195 research outputs found

    Study of the Distribution of Photoassimilates in Tomato (<i>Lycopersicon esculentum</i> Mill)

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    With the aim of evaluating the distribution of assimilates in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), a trial under greenhouse was carried out with plants in hydroponic solution. The treatments were: H1; H2 and H3: Controls with the first, second and third leaf (among the first and the second truss) supplied with glucose [ C 14 (U) ] respectively H4: Pruning of the third leaf between trusses and the second leaf supplied. The pruning was done 25 days after the anthesis of the first cluster, the leaves were supplied in all treatments. 24 hours later, the plants were fractionated in root, shoot, basal leaves, expanded leaves, non expanded leaves, 1st , 2nd and 3rd trusses and apex. The plant material remained in stove up to constant weight. The samples were digested with OHNa 9N, homogenized, and scintillating solution Bray + cab-o-sil at 5% was added. The activity of the samples were measured in a Beckman LS 100 C liquid scintillation counter. The pruning of the third leaf modified the pattern distribution of assimilates in the plant. The group of clusters were the most important sinks in all treatments, reaching the highest value in H4 (70%). The stem was an important sink in all treatments. The highest contribution to it (30%) was done by the second leaf (H2). The removal of the third leaf increased the amount of assimilates entering the fruits and decreased the amount of glucose entering the stem.Instituto de Fisiología Vegeta

    The impact of chorionicity on pregnancy outcome and neurodevelopment at 2 years old among twins born preterm: the EPIPAGE-2 cohort study

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    OBJECTIVE To compare the short‐ and mid‐term outcomes of preterm twins by chorionicity of pregnancy. DESIGN Prospective nationwide population‐based EPIPAGE‐2 cohort study. SETTING 546 maternity units in France, between March and December 2011. POPULATION A total of 1700 twin neonates born between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. METHODS The association of chorionicity with outcomes was analysed using multivariate regression models. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES First, survival at 2‐year corrected age with or without neurosensory impairment, and second, perinatal, short‐, and mid‐term outcomes (survival at discharge, survival at discharge without severe morbidity) were described and compared by chorionicity. RESULTS In the EPIPAGE 2 cohort, 1700 preterm births were included (850 twin pregnancies). In all, 1220 (71.8%) were from dichorionic (DC) pregnancies and 480 from monochorionic (MC) pregnancies. MC pregnancies had three times more medical terminations than DC pregnancies (1.67 versus 0.51%, P < 0.001), whereas there were three times more stillbirths in MC than in DC pregnancies (10.09 versus 3.78%, P < 0.001). Both twins were alive at birth in 86.6% of DC pregnancies compared with 80.0% among MC pregnancies (P = 0.008). No significant difference according to chorionicity was found regarding neonatal deaths and morbidities. Likewise, for children born earlier than 32 weeks, the 2‐year follow‐up neurodevelopmental results were not significantly different between DC and MC twins. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that MC pregnancies have a higher risk of adverse outcomes. However, the outcomes among preterm twins admitted to neonatal intensive care units are similar irrespective of chorionicity

    Study of the Distribution of Photoassimilates in Tomato (<i>Lycopersicon esculentum</i> Mill)

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    With the aim of evaluating the distribution of assimilates in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), a trial under greenhouse was carried out with plants in hydroponic solution. The treatments were: H1; H2 and H3: Controls with the first, second and third leaf (among the first and the second truss) supplied with glucose [ C 14 (U) ] respectively H4: Pruning of the third leaf between trusses and the second leaf supplied. The pruning was done 25 days after the anthesis of the first cluster, the leaves were supplied in all treatments. 24 hours later, the plants were fractionated in root, shoot, basal leaves, expanded leaves, non expanded leaves, 1st , 2nd and 3rd trusses and apex. The plant material remained in stove up to constant weight. The samples were digested with OHNa 9N, homogenized, and scintillating solution Bray + cab-o-sil at 5% was added. The activity of the samples were measured in a Beckman LS 100 C liquid scintillation counter. The pruning of the third leaf modified the pattern distribution of assimilates in the plant. The group of clusters were the most important sinks in all treatments, reaching the highest value in H4 (70%). The stem was an important sink in all treatments. The highest contribution to it (30%) was done by the second leaf (H2). The removal of the third leaf increased the amount of assimilates entering the fruits and decreased the amount of glucose entering the stem.Instituto de Fisiología Vegeta

    Advanced low grade serous ovarian cancer: A retrospective analysis of surgical and chemotherapeutic management in two high volume oncological centers

