A 3.3 V, 8.89 µA and 5.5 ppm/°C CMOS bandgap voltage reference for power telemetry in retinal prosthesis systems.

A 3.3 V CMOS bandgap reference (BGR) was presented in this study that utilizes MOS transistors operating in the sub-threshold region. The complexity of the circuit and the dependency of the voltage reference on power supply variations are simultaneously decreased through the use of a new compensation circuit technique. The proposed BGR is simulated using a 0.35 $\mu \mathrm{m}$ CMOS standard process. Consequently, a 5.53 ppm/°C temperature coefficient is obtained in the -40~+125 °C temperature range, the maximum power supply rejection ratio is - 62 dB, and a 2.033 mV/V voltage line regulation is achieved for the $2.3\sim 4.3$ V supply voltage. The proposed circuit dissipates a supply current of 8.89 IJA at a 3.3 V supply voltage, and the active area is 112 $\mu \mathrm{m}\times 60 \mu \mathrm{m}$.

The effect of post-stroke depression on rehabilitation outcome and the impact of caregiver type as a factor of post-stroke depression.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of post-stroke depression (PSD) on rehabilitation outcome and to investigate the risk factors of PSD, especially, the role of caregivers type (family or professional) in subacute stroke patients. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-six stroke patients were enrolled retrospectively. All the subjects' basic characteristics, Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI), Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were recorded when the patient was transferred into the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and at the time of discharge. The results were statistically analyzed by using SPSS ver. 20.0. RESULTS: The patients' K-BDI score showed a significantly negative association with K-MBI at discharge (ß=-0.473, p<0.001) and a significantly positive association with the mRS score at discharge (ß=0.316, p<0.001). Patients with lesions on the left hemisphere (odds ratio [OR], 3.882; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.726-8.733) and professional caregiver support (OR, 0.028; 95% CI, 0.012-0.065) had a higher rate of depression. CONCLUSION: Depression was prevalent in stroke patients, and it had a negative effect on patients' functional outcome. Patients who had a lesion on the right hemisphere had less depression. The type of caregiver was related to the incidence of subacute PSD, and family caregivers were found to lower the frequency of stroke patients' depression.

Arabidopsis thaliana homeobox 12 (ATHB12), a homeodomain-leucine zipper protein, regulates leaf growth by promoting cell expansion and endoreduplication.

Arabidopsis thaliana homeobox 12 (ATHB12), a homeodomain-leucine zipper class I (HD-Zip I) gene, is highly expressed in leaves and stems, and induced by abiotic stresses, but its role in development remains obscure. To understand its function during plant development, we studied the effects of loss and gain of function. Expression of ATHB12 fused to the EAR-motif repression domain (SRDX) - P35 S ::ATHB12SRDX (A12SRDX) and PATHB 12 ::ATHB12SRDX - slowed both leaf and root growth, while the growth of ATHB12-overexpressing seedlings (A12OX) was accelerated. Microscopic examination revealed changes in the size and number of leaf cells. Ploidy was reduced in A12SRDX plants, accompanied by decreased cell expansion and increased cell numbers. By contrast, cell size was increased in A12OX plants, along with increased ploidy and elevated expression of cell cycle switch 52s (CCS52s), which are positive regulators of endoreduplication, indicating that ATHB12 promotes leaf cell expansion and endoreduplication. Overexpression of ATHB12 led to decreased phosphorylation of Arabidopsis thaliana ribosomal protein S6 (AtRPS6), a regulator of cell growth. In addition, induction of ATHB12 in the presence of cycloheximide increased the expression of several genes related to cell expansion, such as EXPANSIN A10 (EXPA10) and DWARF4 (DWF4). Our findings strongly suggest that ATHB12 acts as a positive regulator of endoreduplication and cell growth during leaf development.

Altered invertase activities of symptomatic tissues on Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV) infected Arabidopsis thaliana.

Arabidopsis thaliana infected with Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV) exhibits systemic symptoms such as stunting of plant growth, callus induction on shoot tips, and curling of leaves and shoot tips. The regulation of sucrose metabolism is essential for obtaining the energy required for viral replication and the development of symptoms in BSCTV-infected A. thaliana. We evaluated the changed transcript level and enzyme activity of invertases in the inflorescence stems of BSCTV-infected A. thaliana. These results were consistent with the increased pattern of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activity and photosynthetic pigment concentration in virus-infected plants to supply more energy for BSCTV multiplication. The altered gene expression of invertases during symptom development was functionally correlated with the differential expression patterns of D-type cyclins, E2F isoforms, and invertase-related genes. Taken together, our results indicate that sucrose sensing by BSCTV infection may regulate the expression of sucrose metabolism and result in the subsequent development of viral symptoms in relation with activation of cell cycle regulation.

