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Aims: Lymph node metastases (LNM) are one of the most important prognostic indicators in solid tumours and a major component of cancer staging. Neoadjuvant therapy might influence nodal status by induction of regression. Our aim is to determine the prevalence and role of regression of LNM on outcomes in patients with rectal cancer. Methods and results: Four independent study populations of rectal cancer patients treated with similar regimens of chemoradiotherapy were pooled together to obtain a total cohort of 469 patients. Post‐treatment nodal status (ypN) and signs of tumour regression (Reg) were incorporated to form three‐tiered (ypN− Reg+, ypN− Reg− and ypN+) and four‐tiered (ypN− Reg+, ypN− Reg−, ypN+ Reg+ and ypN+ Reg−) classifications. In our cohort, 31% of patients presented with ypN+ rectal cancer. As expected, we found significantly worse overall survival (OS) in ypN+ patients compared to ypN− patients (P = 0.002). The percentage of ypN− patients with lymph nodes with complete regression was 20% in our cohort. While node‐negative patients with and without regression had similar OS (P = 0.09), disease‐free survival (DFS) was significantly better in node‐negative patients with regression (P = 0.009). Conclusions: Regression in lymph nodes is frequent, and node‐negative patients with evidence of lymph node regression have better DFS compared to node‐negative patients without such evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Partial response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) presents with one of two main response patterns: shrinkage or fragmentation. This study investigated the relevance of these response patterns in rectal cancer, correlation with other response indicators, and outcome. Methods and results: The study included a test (n = 197) and a validation cohort (n = 218) of post‐CRT patients with rectal adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified and a partial response. Response patterns were scored by two independent observers using a previously developed three‐step flowchart. Tumour regression grading (TRG) was established according to both the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Dworak classifications. In both cohorts, the predominant response pattern was fragmentation (70% and 74%), and the scoring interobserver agreement was excellent (k = 0.85). Patients with a fragmented pattern presented with significantly higher pathological stage (ypTNM II‐IV, 78% versus 35%; P < 0.001), less tumour regression with Dworak (P = 0.004), and CAP TRG (P = 0.005) compared to patients with a shrinkage pattern. As a predictor of prognosis, the shrinkage pattern outperformed the TRG classification and stratified patients better in overall (fragmented pattern, hazard ratio [HR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19–3.50, P = 0.008) and disease‐free survival (DFS; fragmented pattern, HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.23–5.10, P = 0.011) in the combined cohorts. The multivariable regression analyses revealed pathological stage as the only independent predictor of DFS. Conclusions: The heterogeneous nature of tumour response following CRT is reflected in fragmentation and shrinkage. In rectal cancer there is a predominance of the fragmented pattern, which is associated with advanced stage and less tumour regression. While not independently associated with survival, these reproducible patterns give insights into the biology of tumour response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored structural brain connectomes in children with spastic unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP) and its relation to sensory‐motor function using graph theory. In 46 children with uCP (mean age = 10 years 7 months ± 2 years 9 months; Manual Ability Classification System I = 15, II = 16, III = 15) we assessed upper limb somatosensory and motor function. We collected multi‐shell diffusion‐weighted, T1‐weighted and T2‐FLAIR MRI and identified the corticospinal tract (CST) wiring pattern using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Structural connectomes were constructed using Virtual Brain Grafting‐modified FreeSurfer parcellations and multi‐shell multi‐tissue constrained spherical deconvolution‐based anatomically‐constrained tractography. Graph metrics (characteristic path length, global/local efficiency and clustering coefficient) of the whole brain, the ipsilesional/contralesional hemisphere, and the full/ipsilesional/contralesional sensory‐motor network were compared between lesion types (periventricular white matter (PWM) = 28, cortical and deep gray matter (CDGM) = 18) and CST‐wiring patterns (ipsilateral = 14, bilateral = 14, contralateral = 12, unknown = 6) using ANCOVA with age as covariate. Using elastic‐net regularized regression we investigated how graph metrics, lesion volume, lesion type, CST‐wiring pattern and age predicted sensory‐motor function. In both the whole brain and subnetworks, we observed a hyperconnectivity pattern in children with CDGM‐lesions compared with PWM‐lesions, with higher clustering coefficient (p = [<.001–.047], ηp2=[0.09–0.27]), characteristic path length (p =.003, ηp2=0.19) and local efficiency (p = [.001–.02], ηp2=[0.11–0.21]), and a lower global efficiency with