The impact of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) concentration on yield in Prunus dulcis, Pistacia vera, and Juglans regia.

Successful yield in orchards is the culmination of a series of events that start with plants entering dormancy with adequate energy reserves (non-structural carbohydrates; NSC). These NSC are responsible for the maintenance of activities during dormancy and extending onto the period of activeness. Using multi-year yield information and monthly NSC content in twigs, we show that high levels of carbohydrate in Prunus dulcis, Pistachio vera, and Juglans regia during the winter months are indeed associated with high yield, while high levels of the NSC in late summer often correlate with low yield. An evaluation of monthly NSC level importance on yield revealed that for P. dulcis high levels in February were a good predictor of yield and that low levels throughout summer were associated with high yield. In P. vera, high levels of NSC in December were best predictors of yield. J. regia exhibited peculiar patterns; while high pre-budbreak reserves were associated with high yields they only played a minor role in explaining crop, the most important months for predicting yields were June and July. Results suggest that NSC levels can serve as good predictors of orchard yield potential and should be monitored to inform orchard management.

No time to rest: seasonal dynamics of non-structural carbohydrates in twigs of three Mediterranean tree species suggest year-round activity.

Perennial plants in temperate climates evolved short and long-term strategies to store and manage reserves in the form of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC; soluble sugars (SC) and starch (St)). NSC storage allows plants to survive seasonal periods of photosynthetic inactivity (dormancy). To study year-to-year seasonal patterns of trees' NSC dynamics that control phenology and yields, we established a large scale, multi-year study called the "Carbohydrate Observatory" using a citizen science approach with ~ 590 sites throughout the Central Valley of California. Monthly sampling tracked seasonal trends of starch and sugar levels in both xylem and phloem of twigs in Prunus dulcis, Pistacia vera and Juglans regia. Presented is the initial technical analysis of the first 3 years. With no exception, levels of reserves changed continuously throughout the year suggesting that even during dormancy, the average concentration of NSC, starch and sugars varies seasonally. In general, carbohydrate reserves are highest entering dormancy. During winter, NSCs slowly decrease to depletion during bloom time and remain low during summer until recovery near harvest. Starch is the major reserve compound in the wood of P. dulcis and P. vera while soluble sugars are the major reserves in J. regia. NSC content fluctuates throughout a season and significantly varies between years suggesting intrinsic and climatic effects on trees' energy reserves.

Early life stress decreases cell proliferation and the number of putative adult neural stem cells in the adult hypothalamus.

Stress is a potent environmental factor that can confer potent and enduring effects on brain structure and function. Exposure to stress during early life (ELS) has been linked to a wide range of consequences later in life. In particular, ELS exerts lasting effects on neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus, suggesting that ELS is a significant regulator of adult neural stem cell numbers and function. Here, we investigated the effect of ELS on cell proliferation and the numbers of neural stem/precursor cells in another neurogenic region: the hypothalamus of adult mice. We show that ELS has long-term suppressive effects on cell proliferation in the hypothalamic parenchyma and reduces the numbers of putative hypothalamic neural stem/precursor cells at 4 months of age. Specifically, ELS reduced the number of PCNA + cells present in hypothalamic areas surrounding the 3rd ventricle with a specific reduction in the proliferation of Sox2+/Nestin-GFP + putative stem cells present in the median eminence at the base of the 3rd ventricle. Furthermore, ELS reduced the total numbers of ß-tanycytes lining the ventral 3rd ventricle, without affecting α-tanycyte numbers in more dorsal areas. These results are the first to indicate that ELS significantly reduces proliferation and ß-tanycyte numbers in the adult hypothalamus, and may have (patho)physiological consequences for metabolic regulation or other hypothalamic functions in which ß-tanycytes are involved.

LAY SUMMARYWe show for the first time, long-lasting effects of exposure to early life stress on cellular plasticity in the hypothalamus of adult mice.Stress in the first week of life resulted in reduced numbers of (proliferating) stem cells in specific subregions of the hypothalamus at an adult age.This loss of stem cells and decreased proliferation highlights how early life stress can affect hypothalamic functions in later life.

Universal Glia to Neurone Lactate Transfer in the Nervous System: Physiological Functions and Pathological Consequences.