Purification and biochemical characterization of insoluble acid invertase (INAC-INV) from pea seedlings.

Invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into D-glucose and D-fructose. Insoluble acid invertase (INAC-INV) was purified from pea (Pisum sativum L.) by sequential procedures entailing ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography, absorption chromatography, reactive green-19 affinity chromatography, and gel filtration. The purified INAC-INV had a pH optimum of 4.0 and a temperature optimum of 45 °C. The effects of various concentrations of Tris-HCl, HgCl(2), and CuSO(4) on the activities of the purified invertase were examined. INAC-INV was not affected by Tris-HCl and HgCl(2). INAC-INV activity was inhibited by 6.2 mM CuSO(4) up to 50%. The enzymes display typical hyperbolic saturation kinetics for sucrose hydrolysis. The K(m) and V(max) values of INAC-INV were determined to be 4.41 mM and 8.41 U (mg protein)(-1) min(-1), respectively. INAC-INV is a true member of the ß-fructofuranosidases, which can react with sucrose and raffinose as substrates. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting were used to determine the molecular mass of INAC-INV to be 69 kDa. The isoelectric point of INAC-INV was estimated to be about pH 8.0. Taken together, INAC-INV is a pea seedling invertase with a stable and optimum activity at lower acid pH and at higher temperature than other invertases.

C4 protein of Beet severe curly top virus is a pathomorphogenetic factor in Arabidopsis.

The Curtovirus C4 protein is required for symptom development during infection of Arabidopsis. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing C4 from either Beet curly top virus or Beet severe curly top virus produced phenotypes that were similar to symptoms seen during infection with wild-type viruses. The pseudosymptoms caused by C4 protein alone were novel to transgenic Arabidopsis and included bumpy trichomes, severe enations, disorientation of vascular bundles and stomata, swelling, callus-like structure formation, and twisted siliques. C4 induced abnormal cell division and altered cell fate in a variety of tissues depending on the C4 expression level. C4 protein expression increased the expression levels of cell-cycle-related genes CYCs, CDKs and PCNA, and suppressed ICK1 and the retinoblastoma-related gene RBR1, resulting in activation of host cell division. These results suggest that the Curtovirus C4 proteins are involved actively in host cell-cycle regulation to recruit host factors for virus replication and symptom development.

Biochemical characterization of soluble acid and alkaline invertases from shoots of etiolated pea seedlings.

Soluble invertase was purified from pea (Pisum sativum L.) by sequential procedures entailing ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sepharose column, Con-A- and Green 19-Sepharose affinity columns, hydroxyapatite column, ultra-filtration, and Sephacryl 300 gel filtration. The purified soluble acid (SAC) and alkaline (SALK) invertases had a pH optimum of 5.3 and 7.3, respectively. The temperature optimum of two invertases was 37 degrees C. The effects of various concentrations of Tris-HCl, HgCl(2), and CuSO(4) on the activities of the two purified enzymes were examined. Tris-HCl and HgCl(2) did not affect SAC activity, whereas 10 mM Tris-HCl and 0.05 mM HgCl(2) inhibited SALK activity by about 50%. SAC and SALK were inhibited by 4.8 mM and 0.6 mM CuSO(4) by 50%, respectively. The enzymes display typical hyperbolic saturation kinetics for sucrose hydrolysis. The Kms of SAC and SALK were determined to be 1.8 and 38.6 mM, respectively. The molecular masses of SAC shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting were 22 kDa and 45 kDa. The molecular mass of SALK was 30 kDa. Iso-electric points of the SAC and SALK were estimated to be about pH 7.0 and pH 5.7, respectively.

ATHB12, an ABA-inducible homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) protein of Arabidopsis, negatively regulates the growth of the inflorescence stem by decreasing the expression of a gibberellin 20-oxidase gene.