age (p = [.01–.04], ηp2=[0.09–0.15]). No differences were found between CST‐wiring groups. Overall, good predictions of sensory‐motor function were obtained with elastic‐net regression (R2 =.40–.87). CST‐wiring pattern was the strongest predictor for motor function. For somatosensory function, all independent variables contributed equally to the model. In conclusion, we demonstrated the potential of structural connectomics in understanding disease severity and brain development in children with uCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 6 secretion systems (T6SSs) are specialized multiprotein complexes that inject protein effectors into prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells. We previously described the role of the T6SS of the phytopathogen Xanthomonas citri pv. citri as an anti‐eukaryotic nanoweapon that confers resistance to predation by the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Transcription of the X. citri T6SS genes is induced by a signaling cascade involving the Ser/Thr kinase PknS and the extracytoplasmic function sigma factor EcfK. Here, we used a strain overexpressing a phosphomimetic constitutively active version of EcfK (EcfKT51E) to identify the EcfK regulon, which includes a previously uncharacterized transcription factor of the AraC‐family (TagK), in addition to T6SS genes and genes encoding protein homeostasis factors. Functional studies demonstrated that TagK acts downstream of EcfK, binding directly to T6SS gene promoters and inducing T6SS expression in response to contact with amoeba cells. TagK controls a small regulon, consisting of the complete T6SS, its accessory genes and additional genes encoded within the T6SS cluster. We conclude that a singular regulatory circuit consisting of a transmembrane kinase (PknS), an alternative sigma factor (EcfK) and an AraC‐type transcriptional regulator (TagK) promotes expression of the X. citri T6SS in response to a protozoan predator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of different equilibration times with cryoprotectants on viability and metaphase plate morphology of vitrified‐warmed porcine mature oocytes (Experiment 1) and to evaluate the effects of supplementation with 10−9 M melatonin during in vitro maturation on these parameters (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, 2,392 mature oocytes were vitrified using different equilibration times of oocytes with cryoprotectants (3, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80 min). Fresh oocytes matured in vitro for 44 hr (n = 509) were used as controls. In Experiment 2, a total of 573 COCs were used. COCs were matured with 10−9 M melatonin supplementation or without melatonin (control). Some oocytes from each group were vitrified with a 60‐min equilibration time with cryoprotectants according to the results of Experiment 1. The remaining oocytes from each maturation group were used as fresh control groups. In both experiments, oocytes were stained with 2′,7′‐dichlorodihydrofuorescein diacetate and Hoechst 33342 to assess viability and metaphase plate morphology, respectively. Vitrification and warming affected (p <.01) oocyte viability compared with controls, which were all viable after 44 hr of IVM. In Experiment 1, the longer the equilibration time with cryoprotectants, the higher the viability. Oocytes equilibrated for 60 and 80 min had the highest (p <.05) viability and similar metaphase plate characteristics to the fresh control oocytes. In Experiment 2, supplementation with melatonin during in vitro maturation had no effect on oocyte viability or metaphase plate morphology of vitrified‐warmed oocytes. In conclusion, under our experimental conditions, vitrified porcine mature oocytes equilibrated with cryoprotectants for 60 or 80 min exhibited the highest viability and similar metaphase plate characteristics to fresh controls. Furthermore, supplementation with 10−9 M melatonin during in vitro maturation had no effect on these parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial insemination (AI) for pigs relies on liquid storage of extended semen at 17°C, which preserves sperm quality and ensures its fertilizing capacity. Routine quality controls include the evaluation of sperm motility, viability and capacitation status. The physiological functions of all these features depend on transmembrane aquaporins (AQPs), proteins playing key roles in osmoadaptation. In this study, we made a relative quantification, using RT‐qPCR, of the mRNA of several sperm AQPs in AI‐liquid semen doses before and after a 48‐hr incubation period, aiming to determine possible quantitative compromising expression changes during the process that could serve as a diagnostic tool. Our results showed a decrease in classical sperm motility variables (total and progressive motility and velocity) and sperm viability after 48‐hr storage, whereas capacitation status increased overtime. mRNA expression increased in the orthodox AQP4 and AQP6 after 48‐hr incubation, relative to control (0 hr) and 24‐hr time‐points. Moreover, mRNA expression of aquaglyceroporins AQP3, AQP7 and AQP10 was higher after 48‐hr incubation, confirmed by AQP7‐protein validation using Western blot. Our results indicate that expression levels of AQPs‐mRNA can change in ejaculated pig spermatozoa under conditions of ex‐vivo