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Seeds of C. aurantiaca grown asymbiotically on a medium containing sucrose as the sole source of organic carbon developed into leaf-bearing plants. Those sown on the same medium without sugar reached the protocorm stage but did not differentiate further. Cross transfers of seedlings between the 2 media indicated that following 21-30 days of growth on the sucrose-containing medium, subsequent development may proceed in the absence of sugar. Levels of chlorophyll and ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase were monitored and related to the ability of young seedlings to photosynthesize. A direct relationship between chlorophyll content and photosynthesis was not found. Increases in the activity of the enzyme were closely paralleled by increases in photosynthesis. A direct relationship was not found between chlorophyll a/b ratios and photosynthetic capacity. Germinating seeds and seedlings grown in the absence of exogenous carbohydrate were unable to convert appreciable amounts of labeled acetate to sugar.

Background: Hope is an essential component of the human experience and can play a critical role in sustaining wellbeing and a good quality of life. It can seem somewhat at odds however with the dominant societal discourses around dementia, which, stemming from a biomedical perspective, are often (naturally) focused on deficits and decline. With recent promising developments in the field of therapeutic interventions, it is of timely importance to explore the concept of hope for those affected by rarer forms of dementia, charactersised by atypical symptoms and associated with unique challenges, for whom emerging treatments may be too late. Here, we explored the use of an innovative methodology – object elicitation – to facilitate conversations on this complex and sensitive topic with these underrepresented groups. Method: 17 people affected by dementia and primary caregivers took part in 3 facilitated discussions using object elicitation to explore the concept of hope within the context of rarer forms of dementia, including: familial Alzheimer's disease, behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, and posterior cortical atrophy. Transcripts of the discussions were analysed thematically. Result: Findings were organised into 4 themes: (i) Reframing and reconceptualising hope in the context of dementia; (ii) Temporality: from hopes for the future to finding hope in the moment; (iii) Hope for the individual and hope for the collective; and (iv) The other side of the coin: lost hope, false hope and barriers to hope. Conclusion: The findings of this study shed light on some of the challenges to sustaining hope for people affected by lesser known forms of dementia and importantly, their resilience and resourcefulness in finding ways to continue to cultivate a sense of hope during difficult times within their everyday lives. These findings have implications for others living with these conditions and the unpaid carers and health and social care professionals supporting them, and are of particular relevance in the context of current treatment developments. This study has also demonstrated the utility and accessibility of the object elicitation method for opening up and facilitating conversations about emotionally charged topics for people living with and supporting people with different diagnoses of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paintings could offer insight into the varied experiences of people with different dementias. In this project, a single exercise - the painting of a group of objects in still-life - was used to capture artistic production in four artists with different diagnoses of dementia and four healthy artists. Whilst quantitative studies provide important insights into the neuroanatomical supports for artistic actions, autonomous art exercises may yield deeper understanding of the individual creative experience in the context of neurodegenerative disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a first-hand account from a visual artist working with people living with a rare dementia. It explores the processes and motivations involved in situating an individual artistic practice in the field of dementia research. The paper discusses the potential role of creative art-making for neuropsychological testing and some of the complexities of interpretation that this involves. This account also highlights the ways in which working with people with dementia can be personally and artistically transformative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]