Ectopic expression of Arabidopsis thaliana Na+(K+)/H+ antiporter gene, AtNHX5, enhances soybean salt tolerance.

Drought and salt stresses are the two major factors influencing the yield and quality of crops worldwide. Na(+)(K(+))/H(+) antiporters (NHXs) are ubiquitous membrane proteins that play important roles in maintaining the cellular pH and Na(+)(K(+)) homeostasis. The model plant Arabidopsis potentially encodes six NHX genes, namely AtNHX1 to 6. In the present study, AtNHX5, a comparatively less well-studied NHX, was cloned and transferred into a soybean variety, Dongnong-50, via Agrobacterium-mediated cotyledonary node transformation to assess its role in improving salt tolerance of the transgenic plants. The transgenic soybean plants were tolerant to the presence of 300 mM NaCl whereas the non-transgenic plants were not. Furthermore, after NaCl treatment, the transgenic plants had a higher content of free proline but lower content of malondialdehyde compared to the non-transgenic plants. Our results revealed that that AtNHX5 possibly functioned by efficiently transporting Na(+) and K(+) ions from the roots to the leaves. Overall, the results obtained in this study suggest that soybean salt tolerance could be improved through the over expression of Arabidopsis AtNHX5.

Construction and analysis of a suppression subtractive hybridization library of regeneration-related genes in soybean.

The development of a genetic transformation system is needed to address the problem of the low efficiency associated with soybean regeneration. To contribute to the enhancement of the soybean regenerative capacity, we explored the developmental mechanisms of soybean regeneration at the molecular level using a suppression subtractive hybridization cDNA library constructed from cotyledonary nodes of soybean cultivar DN50. A total of 918 positive clones were identified and screened, with most inserted fragments ranging from 100 to 750 bp. Of these, 411 differentially expressed functional expressed sequence tags were identified and annotated based on their similarity to orthologs and paralogs detected in GenBank using the nucleotide and translated nucleotide Basic Local Alignment Search Tools. Functional analysis revealed that the associated genes were involved in signal transduction, synthesis, and metabolism of macromolecules, glucose and protein synthesis and metabolism, light and leaf morphogenesis, regulation of apoptosis, cell defense, cell wall differentiation, and a variety of hormone and cytokinin-mediated signaling pathways. The information uncovered in our study should serve as a foundation for the establishment of an efficient and stable genetic transformation system for soybean regeneration.

Liver disease in extrahepatic malignancy.

The various causes of liver disease in malignancy have been reviewed. Metastatic lesions, hepatotoxicity from oncotherapeutic agents, infections, and vascular complications must all be considered. A systematic approach beginning with a detailed history and physical examination usually provides clinicians with early clues as to the etiology of the liver disease in malignancy. The advent of new laboratory tests and the technologic advances in abdominal imaging have provided powerful new tools for the diagnosis and management of patients with liver disease. Understanding how these tests could be properly used will enhance the likelihood that important liver disease will not be missed in patients with malignancies.

Tray service generates more food waste in dining areas of a continuing-care retirement community.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the type of service system affects the amount of service food waste (SFW) generated in dining areas of a continuing-care retirement community. RESEARCH DESIGN: A waste stream analysis was conducted for 7 days to determine quantity of SFW generated in three service systems: health care tray service, health care dining room with wait-staff service, and ambulatory dining room with family-style service. Weight and volume were determined. SETTING: Health care tray service and wait-staff service were provided to 70 residents in a health care unit. Family-style service was provided as an optional service for 130 residents in independent-living units. An average of 229 meals were served per day. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED: Analysis of variance and a multiple comparison method were used to compare mean weight and volume of SFW on a per meal, per day, and per week basis. RESULTS: During the 7-day period, 482.8 lb, or 83 gal, of SFW was disposed of Health care tray service generated more SFW by weight for all three meals than either family-style service or wait-staff service, and it generated the greatest total volume of service waste. Residents eating in the dining room with family-style service disposed of significantly less SFW by weight at lunch and dinner than those receiving the other two service styles. APPLICATIONS: Changing the style of service can affect not only quantity of solid waste generated and associated disposal costs but also food and supply costs, meal acceptability, and quantity of natural resources required. The systems approach should be used to assess the feasibility of changing service system so that all costs are considered.

