ß-Aminobutyric Acid and Powdery Mildew Infection Enhanced the Activation of Defense-Related Genes and Salicylic Acid in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).

Powdery mildew disease, caused by Sphaerotheca fusca, is a major disease affecting cucumbers cultivated in greenhouses. This study was conducted to find defense genes induced by ß-aminobutyric acid (BABA) and powdery mildew in cucumber. Disease severities of 25% and 5% were exhibited by the 2000 and 5000 mg/L BABA-treated cucumber, respectively. BABA did not affect the spore germination of the powdery mildew pathogen, showing that BABA is not an antifungal agent against the pathogen. In quantitative real-time PCR analysis, BABA-treated cucumber upregulated the transcriptional levels of the defense genes CsPAL, CsPR3, CsPR1, CsLOX1, CsLOX23, Cs LecRK6.1, CsWRKY20, and Cupi4 in cucumber to maximum levels at 48 h, whereas CsLecRK6.1 reached maximum expression after 24 h, and further, salicylic acid (SA) levels were significantly increased in BABA-treated cucumber plants. In addition, the cucumber infected with powdery mildew underwent a 1.6- to 47.3-fold enhancement in the defense genes PAL, PR3, PR1, Lox1, Lox 23, LecRK6.1, WRKY20, and Cupi4 compared to heathy cucumber. These results suggest that the BABA-induced defense response is associated with SA signaling pathway-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in cucumber, which is involved in plant resistance mechanisms.

Temporary Surgical Management of Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Premature Infants.

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) in preterm infant is common, life-threatening and the main cause of bad developmental outcomes. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is used as the ultimate treatment for PHH. Low birth weight and low gestational age are the combination of worse prognostic factors while the single most important prognostic factor of VP shunting is age. Aggressive and early intervention have better effect in intraventricular hemorrhage and intracranial pressures control. It reduces infection rate and brain damage resulted in delayed shunt insertion. It is extremely important to let PHH infants get older and gain weight to have internal organs to be matured before undergoing VP shunt. As premature infants undergo shunt after further growth, shunt-related complications would be reduced. So temporary surgical intervention is critical for PHH infants to have them enough time until permanently shunted.

Recurrent epistaxis from inflamed granulated tissue and an associated pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery: case report.

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflamed tissue in nasal cavity is a rare complication of transsphenoidal approach (TSA). Inflamed tissue is rich in blood vessels, which can lead to frequent nosebleeds. In addition, chronic inflammation can cause pseudoaneurysm, whose rupture results in massive epistaxis. There have been few reported cases of pseudoaneurysm of ICA occurring more than 10 years after TSA surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a patient who had recurrent epistaxis for over a decade after TSA surgery, and analyzed the causes of the nosebleeds. The aspect of occurrence of the nosebleeds and the result of biopsy and imaging tests suggest that the nosebleeds were due to chronic inflamed tissue and an associated pseudoaneurysm. The rupture of pseudoaneurysm recurred after treatment with stent placement, and brain abscess was developed. After removing the inflamed tissue by endoscopic resection, the patient no longer had recurrence of ruptured pseudoaneurysm or nosebleeds. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with recurrent nosebleeds, the possibility of intranasal inflammation and subsequent pseudoaneurysm should be considered. Therefore, people who consistently have epistaxis after TSA, even if the bleeding is not in large amount, should be actively screened and treated for nasal chronic inflammation.