Green flowers need yellow to get noticed in a green world.

Background And Aims: Flower colour is a key feature in plant-pollinator interactions that make the flowers visible amid the surrounding green vegetation. Green flowers are expected to be scarcely conspicuous to pollinators; however, many of them are visited by pollinators even in the absence of other traits that might attract pollinators (e.g.

Genomic-Guided Conservation Actions to Restore the Most Endangered Conifer in the Mediterranean Basin.

Species with extremely small population sizes are critically endangered because of reduced genetic diversity, increased inbreeding and hybridisation threats. Genomic tools significantly advance conservation by revealing genetic insights into endangered species, notably in monitoring frameworks. Sicilian fir (Abies nebrodensis) is the most endangered conifer in Europe with only 30 adult trees in an 84-ha area.

Postoperative drift and dose-response of strabismus surgery in thyroid eye disease: predicting desired outcomes with intraoperative adjustable sutures.

Objective: To report outcomes of strabismus surgery in thyroid eye disease using intraoperative bow-knot adjustable sutures under topical anaesthesia and calculate prediction models for surgical correction and postoperative drift depending on surgical dose-response.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients operated on from 2016 to 2021. A satisfactory outcome was defined as no diplopia with maintenance of vertical (<5 PD) and horizontal (<10 PD) stable alignment at primary gaze.

UV radiation increases phenolic compound protection but decreases reproduction in Silene littorea.

Plants respond to changes in ultraviolet (UV) radiation both morphologically and physiologically. Among the variety of plant UV-responses, the synthesis of UV-absorbing flavonoids constitutes an effective non-enzymatic mechanism to mitigate photoinhibitory and photooxidative damage caused by UV stress, either reducing the penetration of incident UV radiation or acting as quenchers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we designed a UV-exclusion experiment to investigate the effects of UV radiation in Silene littorea.

Genome skimming and microsatellite analysis reveal contrasting patterns of genetic diversity in a rare sandhill endemic (Erysimum teretifolium, Brassicaceae).

Barriers between islands often inhibit gene flow creating patterns of isolation by distance. In island species, the majority of genetic diversity should be distributed among isolated populations. However, a self-incompatible mating system leads to higher genetic variation within populations and very little between-population subdivision.

Whole Plastome Sequencing Within Section Reveals Mainland Hybridization and Divergence With the Balearic Island Populations.

Reconstructing the phylogenetic relationships within Caryophyllaceae tribe Sileneae has been obscured by hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. is the largest genus in the Caryophyllaceae, and unraveling its evolutionary history has been particularly challenging. In order to infer the phylogenetic relationships among the five species in section , we have performed a genome skimming approach to acquire the complete plastid genome (cpDNA), nuclear ribosomal cistron (nrDNA), and partial mitochondrial genome (mtDNA).

Stability of petal color polymorphism: the significance of anthocyanin accumulation in photosynthetic tissues.

Background: Anthocyanins are the primary source of colour in flowers and also accumulate in vegetative tissues, where they have multiple protective roles traditionally attributed to early compounds of the metabolic pathway (flavonols, flavones, etc.). Petal-specific loss of anthocyanins in petals allows plants to escape from the negative pleiotropic effects of flavonoid and anthocyanins loss in vegetative organs, where they perform a plethora of essential functions.

Digital photography provides a fast, reliable, and noninvasive method to estimate anthocyanin pigment concentration in reproductive and vegetative plant tissues.

Anthocyanin pigments have become a model trait for evolutionary ecology as they often provide adaptive benefits for plants. Anthocyanins have been traditionally quantified biochemically or more recently using spectral reflectance. However, both methods require destructive sampling and can be labor intensive and challenging with small samples.

[Experience with third, fourth and fifth kidney transplants and their complications.].

Objectives: Kidney transplant may be a good choice to treat chronic renal failure even in patients with two or more previous renal grafts. However, there might be several surgical complications and other difficulties we have to deal with. The aim of this report is to analyze the third, fourth and fifth transplants performed in our center focusing on the surgical complications and graft and patient survivals.

Transcriptome and Biochemical Analysis of a Flower Color Polymorphism in Silene littorea (Caryophyllaceae).

Flower color polymorphisms are widely used as model traits from genetics to ecology, yet determining the biochemical and molecular basis can be challenging. Anthocyanin-based flower color variations can be caused by at least 12 structural and three regulatory genes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway (ABP). We use mRNA-Seq to simultaneously sequence and estimate expression of these candidate genes in nine samples of Silene littorea representing three color morphs (dark pink, light pink and white) across three developmental stages in hopes of identifying the cause of flower color variation.

On flavonoid accumulation in different plant parts: variation patterns among individuals and populations in the shore campion (Silene littorea).

