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Plants, as sessile organisms, adapt to different stressful conditions, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and nutrient deficiency, via plastic developmental and growth responses. Depending on the intensity and the developmental phase in which it is imposed, a stress condition may lead to a broad range of responses at the morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. Transcription factors are key components of regulatory networks that integrate environmental cues and concert responses at the cellular level, including those that imply a stressful condition. Despite the fact that several studies have started to identify various members of the MADS-box gene family as important molecular components involved in different types of stress responses, we still lack an integrated view of their role in these processes. In this review, we analyze the function and regulation of MADS-box gene family members in response to drought, salt, cold, heat, and oxidative stress conditions in different developmental processes of several plants. In addition, we suggest that MADS-box genes are key components of gene regulatory networks involved in plant responses to stress and plant developmental plasticity in response to seasonal changes in environmental conditions.

Background: Some authors have pointed out the usefulness of the levels of substance use disorder (SUD) as a treatment outcome. However, in order to use this variable as an outcome measure, its impact needs to be addressed within a clinical context. The aim of this study was to analyze the sensitivity of SUD levels as a measure for detecting reliable changes and to make a comparison between the changes in SUD levels detected when using the number of criteria fulfilled and when using the reliable change index (RCI)., Methods: The sample consisted of 206 (106 in follow-up) patients diagnosed with abuse/dependence on alcohol and cocaine, according to DSM-IV criteria. The Substance Dependence Severity Scale for DSM-5 was used to determine current alcohol use disorder (AUD) and cocaine use disorder (CUD). Number of DSM-5 criteria fulfilled and RCI were used to determine the change in SUD levels., Results: No association was found between adherence to/abandonment of treatment and AUD severity levels (χ 2  = 7.029, p = 0.071) or CUD severity levels (χ 2  = 2.044, p = 0.413). Statistical significant differences for levels of AUD (z = -3.870, p = 0.000) and CUD (z = -5.382, p = 0.000) were found between baseline assessment and follow-up. According to the number of DSM-5 criteria and RCI, the Kappa coefficient for the change in patient status (improved, worsened, or no change) was k = 0.61 for alcohol patients and k = 0.64 for cocaine patients. The "mild" category showed the greatest inconsistency between both procedures., Conclusions: Levels of SUD are sensitive to the impact of treatment as measured by the difference between the baseline assessment and 3-month follow-up. However, conclusions differ according to whether the DSM-5 criteria or the RCI is applied., (© 2019 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

Introduction: Injury documentation and prevention has largely focused on the athletes participating in the sporting event. However, spectators are at risk for injury as well depending on the sport and venue. No study to date has recorded and analyzed spectator injuries in sports. The purpose of this study was to document spectator injuries across different sports., Evidence Acquisition: Scholarly articles and internet search engines were used to generate a list of spectator injuries across a variety of sports. Information gathered regarding each specific spectator injury included sport type, injury type, and injury mechanism., Evidence Synthesis: A total of 181 spectator injuries were collected. The sport with the most spectator injuries found was automobile/motorcycle racing (N.=123), followed by cycling (N.=25), cricket (N.=12), baseball (N.=10), and hockey (N.=8). The majority of spectator injuries were related to the sport and not the behavior of the surrounding spectators. Among documented injuries sustained by spectators, automobile/motorcycle racing had the greatest number of mortalities (N.=38), followed by cycling (N.=17), hockey (N.=4), baseball (N.=2), and cricket (N.=1)., Conclusions: Although uncommon, spectators at sporting events are at risk for injury. Some of these injuries are serious and even fatal. Future work needs to focus on implementing safety measures to protect spectators while still allowing them to enjoy live sporting events.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Plantago australis is a perennial plant widely distributed in Latin America, and its seeds and leaves are used in folk medicine to treat many diseases and conditions. Among its various chemical compounds, verbascoside is one of the most present, and has several pharmacological activities described, but there is not much information about its toxicity., Aims of the Study: The aims of this study were to optimize the extraction of verbascoside from P. australis leaves with ultrasound methods, to develop a validated HPLC method to quantify verbascoside, and to evaluate the toxicological safety of the extract and verbascoside using in vitro and in vivo assays., Materials and Methods: Dried leaves of P. australis were submitted to different extraction methods (percolation and ultrasound). The optimization of the ultrasound extraction was carried out by complete factorial design (2 2 ) and response surface methodology (RSM), followed by HPLC analysis for marker compounds. HPLC analysis was performed to verify the presence of the marker compounds aucubin, baicalein, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and verbascoside. Mutagenicity was assessed by Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity assay. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were evaluated in V79 cells by reduction of tetrazolium salt (MTT) and neutral red uptake (NRU) assays, and alkaline comet assay, respectively. Verbascoside phototoxicity was assessed in 3T3 cells by the NRU phototoxicity assay. Wistar rats were used to perform the acute and sub-chronic toxicity tests., Results: Among the marker compounds, only verbascoside was found in the hydroethanolic extract of P. australis leaves (PAHE); its highest concentration was obtained with the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method, optimized in 40 min and 25 °C, and the method validation was successfully applied. Neither PAHE nor verbascoside showed mutagenic or genotoxic activities. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that both PAHE and verbascoside reduced cell viability only at the highest concentrations, and verbascoside had no phototoxic properties. The in vivo toxicity evaluation of PAHE suggested that the LD50 is higher than 5000 mg/Kg, indicating that this extract is safe for use. In addition, no signs of toxicity were found in subchronic exposure., Conclusion: The HPLC method to quantify verbascoside was validated, and the extraction of verbascoside from P. australis leaves through ultrasound method was optimized, yielding an extract with 6% verbascoside. Our results suggest the toxicological safety of PAHE and verbascoside, corroborating the use of P. australis in folk medicine, and also indicate verbascoside as a potential ingredient in topical formulations., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The different types of viral meningitis constitute a condition that is relatively frequent in newborn infants, although in many cases they are underdiagnosed due to the absence of pleocytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)., Aims: To describe the clinical features and laboratory findings of newborn infants with viral meningitis and to highlight the importance of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the CSF to diagnose this condition., Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of newborn infants hospitalised in the neonatology section who had been diagnosed with viral meningitis between May 2014 and May 2017., Results: Altogether 17 cases of viral meningitis were registered (15 caused by enterovirus and two due to parechovirus), which accounts for 14.8% of all newborns hospitalised owing to febrile symptoms. All of them had fever (100%), and other notable symptoms were irritability (76%) and rejection of feeding (65%). Normal cellularity was found in the CSF without high protein levels in 88% of them, and without hypoglycorrhachia in all of them (100%), which meant that many of these children had previously been left with a diagnosis of a febrile syndrome with no focus. These data stress the need to perform the PCR in the CSF of newborn infants who have a fever without a focus, due to the normal status of the results of the complementary tests in most cases. Subsequent neurological follow-up was performed in 64.7% of the children in the neurology service, without any neurological sequelae being found, except in one case., Conclusions: Multiple PCR in the CSF has become an essential diagnostic technique in cases of newborn infants with a suspected infection, and replaces viral culture as the reference test due its being quicker and more sensitive.

