Optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) represents a novel technique for the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.

Background/objectives: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory vascular disease in which prompt and accurate diagnosis is critical. The efficacy of temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is limited by 'skip' lesions and a delay in histological analysis. This first-in-man ex-vivo study aims to assess the accuracy of optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) in diagnosing GCA.

Sustaining yield and nutritional quality of peanuts in harsh environments: Physiological and molecular basis of drought and heat stress tolerance.

Climate change is significantly impacting agricultural production worldwide. Peanuts provide food and nutritional security to millions of people across the globe because of its high nutritive values. Drought and heat stress alone or in combination cause substantial yield losses to peanut production.

Removal of redox-sensitive Rubisco Activase does not alter Rubisco regulation in soybean.

Rubisco activase (Rca) facilitates the catalytic repair of Rubisco, the CO-fixing enzyme of photosynthesis, following periods of darkness, low to high light transitions or stress. Removal of the redox-regulated isoform of Rubisco activase, Rca-α, enhances photosynthetic induction in Arabidopsis and has been suggested as a strategy for the improvement of crops, which may experience frequent light transitions in the field; however, this has never been tested in a crop species. Therefore, we used RNAi to reduce the Rca-α content of soybean (Glycine max cv.

Base Editing in Peanut Using CRISPR/nCas9.

Peanut ( L.), an allotetraploid legume of the Fabaceae family, is able to thrive in tropical and subtropical regions and is considered as a promising oil seed crop worldwide. Increasing the content of oleic acid has become one of the major goals in peanut breeding because of health benefits such as reduced blood cholesterol level, antioxidant properties and industrial benefits such as longer shelf life.

CRISPR/Cas9 Based Site-Specific Modification of FAD2 -Regulatory Motifs in Peanut ().

Peanut ( L.) seed is a rich source of edible oil, comprised primarily of monounsaturated oleic acid and polyunsaturated linoleic acid, accounting for 80% of its fatty acid repertoire. The conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid, catalyzed by Fatty Acid Desaturase 2 (FAD2) enzymes, is an important regulatory point linked to improved abiotic stress responses while the ratio of these components is a significant determinant of commercial oil quality.

Co-targeting strategy for precise, scarless gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 and donor ssODNs in Chlamydomonas.

Programmable site-specific nucleases, such as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), have allowed creation of valuable knockout mutations and targeted gene modifications in Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). However, in walled strains, present methods for editing genes lacking a selectable phenotype involve co-transfection of RNPs and exogenous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) encoding a selectable marker gene. Repair of the dsDNA breaks induced by the RNPs is usually accompanied by genomic insertion of exogenous dsDNA fragments, hindering the recovery of precise, scarless mutations in target genes of interest.

Modulation of Macrophage Function by -Conditioned Medium.

Probiotics are used as microbial food supplements for health and well-being. They are thought to have immunomodulatory effects although their exact physiological mechanism of action is not clear. This study investigated the influence of probiotic GG conditioned media (LGG-CM) on macrophage phagocytosis of non-pathogenic HfrC.

Arabidopsis plants expressing only the redox-regulated Rca-α isoform have constrained photosynthesis and plant growth.

Rubisco activase (Rca) facilitates the release of sugar-phosphate inhibitors from the active sites of Rubisco and thereby plays a central role in initiating and sustaining Rubisco activation. In Arabidopsis, alternative splicing of a single Rca gene results in two Rca isoforms, Rca-α and Rca-β. Redox modulation of Rca-α regulates the function of Rca-α and Rca-β acting together to control Rubisco activation.

Potential for a biopesticide bait to control black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Background: Yersinia entomophaga is an entomopathogenic bacterium that is active against scarab beetles, among other insects. In New Zealand, the African black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is a major pest of pastures and arable crops but very few control options exist and no insecticides are registered for use in established pastures.

Results: In laboratory bioassays, H.

High-frequency random DNA insertions upon co-delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein and selectable marker plasmid in rice.

An important advantage of delivering CRISPR reagents into cells as a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex is the ability to edit genes without reagents being integrated into the genome. Transient presence of RNP molecules in cells can reduce undesirable off-target effects. One method for RNP delivery into plant cells is the use of a biolistic gun.

Development of a Yersinia entomophaga bait for control of larvae of the porina moth (Wiseana spp.), a pest of New Zealand improved grassland systems.

Background: Porina is the common name for moths and larvae of the genus Wiseana (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), some of which are significant pasture pests in New Zealand. Because of environmental concerns and the non-target effects of insecticide control measures, biological alternatives for the control of insect pests such as porina are required.

Results: Using a food preference assay and time-lapse photography, a range of low-cost food ingredients were assessed for their palatability to porina larvae.

GG conditioned media modulates acute reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in J774 murine macrophages.

Phagocytes such as macrophages are capable of detecting and killing pathogenic bacteria by producing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Formation of free radicals in macrophages may be regulated by probiotics or by factors released by probiotics but yet to be identified. Thus, studies were carried out to determine whether cell-free conditioned medium obtained from cultures of GG (LGG-CM) regulate production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or nitric oxide (NO) in macrophages.

A quick guide to CRISPR sgRNA design tools.

Targeted genome editing is now possible in nearly any organism and is widely acknowledged as a biotech game-changer. Among available gene editing techniques, the CRISPR-Cas9 system is the current favorite because it has been shown to work in many species, does not necessarily result in the addition of foreign DNA at the target site, and follows a set of simple design rules for target selection. Use of the CRISPR-Cas9 system is facilitated by the availability of an array of CRISPR design tools that vary in design specifications and parameter choices, available genomes, graphical visualization, and downstream analysis functionality.