Whilst it is universally accepted that the energy support of the brain is glucose, the form in which the glucose is taken up by neurones is the topic of intense debate. In the last few decades, the concept of lactate shuttling between glial elements and neural elements has emerged in which the glial cells glycolytically metabolise glucose/glycogen to lactate, which is shuttled to the neural elements via the extracellular fluid. The process occurs during periods of compromised glucose availability where glycogen stored in astrocytes provides lactate to the neurones, and is an integral part of the formation of learning and memory where the energy intensive process of learning requires neuronal lactate uptake provided by astrocytes. More recently sleep, myelination and motor end plate integrity have been shown to involve lactate shuttling. The sequential aspect of lactate production in the astrocyte followed by transport to the neurones is vulnerable to interruption and it is reported that such disparate pathological conditions as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, depression and schizophrenia show disrupted lactate signalling between glial cells and neurones.

Factors affecting quality of life in patients experiencing facial disfigurement due to surgery for head and neck cancer.

AIM:: to explore the factors affecting quality of life in patients who experience facial disfigurement resulting from surgical treatment for head and neck cancer. BACKGROUND:: the number of people diagnosed with head and neck cancers has been rising over the past 30 years. This, combined with the improved survivorship of cancer patients, has led to a need to understand how these patients adapt to the physical, social and emotional toll of cancer and facial disfigurement and how these affect quality of life. METHODOLOGY:: a systematic search of four nursing and psychological-focused databases was undertaken using pertinent keywords. FINDINGS:: following a thematic analysis, four main themes and one subtheme emerged; changes within the self, social support; social reintegration; and help from healthcare professionals, which had the subtheme of information. CONCLUSION:: facial disfigurement has a significant effect on patients' quality of life. Nurses are ideally placed to identify, inform and support patients and their family and friends.

The phyllochron of well-watered and water deficit mature peach trees varies with shoot type and vigour.

The branch construction of trees is based on phytomers, repetitive subunits defined as node + leaf + axillary meristem + internode. The rate at which phytomers are added to a shoot is termed the phyllochron, which is determined by genetics, endogenous regulation and environmental conditions. The phyllochron is fundamental to understanding the growth of plants. Most phyllochron studies on woody species are of young plants under controlled conditions without consideration for different types of shoots that are present in mature trees. In this 2-year field study, we investigated seasonal patterns of phyllochron development on both proleptic and epicormic shoots of mature peach trees (Prunus persica) exposed to two irrigation treatments. One treatment was not irrigated until significant stress was detected via water potential by pressure bombing. In the second treatment trees were normally irrigated with ~5.84 cm of water each week to match evapotranspirational loss. Midday stem water potential readings were regularly collected to assess the level of water stress experienced by the trees. Measurements of individual leaves and their corresponding internodes were taken along tagged proleptic and epicormic shoots three times per week from the beginning to the end of two growing seasons. Leaf measurements were used to calculate the phyllochron. The phyllochron increased as the season progressed. This increase could not be explained by traditionally accepted effects of temperature or light. The more vigorous epicormic shoots added leaves significantly faster than proleptic shoots on trees in both water deficit and normally irrigated treatments. Additionally, epicormic shoots produced leaves with significantly greater leaf length and leaf area. Midday stem water potentials were more negative in trees in the water deficit treatments only after proleptic shoots stopped growing. The phyllochron did increase while leaf length and leaf area decreased on epicormic shoots of deficit irrigated trees in the 2010 growing season. The phyllochron of both shoot types gradually increased over the season, which was primarily due to an endogenous rank or shoot ageing effect. Differences between shoot types indicate that the phyllochron is variable among shoots on the same tree and is associated with shoot vigour. Water deficit increased the phyllochron and over all shoot growth rate.

Determination of phosphate in soil extracts in the field: A green chemistry enzymatic method.

Measurement of ortho-phosphate in soil extracts usually involves sending dried samples of soil to a laboratory for analysis and waiting several weeks for the results. Phosphate determination methods often involve use of strong acids, heavy metals, and organic dyes. To overcome limitations of this approach, we have developed a phosphate determination method which can be carried out in the field to obtain results on the spot. This new method uses: •Small volumes.•An enzymatic reaction.•Green chemistry. First, the soil sample is extracted with deionized water and filtered. Next, an aliquot of the soil extract (0.5 mL) is transferred to a disposable cuvette, containing 0.5 mL of reaction mixture [200 mM HEPES, pH 7.6, 20 mM MgCl2, with 80 nmol 2-amino-6-mercapto-7-methylpurine ribonucleoside (MESG) and 1 unit of recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP; EC 2.4.2.1)], mixed, and incubated for 10 min at field temperature. Absorbance of the completed reaction is measured at 360 nm in open-source, portable photometer linked by bluetooth to a smartphone. The phosphate and phosphorus content of the soil is determined by comparison of its absorbance at 360 nm to a previously prepared standard phosphate curve, which is stored in the smartphone app.