Aims: Cannulated surgical instruments may retain biologic debris after routine cleaning and sterilization. Residual debris after cleaning is assumed to be sterile; however, there is no experimental basis for this assumption. The purpose of this study was to determine the sterility of retained biodebris found within cannulated surgical instruments after autoclave sterilization., Materials and Methods: Fifteen cannulated drill bits were used to drill pig scapulae to create a plug of bone that was exposed to a mixture of Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus for 60, 120, or 180 minutes prior to sterilization. The drill bits were autoclave sterilized using standard settings. The "sterilized" bone cores were then incubated in solution and streak-plated on blood agar., Results: All 3 positive controls were positive for the experimental bacteria. Two negative controls were positive for contaminant bacteria. A B. cereus strain was recovered from 1 of the experimental group drill bits in the 180-minute group. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis confirmed that the recovered B. cereus strain was identical to the experimental inoculate., Conclusion: Retained biodebris in cannulated drills may not be sterile after standard autoclave sterilization. In addition, delay of surgical instrument reprocessing may increase the risk of resistant contamination., (Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Arsenic contamination is an important environmental problem around the world since its high toxicity, and bacteria resist to this element serve as valuable resource for its bioremediation. Aiming at searching the arsenic-resistant bacteria and determining their resistant mechanism, a total of 27 strains isolated from roots of Prosopis laevigata and Spharealcea angustifolia grown in a heavy metal-contaminated region in Mexico were investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and transformation abilities of arsenate (As 5+ ) and arsenite (As 3+ ), arsenophore synthesis, arsenate uptake, and cytoplasmatic arsenate reductase (arsC), and arsenite transporter (arsB) genes were studied for these strains. Based on these results and the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, these isolates were identified as arsenic-resistant endophytic bacteria (AREB) belonging to the genera Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Kocuria, Microbacterium, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, and Staphylococcus. They could tolerate high concentrations of arsenic with MIC from 20 to > 100 mM for As 5+ and 10-20 mM for As 3+ . Eleven isolates presented dual abilities of As 5+ reduction and As 3+ oxidation. As the most effective strains, Micrococcus luteus NE2E1 reduced 94% of the As 5+ and Pseudomonas zhaodongensis NM2E7 oxidized 46% of As 3+ under aerobic condition. About 70 and 44% of the test strains produced arsenophores to chelate As 5+ and As 3+ , respectively. The AREB may absorb arsenate via the same receptor of phosphate uptake or via other way in some case. The cytoplasmic arsenate reductase and alternative arsenate reduction pathways exist in these AREB. Therefore, these AREB could be candidates for the bioremediation process.

The type isolates of species Micromonospora saelicesensis and Micromonospora noduli are Gram-stain positive actinobacteria that were originally isolated from nitrogen fixing nodules of the legumes Lupinus angustifolius and Pisum sativum , respectively. These two species are very closely related and questions arise as to whether they should be merged into a single species. To better delineate the relationship of M. saelicesensis and M. noduli , 10 strains isolated from plant tissue (nodules and leaves) and identified by their 16S rRNA gene sequences as either M. saelicensesis or M. noduli , based on a cut-off value of ≥99.5% were selected for whole-genome sequencing and compared with the type strains of M. saelicesensis Lupac 09 T and M. noduli GUI43 T using overall genome relatedness indices (OGRI) which included ANI, OrthoANI and digital DNA-DNA hybridization. Whole- and core-genome phylogenomic analyses were also carried out. These results were compared with the topologies of the 16S rRNA and gyrB gene phylogenies. Good correlation was found between all trees except for the 16S rRNA gene. Overall results also supported the current classification of M. saelicesensis and M. noduli as separate species. Especially useful was the core-genome phylogenetic analyses based on 92 genes and the dDDH results which were highly correlated. The importance of using more than one strain for a better definition of a species was also shown. A series of in vitro phenotypic assays performed at different times were compared with in silico predictions based on genomic data. In vitro phenotypic tests showed discrepancies among the independent studies, confirming the lack of reproducibility even when tests were performed in the same laboratory. On the other hand, the use of in silico predictions proved useful for defining a stable phenotype profile among the strains analyzed. These results provide a working framework for defining Micromonospora species at the genomic and phenotypic level.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are common in emergency departments (ED), and at least 15% of them are bacteremic. However, there are few data on how to predict which patients are at high risk of developing bacteremic UTI (b-UTI). We performed a retrospective observational cohort study including patients diagnosed with UTI who were admitted to the ED of a tertiary-care hospital in Spain. We included only those patients in whom blood cultures were performed. A nomogram for b-UTI was developed as visualizations of a logistic regression model. Two hundred and thirteen patients with UTI were finally included, 108 of them developed b-UTI (50.7%). The mean age was 60.5 ± 21.4 years. A previous urologic disease was present in 45.5%, 12 out of 213 patients (5.6%) had a urologic tumor (10.2% in b-UTI group vs. 1% in non b-UTI, p = 0.003), and 4.2% were kidney transplant recipients. In a multivariate analysis, variables associated with b-UTI were: solid organ malignancy (OR 3.19; CI 95% 1.01-10.03, p = 0.04), elevated neutrophil count (more than 80% of neutrophils) (OR 5.84; CI 95% 2.13-15.99, p = 0.0006), elevated C reactive protein (OR 1.046; CI 95% 1.006-1.087, p = 0.022), and pyuria (presence of ≥50 white cells per high-power field of urine) (OR 4.43; CI 95% 1.94-10.11, p = 0.0004). The presence of solid tumor, elevated neutrophil count, elevated C reactive protein, and pyuria are independent risk factors that could be useful in anticipating the development of bacteremia in patients with UTI seen in the ED.

The Arabidopsis thaliana (hereafter Arabidopsis) root has become a useful model for studying how organ morphogenesis emerge from the coordination and balance of cell proliferation and differentiation, as both processes may be observed and quantified in the root at different stages of development. Hence, being able to objectively identify and delimit the different stages of root development has been very important. Up to now, three different zones along the longitudinal axis of the primary root of Arabidopsis, have been identified: the root apical meristematic zone (RAM) with two domains [the proliferative (PD) and the transition domain (TD)], the elongation zone (EZ) and the maturation zone (MZ). We previously reported a method to quantify the length of the cells of the meristematic and the elongation zone, as well as the boundaries or transitions between the root domains along the growing part of the Arabidopsis root. In this study, we provide a more accurate criterion to identify the MZ. Traditionally, the transition between the EZ to the MZ has been established by the emergence of the first root-hair bulge in the epidermis, because this emergence coincides with cell maturation in this cell type. But we have found here that after the emergence of the first root-hair bulge some cells continue to elongate and we have confirmed this in three different Arabidopsis ecotypes. We established the limit between the EZ and the MZ by looking for the closest cortical cell with a longer length than the average cell length of 10 cells after the cortical cell closest to the epidermal cell with the first root-hair bulge in these three ecotypes. In Col-0 and Ws this cell is four cells above the one with the root hair bulge and, in the Ler ecotype, this cell is five cells above. To unambiguously identifying the site at which cells stop elongating and attain their final length and fate at the MZ, we propose to calculate the length of completely elongated cortical cells counting 10 cells starting from the sixth cell above the cortical cell closest to the epidermal cell with the first root-hair bulge. We validated this proposal in the three ecotypes analyzed and consider that this proposal may aid at having a more objective way to characterize root phenotypes and compare among them.

