-conferred defence and resistance. Symbiotic plants were more resistant to aphids and had higher shoot biomass than their non-symbiotic counterparts. Since maternal herbivory did not affect the loline concentrations in seeds, the greater resistance of the progeny could have resulted from an inherited mechanism of epigenetic regulation. It would be interesting to elucidate the origin of this regulation since it could come from the host or the fungal symbiont. Thus, endophyte-driven differential fitness between symbiotic and non-symbiotic plants might be higher as generations pass on in presence of herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the ferroelectric domain wall contributions to the permittivity is investigated in a PbZrO3 antiferroelectric thin film far from its antiferroelectric-ferroelectric field transition EAF (E ≤ 150 kV/cm). The lattice contribution to the permittivity increases as function of polarization electric field EDC but also presents two additional small peaks. The increase is due to the antiparallel dipoles reoriented along the electric field direction (antiferroelectric contribution) and the two peaks correspond to a ferroelectric butterfly loop. The two phenomena are added to the permittivity, which make it difficult to decorrelate them. The vibration and pinning/unpinning contributions of the domain walls present only a ferroelectric butterfly loops but they do not tend to zero at infinite fields, which suggests that the ferroelectricity does not disappear completely. Dielectric losses decrease as a function of the polarization (Lorentzian function) due to a reduction of the ferroelectric domain walls density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to identify sexual risk behavior among HIV-negative pregnant women in Kabarole District, Uganda, by conducting a cross-sectional study among 1610 women within three healthcare settings. One in six women engaged in HIV-specific risk behaviors including multiple sexual partners or alcohol abuse; 80% of the pregnant women reported to generally abstain from using condoms. In multivariate analysis, predictors of sexual risk behavior included being a client of the public health facilities as compared to the private facility (AOR 3.6 and 4.8, p < 0.001), being single, widowed or divorced or not cohabiting with the partner (AOR 4.7 and 2.3, p < 0.001), as well as higher household wealth (AOR 1.8, p < 0.001) and lack of partner status knowledge (AOR 1.6, p = 0.008). Self-estimated risk perception was linked with engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors except for alcohol abuse. Our findings indicate that reducing risky behaviors in pregnancy in order to prevent HIV should be a high-priority public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the dielectric properties of PbZrO3 thin films are studied as a function of the water/acetic acid solvent ratio of the precursor sol–gel solution. By increasing the water ratio from 35/65 to 85/15, the saturation polarization increases from 24.3 to 27.2 µC/cm2 and the antiferroelectric–ferroelectric field transition (EAF) from 528 to 564 kV/cm. When the hydrolysis rate is higher, the antiferroelectric phase is stabilized due to a denser antiferroelectric matrix with lower defects. As the consequence, the energy storage performances are better for a higher hydrolysis rate: the recoverable energy density increases from 6.3 to 10 J/cm3 and the efficiency from 67 to 71%. A higher permittivity and lower dielectric losses confirm also the enhancement of the antiferroelectric matrix when increasing the amount of water in the precursor solution. In order to obtain better energy storage and dielectric properties, it is preferable to have a high ratio water/acetic acid in the precursor sol–gel solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cohort studies often provide a large array of data on study participants. The techniques of statistical learning can allow an efficient way to analyze large datasets in order to uncover previously unknown, clinically relevant predictors of morbidity or mortality. We applied a combination of elastic net penalized Cox regression and stability selection with the aim of identifying novel predictors of mortality in a cohort of prevalent hemodialysis patients. In our analysis we included 475 patients from the "rISk strAtification in end-stage Renal disease" (ISAR) study, who we split into derivation and confirmation cohorts. A wide array of examinations was available for study participants, resulting in over a hundred potential predictors. In the selection approach many of the well established predictors were retrieved in the derivation cohort. Additionally, the serum levels of IL-12p70 and AST were selected as mortality predictors and confirmed in the withheld subgroup. High IL-12p70 levels were specifically prognostic of infection-related mortality. In summary, we demonstrate an approach how statistical learning can be applied to a cohort study to derive novel hypotheses in a data-driven way. Our results suggest a novel role of IL-12p70 in infection-related mortality, while AST is a promising additional biomarker in patients undergoing hemodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic change is pointed as one of the major challenges for global food security. Based on current models of climate change, reduction in precipitations and in turn, increase in the soil salinity will be a sharp constraint for crops productivity worldwide. In this context, root fungi appear as a new strategy to improve plant ecophysiological performance and crop yield under abiotic stress. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the two fungal endophytes Penicillium brevicompactum and P. chrysogenum isolated from Antarctic plants on nutrients and Na+ contents, net photosynthesis, water use efficiency, yield and survival in tomato and lettuce, facing salinity stress conditions. Inoculation of plant roots with fungal endophytes resulted in greater fresh and dry biomass production, and an enhanced survival rate under salt conditions. Inoculation of plants with the fungal endophytes was related with a higher up/down-regulation of ion homeostasis by enhanced expression of the NHX1 gene. The two endophytes diminished the effects of salt stress in tomato and lettuce, provoked a higher efficiency in photosynthetic energy production and an improved sequestration of Na+ in vacuoles is suggested by the upregulating of the expression of vacuolar NHX1 Na+/H+ antiporters. Promoting plant-beneficial interactions with root symbionts appears to be an environmentally friendly strategy to mitigate the impact of climate change variables on crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinine, a treatment used in chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria, was loaded into poly(ɛ-caprolactone) or Eudragit® RS100 nanocapsules using Curcuma oil as the oil-based core. Until now, the effect of cationic nanocapsules on malaria has not been reported. A 24 factorial design was adopted using, as independent variables, the concentration of Curcuma oil, presence of quinine, type of polymer, and aqueous surfactant. Diameter, zeta potential, and pH were the responses studied. The formulations were also evaluated for drug content, encapsulation efficiency, photostability, and antimalarial activity against Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. The type of polymer influenced all of the responses studied. Quinine-loaded Eudragit® RS100 (F13) and PCL nanocapsules (F9), both with polysorbate 80 coating, showed nanometric particle size, positive zeta potential, neutral pH, high drug content, and quinine photoprotection ability; thus, these nanocapsules were selected for in vivo tests. Both formulations showed lower levels of parasitemia from the beginning of the experiment (5.78 ± 3.60 and 4.76 ± 3.46% for F9 and F13, respectively) and highest survival mean time (15.3 ± 2.0 and 14.9 ± 5.6 days for F9 and F13, respectively). F9 and F13 showed significant survival curve compared to saline, thus demonstrating that nanoencapsulation improved bioefficacy of QN and co-encapsulated curcuminoids, regardless of the surface charge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-herbivore interactions are often mediated by plant microorganisms, and the 'defensive mutualism' of epichloid fungal endophytes of grasses is an example. These endophytes synthesize bioactive alkaloids that generally have detrimental effects on the performance of insect herbivores, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Our objective was to determine whether changes in the physiology and/or behavior of aphids explain the changes in performance of insects feeding on endophytic plants. We studied the interaction between the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi and the annual ryegrass Lolium multiflorum symbiotic (E+) or not symbiotic (E−) with the fungus Epichloë occultans that can synthesize loline alkaloids. We hypothesized that aphids feeding on E+ plants have higher energetic demands for detoxification of fungal alkaloids, thereby negatively impacting the individual performance, population growth, and structure. Aphids growing on E+ plants had lower values in morphometric and functional variables of individual performance, displayed lower birth rate, smaller population size, and dramatic structural changes. However, aphids exhibited lower values of standard metabolic rate (SMR) on E+ plants, which suggests no high costs of detoxification. Behavioral variables during the first 8 h of feeding showed that aphids did not change the phloem sap ingestion with the presence of fungal endophytes. We hypothesize that aphids may maintain phloem sap ingestion according to their fungal alkaloid tolerance capacity. In other words, when alkaloid concentrations overcome tolerance threshold, ingestion of phloem should decrease, which may explain the observed lower values of SMR in E+ feeding aphids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial plant symbionts have been suggested to mediate plant-soil feedback and affect ecosystem functions. Systemic Epichloë fungal endophytes of grasses are found to mediate litter decomposition. These effects are often linked to alkaloids produced by Epichloë species, which are hypothesized to negatively affect decomposers. Although endophytes have been found to affect plant community and soil biota, direct (through litter quality) and indirect (through the environment) effects of fungal endophytes on litter decomposition have been scarcely scrutinized. We placed litterbags with endophyte-symbiotic (E+) and non-symbiotic (E−) Schedonorus pratensis plant litter in plots dominated by E+ or E− plants of the same species, and followed the dynamics of mass losses over time. We predicted the endophyte would hinder decomposition through changes in litter quality and that both types of litter would decompose faster in home environments. E+ litter decomposed faster in both environments. The mean difference between decomposition rate of E+ and E− litter tended to be higher in E− plots. Nitrogen and phosphorus, two elements usually associated with high decomposition rates, were significantly lower in E+ litter. We also detected a higher proportion of C in the cellulose form in E+ litter. Contrary to the general assumption, we found that symbiosis with Epichloë fungal endophytes can be associated with higher decomposition of plant litter. Since direct effects of Epichloë fungi were still stronger than indirect effects, it is suggested that besides the alkaloids, other changes in plant biomass would explain