Genetic dissection of vitamin E biosynthesis in tomato

Vegetables are critical for human health as they are a source of multiple vitamins including vitamin E (VTE). In plants, the synthesis of VTE compounds, tocopherol and tocotrienol, derives from precursors of the shikimate and methylerythritol phosphate pathways. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for alpha-tocopherol content in ripe fruit have previously been determined in an Solanum pennellii tomato introgression line population. In this work, variations of tocopherol isoforms (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) in ripe fruits of these lines were studied. In parallel all tomato genes structurally associated with VTE biosynthesis were identified and mapped. Previously identified VTE QTL on chromosomes 6 and 9 were confirmed whilst novel ones were identified on chromosomes 7 and 8. Integrated analysis at the metabolic, genetic and genomic levels allowed us to propose 16 candidate loci putatively affecting tocopherol content in tomato. A comparative analysis revealed polymorphisms at nucleotide and amino acid levels between Solanum lycopersicum and S. pennellii candidate alleles. Moreover, evolutionary analyses showed the presence of codons evolving under both neutral and positive selection, which may explain the phenotypic differences between species. These data represent an important step in understanding the genetic determinants of VTE natural variation in tomato fruit and as such in the ability to improve the content of this important nutriceutical.

Lymphedema after complete axillary node dissection for melanoma: assessment using a new, objective definition

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to define appropriate criteria for assessing the presence of lymphedema, and to report the prevalence and risk factors for development of upper limb lymphedema after level I-III axillary dissection for melanoma.
Summary Background Data: The lack of a consistent and reliable objective definition for lymphedema remains a significant barrier to appreciating its prevalence after axillary dissection for melanoma (or breast carcinoma).
Methods: Lymphedema was assessed in 107 patients (82 male, 25 female) who had previously undergone complete level I-III axillary dissection. Of the 107 patients, 17 had also received postoperative axillary radiotherapy. Arm volume was measured using a water displacement technique. Change in volume of the arm on the side of the dissection was referenced to the volume of the other (control) arm. Volume measurements were corrected for the effect of handedness using corrections derived from a control group. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to determine a threshold fractional arm volume increase above which volume changes were considered to indicate lymphedema.
Results: Based on the CART analysis results, lymphedema was defined as an increase in arm volume greater than 16% of the volume of the control arm. Using this definition, lymphedema prevalence for patients in the present study was 10% after complete level I-III axillary dissection for melanoma and 53% after additional axillary radiotherapy. Radiotherapy and wound complications were independent risk factors for the development of lymphedema.
Conclusions: A suggested objective definition for arm lymphedema after axillary dissection is an arm volume increase of greater than 16% of the volume of the control arm.

Investigation into the design and development of the Toad Interactive Multimedia Program (TIMMP) and its use by first year biology undergraduates learning dissection procedures and in situ functional anatomy

Investigates how first year biology undergraduates learn dissection when they have access to such interactive multimedia technology. Related design and developmental factors were evaluated in relation to how they helped students learn the content in the multimedia program. Through the use of interactive technology students can learn at their own pace without the need for actual animal dissection.

The dissection of paraprofessional support in inclusive education: ‘you're in mainstream with a chaperone’

The experiences of young people with disabilities of inclusive schooling are largely underresearched. This paper reports recent findings of a small-scale Australian qualitative study, in which secondary students with vision impairment spoke about their experiences of receiving paraprofessional support. Two overarching themes emerged from this study: ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ paraprofessional support. The results presented here demonstrate that participants described that support personnel upheld the strong arm of the special education tradition, which was manifestly detrimental to their inclusion. Raw data is presented to elucidate the emergent themes, and to explain the various pedagogical and general support roles of class and special educators in eliminating the need for direct paraprofessional presence in lessons. The light and heavy model of support is also examined in terms of how it fits into the complexity of the education discourse and the young people’s own aspirations for full inclusion.

Biochemical dissection of diageotropica and Never ripe tomato mutants to Cd-stressful conditions

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Distribution of Taenia saginata metacestodes: a comparison of routine meat inspection and carcase dissection results in experimentally infected calves

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Physiotherapeutic stimulation: Early prevention of lymphedema following axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer treatment

The aim of this study was to confirm the effectiveness of early physiotherapeutic stimulation for lymphatic flaw progression in patients with breast cancer undergoing axillary dissection This was a randomized experimental study oil 22 patients who underwent lymphoscintigraphy in their arms on two different occasions, firstly without stimulation and secondly after randomization into two groups without physiotherapeutic stimulation (WOPS, n=10) and with physiotherapeutic stimulation (WPS, n=12) The lymphoscintigraphy scan was performed with (99m)Tc-phytate administered into the second interdigital space of the hand, ipsilaterally to the dissected axilla, in three phases dynamic, static, and delayed whole body imaging Physiotherapeutic stimulation was earned out using Foldi's technique In both groups, images from the two examinations of each patient were compared Flow progression was considered positive when, on the second damnation, the radiopharmaceutical reached areas more distant from the injection site Statistical analysis was used to evaluate frequencies, percentages and central trend measurements, and non-parametric tests were conducted Descriptive analysis showed that the WPS and WOPS groups were similar M terms of mean age, weight, height, body mass index and number of lymph nodes removed There were statistically significant associations between physiotherapeutic stimulation and radiopharmaceutical progression at all three phases of the study (p < 0 0001) Early physiotherapeutic stimulation in beast cancer patients undergoing radical axillary dissection is effective, and can therefore be indicated as a preventive measure against lymphedema