To evaluate the interactions among endophytes, plants and heavy metal/arsenic contamination, root endophytic bacteria of Prosopis laevigata (Humb and Bonpl. ex Willd) and Sphaeralcea angustifolia grown in a heavy metal(loid)-contaminated zone in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, were isolated and characterized. Greater abundance and species richness were found in Prosopis than in Sphaeralcea and in the nutrient Pb-Zn-rich hill than in the poor nutrient and As-Cu-rich mine tailing. The 25 species identified among the 60 isolates formed three groups in the correspondence analysis, relating to Prosopis/hill (11 species), Prosopis/mine tailing (4 species) and Sphaeralcea/hill (4 species), with six species ungrouped. Most of the isolates showed high or extremely high resistance to arsenic, such as ≥100 mM for As(V) and ≥20 mM for As(III), in mineral medium. These results demonstrated that the abundance and community composition of root endophytic bacteria were strongly affected by the concentration and type of the heavy metals and metalloids (arsenic), as well as the plant species.

Background Morphogenesis depends on the concerted modulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Such modulation is dynamically adjusted in response to various external and internal signals via complex transcriptional regulatory networks that mediate between such signals and regulation of cell-cycle and cellular responses (proliferation, growth, differentiation). In plants, which are sessile, the proliferation/differentiation balance is plastically adjusted during their life cycle and transcriptional networks are important in this process. MADS-box genes are key developmental regulators in eukaryotes, but their role in cell proliferation and differentiation modulation in plants remains poorly studied. Methods We characterize the XAL1 loss-of-function xal1-2 allele and overexpression lines using quantitative cellular and cytometry analyses to explore its role in cell cycle, proliferation, stem-cell patterning and transition to differentiation. We used quantitative PCR and cellular markers to explore if XAL1 regulates cell-cycle components and PLETHORA1 (PLT1) gene expression, as well as confocal microscopy to analyse stem-cell niche organization. Key Results We previously showed that XAANTAL1 (XAL1/AGL12) is necessary for Arabidopsis root development as a promoter of cell proliferation in the root apical meristem. Here, we demonstrate that XAL1 positively regulates the expression of PLT1 and important components of the cell cycle: CYCD3;1, CYCA2;3, CYCB1;1, CDKB1;1 and CDT1a. In addition, we show that xal1-2 mutant plants have a premature transition to differentiation with root hairs appearing closer to the root tip, while endoreplication in these plants is partially compromised. Coincidently, the final size of cortex cells in the mutant is shorter than wild-type cells. Finally, XAL1 overexpression-lines corroborate that this transcription factor is able to promote cell proliferation at the stem-cell niche. Conclusion XAL1 seems to be an important component of the networks that modulate cell proliferation/differentiation transition and stem-cell proliferation during Arabidopsis root development; it also regulates several cell-cycle components., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Arabidopsis thaliana has been an excellent model system for molecular genetic approaches to development and physiology. More recently, the potential of studying various accessions collected from diverse habitats has been started to exploit. Col-0 has been the best-studied accession but we now know that several traits show significant divergences among them. In this work, we focused in the root that has become a key system for development. We studied root architecture and growth dynamics of 12 Arabidopsis accessions. Our data reveal a wide variability in root architecture and root length among accessions. We also found variability in the root apical meristem (RAM), explained mainly by cell size at the RAM transition domain and possibly by peculiar forms of organization at the stem cell niche in some accessions. Contrary to Col-0 reports, in some accessions the RAM size not always explains the variations in the root length; indicating that elongated cell size could be more relevant in the determination of root length than the RAM size itself. This study contributes to investigations dealing with understanding the molecular and cellular basis of phenotypic variation, the role of plasticity on adaptation, and the developmental mechanisms that may restrict phenotypic variation in response to contrasting environmental conditions.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen associated with advanced HIV disease and other disorders associated with immune dysfunction. The pulmonary and the central nervous system are the most common manifestations of the disease. Localised osteomyelitis as the sole manifestation of extrapulmonary disease is rare. Herein, we present five cases of Cryptococcus osteomyelitis as the only manifestation of extrapulmonary disease. We also identified 84 additional cases of isolated cryptococcal osteomyelitis in the literature. Using these data, we have made some general recommendations regarding an approach to treatment of this uncommon clinical entity., (© 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Importance: Wearable devices such as Google Glass could potentially be used in the health care setting to expand access and improve quality of care., Objective: This study aims to assess the demographics of Google Glass users in health care and determine the obstacles to using Google Glass by surveying those who are known to use the device., Design: A 48-question survey was designed to assess demographics of users, technological limitations of Google Glass, and obstacles to implementation of the device., Setting: The physicians surveyed worked in various fields of health care, with 50% of the respondents being surgeons., Participants: Potential participants were found using an Internet search for physicians using Google Glass in their practice., Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures were divided into demographic information of users, technological limitations of the device, and administrative obstacles., Results: A 43.6% response rate was observed. The majority of users were male, assistant professors, in academic hospitals, and in the United States. Numerous technological limitations were observed by the majority, including device ergonomics, display location, video quality, and audio quality. Patient confidentiality and data security were the major concerns among administrative obstacles., Conclusions and Relevance: Despite the potential of Google Glass, numerous obstacles exist that limit its use in health care. While Google Glass has been discontinued, the results of this study may be used to guide future designs of wearable devices., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Introduction: The risk of morbidity associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) after pediatric orthopaedic surgery remains unclear despite increased use of thromboprophylaxis measures., Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, Pediatric database was queried for patients undergoing an orthopaedic surgical procedure between 2012 and 2013. Upper extremity and skin/subcutaneous surgeries were excluded. Associations between VTE and procedure, demographics, comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were evaluated., Results: Of 14,776 cases, 15 patients (0.10%) experienced postoperative VTE. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurred in 13 patients (0.09%), and pulmonary embolism developed in 2 patients (0.01%). The procedure with the highest VTE rate was surgery for infection (1.2%). Patient factors associated with the development of VTE included hyponatremia (P = 0.003), abnormal partial thromboplastin time (P = 0.046), elevated aspartate transaminase level (P = 0.004), and gastrointestinal (P = 0.011), renal (P = 0.016), and hematologic (P = 0.019) disorders. Nearly half (46.2%) of DVTs occurred postdischarge. Complications associated with VTE included prolonged hospitalization (P < 0.001), pneumonia (P < 0.001), unplanned intubation (P = 0.003), urinary tract infection (P = 0.003), and central line-associated bloodstream infection (P < 0.001). Most of the postoperative complications (66.7%) occurred before VTE diagnosis, and no patients with VTE died., Conclusion: In the absence of specified risk factors, thromboprophylaxis may be unnecessary for this population.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, coccoid, arsenic-resistant actinobacterial strain, designated CM1E1 T , was isolated from the lateral root tissue of Prosopis laegivata grown on a mine tailing in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CM1E1 T was clustered closely with species of the genus Kocuria, and showed the highest sequence similarity of 98.7 % to Kocuria rhizophila TA68 T . The DNA G+C content of strain CM1E1 T was 74.5 mol% ( T m ). The major fatty acids were anteiso-C 15 : 0 , anteiso-C 17 : 0 and iso-C 15 : 0 . The peptidoglycan of the cell wall contained lysine and alanine. The major respiratory quinones were MK-7(H 2 ) and MK-8(H 2 ). On the basis of the phenotypic characterization, phylogenetic relationships and chemotaxonomic analyses, strain CM1E1 T represents a novel species of the genus Kocuria , for which the name Kocuria arsenatis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CM1E1 T ( = CCBAU 101092 T  = HAMBI 3625 T  = LMG 28671 T ).