Comparison of waste composition in a continuing-care retirement community.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the composition of wastes generated in a continuing-care retirement community (CCRC) and to analyze the effects of source-reduction activities and meal delivery system change on the amount of waste generated in the facility. DESIGN: A waste stream analysis was conducted at the same CCRC during spring 1994 (period 1: baseline), spring 1995 (period 2: source reduction intervention), and fall 1995 (period 3: service delivery intervention). Weight, volume, and collapsed volume were determined for food and packaging wastes. SETTING: Tray service and wait staff service are provided to 70 residents in a health care unit, and family-style service is an optional service available to 130 residents in the independent-living units. A mean of 229 meals are served per day. INTERVENTION: Intervention included the implementation of source-reduction activities and a change in a service-delivery system in periods 2 and 3, respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED: Descriptive statistics were used to determine the composition of waste. Analysis of variance and a multiple comparison method (least significant difference) were used to compare mean weight and volume of waste generated in period 1 with data collected during periods 2 and 3. RESULTS: Mean waste generated per meal by weight and volume ranged from 0.93 to 1.00 lb and 1.44 to 1.65 gal, respectively. Significantly less production waste by weight (0.18 lb/meal) and volume (0.12 gal/meal) was generated in period 2 than in period 1 (0.32 lb/meal and 0.16 gal/meal, respectively). Significantly less service waste by weight (0.31 lb/meal) and volume (0.05 gal/meal) was discarded in period 3 than in period 1 (0.37 lb/meal and 0.15 gal/meal, respectively). Significantly less total waste and plastic by weight was disposed of after the interventions. The study conclusions indicated that implementing source-reduction practices and changing the meal-delivery system affected the composition of waste generated. APPLICATIONS: Knowledge of waste stream composition can help other foodservice professionals and consulting dietitians identify waste-reduction activities and recycling opportunities. The quantity and type of waste generated should be considered when operational decisions are made relative to market form of food, menu choices, service-delivery systems, and production forecast and controls.

A class of physical modeling recurrent networks for analysis/synthesis of plucked string instruments.

A new approach is proposed that closely synthesizes tones of plucked string instruments by using a class of physical modeling recurrent networks. The strategies employed consist of a fast training algorithm and a multistage training procedure that are able to obtain the synthesis parameters for a specific instrument automatically. The training vector can be recorded tones of most target plucked instruments with ordinary microphones. The proposed approach delivers encouraging results when it is applied to different types of plucked string instruments such as steel-string guitar, nylon-string guitar, harp, Chin, Yueh-chin, and Pipa. The synthesized tones sound very close to the originals produced by their acoustic counterparts. In addition, the paper presents an embedded technique that can produce special effects such as vibrato and portamento that are vital to the playing of plucked-string instruments. The computation required in the resynthesis processing is also reasonable.

Model-based synthesis of plucked string instruments by using a class of scattering recurrent networks.

A physical modeling method for electronic music synthesis of plucked-string tones by using recurrent networks is proposed. A scattering recurrent network (SRN) which is used to analyze string dynamics is built based on the physics of acoustic strings. The measured vibration of a plucked string is employed as the training data for the supervised learning of the SRN. After the network is well trained, it can be regarded as the virtual model for the measured string and used to generate tones which can be very close to those generated by its acoustic counterpart. The "virtual string" corresponding to the SRN can respond to different "plucks" just like a real string, which is impossible using traditional synthesis techniques such as frequency modulation and wavetable. The simulation of modeling a cello "A"-string demonstrates some encouraging results of the new music synthesis technique. Some aspects of modeling and synthesis procedures are also discussed.