in a context-dependent manner, the endophyte effects on the litter decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants interact with a myriad of microorganisms that modulate their interactions within the community. A well-described example is the symbiosis between grasses and Epichloë fungal endophytes that protects host plants from herbivores. It is suggested that these symbionts could play a protective role for plants against pathogens through the regulation of their growth and development and/or the induction of host defences. However, other endophyte-mediated ecological mechanisms involved in disease avoidance have been scarcely explored. Here we studied the endophyte impact on plant disease caused by the biotrophic fungus, Claviceps purpurea, under field conditions through (1) changes in the survival of the pathogen´s resistance structure (sclerotia) during overwintering on the soil surface, and (2) effects on insects responsible for the transportation of pathogen spores. This latter mechanism is tested through a visitor exclusion treatment and the measurement of plant volatile cues. We found no significant effects of the endophyte on the survival of sclerotia and thus on disease inocula. However, both pathogen incidence and severity were twofold lower in endophyte-symbiotic plants than in non-symbiotic ones, though when insect visits were prevented this difference disappeared. Endophyte-symbiotic and non-symbiotic plots presented different emission patterns of volatiles suggesting that they can play a role in this protection. We show a novel indirect ecological mechanism by which endophytes can defend host grasses against diseases through negatively interacting with intermediary vectors of the epidemic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coloured glass glitter is made from thin glass flakes and used for decoration purposes. Published analytical data mainly originates from restoration sites in different countries and is still fragmentary. Samples are often contaminated or corroded, which makes it difficult to evaluate the results, particularly when these were obtained by near-surface techniques. Context and purpose of the study: For this investigation, six types of coloured glass glitter from an eighteenth century material collection from Cambridge, England were investigated by optical microscopy and electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis in order to obtain a wide range of data, which can be used to examine the production techniques of eighteenth century coloured lead glass glitter. They have been stored in a wooden cabinet for 300 years and were sampled directly from the original small paper boxes. Each sample contained glass flakes of different sizes and thicknesses and even different colours. Results and main findings: All flakes were made of lead glass with lead contents in the range between 18 to over 70 wt%. One group showed mixed alkali compositions, probably from potash, lime and nitre, the other contained sodium, potassium and calcium oxides only in trace, if at all. Colouring elements were cobalt, copper, iron, manganese and gold resulting in blue, green, yellow and violet. Conclusions: Although the colouring elements resemble mostly contemporary recipes as known from Neri and his translators, the glass composition is clearly different and differs also from other lead glass compositions from that time. This is a first indication of the production technology of eighteenth century glass glitter. Brief summary: A wide range of analytical data obtained from early eighteenth century glass flakes is presented here and is discussed with regard to the composition of lead glasses, colouring elements, and manufacture details. Potential implications: Lead containing glass glitter is often found in restoration sites, but their manufacture is still waiting to be thoroughly investigated. Almost nothing is known about its historical manufacture. The study provides a wide range of data, which allow to further increase our knowledge on composition and manufacture of these often used decoration materials from the eighteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most terrestrial plants establish symbiotic associations with microorganisms that enable them to overcome abiotic or biotic filters in ecosystems. Here we investigated how aerial mutualisms involving invasive species may affect the recipient community's structure. We hypothesized that the endophyte Epichloë occultans enhances the ability of Lolium multiflorum to establish and colonize, but that success would depend on the structure and invasion resistance of the recipient grassland community. Seeds of L. multiflorum with high (E+) and low (E−) endophyte incidence were sown in plots located in grasslands with or without recent grazing history. Relative cover of L. multiflorum and floristic groups was determined during the growing season. Whereas we did not detect any endophyte effect in sites with grazing history, L. multiflorum cover was 63 % in E+ and 27 % in E− plots in sites without grazing history. As cover of L. multiflorum increased in these sites, the cover of warm- and cool-season grasses decreased in spring, with that of warm-season grasses continuing to decrease in summer. These decreases corresponded to 1.9, 3.7 and 1.6 %, for every % increase of L. multiflorum cover. Path analysis and posterior modelling predicted a greater impact of the endophyte on L. multiflorum cover than of seed addition when resident L. multiflorum cover was ≤20 %. This effect decreased asymptotically as L. multiflorum cover increased beyond 20 %. Our results suggest that the endophyte may boost the invasion ability of L. multiflorum particularly in natural grassland without grazing history with potential longer-term consequences for community structure and dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases (except tuberculosis) were screened among 1248 unaccompanied minor refugees (UMRs) arriving in Berlin in 2014-2015; 40 % originated from Syria. More than half of the refugees presented without any pathologic finding. Infections requiring treatment were diagnosed in 19.6 %, mainly infections with Giardia and intestinal helminths as well as schistosomiasis, while potentially contagious diseases were diagnosed in 15.3 % of all screened UMRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet chemical etching of (BaSr)TiO thin films has been investigated. The etchant was prepared from buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF) and nitric acid (HNO), BHF being the reactive agent while HNO acts as a catalyst. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry were performed in order to qualitatively and quantitatively follow the etching process. Scanning electron microscopy and a profilometer were used for determining the etching quality. The ferroelectric thin films were elaborated by a modified sol-gel process and by spin-coating on insulating (Si-wafers) or metal (stainless steel) substrates. Classic photolithography technique and a positive photo resist were used for the transfer of the patterns. Appropriate water dilution reduces the etching speed, thus allowing a better visual control of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant responses to competition have often been described as passive consequences of reduced resource availability. However, plants have mechanisms to forage for favorable conditions and anticipate competition scenarios. Despite the progresses made in understanding the role of light signaling in modulating plant-plant interactions, little is known about how plants use and integrate information gathered by their photoreceptors aboveground to regulate performance belowground. Given that the phytochrome family of photoreceptors plays a key role in the acquisition of information about the proximity of neighbors and canopy cover, it is tempting to speculate that changes in the red:far-red (R:FR) ratio perceived by aboveground plant parts have important implications shaping plant behavior belowground. Exploring data from published experiments, we assess the neglected role of light signaling in the control of root function. The available evidence indicates that plant exposure to low R:FR ratios affects root growth and morphology, root exudate profiles, and interactions with beneficial soil microorganisms. Although dependent on species identity, signals perceived aboveground are likely to affect root-to-root interactions. Root systems could also be guided to deploy new growth predominantly in open areas by light signals perceived by the shoots. Studying interactions between above- and belowground plant-plant signaling is expected to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of plant competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the regional pattern of variation in traits driven by symbiotic interactions may provide insights to understand the evolutionary processes that operate over plant populations. Polyploidy, which is associated with fitness improvement, is expected to increase with latitude and altitude. However, it has never been explored in relation with the occurrence of epichloid fungal endophytes in plants. Both, variation in ploidy level and in the incidence of fungal endophytes, are known to occur in species of fine fescues. Here, we surveyed the occurrence of systemic fungal endophytes in natural Festuca vivipara populations in North European islands. In addition, we identified the fungal species associated with this grass and determined the predominant ploidy level for each population. Endophytes were found in four of six, two of three, and one of three populations for Faroe Islands, Iceland and Great Britain, respectively. With an average low incidence level of 15 % in infected populations, there was no relationship between infection level and either latitude or altitude. The phylogenetic analysis based on sequences ITS and the tub2 genes, supports that the endophytic species is Epichloë festucae, the same as in other fine fescues. We found no variation in ploidy level as all the plants were tetraploid (4X) with 28 chromosomes, a pattern which contrasts with the variation reported in previous antecedents. Our results suggest that apart from low and variable benefits of the endophyte to the plants, there would be a complex dynamics between epichloid endophytes and species of the fine fescue complex which merits further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal endophytes are suggested to manipulate host grass reproduction. Using different grass-endophyte combinations in a four year common garden experiment, we show that endophyte can retain control over the reproductive functions of the host. Plants were collected as seeds from two different environments, meadows and riverbanks. Natural endophyte infection (E+) increased reproductive effort of plants; 13 and 15 % higher proportion of E+ plants produced panicles compared to naturally uninfected (E-) and manipulatively endophyte-infected (ME+) plants, respectively. Meadow-origin E+ plants produced also higher number of panicles compared to E- in the last two years, and both meadow- and riverbank-origin ME+ plants produced higher number of panicles compared to ME- plants in most of the years. Pseudovivipary was recorded in 5 % of the plants each year. Pollen limitation appears not to induce pseudovivipary. Both E+ and ME+ plants produced higher number of seminiferous panicles compared to E- and ME- plants. The higher proportion of pseudoviviparism in ME+ plants compared to E+, E- and ME- plants from meadows suggests specific genotype-genotype