Background: Increasing numbers of training physicians are using the Internet to gather information about graduate medical education programs. The content and accessibility of web sites that provide this information have been demonstrated to influence applicants' decisions. Assessments of orthopedic fellowship web sites including sports medicine, pediatrics, hand and spine have found varying degrees of accessibility and material. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accessibility and content of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) fellowship web sites (SEFWs)., Methods: A complete list of ASES programs was obtained from a database on the ASES web site. The accessibility of each SEFWs was assessed by the existence of a functioning link found in the database and through Google®. Then, the following content areas of each SEFWs were evaluated: fellow education, faculty/previous fellow information, and recruitment., Results: At the time of the study, 17 of the 28 (60.7%) ASES programs had web sites accessible through Google®, and only five (17.9%) had functioning links in the ASES database. Nine programs lacked a web site. Concerning web site content, the majority of SEFWs contained information regarding research opportunities, research requirements, case descriptions, meetings and conferences, teaching responsibilities, attending faculty, the application process, and a program description. Fewer than half of the SEFWs provided information regarding rotation schedules, current fellows, previous fellows, on-call expectations, journal clubs, medical school of current fellows, residency of current fellows, employment of previous fellows, current research, and previous research., Conclusions: A large portion of ASES fellowship programs lacked functioning web sites, and even fewer provided functioning links through the ASES database. Valuable information for potential applicants was largely inadequate across present SEFWs.

Two Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strains, FH13T and FH23, representing a novel group of Rhizobium isolated from root nodules of Phaseolus vulgaris in Mexico, were studied by a polyphasic analysis. Phylogeny of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed them to be members of the genus Rhizobium related most closely to 'Rhizobium anhuiense' CCBAU 23252 (99.7 % similarity), Rhizobium leguminosarum USDA 2370T (98.6 %), and Rhizobium sophorae CCBAU 03386T and others ( ≤ 98.3 %). In sequence analyses of the housekeeping genes recA, glnII and atpD, both strains formed a subclade distinct from all defined species of the genus Rhizobium at sequence similarities of 82.3-94.0 %, demonstrating that they represented a novel genomic species in the genus Rhizobium. Mean levels of DNA-DNA relatedness between the reference strain FH13T and the type strains of related species varied between 13.0 ± 2.0 and 52.1 ± 1.2 %. The DNA G+C content of strain FH13T was 63.5 mol% (Tm). The major cellular fatty acids were 16 : 0, 17 : 0 anteiso, 18 : 0, summed feature 2 (12 : 0 aldehyde/unknown 10.928) and summed feature 8 (18 : 1ω7c). The fatty acid 17 : 1ω5c was unique for this strain. Some phenotypic features, such as failure to utilize adonitol, l-arabinose, d-fructose and d-fucose, and ability to utilize d-galacturonic acid and itaconic acid as carbon source, could also be used to distinguish strain FH13T from the type strains of related species. Based upon these results, a novel species, Rhizobium acidisoli sp. nov., is proposed, with FH13T ( = CCBAU 101094T = HAMBI 3626T = LMG 28672T) as the type strain.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile strain, NM2E3(T) was identified as Brevibacterium based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and had the highest similarities to Brevibacterium jeotgali SJ5-8(T) (97.3 %). This novel bacterium was isolated from root tissue of Prosopis laegivata grown at the edge of a mine tailing in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Its cells were non-spore-forming rods, showing catalase and oxidase activities and were able to grow in LB medium added with 40 mM Cu(2+), 72 mM As(5+) and various other toxic elements. Anteiso-C15:0 (41.6 %), anteiso-C17:0 (30 %) and iso-C15:0 (9.5 %) were the major fatty acids. MK-8(H2) (88.4 %) and MK-7(H2) (11.6 %) were the major menaquinones. The DNA G + C content of the strain NM2E3(T) was 70.8 mol % (Tm). DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the strain NM2E3(T) had 39.8, 21.7 and 20.3 % relatedness with B. yomogidense JCM 17779(T), B. jeotgali JCM 18571(T) and B. salitolerans TRM 45(T), respectively. Based on the phenotypic and genotypic analyses, the strain NM2E3(T) (=CCBAU 101093(T) = HAMBI 3627(T) = LMG 8673(T)) is reported as a novel species of the genus Brevibacterium, for which the name Brevibacterium metallicus sp. nov., is proposed.

Current advances indicate that epigenetic mechanisms play important roles in the regulatory networks involved in plant developmental responses to environmental conditions. Hence, understanding the role of such components becomes crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying the plasticity and variability of plant traits, and thus the ecology and evolution of plant development. We now know that important components of phenotypic variation may result from heritable and reversible epigenetic mechanisms without genetic alterations. The epigenetic factors Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) are involved in developmental processes that respond to environmental signals, playing important roles in plant plasticity. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of TrxG and PcG functions in different developmental processes in response to internal and environmental cues and we also integrate the emerging evidence concerning their function in plant plasticity. Many such plastic responses rely on meristematic cell behavior, including stem cell niche maintenance, cellular reprogramming, flowering and dormancy as well as stress memory. This information will help to determine how to integrate the role of epigenetic regulation into models of gene regulatory networks, which have mostly included transcriptional interactions underlying various aspects of plant development and its plastic response to environmental conditions., (© 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.)

A growing body of evidence suggests that alterations in transcriptional regulation of genes involved in modulating development are an important part of phenotypic evolution, and this can be documented among species and within populations. While the effects of differential transcriptional regulation in organismal development have been preferentially studied in animal systems, this phenomenon has also been addressed in plants. In this review, we summarize evidence for cis-regulatory mutations, trans-regulatory changes and epigenetic modifications as molecular events underlying important phenotypic alterations, and thus shaping the evolution of plant development. We postulate that a mechanistic understanding of why such molecular alterations have a key role in development, morphology and evolution will have to rely on dynamic models of complex regulatory networks that consider the concerted action of genetic and nongenetic components, and that also incorporate the restrictions underlying the genotype to phenotype mapping process. Developmental Dynamics 244:1074-1095, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: Operative fixation of pediatric femur fractures with intramedullary implants has grown in popularity in recent decades. However, risk factors for short-term adverse events and readmission have not been well studied., Methods: Pediatric patients who underwent intramedullary nailing of a femur fracture between 2012 and 2013 were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Risk factors for any adverse event (AAE) and readmission after intramedullary nailing were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis., Results: A total of 522 pediatric patients who underwent intramedullary nailing of the femur during the study period were identified. The mean age of this patient cohort was 10.2 ± 3.8 years. Review of the cases revealed that 18 (3.4 %) patients had AAE and that 20 (3.8 %) patients were readmitted, of whom 13 (2.5 %) underwent a reoperation. Independent risk factors for AAE were a cardiac comorbidity [odds ratio (OR) 12.7, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.5, 103.7], open fracture (OR 10.2, 95 % CI 1.4, 74.4), and prolonged operative time (OR 17.5, 95 % CI 6.1, 50.5). Independent risk factors for readmission were a central nervous system disorder (OR 4.5, 95 % CI 1.3, 16.2) and a seizure disorder (OR 4.9, 95 % CI 1.0, 23.5)., Conclusions: The results of the multivariate analysis suggest that cardiac comorbidities, open fractures, and prolonged operative time increase the risk for AAE and that central nervous system disorders and seizure disorders may increase the risk for readmission. Surgeons should be aware of these risk factors and counsel the families of pediatric patients who undergo intramedullary nailing of femur fractures.