incubation that could modify sperm homeostasis, suggesting it could eventually become a relevant molecular biomarker to assess the efficiency of liquid storage of pig semen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Currently, compelling evidence illustrates the significance of determining microsatellite instability (MSI) in colorectal cancer (CRC). The association of MSI with proximal CRC is well established, however, its implications in patients with rectal cancer remain undefined. We therefore aimed to determine the role of MSI with respect to incidence and outcome in patients with rectal cancer. Methods and Results: For this we examined patients from two prospective phase III trials: TME trial and PROCTOR‐SCRIPT trial (n = 1250). In addition, we performed a literature review to evaluate the overall prevalence, the effect on survival and the response to neo‐adjuvant treatment in patients with MSI rectal cancer compared with microsatellite stable (MSS) rectal cancer. Our TME and PROCTOR‐SCRIPT cohort showed no differences in terms of overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69–1.47) and disease‐free survival (DFS) (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.68–1.45) in patients with MSI compared to MSS rectal cancer. The total number of MSI cases in all included studies (including our own) was 1220 (out of 16,526 rectal cancer patients), with an overall prevalence of 6.7% (standard error 1.19%). Both for OS as for DFS there was no impact of MSI status on prognosis (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.77–1.29 and HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.60–1.22, respectively). The risk ratio (RR) for downstaging and pathological complete response showed also no impact of MSI status (RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.86–1.55 and RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.54–1.22, respectively). Conclusion: Rectal cancer patients with MSI form a distinct and rare subcategory, however, there is no prognostic effect of MSI in rectal cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We explored the psychometric properties of the recently developed Tyneside Pegboard Test (TPT) for unimanual and bimanual dexterity in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP) and investigated the impact of sensorimotor impairments on manual dexterity.Method: In this cross-sectional study, the TPT was assessed in 49 children with unilateral CP (mean age 9y 8mo, SD 1y 11mo, range 6-15y; 30 males, 19 females; 23 with right unilateral CP). All participants additionally underwent a standardized upper limb evaluation at body function and activity level. We investigated: (1) known-group, concurrent, and construct validity and (2) impact of sensorimotor impairments including spasticity, grip force, stereognosis, and mirror movements using analysis of covariance, Spearman's rank correlation (r), and multiple linear regression (R2 ) respectively.Results: TPT outcomes significantly differed according to the Manual Ability Classification System (p<0.001, known-group validity). Relationships were found between the unimanual TPT tasks and the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (r=0.86-0.88, concurrent validity). Bimanual TPT tasks were negatively correlated with the Assisting Hand Assessment, ABILHAND-Kids, and Children's Hand-use Experience Questionnaire (r=-0.38 to -0.78, construct validity). Stereognosis was the main determinant influencing all tasks (p<0.001, R2 =37-50%). Unimanual dexterity was additionally determined by grip strength (p<0.05, R2 =8-9%) and mirror movements in the more impaired hand (p<0.05, R2 =4-8%). Bimanual dexterity was also explained by mirror movements in the more impaired hand (p<0.01, R2 =10-16%) and spasticity (p=0.04, R2 =5%).Interpretation: The TPT is a valid test to measure unimanual and bimanual dexterity in unilateral CP. The results further emphasize the importance of somatosensory impairments in children with unilateral CP. What this paper adds The Tyneside Pegboard Test is valid for measuring unimanual and bimanual dexterity in unilateral cerebral palsy. Children with poorer manual ability show worse unimanual and bimanual dexterity. Stereognosis is the main predictor of both unimanual and bimanual dexterity. Stronger mirror movements in the more impaired hand result in worse bimanual dexterity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the inter- and intrarater reliability of the Woods and Teuber scale to detect mirror movements in children and adolescents with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP).Method: A convenience sample of children and adolescents with unilateral CP (n=68; 31 males, 37 females; mean age 12y 2mo, SD 3y 6mo) in Manual Ability Classification levels I to III was recruited from Norway, Australia, and Belgium. Three therapists scored mirror movements according to the Woods and Teuber scale from three video-recorded tasks at two separate time points. A two-way, mixed model regression was used to calculate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) reflecting overall inter- and intrarater reliability. In addition, ICCs for each hand and task were calculated separately.Results: The overall interrater reliability ICC was 0.90 and the corresponding intrarater reliability ICC was 