Blindness after laryngectomy and bilateral neck dissection in a diabetic patient: case report

CONTEXTO: O esvaziamento cervical que acompanha a ressecção da lesão primária no tratamento dos tumores malignos das vias aerodigestivas superiores possibilita o surgimento de complicações inerentes a ela ou ao prolongamento do tempo cirúrgico, aumentando os riscos para o paciente. Entre as complicações que podem ocorrer está a amaurose, de incidência rara. RELATO do CASO: Um paciente submetido a laringectomia total e esvaziamento cervical seletivo à esquerda e radical modificado à direita, que evoluiu com amaurose, provavelmente decorrente de hipotensão intra-operatória, com contribuição dos Diabetes Mellitus descompensado e trombose da veia jugular interna à direita. Discutem as possíveis causas, os fatores de risco e os cuidados que devem ser tomados para evitar essa rara, mas tão debilitante complicação.

Clinical significance of supplementary innervation of the lower incisor teeth: a dissection study of the myelohyoid nerve

In view of the relevance of the mylohyoid nerve to clinical difficulties in achieving deep analgesia of the lower incisors, a dissection study was undertaken. Dissections from 29 adult cadavers of both sexes were studied with the aid of a dissecting microscope. The following observations were made: a supplementary branch of the mylohyoid nerve entered the mandible through accessory foramina in the lingual side of the mandibular symphysis in 50% of the cases; it generrally arose from the right side (76.9%) and entered the inferior retromental foramen (84.6%); the mylohyoid nerve branch either ended directly in the incisor teeth and the gingiva or joined the ipsilateral or contralateral incisive nerve. In view of this information concerning the high incidence of possible involvement of the mylohyoid nerve in mandibular sensory innervation, it is advisable to block it whenever intervention in the lower incisors is indicated. Routine mylohyoid injection is recommended after mental nerve block. If the inferior alveolar nerve is chosen for anesthetic purposes, additional mylohyoid injection should be given only if pain persists. The mylohyoid injection should be given at the inferior retromental foramen on the median aspect of the inferior border of the mandible through extraoral approach.

Dissection of the role of pili and type 2 and 3 secretion systems in adherence and biofilm formation of an atypical enteropathogenic escherichia coli strain

Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) strains are diarrheal pathogens that lack bundle-forming pilus production but possess the virulence-associated locus of enterocyte effacement. aEPEC strain 1551-2 produces localized adherence (LA) on HeLa cells; however, its isogenic intimin (eae) mutant produces a diffuse-adherence (DA) pattern. In this study, we aimed to identify the DA-associated adhesin of the 1551-2 eae mutant. Electron microscopy of 1551-2 identified rigid rod-like pili composed of an 18-kDa protein, which was identified as the major pilin subunit of type 1 pilus (T1P) by mass spectrometry analysis. Deletion of fimA in 1551-2 affected biofilm formation but had no effect on adherence properties. Analysis of secreted proteins in supernatants of this strain identified a 150-kDa protein corresponding to SslE, a type 2 secreted protein that was recently reported to be involved in biofilm formation of rabbit and human EPEC strains. However, neither adherence nor biofilm formation was affected in a 1551-2 sslE mutant. We then investigated the role of the EspA filament associated with the type 3 secretion system (T3SS) in DA by generating a double eae espA mutant. This strain was no longer adherent, strongly suggesting that the T3SS translocon is the DA adhesin. In agreement with these results, specific anti-EspA antibodies blocked adherence of the 1551-2 eae mutant. Our data support a role for intimin in LA, for the T3SS translocon in DA, and for T1P in biofilm formation, all of which may act in concert to facilitate host intestinal colonization by aEPEC strains. ©2013, American Society for Microbiology.

Minimally Invasive Selective Neck Dissection: A Prospective Study of Endoscopically Assisted Dissection via a Small Submandibular Approach in cT(1-2)N(0) Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Selective neck dissection (SND) in clinical N-0 (cN(0)) cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been performed by surgeons using a retroauricular or modified facelift approach with robotic or endoscopic assistance. However, these procedures provide cosmetic satisfaction at the cost of possible maximal invasiveness. In this prospective study, we introduced and evaluated the feasibility as well as surgical invasiveness and cosmetic outcome of endoscopically-assisted SND via a small submandibular approach.Forty-four patients with cT(1-2)N(0) oral SCC (OSCC) were randomly divided into two groups of endoscopically-assisted SND and conventional SND. Perioperative and postoperative outcomes of patients were evaluated, including the length of the incision, operating time for neck dissection, estimated blood loss during the operation, amount and duration of drainage, total hospitalization period, total number of lymph nodes retrieved, satisfaction scores based on the cosmetic results, perioperative local complications, shoulder syndrome, and follow-up information.The mean operation time in the endoscopically-assisted group (126.04 +/- A 12.67 min) was longer than that in the conventional group (75.67 +/- A 16.67 min). However, the mean length of the incision was 4.33 +/- A 0.76 cm in the endoscopically-assisted SND group, and the amount and duration of drainage, total hospital stay, postoperative shoulder pain score, and cosmetic outcomes were superior in the endoscopically-assisted SND group. Additionally, the retrieved lymph nodes and complications were comparable.Endoscopically-assisted SND via a small submandibular approach had a longer operation time than the conventional approach. However, endoscopically-assisted SND was feasible and reliable while providing minimal invasiveness and satisfactory appearance.