Purpose: To compare and analyze biomechanical properties and histological characteristics of flexor tendons either repaired by a 4-strand modified Kessler technique or using barbed suture with a knotless repair technique in an in vivo model., Methods: A total of 25 chickens underwent surgical transection of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon followed by either a 4-strand Kessler repair or a knotless repair with barbed suture. Chickens were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups with various postoperative times to death. Harvested tendons were subjected to biomechanical testing or histologic analysis., Results: Harvested tendons revealed failures in 25% of knotless repairs (8 of 32) and 8% of 4-strand Kessler repairs (2 of 24). Biomechanical testing revealed no significant difference in tensile strength between 4-strand Kessler and barbed repairs; however, this lack of difference may be attributed to lower statistical power. We noted a trend toward a gradual decrease in strength over time for barbed repairs, whereas we noticed the opposite for the 4-strand Kessler repairs. Mode of failure during testing differed between repair types. The barbed repairs tended toward suture breakage as opposed to 4-strand Kessler repairs, which demonstrated suture pullout. Histological analysis identified no difference in the degree of inflammation or fibrosis; however, there was a vigorous foreign body reaction around the 4-strand Kessler repair and no such response around the barbed repairs., Conclusions: In this model, knotless barbed repairs trended toward higher in vivo failure rates and biomechanical inferiority under physiologic conditions, with each repair technique differing in mode of failure and respective histologic reaction. We are unable to recommend the use of knotless barbed repair over the 4-strand modified Kessler technique., Clinical Relevance: For the repair techniques tested, surgeons should prefer standard Kessler repairs over the described knotless technique with barbed suture., (Copyright © 2015 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In Arabidopsis thaliana, multiple genes involved in shoot apical meristem (SAM) transitions have been characterized, but the mechanisms required for the dynamic attainment of vegetative, inflorescence, and floral meristem (VM, IM, FM) cell fates during SAM transitions are not well understood. Here we show that a MADS-box gene, XAANTAL2 (XAL2/AGL14), is necessary and sufficient to induce flowering, and its regulation is important in FM maintenance and determinacy. xal2 mutants are late flowering, particularly under short-day (SD) condition, while XAL2 overexpressing plants are early flowering, but their flowers have vegetative traits. Interestingly, inflorescences of the latter plants have higher expression levels of LFY, AP1, and TFL1 than wild-type plants. In addition we found that XAL2 is able to bind the TFL1 regulatory regions. On the other hand, the basipetal carpels of the 35S::XAL2 lines lose determinacy and maintain high levels of WUS expression under SD condition. To provide a mechanistic explanation for the complex roles of XAL2 in SAM transitions and the apparently paradoxical phenotypes of XAL2 and other MADS-box (SOC1, AGL24) overexpressors, we conducted dynamic gene regulatory network (GRN) and epigenetic landscape modeling. We uncovered a GRN module that underlies VM, IM, and FM gene configurations and transition patterns in wild-type plants as well as loss and gain of function lines characterized here and previously. Our approach thus provides a novel mechanistic framework for understanding the complex basis of SAM development., (Copyright © 2015 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) is administered yearly to assess a resident's progression, compare his or her performance with that of other residents, and evaluate the educational structure of a residency program. The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Part I examination is used to ensure competence in orthopedic knowledge and must be passed to achieve certification. Previous studies have correlated OITE and ABOS performance, but analysis between OITE subsection performance and ABOS Part I examination performance has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between individual OITE subsection performance and overall ABOS Part I performance., Methods: Performance on the 12 subsections comprising the OITE from 1999 to 2009 was evaluated and compared with overall ABOS Part I examination performance. Spearman correlation coefficients (SCCs) were used to quantify the association between OITE subsection and overall ABOS percentile ranks., Results: The OITE subsections of musculoskeletal trauma (SCC 0.29; P = 0.0002), hip and knee reconstruction (SCC 0.21; P = 0.0064), spine (SCC 0.16; P = 0.04), orthopedic science (SCC 0.17; P = 0.03), and orthopedic disease (SCC 0.18; P = 0.02) correlated with ABOS percentile ranks. Five of the top seven subsections by question volume on the OITE were found to correlate with ABOS performance., Conclusions: OITE subsections with greater representation and breadth of subject matter had stronger performance correlations with ABOS Part I examination performance. These findings may allow residency training programs to better predict ABOS Part I performance of their residents by evaluating particular subsections on the OITE in addition to overall OITE performance.

Background: Prophylactic antibiotics decrease surgical site infection (SSI) rates, and their timing, choice, and discontinuation are measured and reported as part of the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP). The aim of this study was to assess the comparative effectiveness of the SCIP-approved antibiotics for SSI prevention., Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized national Veterans Affairs (VA) data on patients undergoing elective hip or knee arthroplasty from 2005 to 2009. Data on prophylactic antibiotics were merged with VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program data to identify patient and procedure-related risk factors for SSI. Patients were stratified by documented penicillin allergy. Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare SSI rates among patients receiving SCIP-approved prophylactic antibiotics., Results: A total of 18,830 elective primary arthroplasties (12,823 knee and 6007 hip) were included. Most patients received prophylactic cefazolin as the sole agent (81.9%), followed by vancomycin as the sole agent (8.0%), vancomycin plus cefazolin (5.6%), and clindamycin (4.5%). Documented penicillin allergy accounted for 54.1% of cases involving vancomycin administration compared with 94.6% of cases involving clindamycin. The overall thirty-day SSI rate was 1.4%, and the unadjusted rate was 2.3% with vancomycin only, 1.5% with vancomycin plus cefazolin, 1.3% with cefazolin only, and 1.1% with clindamycin. Unadjusted analysis of penicillin-allergic patients revealed an SSI rate of 2.0% with vancomycin only compared with 1.0% with clindamycin (p = 0.18). For patients without penicillin allergy, the SSI rate was 2.6% with vancomycin only compared with 1.6% with vancomycin plus cefazolin (p = 0.17) and 1.3% with cefazolin only (p < 0.01)., Conclusions: Current SCIP guidelines address antibiotic timing but not antibiotic dosage. (The generally accepted recommendation for vancomycin is 15 mg/kg.) Although vancomycin is a narrower-spectrum antibiotic than either cefazolin or clindamycin, our finding of higher SSI rates following prophylaxis with vancomycin only may suggest a failure to use an appropriate dosage rather than an inequality of antibiotic effectiveness., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., (Copyright © 2014 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Elucidating molecular links between cell-fate regulatory networks and dynamic patterning modules is a key for understanding development. Auxin is important for plant patterning, particularly in roots, where it establishes positional information for cell-fate decisions. PIN genes encode plasma membrane proteins that serve as auxin efflux transporters; mutations in members of this gene family exhibit smaller roots with altered root meristems and stem-cell patterning. Direct regulators of PIN transcription have remained elusive. Here, we establish that a MADS-box gene (XAANTAL2, XAL2/AGL14) controls auxin transport via PIN transcriptional regulation during Arabidopsis root development; mutations in this gene exhibit altered stem-cell patterning, root meristem size, and root growth. XAL2 is necessary for normal shootward and rootward auxin transport, as well as for maintaining normal auxin distribution within the root. Furthermore, this MADS-domain transcription factor upregulates PIN1 and PIN4 by direct binding to regulatory regions and it is required for PIN4-dependent auxin response. In turn, XAL2 expression is regulated by auxin levels thus establishing a positive feedback loop between auxin levels and PIN regulation that is likely to be important for robust root patterning.