cross-talk between endophyte and grass. Pseudovivipary was affected by year and primarily explained by plant reproductive effort since most vigorous plants produced more pseudoviviparous panicles. We propose that endophytes can promote host grass reproduction in a habitat-specific manner and depending on genetic compatibility between partners. However, reproductive behavior depended on maternal habitat and the annual environmental conditions highlighting the importance of long-term experiments to estimate the effects of endophytes on host plant ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defensive mutualism is widely accepted as providing the best framework for understanding how seed-transmitted, alkaloid producing fungal endophytes of grasses are maintained in many host populations. Here, we first briefly review current knowledge of bioactive alkaloids produced by systemic grass-endophytes. New findings suggest that chemotypic diversity of the endophyte-grass symbiotum is far more complex, involving multifaceted signaling and chemical cross-talk between endophyte and host cells ( e.g., reactive oxygen species and antioxidants) or between plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies ( e.g., volatile organic compounds, and salicylic acid and jasmonic acid pathways). Accumulating evidence also suggests that the tight relationship between the systemic endophyte and the host grass can lead to the loss of grass traits when the lost functions, such as plant defense to herbivores, are compensated for by an interactive endophytic fungal partner. Furthermore, chemotypic diversity of a symbiotum appears to depend on the endophyte and the host plant life histories, as well as on fungal and plant genotypes, abiotic and biotic environmental conditions, and their interactions. Thus, joint approaches of (bio)chemists, molecular biologists, plant physiologists, evolutionary biologists, and ecologists are urgently needed to fully understand the endophyte-grass symbiosis, its coevolutionary history, and ecological importance. We propose that endophyte-grass symbiosis provides an excellent model to study microbially mediated multirophic interactions from molecular mechanisms to ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the controls on biomass allocation trade-offs in plants are important since they affect harvestable product yields and are critical to understanding symbiotic interactions. Epichloae fungal endophytes associate with cool-season grasses, growing systemically within the plant inter-cellular spaces and are transmitted through seeds. We explore the endophytes influence on the relationship between the plant reproductive and vegetative aboveground biomass (reproductive effort: RE) and on the trade-off between two components of the reproductive biomass, number and weight of panicles (RPN), using tall fescue as a model system. Naturally endophyte-colonized, manipulatively endophyte-free, and naturally endophyte-free plants from Northern European wild-populations together with the cultivar Kentucky-31 were grown under different environmental conditions (nutrients x water). The endophyte had an effect on the RPN (E+: 6.19, ME-: 4.68 and E-: 4.40) which indicates how reproductive biomass is partitioned into number and mass of panicles, but not on RE (≈0.06). As expected, wild plants showed higher reproductive effort (≈0.06) compared to the cultivar KY-31 (0.05), irrespective of endophyte presence. Endophyte-colonized plants had lighter panicles than endophyte-free plants, a pattern that was clear among low-yielding plants. Similarly, the trade-off between RPN and RE was higher for endophyte-colonized plants. This was again evident among plants with low RE indicating that colonized plants split the yield into either greater number of panicles and/or lighter panicles. The effect of vertically transmitted endophytes has earlier been studied as ratios (e.g. RE); however, our study shows that this approach may hide size-dependent endophyte effects on these relationships. Our study reveals that Neotyphodium endophyte affects trade-offs in tall fescue plants in a complex manner, and is influenced by a number of biological and abiotic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pooideae grasses may be colonized by systemic fungal endophytes. The fitness of endophyte depends entirely on resources and seed transmission from the host plant, while colonized plants may gain increased survival, growth, and reproduction relative to their uncolonized conspecifics. Most research of endophyte-grass interactions have been carried out on few cultivars of tall fescue ( Schedonorus phoenix) and their symbiont Neotyphodium coenophialum. Lack of studies using wild populations of tall fescue across the species natural distribution range, however, limits the understanding of the ecological and evolutionary role of the symbiosis in nature. We performed a common garden experiment in Southern Finland with three wild, tall fescue populations from northern Europe and the forage cultivar Kentucky-31 (KY-31). For each population, we used naturally endophyte-colonized, naturally endophyte-colonized but endophyte removed (decolonized), and naturally uncolonized plants to separate effects due to the host genotype from the endophyte. We evaluated growth variables and survival in four environmental treatments of varying water and nutrients. Supply of water and nutrients increased plant biomass and reproductive effort in all populations. This effect was higher for KY-31 plants which produced on average 55 % more seeds than wild plants, indicating better adaptation to high resource environments. However, the higher incidence of Claviceps sp. and the low winter survival indicated KY-31 tall fescue is mal-adapted to Northern European conditions. Naturally colonized