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    Background: Low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) is a rare entity with different behavior compared to high-grade serous (HGSOC). Because of its general low chemosensitivity, complete cytoreductive surgery with no residual disease is crucial in advanced stage LGSOC. We evaluated the impact of optimal cytoreduction on survival outcome both at first diagnosis and at recurrence. Methods: We retrospectively studied consecutive patients diagnosed with advanced LGSOCs who underwent cytoreductive surgery in two oncological centers from January 1994 to December 2018. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method, and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated using the Greenwood formula. Results: A total of 92 patients were included (median age was 47 years, IQR 35–64). The median overall survival (OS) was 142.3 months in patients with no residual disease (RD), 86.4 months for RD 1–10 mm and 35.2 months for RD &gt;10 mm (p = 0.002). Progression-free survival (PFS) was inversely related to RD after primary cytoreductive surgery (RD = 0 vs RD = 1–10 mm vs RD &gt;10 mm, p = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, RD 1–10 mm (HR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.30–4.06, p = 0.004), RD &gt;10 mm (HR = 3.89, 95% CI 1.92–7.88, p = 0.0004), FIGO stage IV (p = 0.001), and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) (p = 0.010) were independent predictors of PFS. RD &gt;10 mm (HR = 3.13, 95% CI 1.52–6.46, p = 0.004), FIGO stage IV (p &lt;0.0001) and NACT (p = 0.030) were significantly associated with a lower OS. Conclusions: Optimal cytoreductive surgery improves survival outcomes in advanced stage LGSOCs. When complete debulking is impossible, a RD &lt;10 mm confers better OS compared to an RD &gt;10 mm in this setting of patients

    Human Cytomegalovirus UL18 Utilizes US6 for Evading the NK and T-Cell Responses

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    Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) US6 glycoprotein inhibits TAP function, resulting in down-regulation of MHC class I molecules at the cell surface. Cells lacking MHC class I molecules are susceptible to NK cell lysis. HCMV expresses UL18, a MHC class I homolog that functions as a surrogate to prevent host cell lysis. Despite a high level of sequence and structural homology between UL18 and MHC class I molecules, surface expression of MHC class I, but not UL18, is down regulated by US6. Here, we describe a mechanism of action by which HCMV UL18 avoids attack by the self-derived TAP inhibitor US6. UL18 abrogates US6 inhibition of ATP binding by TAP and, thereby, restores TAP-mediated peptide translocation. In addition, UL18 together with US6 interferes with the physical association between MHC class I molecules and TAP that is required for optimal peptide loading. Thus, regardless of the recovery of TAP function, surface expression of MHC class I molecules remains decreased. UL18 represents a unique immune evasion protein that has evolved to evade both the NK and the T cell immune responses

    Impaired access of lymphocytes to neoplastic prostate tissue is associated with neoangiogenesis in the tumour site

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    Recent reports demonstrated that neovasculature of certain murine tumours inhibits migration of lymphocytes to malignant tissues. We examined the possible existence of this phenomenon in human prostate adenocarcinoma by relating extent, patterns and composition of leucocyte infiltrates in adenocarinoma specimens (N=28) to microvessel density and percentages of these vessels expressing adhesion molecules CD54, CD106 and CD62E. Specimens of nodular hyperplasia (N=30) were used as a control for nonmalignant prostate. Increased microvessel density was detected in foci of adenocarcinoma, as compared with adjacent benign areas (P=0.004) or hyperplastic specimens (P=0.001). Only CD54 was detected on prostate vasculature; percentages of CD54-expressing vessels in adenocarcinoma lesions and adjacent areas were higher than in hyperplasia (P=0.041 and P=0.014, respectively). Infiltrating leucocytes were either scattered diffusely in tissue or organised into clusters mainly composed of CD4-positive lymphocytes; smaller percentage of tissue was occupied by clustered infiltrates in adenocarcinoma foci (mean=0.7; median=0; range=0–5) than in adjacent tissue (mean=2.5; median=1; range=0–15; P=.021) and hyperplasia (mean=1.9; median=2; range=0–5; P=.006). In adenocarcinoma foci, microvessel density tended to negatively correlate with percentage of tissue occupied by an overall leucocyte infiltrate (mean=8.6; median=7.5; range=30) and negatively correlated with percentage of tissue occupied by clustered infiltrate (P=0.045). Percentage of CD54-expressing vessels positively correlated with percentage of tissue occupied by an overall (mean=12; median=10; range=30; P=0.01) and clustered (P=0.023) infiltrate in hyperplasia, whereas in carcinoma-adjacent benign areas, correlation was detected only for clustered infiltrates (P=0.02). The results indicate that impaired access of lymphocytes to malignant lesions is associated with increased numbers of newly formed blood vessels, whereas vascular CD54 likely contributes to extravasation of lymphocytes only in benign prostate tissue
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