Stone materials exposed to weathering are subject to biological colonization and consequently to biofilm formation, causing biodeterioration. The color changes on the stone substrates caused by biogenic pigments, mechanical stress on the mineral structure due to extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the accumulation of atmospheric pollutants by the biofilm are some of the deteriogenic effects, which modify esthetic and functional aspects of the work. The aim of this study was to determine biodeterioration and biofilm formation on marble tombstones from La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The effect of the biocide benzalkonium chloride on biofilm formation was studied, and a chart produced of the treated tombstones. Pre- and post-intervention microbiological studies, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray dispersion analysis showed a significant decrease of the biofilm flora after treatment. However, algae of the genus Trentepohlia were difficult to eradicate. These studies are a valuable contribution to determine restoration criteria against biofilm formation, to characterize chromatic variations of biological origin on the stone and to formulate conservation and restoration policies., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hormones regulate plant growth and development in response to external environmental stimuli via complex signal transduction pathways, which in turn form complex networks of interaction. Several classes of hormones have been reported, and their activity depends on their biosynthesis, transport, conjugation, accumulation in the vacuole, and degradation. However, the activity of a given hormone is also dependent on its interaction with other hormones. Indeed, there is a complex crosstalk between hormones that regulates their biosynthesis, transport, and/or signaling functionality, although some hormones have overlapping or opposite functions. The plant root is a particularly useful system in which to study the complex role of plant hormones in the plastic control of plant development. Physiological, cellular, and molecular genetic approaches have been used to study the role of plant hormones in root meristem homeostasis. In this review, we discuss recent findings on the synthesis, signaling, transport of hormones and role during root development and examine the role of hormone crosstalk in maintaining homeostasis in the apical root meristem., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

In plants, developmental programs and tropisms are modulated by the phytohormone auxin. Auxin reconfigures the actin cytoskeleton, which controls polar localization of auxin transporters such as PIN2 and thus determines cell-type-specific responses. In conjunction with a second growth-promoting phytohormone, brassinosteroid (BR), auxin synergistically enhances growth and gene transcription. We show that BR alters actin configuration and PIN2 localization in a manner similar to that of auxin. We describe a BR constitutive-response mutant that bears an allele of the ACTIN2 gene and shows altered actin configuration, PIN2 delocalization, and a broad array of phenotypes that recapitulate BR-treated plants. Moreover, we show that actin filament reconfiguration is sufficient to activate BR signaling, which leads to an enhanced auxin response. Our results demonstrate that the actin cytoskeleton functions as an integration node for the BR signaling pathway and auxin responsiveness., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Understanding how the information contained in genes is mapped onto the phenotypes, and deriving formal frameworks to search for generic aspects of developmental constraints and evolution remains one of the main challenges of contemporary biological research. The Mexican endemic triurid Lacandonia schismatica (Lacandoniaceae), a mycoheterotrophic monocotyledonous plant with hermaphroditic reproductive axes is alone among 250,000 species of angiosperms, as it has central stamens surrounded by a peripheral gynoecium, representing a natural instance of a homeotic mutant. Based on the classical ABC model of flower development, it has recently been shown that the B-function gene APETALA3 (AP3), essential for stamen identity, was displaced toward the flower centre in L. schismatica (ABC to ACB) from the early stages of flower development. A functional conservation of B-function genes from L. schismatica through the rescue of B-gene mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as conserved protein interactions, has also been demonstrated. Thus, it has been shown that relatively simple genetic alterations may underlie large morphological shifts fixed in extant natural populations. Nevertheless, critical questions remain in order to have a full and sufficient explanation of the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying L. schismatica's unique floral arrangement. Evolutionary approaches to developmental mechanisms and systems biology, including high-throughput functional genomic studies and models of complex developmental gene regulatory networks, constitute two main approaches to meet such a challenge. In this review, the aim is to address some of the pending questions with the ultimate goal of investigating further the mechanisms of L. schismatica's unique homeotic flower arrangement and its evolution.

X-chromosome-linked ichthyosis is caused by mutation or deletion of the STS gene associated with a deficiency of the enzyme steroid sulphatase, located in the distal part of the short arm of the X chromosome (Xp22.3-pter), close to the pseudo-autosomal region. Depending on its size, it can present as an isolated entity or combined with a syndrome caused by neighbouring genes, thus associating itself with other monogenic diseases as well as other mental disorders. The most relevant findings from the literature review are the importance of the Xp22.3-pter region and the higher incidence of neurological disorders among males (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and X-linked mental retardation). The role and implication of these genes in the disease are discussed and the authors suggest a possible contribution of the gene PNPLA4, which was originally described as GS2 and codes for calcium-independent phospholipase A2 beta, involved in lipoprotein metabolism, as one of the causes of autism. Improvements have been observed following treatment with citicoline, thanks to the role this nootropic plays in the biosynthesis of structural phospholipids involved in the formation and repair of the neuronal membrane.

Objective: To identify the prevalence of caries in affiliated children and teenagers at Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS)., Methods: The survey was carried out according to the World Health Organization indexes. The studied was carried out in 1545 boys and girls aged three, five, six, and twelve years and selected by stratified random sampling in seven places of Mexican Republic (Guanajuato, East and West Estado de México, Northwest 1, Northeast 2, Southwest 3, and Southeast 4 DF)., Results: The prevalence of caries was 66.9%. Rates were higher in temporary dentition than in permanent teeth (p<3.07). The mean of caries index per tooth in primary dentition in children of six years of age was 3.57±2.8. In the 12 years of age group the average per tooth was 1.97±1.4. The main component in both primary and permanent dentition was caries with 2.49 and 1.56 respectively., Conclusions: The results of this survey showed slight changes in prevalence and high levels of caries in children.

Spontaneous homeotic transformations have been described in natural populations of both plants and animals, but little is known about the molecular-genetic mechanisms underlying these processes in plants. In the ABC model of floral organ identity in Arabidopsis thaliana, the B- and C-functions are necessary for stamen morphogenesis, and C alone is required for carpel identity. We provide ABC model-based molecular-genetic evidence that explains the unique inside-out homeotic floral organ arrangement of the monocotyledonous mycoheterotroph species Lacandonia schismatica (Triuridaceae) from Mexico. Whereas a quarter million flowering plant species bear central carpels surrounded by stamens, L. schismatica stamens occur in the center of the flower and are surrounded by carpels. The simplest explanation for this is that the B-function is displaced toward the flower center. Our analyses of the spatio-temporal pattern of B- and C-function gene expression are consistent with this hypothesis. The hypothesis is further supported by conservation between the B-function genes of L. schismatica and Arabidopsis, as the former are able to rescue stamens in Arabidopsis transgenic complementation lines, and Ls-AP3 and Ls-PI are able to interact with each other and with the corresponding Arabidopsis B-function proteins in yeast. Thus, relatively simple molecular modifications may underlie important morphological shifts in natural populations of extant plant taxa.