Case report: a diagnostically challenging conjunctival mass caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.

We present a paediatric case of infectious mononucleosis in a 13-year old, manifesting with follicular conjunctivitis and a conjunctival mass in one eye with no evidence of leucocytosis on the blood count. The diagnosis was confirmed following surgical excision and biopsy. The case represented a diagnostic challenge due to its atypism and given the steady increase in the prevalence of EBV-related ocular diseases in the last years, this report can serve as an example to prompt earlier serological tests to identify the aetiology in similar cases.

Bromination of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter following Full Scale Electrochemical Ballast Water Disinfection.

An extensively diverse array of brominated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were generated following electrochemical disinfection of natural coastal/estuarine water, which is one of the main treatment methods currently under consideration for ballast water treatment. Ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed 462 distinct brominated DBPs at a relative abundance in the mass spectra of more than 1%. A brominated DBP with a relative abundance of almost 22% was identified as 2,2,4-tribromo-5-hydroxy-4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione, which is an analogue to several previously described 2,2,4-trihalo-5-hydroxy-4-cyclopentene-1,3-diones in drinking water.

Expression activation and functional analysis of HLA3, a putative inorganic carbon transporter in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM) is a key component of the carbon assimilation strategy of aquatic microalgae. Induced by limiting CO2 and tightly regulated, the CCM enables these microalgae to respond rapidly to varying environmental CO2 supplies and to perform photosynthetic CO2 assimilation in a cost-effective way. A functional CCM in eukaryotic algae requires Rubisco sequestration, rapid interconversion between CO2 and HCO3(-) catalyzed by carbonic anhydrases (CAs), and active inorganic carbon (Ci) uptake.

TALEN-mediated genome editing: prospects and perspectives.

Genome editing is the practice of making predetermined and precise changes to a genome by controlling the location of DNA DSBs (double-strand breaks) and manipulating the cell's repair mechanisms. This technology results from harnessing natural processes that have taken decades and multiple lines of inquiry to understand. Through many false starts and iterative technology advances, the goal of genome editing is just now falling under the control of human hands as a routine and broadly applicable method.

High-throughput fluorescence-activated cell sorting for lipid hyperaccumulating Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutants.

The genetically tractable microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has many advantages as a model for renewable bioproducts and/or biofuels production. However, one limitation of C. reinhardtii is its relatively low-lipid content compared with some other algal species.

Quantitative measures of damage to subchondral bone are associated with functional outcome following treatment of displaced acetabular fractures.

Current analysis of displaced acetabular fractures is limited in its ability to predict functional outcome. This study aimed to (1) quantify initial acetabular damage following acetabular fracture through measurement of subchondral bone density and fracture lines, and (2) evaluate associations between acetabular damage and functional outcomes following fracture. Subchondral bone intensity maps were created for 24 patients with unilateral acetabular fractures.

A comparison of stereology, structural rigidity and a novel 3D failure surface analysis method in the assessment of torsional strength and stiffness in a mouse tibia fracture model.

In attempting to develop non-invasive image based measures for the determination of the biomechanical integrity of healing fractures, traditional μCT based measurements have been limited. This study presents the development and evaluation of a tool for assessment of fracture callus mechanical properties through determination of the geometric characteristics of the fracture callus, specifically along the surface of failure identified during destructive mechanical testing. Fractures were created in tibias of ten male mice and subjected to μCT imaging and biomechanical torsion testing.

Digital PCR for noninvasive detection of aneuploidy: power analysis equations for feasibility.

Objective: To determine the feasibility of digital PCR analysis for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21.

Methods: Through power equations, we modeled the number of wells necessary to determine the feasibility of digital PCR as a practical method for trisomy 21 risk assessment.

Results: The number of wells needed is a direct correlate of the ability to isolate free fetal DNA.

The value of simultaneous measurements of urinary albumin and total protein in proteinuric patients.

Background: Proteinuria is a common pathological finding in renal disease. Examining the urinary protein electrophoretic pattern gives clues to the site of origin of the protein. We hypothesized that the type of proteinuria, classified by urine protein electrophoresis and immunofixation (uPEI), may be predicted by simply examining the proportion of higher molecular weight protein (e.

Subchondral bone density distribution in the human femoral head.

Objective: This study aims to quantitatively characterize the distribution of subchondral bone density across the human femoral head using a computed tomography derived measurement of bone density and a common reference coordinate system.

Materials And Methods: Femoral head surfaces were created bilaterally for 30 patients (14 males, 16 females, mean age 67.2 years) through semi-automatic segmentation of reconstructed CT data and used to map bone density, by shrinking them into the subchondral bone and averaging the greyscale values (linearly related to bone density) within 5 mm of the articular surface.

Modularly assembled designer TAL effector nucleases for targeted gene knockout and gene replacement in eukaryotes.

Recent studies indicate that the DNA recognition domain of transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors can be combined with the nuclease domain of FokI restriction enzyme to produce TAL effector nucleases (TALENs) that, in pairs, bind adjacent DNA target sites and produce double-strand breaks between the target sequences, stimulating non-homologous end-joining and homologous recombination. Here, we exploit the four prevalent TAL repeats and their DNA recognition cipher to develop a 'modular assembly' method for rapid production of designer TALENs (dTALENs) that recognize unique DNA sequence up to 23 bases in any gene. We have used this approach to engineer 10 dTALENs to target specific loci in native yeast chromosomal genes.