0.92. The ICCs for each hand ranged from 0.86 to 0.92 and for each task from 0.63 to 0.89.Interpretation: The Woods and Teuber scale shows excellent reliability for scoring mirror movements in children and adolescents with unilateral CP. The assessment is easy to administer with no need for specific equipment and scoring can be determined from short video recordings, making it a feasible instrument in research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "2 SP nd sp Workshop in Microbial Molecular Biology" was the second edition of a scientific meeting organized by the molecular microbiology community of São Paulo State (Brazil) and was held over 3 days (5-7 December), at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil. Next, Marco Vinolo (Institute of Biology/UNICAMP) showed us how metabolites from the host microbiota modulate the immune response to bacterial and virus pathogens. The student Enzo Sichi de Mello presented results obtained during his ongoing undergraduate internship at Cristina Alvarez-Martinez laboratory (Institute of Biology, UNICAMP) about the signaling pathway that induces an anti-amoeba T6SS of I X. citri i . [Extracted from the article]

Aims: No consensus exists on the clinical value of tumour regression grading (TRG) systems for therapy effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Existing TRG systems lack standardization and reproducibility, and do not consider the morphological heterogeneity of tumour response. Therefore, we aim to identify morphological tumour regression patterns of oesophageal adenocarcinoma after nCRT and their association with survival. Methods and results: Patients with oesophageal adenocarcinoma, who underwent nCRT followed by surgery and achieved a partial response to nCRT, were identified from two Dutch upper‐gastrointestinal (GI) centres (2005–18; test cohort). Resection specimens were scored for regression patterns by two independent observers according to a pre‐defined three‐step flowchart. The results were validated in an external cohort (2001–17). In total, 110 patients were included in the test cohort and 115 in the validation cohort. In the test cohort, two major regression patterns were identified: fragmentation (60%) and shrinkage (40%), with an excellent interobserver agreement (κ = 0.87). Here, patients with a fragmented pattern had a significantly higher pathological stage (stages III/IV: 52 versus 16%; P < 0.001), less downstaging (48 versus 91%; P < 0.001), a higher risk of recurrence [risk ratio (RR) = 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5–5.6] and poorer 5‐year overall survival (30 versus 80% respectively, P = 0.001). Conclusions: The validation cohort confirmed these findings, although had more advanced cases (case‐stages = III/IV 91 versus 73%, P = 0.005) and a higher prevalence of fragmented‐pattern cases (80 versus 60%, P = 0.002). When combining the cohorts in multivariate analysis, the pattern of response was an independent prognostic factor [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.0–3.0]. In conclusion, we established an externally validated, reproducible and clinically relevant classification of tumour response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil constraints limit crop water and nutrient extraction and lead to yield loss globally. In rainfed agriculture, the selection of crop species more likely to yield well under constrained conditions is an important management tool. However, information on the most appropriate crops is often difficult to access due to its publication in a wide range of disparate sources and the various measures of crop tolerance used. This study aimed to improve our ability to identify crops for constrained areas in rainfed subtropical cropping systems by compiling published information that had assessed the grain yield response to acidic, saline, or sodic conditions of 17 cereal, pulse, and oilseed crops. This information was used to develop a 'traffic light' system for salinity and acidity to provide guidance on when soil pH or the electrical conductivity of a saturated soil extract (ECe) is likely to be 'good', 'potentially limiting', or 'poor' for grain yield. Crops were also ranked according to their likely ability to yield well under saline, acidic, or sodic conditions. For all crops, the point at which grain yield was affected by soil constraints was variable and there was often only a small amount of published information available to help guide the identification of tolerance limits and rankings, particularly for sodicity. Many studies were also conducted under experimental conditions that differed from rainfed farming, which can affect the transferability of results. Confidence in the tolerance limits and rankings is thus only moderate and further work is required to confirm their applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, are responsible for almost 70% of all deaths worldwide. Tobacco use is a risk factor common to most NCDs. This article discusses tobacco control policies and highlights major achievements and open challenges to reduce smoking prevalence and attributable morbidity and mortality in the 21st century. The introduction of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005 has been a key achievement in the field and has already facilitated a drop in both