Arabidopsis thaliana homeobox 12 (ATHB12) is rapidly induced by ABA and water stress. A T-DNA insertion mutant of ATHB12 with a reduced level of ATHB12 expression in stems had longer inflorescence stems and reduced sensitivity to ABA during germination. A high level of transcripts of gibberellin 20-oxidase 1 (GA20ox1), a key enzyme in the synthesis of gibberellins, was detected in athb12 stems, while transgenic lines overexpressing ATHB12 (A12OX) had a reduced level of GA20ox1 in stems. Consistent with these data, ABA treatment of wild-type plants resulted in decreased GA20ox1 expression whereas ABA treatment of the athb12 mutant gave rise to slightly decreased GA20ox1 expression. Retarded stem growth in 3-week-old A12OX plants was rescued by exogenous GA(9), but not by GA(12), and less GA(9) was detected in A12OX stems than in wild-type stems. These data imply that ATHB12 decreases GA20ox1 expression in stems. On the other hand, the stems of A12OX plants grew rapidly after the first 3 weeks, so that they were almost as high as wild-type plants at about 5 weeks after germination. We also found changes in the stems of transgenic plants overexpressing ATHB12, such as alterations of expression GA20ox and GA3ox genes, and of GA(4) levels, which appear to result from feedback regulation. Repression of GA20ox1 by ATHB12 was confirmed by transfection of leaf protoplasts. ABA-treated protoplasts also showed increased ATHB12 expression and reduced GA20ox1 expression. These findings all suggest that ATHB12 negatively regulates the expression of a GA 20-oxidase gene in inflorescence stems.

Arabidopsis leaf necrosis caused by simulated acid rain is related to the salicylic acid signaling pathway.

Arabidopsis leaves treated with simulated acid rain (SiAR) showed phenotypes similar to necrotic lesions caused by biotic stresses like Pseudomonad infiltration. Exposure of Arabidopsis to SiAR resulted in the up-regulation of genes known to be induced by the salicylic acid (SA)-mediated pathogen resistance response. The expression of enhanced disease susceptibility (EDS), nonexpressor of PR (NPR) and pathogen-related 1 (PR1), all of which are involved in the salicylic acid signaling pathway, were increased after SiAR exposure. However, vegetative storage protein (VSP), a member of the jasmonic acid pathway did not show a significant change in transcript level. SiAR treatment of transgenic plants expressing salicylate hydroxylase (Nah-G), which prevents the accumulation of salicylic acid, underwent more extensive necrosis than wild-type plants, indicating that the signaling pathway activated by SiAR may overlap with the SA-dependent, systemic acquired resistance pathway. Both Col-0 and Nah-G plants showed sensitivity to SiAR and sulfuric SiAR (S-SiAR) by developing necrotic lesions. Neither Col-0 plants nor Nah-G plants showed sensitivity to nitric SiAR (N-SiAR). These results suggest that SiAR activates at least the salicylic acid pathway and activation of this pathway is sensitive to sulfuric acid.

Altered cell shapes, hyperplasia, and secondary growth in Arabidopsis caused by beet curly top geminivirus infection.

Arabidopsis Sei-O ecotype was found to be hypersusceptible to the BCTV-Logan strain in that it developed very severe symptoms, including severely deformed inflorescences with the callus-like structure, and accumulated high level of viral DNA. Microscopic studies of the BCTV-induced cell divisions demonstrated that the activation of cell divisions was preceded by the phloem disruption and the callus-like structure seemed to be originated from the cortex nearby disrupted phloem. We have further defined the callus-like structure formed by BCTV infection using molecular and histochemical analyses. Results indicate that BCTV infection causes the phloem disruption, following by cell enlargement and elongation in cortex and even epidermis. Finally, BCTV induced symptomatic secondary growth in cortex by de novo anticlinal and periclinal cell divisions. Expression of cdc2 and saur from BCTV-infected Arabidopsis correlates with symptom development. These results suggest a critical role of auxin in symptom development in the interactions between Arabidopsis and BCTV.

Identification of a tolerant locus on Arabidopsis thaliana to hypervirulent beet curly top virus CFH strain.

The infection of hosts by the geminivirus depends on the interactions between host and viral factors for viral DNA replication, viral gene expression, and the movement of virus throughout the hosts. This work reports that a hypervirulent strain of Beet curly top virus (BCTV) is different in its ability to infect several ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Symptoms appeared on Arabidopsis ecotypes around 7 to 10 d after inoculation with BCTV-CFH. Symptoms were more severe in ecotype SKKU including severe leaf curling and development of severely deformed and stunted boting compared to Col-O as a lab standard ecotype. One ecotype Cen-O was asymptomatic to BCTV-CFH infection. Studies of viral DNA replication and virus movement in three excised organs of asymptomatic Cen-O demonstrated that BCTV-CFH could replicate viral DNA and move systemically in this ecotype, suggesting that tolerance was due to the blocks of interactions between host and viral factors on symptom development. This asymptomatic phenotype is similar to the mutation of leftward ORFs, especially ORF R2. Genetic analysis of this ecotype Cen-O indicated that tolerance is due to a single recessive locus.