The impact of lignin downregulation on alfalfa yield, chemical composition, and in vitro gas production.

Background: Lignin is a complex, phenolic polymer found in plant cell walls that is essential for mechanical support, water and mineral transport, and defense in vascular plants. Over ten different enzymes play a role in the synthesis of lignin in plants. Suppression of any one enzyme or combinations of these enzymes may change the concentration and composition of lignin in the genetically transformed plants.

Planning for life after orthopaedics.

The word retirement is going out of fashion. Many orthopaedic surgeons want to work in some capacity when they stop performing surgery. Making a smooth transition from a busy orthopaedic practice to alternative work demands advanced planning.

Self-generated persuasion: effects of the target and direction of arguments.

Previous research has revealed that self-persuasion can occur either through role-playing (i.e., when arguments are generated to convince another person) or, more directly, through trying to convince oneself (i.

Enhancing alfalfa conversion efficiencies for sugar recovery and ethanol production by altering lignin composition.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) biomass was evaluated for biochemical conversion into ethanol using dilute-acid and ammonia pretreatments. The two alfalfa lines compared were a reduced S-lignin transgenic cultivar generated through down regulation of the caffeic acid O-methyltransferase gene and a wild-type control.