smoking prevalence and exposure to secondhand smoke. Indicatively, the size of the worldwide population benefiting from at least one cost‐effective tobacco control policy has quadrupled since 2007. In addition, plain cigarette packaging has been successfully introduced as a tobacco control policy, surmounting efforts of the tobacco industry to challenge this based on trade and investment law. Nevertheless, tobacco control still faces major challenges. Smoking prevalence needs to be further reduced in a rather expedited manner. Smoke‐free environments should be extended, and the use of plain tobacco packaging with large pictorial health warnings for all tobacco products should be further promoted in some parts of the world. Some of these measures will require prompt determination and diligence. For example, bold political decisions are needed to significantly increase real prices of tobacco products through excise taxes, ban added ingredients that are currently used to increase the attractiveness of tobacco products and ban the tobacco industry's corporate social responsibility initiatives. Finally, the debate on harm reduction strategies for tobacco control still needs to be resolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The avian seminal fluid (SF) is a protein‐rich fluid, derived from the testis, the rudimentary epididymis and, finally, from the cloacal gland. The SF interacts with spermatozoa and the inner cell lining of the female genital tract, to modulate sperm functions and female immune responsiveness. Its complex proteome might either be free or linked to extracellular vesicles (EVs) as it is the case in mammals, where EVs depict the tetraspanin CD9; and where those EVs derived from the epididymis (epididymosomes) also present the receptor CD44. In the present study, sperm‐free SF from Red Jungle Fowl, White Leghorn and an advanced intercross (AIL, 12th generation) were studied using flow cytometry of the membrane marker tetraspanin CD9, Western blotting of the membrane receptor CD44 and electron microscopy in non‐enriched (whole SF) or enriched fractions obtained by precipitation using a commercial kit (Total Exosome Precipitation Solution). Neither CD9‐ nor CD44 could be detected, and the ultrastructure confirmed the relative absence of EVs, raising the possibility that avian SF interacts differently with the female genitalia as compared to the seminal plasma of mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Purpose: Triplet repeat expansion‐mediated endothelial corneal dystrophy, including Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), is characterized by abnormal expansions of trinucleotide repeats, resulting in corneal endothelium dysfunction [1,2]. This study aims to characterize a reliable in vivo model, that it lacks, and explore the therapeutic potential of anti‐miRs, which have shown efficacy in other disorders involving triplet repeat expansions [3,4,5]. Current invasive delivery methods for eye‐based treatments present challenges, so our focus is on optimizing non‐invasive delivery methods for anti‐miR‐based therapy. Methods: A transgenic mouse model with a significant CTG repeat expansion (>1000), established in DM1, was investigated as an in vivo model for corneal endothelial dystrophy. The Fuchs‐like phenotype of the disease was characterized using immunohistochemistry and FISH techniques. Delivery methods were explored to enhance the targeting of corneal endothelial cells (CEC). Delivery efficacy and marker expression were assessed using fluorescence, RT‐qPCR, PCR, western blotting, and immunocytochemistry techniques. FECD cell cultures were established to evaluate the challenging FECD‐specific delivery systems. Results: A novel in vivo model has been characterized for studying corneal endothelial dystrophy caused by triplet repeat expansion, exhibiting similarities to the Fuchs‐like phenotype. Enhanced delivery methods have been identified to improve transfection efficiency in endothelial (HUVEC) and CEC. Successful establishment of FECD cell cultures has allowed the evaluation of these enhanced delivery systems. Conclusions: The first successful characterization of an in vivo model for triplet repeat expansion‐mediated corneal endothelial dystrophy has been achieved. This model shows potential for assessing the reversal of these phenotypes in the ocular region. Moreover, the successful delivery of new systems across CEC suggests the possibility of non‐invasive administration of anti‐miR directly into the eye. This breakthrough opens the door for future research on anti‐miRs in other diseases caused by triplet repeat expansion, such as FECD. Reference In PMID: [1] 28886202, [2] 34130750, [3] 29946070, [4] 32805487, [5] 22764244. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a potent antioxidant with critical protection role against cell oxidative stress, caused by the mitochondrial dysfunction. This study evaluated the effects of CoQ10 supplementation to in vitro maturation (IVM) or embryo culture media on the maturation, fertilization and subsequent embryonic development of pig oocytes and embryos. Maturation (Experiment 1) or embryo culture (Experiment 2) media were supplemented with 0 (control), 10, 25, 50 and 100 μM CoQ10. The addition of 10–50 μM CoQ10 to the IVM medium did not affect the percentage of MII oocytes nor the fertilization or the parameters of subsequent embryonic development. Exogenous CoQ10 in the culture medium neither did affect the development to the 2–4‐cell stage nor rates of blastocyst formation. Moreover, the highest concentration of CoQ10 (100 μM) in the maturation medium negatively affected blastocyst rates. In conclusion, exogenous CoQ10 supplementation of maturation or embryo culture media failed to improve the outcomes of our in vitro embryo production system and its use as an exogenous antioxidant should not be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial embryo transfer (ET) has unprecedented productive and economic implications for the pig sector. However, pig ET has been considered utopian for decades mainly because of the requirements of surgical techniques for embryo collection and embryo deposition into recipients, alongside challenges to preserve embryos. This situation has drastically changed in the last decade since the current technology allows non‐surgical ET and short‐ and long‐term embryo preservation. Here, we provide a brief review of the improvements in porcine ET achieved by our laboratory in the past 20 years. This review includes several aspects of non‐surgical ET technology and different issues affecting ET programmes and embryo preservation systems. The future perspectives of ET technology are also considered. We will refer only to embryos produced in vivo since they are the only type of embryos with possible short‐term use in pig production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plant‐associated bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas cause disease in a wide range of economically important crops. However, their ability to persist in the environment is still poorly understood. Predation by amoebas represents a major selective pressure to bacterial populations in the environment. In this study, we show that the X. citri type 6 secretion system (T6SS) promotes resistance to predation by the soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. We found that an extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factor (EcfK) is required for induction of T6SS genes during interaction with Dictyostelium. EcfK homologues are found in several environmental bacteria in association with a gene encoding a eukaryotic‐like Ser/Thr kinase (pknS). Deletion of pknS causes sensitivity to amoeba predation and abolishes induction of T6SS genes. Phosphomimetic mutagenesis of EcfK identified a threonine residue (T51) that renders EcfK constitutively active in standard culture conditions. Moreover, susceptibility of ΔpknS to Dictyostelium predation can be overcome by expression of the constitutively active version EcfKT51E from a multicopy plasmid. Together, these results describe a new regulatory cascade in which PknS functions through activation of EcfK to promote T6SS expression. Our work reveals an important aspect of Xanthomonas physiology that affects its ability to persist in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this research were to estimate the ability of chemical analysis, cooking properties, sensory evaluation and instrumental texture assays as descriptive quality parameters, and to evaluate the association between sensory and instrumental measurements on commercial pasta samples. Five commercial samples, Com1 to Com5, were analyzed. Moisture, protein and ash contents were determined from raw materials, while cooking loss, water absorption and leached amylose were measured in cooked samples. Color parameters (L* , a* and b *) were determined spectrophotometrically and color scores were calculated from raw and cooked samples. Three instrumental texture assays by a texture analyzer (TA-xT2i) and seven sensory parameters were evaluated. Chemical analysis, cooking properties, sensory evaluation and texture measurement were found to be sensitive quality parameters. From the analysis of the results, Com1 showed the best quality. A significant relationship between the sensory and instrumental measurements according to Pearson correlation and the principal component analysis was also observed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In this work, the quality of different commercial pastas was assessed by means of chemical analysis, cooking properties, sensory evaluation and instrumental texture. The goal of this study was to identify the most important determinations related to pasta quality, and it allowed the establishment of the relationship between the sensory properties and texture measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sigma factors of the ECF subfamily are important regulators of stress responses in bacteria. Analysis of Caulobacter crescentus genome sequence has indicated the presence of 13 members of the ECF ( xtra ytoplasmic unction) subfamily, suggesting that these regulators play an important role in C. crescentus physiology. This work describes the characterization of two highly similar C. crescentus ECF sigma factors, σU and σT. The corresponding genes are not essential under normal growth conditions and absence of σU does not impair bacterial resistance to the environmental stresses tested. However, absence of σT significantly affects the ability of C. crescentus cells to survive osmotic and oxidative stress. Using transcription