Effects of therapeutic goal management (TGM) on treatment attendance and drug abstinence among men with co-occurring substance use and axis I mental disorders who are homeless: results of the Birmingham EARTH program.

PURPOSE: This study describes the implementation and impact of Therapeutic Goal Management (TGM) in a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-sponsored demonstration project entitled Enhanced Addiction Recovery through Housing (EARTH). PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 28 male participants followed at six months who completed some treatment. Forty-three percent were Caucasian, and 57% were African American. The average age of participants was 42 years. DESIGN: The relationships between TGM goal achievement, treatment attendance, and drug abstinence outcomes were studied among EARTH program participants who were homeless and met criteria for co-occurring substance use and severe DSM-IV Axis I mental disorders. RESULTS: The results revealed an overall drug abstinence rate of 72.4% over six months and significant positive relationships between TGM goal achievement and drug abstinence (r=0.693) and TGM goal achievement and treatment attendance (r=0.843). CONCLUSIONS: This research demonstrated the relationship and potential positive impact of systematically setting, monitoring, and reinforcing personalized goals in multiple life areas on drug abstinence and treatment attendance outcomes among persons who are homeless with co-occurring substance use and other Axis I disorders in a integrated community service delivery program.

Phloem loading, plant growth form, and climate.

Plasmodesmatal frequencies in the phloem of leaf minor veins vary considerably, suggesting that photoassimilate is loaded into the phloem by different strategies. The ecophysiological basis for multiple loading types is unknown. We updated the analysis of van Bel and Gamalei (Plant Cell Environ 15: 265-270, 1992) with more current phylogenetic data and by treating separately two symplastic loading types, those that load actively by polymer trapping (synthesis of raffinose family oligosaccharides--RFOs), and those that load passively, by diffusion. The results indicate a stronger association between passive, symplastic loading and the tree growth form than previously recognized. Apoplastic loading is highly correlated with the herbaceous habit. There is no correlation between RFO families and growth form. At the family level, there are no correlations between minor vein types and climate that cannot be explained by the dearth of woody plants in the arctic for reasons unassociated with phloem loading. However, at the species level, a floristic analysis uncovered a correlation between the RFO trait and species frequency in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The correlations between loading types and both growth form and climate are subtle, probably indirect, and poorly understood.

Stimulant drug treatment in childhood-onset schizophrenia with comorbid ADHD: an open-label case series.

The administration of psychostimulants to children with psychotic symptoms is controversial. This study reports the stimulant drug response of 5 children, aged 8-15 years, with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Four COS inpatients were given stimulants for comorbid ADHD after stabilization of psychosis on antipsychotic medication. A fifth COS inpatient received stimulants while still actively psychotic, despite concurrent neuroleptic treatment. Data from the 10-item Brief Conners Teachers Ratings Scale (BCTRS) were examined the week before, and the week after, stimulant addition. A paired t test, conducted using Conners Teachers data from these 4 subjects, indicated significant improvement in ADHD symptoms (p = 0.02). Data obtained from a retrospective chart review indicated no significant worsening of psychosis. The 2 subjects treated with mixed salts of dextroamphetamine sulfate and amphetamine sulfate remained on that medication at 6 months and at the 2-year follow-up. Our results suggest that ADHD comorbid with COS may be safely treated with a stimulant, once the psychosis is stabilized. A systematic investigation of this question may be warranted.

A double antibody radioimmunoassay for the determination of XV459, the active hydrolysis metabolite of roxifiban, in human plasma.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) was developed for the determination of XV459, the active hydrolysis metabolite of the oral prodrug roxifiban (DMP 754), in human plasma. XV459 is a potent antagonist of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor. The method utilizes a competitive double antibody format employing an 125I-labeled XV459 analogue tracer which competes with XV459 for antibody binding sites and a second antibody precipitation step to separate antibody bound analyte from free analyte. The method has a validated lower quantification limit of 0.35 ng/ml (0.81 nM) using 12.5 microl of plasma and with dilution can accommodate clinical plasma samples ranging up to 48.0 ng/ml (110.7 nM). Cross-validation to an existing quantitative liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method showed good correlation (r(2)=0.98). The RIA has been successfully used to assay over 10000 clinical samples with sensitivity and specificity comparable to the LC-MS/MS method, but with faster turn around time and at greatly reduced costs.