Objective: To measure the association between social economic conditions and the presence of risk factors for drowning at home in children under 5 years old within metropolitan area of Guadalajara., Methods: Surveyed 439 family houses were lived children less than 5 years old randomly selected during 18 months. Variables included social economic level, demographics, and bodies of water and accessories present at the house., Results: Children in the lower social economic level are exposed more frequently to buckets and laundry tubs in the house than children of medium level families, but not to underground cisterns and wells. No mater the equal number of underground cisterns and wells, safety accessories and equipment are less frequent in low socioeconomic families. Children in the low social economic level spend more time at their homes than medium socioeconomic level children., Conclusions: It seems that the high frequency of drowning among low social economic families is related to a higher exposure to risk factors. It is necessary to improve mechanisms and change environmental conditions to reduce the number of children drowning at home.

Flowers are the most complex structures of plants. Studies of Arabidopsis thaliana, which has typical eudicot flowers, have been fundamental in advancing the structural and molecular understanding of flower development. The main processes and stages of Arabidopsis flower development are summarized to provide a framework in which to interpret the detailed molecular genetic studies of genes assigned functions during flower development and is extended to recent genomics studies uncovering the key regulatory modules involved. Computational models have been used to study the concerted action and dynamics of the gene regulatory module that underlies patterning of the Arabidopsis inflorescence meristem and specification of the primordial cell types during early stages of flower development. This includes the gene combinations that specify sepal, petal, stamen and carpel identity, and genes that interact with them. As a dynamic gene regulatory network this module has been shown to converge to stable multigenic profiles that depend upon the overall network topology and are thus robust, which can explain the canalization of flower organ determination and the overall conservation of the basic flower plan among eudicots. Comparative and evolutionary approaches derived from Arabidopsis studies pave the way to studying the molecular basis of diverse floral morphologies.

The photoperiod pathway is a genetically conserved pathway that affects flowering in distantly related angiosperms. Here we report a novel flowering promoter AGAMOUS-LIKE 17 (AGL17) acting in the photoperiod pathway of Arabidopsis. AGL17 transcripts were detectable in various plant organs with the highest expression in the root. Under long-day conditions, expression of AGL17 gradually increased in the aerial part of seedlings during the floral transition. Overexpression of AGL17 caused early flowering, while loss of function of AGL17 exhibited late flowering, particularly under long days. Analysis of AGL17 expression in various flowering-time mutants showed that its transcripts were significantly reduced in the photoperiod pathway mutant co-1. Correspondingly, AGL17 expression was upregulated in transgenic plants overexpressing CONSTANS (CO) and also when CO activity was induced by light. Genetic analysis further showed that overexpression of AGL17 could partially suppress the late flowering of co-1. These results suggest that AGL17 acts to promote flowering and is positively controlled by the photoperiod pathway regulator CO. In contrast, another target of CO, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), did not affect AGL17 expression, and vice versa. The expression of two floral meristem identity genes LEAFY (LFY) and APETALA1 (AP1) decreased in agl17-1, while LFY and AP1 could be rapidly induced by AGL17 using a functional estradiol-inducible system. These findings indicate that AGL17 ultimately promotes flowering via regulation of LFY and AP1.

MADS-box genes are key components of the networks that control the transition to flowering and flower development, but their role in vegetative development is poorly understood. This article shows that the sister gene of the AGAMOUS (AG) clade, AGL12, has an important role in root development as well as in flowering transition. We isolated three mutant alleles for AGL12, which is renamed here as XAANTAL1 (XAL1): Two alleles, xal1-1 and xal1-2, are in Columbia ecotype and xal1-3 is in Landsberg erecta ecotype. All alleles have a short-root phenotype with a smaller meristem, lower rate of cell production, and abnormal root apical meristem organization. Interestingly, we also encountered a significantly longer cell cycle in the strongest xal1 alleles with respect to wild-type plants. Expression analyses confirmed the presence of XAL1 transcripts in roots, particularly in the phloem. Moreover, XAL1beta-glucuronidase expression was specifically up-regulated by auxins in this tissue. In addition, mRNA in situ hybridization showed that XAL1 transcripts were also found in leaves and floral meristems of wild-type plants. This expression correlates with the late-flowering phenotypes of the xal1 mutants grown under long days. Transcript expression analysis suggests that XAL1 is an upstream regulator of SOC, FLOWERING LOCUS T, and LFY. We propose that XAL1 may have similar roles in both root and aerial meristems that could explain the xal1 late-flowering phenotype.

The exceptional toxicity of arsenate [As(V)] is derived from its close chemical similarity to phosphate (Pi), which allows the metalloid to be easily incorporated into plant cells through the high-affinity Pi transport system. In this study, we identified an As(V)-tolerant mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana named pht1;1-3, which harbors a semidominant allele coding for the high-affinity Pi transporter PHT1;1. pht1;1-3 displays a slow rate of As(V) uptake that ultimately enables the mutant to accumulate double the arsenic found in wild-type plants. Overexpression of the mutant protein in wild-type plants provokes phenotypic effects similar to pht1;1-3 with regard to As(V) uptake and accumulation. In addition, gene expression analysis of wild-type and mutant plants revealed that, in Arabidopsis, As(V) represses the activation of genes specifically involved in Pi uptake, while inducing others transcriptionally regulated by As(V), suggesting that converse signaling pathways are involved in plant responses to As(V) and low Pi availability. Furthermore, the repression effect of As(V) on Pi starvation responses may reflect a regulatory mechanism to protect plants from the extreme toxicity of arsenic.

Regulation of the cytosolic acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) gene promoter from common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) was studied in transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants using a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene fusion (PvACCase::GUS). Under normal growth conditions, GUS was expressed in hydathodes, stipules, trichome bases, flowers, pollen, and embryos. In roots, expression was observed in the tip, elongation zone, hypocotyl-root transition zone, and lateral root primordia. The PvACCase promoter was induced by wounding, Pseudomonas syringae infection, hydrogen peroxide, jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene, or auxin treatment. Analysis of PvACCase::GUS expression in JA and ethylene mutants (coronatine insensitive1-1 [coi1-1], ethylene resistant1-1 [etr1-1], coi1-1/etr1-1) suggests that neither JA nor ethylene perception participates in the activation of this gene in response to wounding, although each of these independent signaling pathways is sufficient for pathogen or hydrogen peroxide-induced PvACCase gene expression. We propose a model involving different pathways of PvACCase gene activation in response to stress.