fusions to sigT and sigU upstream regions we demonstrate that both genes are induced by osmotic stress in a σT-dependent manner. Determination of sigU and sigT transcription start sites revealed an identical promoter motif, typical of ECF-dependent promoters. Transcriptome analysis revealed 40 putative members of the σT regulon, including sigU and sigR, encoding another ECF subfamily member, and genes involved in general stress responses and cell envelope functions. Twenty of those genes exhibit the sigT/ sigU promoter motif in their upstream regions. Our data indicate a role of σT in distinct stress responses in C. crescentus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the data set from the 6540-km2 Goulburn River experimental catchment in New South Wales, Australia. Data have been archived from this experimental catchment since its inception in September 2002. Land use in the northern half of the catchment is predominantly cropping and grazing on basalt-derived soils, with the south being cattle and sheep grazing on sandstone-derived soils; only the floodplains are cleared of trees in the south. Monitoring sites are mainly concentrated in the nested Merriwa (651 km2) and Krui (562 km2) subcatchments in the northern half of this experimental catchment with a few monitoring sites located in the south. The data set comprises soil temperature and moisture profile measurements from 26 locations; meteorological data from two automated weather stations (data from a further three stations are available from other sources) including precipitation, atmospheric pressure, air temperature and relative humidity, wind speed and direction, soil heat flux, and up- and down-welling short- and long-wave radiation; streamflow observations at five nested locations (data from a further three locations are available from other sources); a total of three surface soil moisture maps across a 40 km × 50 km region in the north from ∼200 measurement locations during intensive field campaigns; and a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of a 175-ha microcatchment in the Krui catchment. These data are available on the World Wide Web at http://www.sasmas.unimelb.edu.au. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat shock response in Caulobacter crescentus was previously shown to be positively regulated by the alternative sigma factor of RNA polymerase (RNAP) σ32, and negatively modulated by DnaK during the induction phase of the heat shock response but not during the recovery phase. In the present work we have investigated the involvement of the chaperone ClpB in the control of the heat shock response in C. crescentus. Data obtained indicated a role of ClpB in downregulation of heat shock protein (HSP) synthesis, as cells lacking this chaperone showed a prolonged shutoff phase of the heat shock response. In Escherichia coli, it has been proposed that the DnaK chaperone system switches transcription back to constitutively expressed genes through simultaneous reactivation of heat-aggregated σ70, as well as sequestration of σ32 away from RNAP. In C. crescentus, results obtained with a clpB null mutant indicate that ClpB could be involved in the reactivation of the major sigma factor σ73. In support of this hypothesis, we showed that transcription directed from σ73-dependent promoters is not switched back in the clpB null mutant during the recovery phase. Furthermore, we observed that resolubilization of heat-aggregated σ73 is dependent on the presence of ClpB. Our findings also indicated that the absence of ClpB made cells more sensitive to heat shock and ethanol but not to other stresses, and unable to acquire thermotolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering relies on signaling networks that integrate endogenous and external cues. Normally, plants flower at a particular season, reflecting day length and/or temperature cues. However, plants can surpass this seasonal regulation and show precocious flowering under stress environmental conditions. Here, we show that UV-C light stress activates the transition to flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana through salicylic acid (SA). Moreover, SA also regulates flowering time in non-stressed plants, as SA-deficient plants are late flowering. The regulation of flowering time by SA seems to involve the photoperiod and autonomous pathways, but it does not require the function of the flowering time genes CONSTANS ( CO), FCA, or FLOWERING LOCUS C ( FLC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the frequency and nature of nail alterations in pediatric patients. Prevalence of epidermal appendage disorders; Manifestations of idiopathic nail dystrophies; Cause of traumatic lesions in patients.

Examines the presence of pathogenic dermatophytes in a normal versus scaly feet of children. Conduction of skin scraping culture for the analysis of the fungus; Importance of potassium hydroxide for microscopic examination; Diagnosis of oncomycosis.

When reporting on complex behaviour change interventions it is essential to follow published guidance such as that provided by the UK Medical Research Council and journals should require clear descriptions of implementation of the interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 113 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]