plants had greater plant biomass (≈12 %), reproductive effort (≈22 %) and seed mass (≈29 %) than naturally uncolonized and decolonized plants. Nonetheless, endophyte colonization did not affect plant survival, and the effects of endophyte colonization on tiller number, panicle/tiller ratio and Claviceps sp. incidence depended on the population origin. In the wild populations, endophyte removal only reduced the number of tillers (≈29 % lower), while the difference between naturally colonized and naturally uncolonized plants was not significant. Our results show that endophyte symbiont increases tall fescue performance in general, but the differences between wild populations and cultivars indicate adaptation to local habitats and agronomic management, respectively. The comparison of naturally endophyte-colonized and decolonized plants suggests certain plant genotype-endophyte combinations found within populations result from local selection pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertically transmitted fungal endophytes can be beneficial for host grasses. While the alkaloid-mediated mechanism for herbivore resistance has been widely studied, underlying physiological mechanisms for increased tolerance to abiotic stress remain scarcely explored. In this study we used three maternal lines of perennial grass Festuca rubra to examine the role of antioxidants in endophyte-mediated effects on seed viability over long-term storage. Uncolonized plants (E−) were generated by removing the endophyte from ramets of naturally endophyte-colonized (E+) plants. The E + and E− ramets were planted in a common garden in Salamanca, Spain. Seeds produced in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were harvested at maturity, dried and stored at 10 °C until 2011 when we tested seed and endophyte viability, and measured antioxidants. Seed viability and α-tocopherol antioxidant were negatively affected by the endophyte in two maternal lines. In these same lines, the endophyte viability was lowest at the longest storage time. In the maternal line that showed the highest negative effect of endophyte on seed viability, the pattern of glutathione was opposite to that observed for tocopherols since it was higher for E + than for E− seeds. In all maternal lines, the glutathione half-cell reduction potential (E) and % glutathione disulphide (GSSG) increased with storage time but there was no clear pattern associated with endophyte symbiosis. Whether these parameters are good predictors of seed and endophyte longevity in storage and natural conditions should be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species are in all types of organisms from microbes to higher plants and animals. They are by-products of normal metabolism, such as photosynthesis and respiration, and are responsive to abiotic and biotic stress. Accumulating evidence suggests reactive oxygen species play a vital role in programmed cell death, stress responses, plant defense against pathogens and systemic stress signaling in conjunction with antioxidant production. Here, we propose that reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, as both universal and evolutionarily conserved, are likely to play important role(s) in symbiotic interactions. To support this hypothesis we review the root and foliar fungal endophyte literature specific to fungal-plant symbiotum production of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in response to stress. These asymptomatic fungi can produce antioxidants in response to both biotic and abiotic stress when grown in culture as well as in planta. In addition, there is a growing but nascent literature reporting a significant impact of endophyte colonization on the antioxidant activity of colonized (E+) hosts when compared to uncolonized (E-) hosts, especially when exposed to stress. Here we summarize general patterns emerging from the growing literature specific to antioxidant activity of endophytes in colonized hosts and bring up possible future research questions and approaches. The consequences of changes in reactive oxygen species production and increased antioxidant activity in the symbiotum appear to be beneficial in many instances; but costs are also indicated. Unexplored questions are: 1) to what extent do antioxidants originating from the fungal endophyte mediate host metabolism, and thereby control host responses to endophyte colonization; (2) what role do fungal, plant, or symbiotum produced reactive oxygen species and antioxidants have in determining symbiotic outcome between extremes of pathogenicity and mutualism; and (3) what role if any, do the production of reactive oxygen species and their antioxidant counterparts play in the symbiotum's ability to respond to changing selection pressures? If as the literature suggests, such endophyte imposed mediation can be utilized to foster increases in plant production in resource limited habitats then the utilization of fungal endophytes may prove useful in agronomic and conservation settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical nomenclature has not always been unequivocally associated with the botanical origin of natural resins. The availability of natural resins has changed throughout the centuries and so have their trade names. Furthermore, adulterations and lack of knowledge have led to variations in the composition of the products traded under the same name. This investigation aims at a new understanding of the interrelation between the historical and modern terms for natural resins. Different Pinaceae and Pistacia resins, mastic, sandarac, copaiba balm and burgundy pitch from Vigani's Cabinet, a 300-year-old pharmaceutical collection owned by Queens' College, Cambridge (UK) were investigated. Related reference materials from modern collections were analysed together with natural resins derived from reliable botanical sources. The analytical method was gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with and without derivatisation with trimethylsulfonium hydroxide. This technique provided detailed molecular compositions of the studied materials, which in turn led to particular data profiles of the materials. Marker molecules of Copaifera, Pinaceae, Cupressaceae and Pistacia resins were identified. By comparing the GC-MS data profiles to the reference samples, a clearer picture of the connection between nomenclature and botanical origin was obtained. With the aid of the marker molecules and data profiles, it was then possible to clarify the nomenclature of the aged resins sampled from Vigani's Cabinet. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In managed rangelands periods of low primary productivity determine troughs of forage availability, constraining animal production year-round. Although alternative tools to increase forage availability during critical seasons exists, most of them are unaffordable and short-lived in marginal areas. We explore the potential benefits of deciduous tree plantations favoring winter forage productivity by comparing aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) patterns in herbaceous understory to tree plantations and natural grasslands in the Pampas (Argentina). These temperate subhumid grasslands are characterized by the coexistence of winter species, mainly C3 grasses of the native genera Stipa, Piptochaetium, and Bromus and the exotic genera Lolium and Festuca) and summer species (mainly C4 grasses of the native genera Paspalum, Bothriochloa, and Stenotaphrum) that replace each other throughout the seasons, with domination of the latter. We hypothesize that the natural decoupling of growing seasons between winter deciduous trees and winter grasses could provide the basis for the sustainable promotion of winter forage. We measured ANPP on two 23-year-old Populus deltoides plantations and their understory and compared them with adjacent open grasslands. Afforested stands had 55-75% higher annual ANPP than their non-afforested neighbors, with trees contributing ~70% to total ANPP. Herbaceous canopies beneath plantations achieved about half of the ANPP observed in non-afforested situations with a contrasting seasonal distribution associated with shifts from C4 to C3 grass dominance. Winter ANPP, the most critical source of forage in these grazing systems, was similar or higher in the herbaceous understory of tree plantations to that on their non-afforested counterparts, suggesting that mixed systems involving deciduous trees and understory pastures are a valid and viable option in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal leishmaniasis is a well-known clinical manifestation of infections caused by species belonging to the Leishmania ( Viannia) subgenus in Central and South America but not of Leishmania species endemic in the so-called Old World. We report on three cases of mucosal leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania ( Leishmania) infantum contracted in southern Europe. Two patients were immunocompromised; one patient had no underlying condition. Lesions were located in the oral mucosa, oesophagus and nose. All lesions relapsed under standard treatment with liposomal amphotericin B. A cure was achieved after secondary and extended treatment with liposomal amphotericin B or miltefosine. Mucosal leishmaniasis contracted in southern Europe has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions in the naso-buccal-oesophageal mucosa and may occur in previously healthy persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the majority of investigations of linguistic manifestations of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease are conducted based on manual linguistic analysis. Grammatical complexity is one of the language use characteristics sensitive to the effects of Alzheimer's disease and is difficult to operationalize and measure using manual approaches. In the current study, we demonstrate the application of computational linguistic methods to automate the analysis of grammatical complexity. We implemented the Computerized Linguistic Analysis System (CLAS) based on the Stanford syntactic parser (Klein and Manning, Pattern Recognition, 38 (9), 1407-1419, 2005) for longitudinal analysis of changes in syntactic complexity in language affected by neurodegenerative disorders. We manually validated CLAS scoring and used it to analyze writings of Iris Murdoch, a renowned Irish author diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. We found clear patterns of decline in grammatical complexity consistent with previous analyses of Murdoch's writing conducted by Garrard, Maloney, Hodges, and Patterson (Brain, 128(250-260, 2005). CLAS is a fully automated system that may be used to derive objective and reproducible measures of syntactic complexity in language production and can be particularly useful in longitudinal studies with large volumes of language samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forage production in silvopastoral systems of the Flooding Pampa is based on cool season grasses with a relatively asynchronous phenology regarding their accompanying deciduous trees. However, the productivity of cool season grasses in these systems is usually low. The hypothesis of this work is that the low productivity of cool season grasses is caused by tree litter constraining plant recruitment. Emergence and establishment (reproductive propagation), and tillering (vegetative propagation) patterns of tall fescue, a cool season grass in the region, were studied in two pairs of adjacent non-afforested and afforested poplar stands (tree age 26–28 years, tree density 453–797 plants