APETALA1 (AP1) and CAULIFLOWER (CAL) are closely related MADS box genes that are partially redundant during Arabidopsis thaliana floral meristem determination. AP1 is able to fully substitute for CAL functions, but not vice versa, and AP1 has unique sepal and petal identity specification functions. In this study, the unique and redundant functions of these two genes has been mapped to the four protein domains that characterize type-II MADS-domain proteins by expressing all 15 chimeric combinations of AP1 and CAL cDNA regions under control of the AP1 promoter in ap1-1 loss-of-function plants. The "in vivo" function of these chimeric genes was analysed in Arabidopsis plants by expressing the chimeras. Rescue of flower meristem and sepal/petal identities was scored in single and multiple insert homozygous transgenic lines. Using these chimeric lines, it was found that distinct residues of the AP1 K domain not shared by the same CAL domain are necessary and sufficient for complete recovery of floral meristem identity, in the context of the CAL protein sequence, while both AP1 COOH and K domains are indispensable for complete rescue of sepal identity. By contrast, either one of these two AP1 domains is necessary and sufficient for complete petal identity recovery. It was also found that there were positive and negative synergies among protein domains and their combinations, and that multiple-insert lines showed relatively better rescue than equivalent single-insert lines. Finally, several lines had flowers with extra sepals and petals suggesting that chimeric proteins yield abnormal transcriptional complexes that may alter the expression or regulation of genes that control floral organ number under normal conditions.

Plant genes that are induced during the formation and function of a root nodule are called nodulin genes. Cloning and functional analysis of nodule-specific gene products are of valuable help in establishing the role and requirements of the host plant for the specificity and effectiveness of the symbiosis. A cDNA clone (nod22) was isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean) cDNA library derived from Rhizobium-infected roots. Nodulin 22 (Nod22) transcripts are accumulated from early to late stages in root nodule development. RT-PCR in situ studies indicated that Nod22 transcripts are highly accumulated in cortical, vascular bundle and infected cells. The deduced Nod22 protein contains a highly hydrophobic N-terminus, with signal peptide characteristics, and a C-terminal extension with high identity to the alpha-crystallin domains found in alpha-crystallin lens chaperone, and other small heat-shock proteins. These domains have not been previously described in other known nodulins, but have been observed in small heat-shock proteins found in plant tissues exposed to elevated temperature and oxidative stress. Nod22, when it is over-expressed in Escherichia coli, cells confers protection against oxidative stress suggesting its possible role in plant host protection from oxidative toxicity during the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis.

Human exposure to environmental hazards is a major public health problem along the US-Mexico border due to socioeconomic, cultural and political factors. Childhood lead exposure is endemic in areas of extreme poverty and substandard housing. Hispanic children of indigent, poorly-educated, disenfranchised families are at disproportionate risk. Risk management is contingent upon consideration of the interrelationships between socioeconomics, politics, and culture. This case study explains childhood lead poisoning in a colonia family living at subsistence level from such a perspective. The purpose of the study was to identify, explain, and ameliorate lead exposure pathways. Case study methodology was used to support or refute the proposition that these children were exposed to occupational lead. The children were the study sampling unit and the family a subunit. An embedded single case explanatory design was appropriate. Data were collected from exposure surveys, environmental and blood specimens, and review of medical records. Pattern-matching and explanation-building techniques were used to analyze data. The study illustrated how extreme poverty, lack of access to health services, social isolation, language and legal barriers, and hazardous occupations may be singularly common risk factors for Hispanic children on the US-Mexico border. The study is pertinent to public health nurses who work with this population.

Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is currently prescribed for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis at the dose of 100 IU antiXa/kg twice daily or at a dose of 175 IU antiXa/kg once daily with a similar efficacy. We decided to study the chrono-pharmacology of curative dose of LMWH once daily administrated according to the one previously described with unfractionated heparin (UFH). Ten healthy volunteers participated in an open three-period crossover study according to three 24 h cycles, separated by a wash-out interval lasting 7 days: one control cycle without injection, two cycles with subcutaneous injection of 200 IU antiXa/kg of Dalteparin (Fragmin) at 8 a.m. or at 8 p.m. Parameters of heparin activity were analysed as maximal values and area under the curve. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT) and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) were higher after 8 p.m. injection than after 8 a.m. injection (p < 0.05) while no chrono-pharmacological variation of anti factor Xa (AXa) activity was observed. Thus the biological anticoagulant effect of 200 IU antiXa/kg of Dalteparin seems to be higher after an evening injection than after a morning injection. A chrono-therapeutic approach with LMWH, as prescribed once daily, deserves further investigation since our results suggest that a preferential injection time may optimise the clinical efficacy of these LMWH.

Oxygen consumption glucose oxidation via the hexose monophosphate shunt, and superoxide production by resting and stimulated leukocytes derived from rabbit blood and from experimental rabbit wounds five to seventeen days old were measured and compared. In vitro killing of staphylococci by blood and wound leukocytes was also measured. In all of these studies there were no significant functional differences between blood and wound cells. The data presented suggest that under the same in vitro conditions, blood and wound leukocytes are functionally equivalent, that tissue mobilization does not cause alteration of wound leukocytes, and that aging of the wound does not impair the microbicidal capacity of wound leukocytes.

95 pleural effusions of different etiology were studied. 25 were transudate, 22 neoplastic, 28 caused by tuberculosis, and 20 miscellaneous. The Light parameters (pleural protein/plasma) (Prot LP/P), Pleural LDH (LDH LP) and LDH pleural/plasma quotient (LDH LP/P) were determined and compared with the efficacy of pleural cholesterol (Chol LP) and pleural cholesterol/plasma quotient (Chol LP/P) to differentiate the transudate from pleural exudate. With Prot LP/P quotient the sensitivity was of 85% and the specificity 91.6%; with LDH LP the sensitivity was of 74.6% and the specificity 97.6%. With the LDH LP/P quotient the sensitivity was of 89% and the specificity 87.8%. The sensitivity of each parameter was similar to that obtained by Light but less specific. All the transudates had levels of chol LP lower than 55 mq/dl (100% specificity) with a sensitivity of 84%. The Chol LP/P quotient had a limit of 0.3, this being its sensitivity of 91.3% and 93.1% its specificity. The presence of both parameters were necessary to the classification and the sensitivity obtained being of 80.3% and the specificity 100%. We concluded that the determinations of Chol LP and the Chol LP/P quotient are of great advantage in differentiating the pleural transudate from pleural exudate and the predictive value is, at least, similar to that obtained by Light.

The rate of DNA synthesis by human lymphocytes was studied in vitro by measuring unstimulated thymidine-2-14C incorporation (spontaneous lymphocyte blastogenesis; SLB). Freezing lymphocytes and extracting DNA after thawing did not alter the radioactive label count rate and was as efficient as extracting DNA immediately after culture. Omission of fetal calf serum also did not alter the rate of DNA synthesis. Standards established as optimal for studies of SLB were: cell concentration, 1.0 times 10(6)/ml/tube; 14C-TdR concentration, 0.4 mjCi/tube; duration of incubation, 8 hr. In sets of identical samples obtained by specimen division, the variation in counts was 6%. To achieve reproducibility of results; it was essential to count the lymphocytes, and then to ensure that each tube contained almost precisely known numbers of cells. Diurnal variations in the rate of DNA synthesis by circulating lymphocytes of healthy men were measured in vitro by SLB at 2-hr intervals for 24 hr. Leukocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma cortisol, and body temperature were monitored concurrently. The DNA synthesis rate varied in a 24-hr cycle with peaks at 10 A.M. and 11:00 P.M.., depressions at 4 A.M. and 4 P.M. The rate was correlated with body temperature and hematocrit level, and inversely related to the absolute eosinophil count.