The presence of anthocyanins in flowers and fruits is frequently attributed to attracting pollinators and dispersers. In vegetative organs, anthocyanins and other non-pigmented flavonoids such as flavones and flavonols may serve protective functions against UV radiation, cold, heat, drought, salinity, pathogens, and herbivores; thus, these compounds are usually produced as a plastic response to such stressors. Although, the independent accumulation of anthocyanins in reproductive and vegetative tissues is commonly postulated due to differential regulation, the accumulation of flavonoids within and among populations has never been thoroughly compared.

Microencapsulation of H. pluvialis oleoresins with different fatty acid composition: Kinetic stability of astaxanthin and alpha-tocopherol.

Haematococcus pluvialis is a natural source of astaxanthin (AX). However, AX loses its natural protection when extracted from this microalga. In this study, a supercritical fluid extract (SFE) of H.

Night life on the beach: selfing to avoid pollinator competition between two sympatric Silene species.

Background And Aims: Evolution of autonomous selfing may be advantageous because it allows for reproductive assurance. In co-flowering plants competing for pollinators, the least common and/or attractive could suffer pollen limitations. Silene niceensis and S.

Changes in liver stiffness in patients with chronic hepatitis C with and without HIV co-infection treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin.

Objectives: To evaluate the changes in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) in patients infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV) under pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) plus ribavirin therapy.

Methods: One hundred and forty-three HCV-infected patients, of whom 97 (68%) were also carrying HIV, who started treatment with Peg-IFN/ribavirin were included in this prospective cohort study. The outcome variable of the study was the change in LSM between baseline and the scheduled date for evaluating sustained virological response (SVR).

Natural history of compensated hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis in HIV-infected patients.

Objective: To provide information about the incidence and predictors of liver decompensation and death due to liver failure in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with compensated hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of 154 HIV-HCV-coinfected patients with a new diagnosis of Child-Pugh-Turcotte (CPT) class A compensated cirrhosis. We evaluated time from diagnosis to the first liver decompensation and death from liver disease, as well as predictors of these outcomes.

Overestimation of liver fibrosis staging using transient elastography in patients with chronic hepatitis C and significant liver inflammation.

Background: Transient elastography (TE) is a non-invasive method that allows liver fibrosis staging on the basis of hepatic stiffness measurements. Little is known about the influence of chronic liver inflammation on the stiffness of hepatic tissue.

Methods: A total of 112 patients with chronic hepatitis C underwent a liver biopsy and TE.

Insulin resistance is not a relevant predictor of sustained virological response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.

Background/aims: To evaluate the possible influence of baseline insulin resistance in sustained virological response.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-five consecutive individuals from a multicentric cohort of HIV/HCV co-infected patients who underwent therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin were included. The main outcome variable was sustained virological response, defined as undetectable plasma HCV RNA at week 24 after the end of the therapy.

Changes in liver-related hospital admissions and hospital mortality among HIV-infected patients (1998 to 2005).

Liver-related disease has increased as a cause of hospitalization and in-hospital death in HIV-infected patients since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Better clinical management of these diseases may contribute to decreasing their incidence. Admissions due to liver-related disease in HIV-infected patients in our institution increased from 2.

Baseline serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels predict response to hepatitis C virus therapy in HIV/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients.

Background: High levels of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are associated with better response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin in hepatitis C virus monoinfected patients. There are no data concerning this topic in HIV/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients in whom lipid disorders are particularly common.

Objective: To assess the association between baseline lipid levels and sustained virologic response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin in coinfected patients.

Clinical progression of hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Unlabelled: Little is known about the natural history of liver disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected subjects under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The objectives of this study were to obtain information about the mortality, the incidence of hepatic decompensations, and the predictors thereof in this population. In a multicenter cohort study, the time to the first hepatic decompensation and the survival of 1,011 antiretroviral naïve, HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who started HAART and who were followed prospectively were analyzed.

Low-level liver enzyme elevations during HAART are not associated with liver fibrosis progression among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.

Objectives: To assess the association between non-severe liver enzyme elevations (LEEs) during antiretroviral treatment and liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.

Methods: All co-infected patients from an Infectious Disease Unit who had received treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 12 months before undergoing a liver biopsy were included in the study.

Results: One-hundred and sixteen patients met the inclusion criteria of the study.

Supercritical CO2 extraction of oilseeds: review of kinetic and equilibrium models.

Mass transfer models on supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of vegetable oils are reviewed, that may facilitate the scale-up of laboratory data for industrial design purposes. Reviewed mechanisms of oil transport within the solid matrix include the desorption from the solid, the formation of a shrinking core of condensed oil in a non-adsorbing porous matrix, and diffusion in a homogenous medium. Analyzed simplificat ions of a general mass transfer model include external control of mass transfer rates, internal control of mass transfer rates, consideration of a linear driving force, and steady state approximations, among others.