ha). Observational and manipulative (i.e. addition of seeds, leaf litter removal) experiments indicated that the recruitment of tall fescue plants is strongly limited by the fall of poplar leaves over emerged seedlings, during autumn. Results suggest that any management practice capable of removing poplar litter, either through grazing or machinery, could neutralize this limitation enhancing the herbaceous primary production of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metals are detrimental to silicon solar cells in two ways: (i) they typically introduce defect levels in the bandgap, leading to enhanced carrier recombination and thus to lower voltage in solar cells; and (ii) they may, in the form of precipitates, contribute to the formation of shunts and reverse breakdown sites. This paper provides a review on techniques to access the spatial distribution of recombination sites for multicrystalline silicon. Methods to detect metal precipitates as well as, in the case of iron, dissolved point defects are presented. These methods are applied to clarify the distribution of iron after high-temperature processes and the identification of breakdown sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Within the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and designated laboratories, an interlaboratory comparison, CCQM-P107, was conducted to verify the degree of international comparability concerning the results of purity analysis. The mass fractions of Ag, Bi, Cd, Cr, Ni, Tl at the lower mg/kg-level in a high purity zinc material were determined, but the real measurand in metrological sense was the sum of the six mass fractions. Homogeneity was investigated by glow discharge mass spectrometry, reference values were obtained using isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Six NMIs participated, contributing eight independent data sets. The agreement amongst the results of the participants, their median and the agreement with the reference values were usually excellent and in almost all cases below the target uncertainty of 30% relative. In this manner, the accuracy of results and the comparability between the participants was demonstrated to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout all stages of programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV (PMTCT), high dropout rates are common. Increased male involvement and couples’ joint HIV counselling/testing during antenatal care (ANC) seem crucial for improving PMTCT outcomes. Our study assessed male attitudes regarding partner involvement into ANC/PMTCT services in Mbeya Region, Tanzania, conducting 124 individual interviews and six focus group discussions. Almost all respondents generally supported PMTCT interventions. Mentioned barriers to ANC/PMTCT attendance included lacking information/knowledge, no time, neglected importance, the services representing a female responsibility, or fear of HIV-test results. Only few perceived couple HIV counselling/testing as disadvantageous. Among fathers who had refused previous ANC/PMTCT attendance, most had done so even though they were not perceiving a disadvantage about couple counselling/testing. The contradiction between men’s beneficial attitudes towards their involvement and low participation rates suggests that external barriers play a large role in this decision-making process and that partner’s needs should be more specifically addressed in ANC/PMTCT services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cool-season grasses establish symbioses with vertically transmitted Neotyphodium endophytes widespread in nature. The frequency of endophyte-infected plants in closed populations (i.e., without migrations) depends on both the differential fitness between infected and non-infected plants, and the endophyte-transmission efficiency. Most studies have been focused on the first mechanism ignoring the second. Infection frequency and endophyte transmission from vegetative tissues to seeds were surveyed in two grasses growing in vegetation units that differ in flood and grazing regimes, and soil salinity. Transmission efficiency and infection frequency for tall fescue did not vary significantly and were 0.98 and 1.00, respectively. For Italian ryegrass, transmission efficiency and infection frequency were 0.88 and 0.57 in humid prairies, and 0.96 and 0.96 in the other vegetation units. Only in humid mesophytic meadows, the observed pattern was irrespective of the presence or absence of grazers. Our results suggest that selection forces for endophyte infection are different for both species. Imperfect transmission was only compensated in tall fescue through an increased fitness of infected plants. Interpreting variations of infection frequency only in terms of differential fitness can be misleading, considering that endophyte transmission can be imperfect and variable in nature. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of measuring transmission efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract  Pb x ZryTi1−yO3 thin films were prepared by a modified Sol–gel method using alkoxides precursor compounds and spin-coating onto RuO2 coated stainless steel substrates. Depending on the zirconate/titanate ratio, both, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric behaviour has been obtained. Oxidation of the metal substrate due to the PZT crystallization process was studied in order to verify the influence of the heat treatment on the substrate morphology. In order to improve the properties of antiferroelectric Pb x Zr0.95Ti0.05O3, the influence of the lead excess in the composition was investigated. Thefs dependence of the switching field distribution from the annealing time and temperature, as well as the fatigue behaviour of the films, is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]