Distinct guard cell-specific remodeling of chromatin accessibility during abscisic acid- and CO-dependent stomatal regulation.

In plants, epidermal guard cells integrate and respond to numerous environmental signals to control stomatal pore apertures, thereby regulating gas exchange. Chromatin structure controls transcription factor (TF) access to the genome, but whether large-scale chromatin remodeling occurs in guard cells during stomatal movements, and in response to the hormone abscisic acid (ABA) in general, remains unknown. Here, we isolate guard cell nuclei from plants to examine whether the physiological signals, ABA and CO (carbon dioxide), regulate guard cell chromatin during stomatal movements.

Benchmarking the Persistence of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in River Systems.

Assessing the persistence of organic micropollutants from field data has been notoriously laborious, requiring extensive data including emissions and chemical properties, and the application of detailed mass-balance models, which often contain parameters that are impossible to measure. To overcome some of these obstacles, we developed the concept of persistence benchmarking for large rivers that receive numerous emissions and provide enough residence time to observe the dissipation of compounds. We estimated the dissipation rate constants of 41 compounds (mostly active pharmaceutical ingredients) from five measurement campaigns in the Rhine and Danube rivers using concentration rate profiles with respect to carbamazepine.

Distinct guard cell specific remodeling of chromatin accessibility during abscisic acid and CO dependent stomatal regulation.

In plants, epidermal guard cells integrate and respond to numerous environmental signals to control stomatal pore apertures thereby regulating gas exchange. Chromatin structure controls transcription factor access to the genome, but whether large-scale chromatin remodeling occurs in guard cells during stomatal movements, and in response to the hormone abscisic acid (ABA) in general, remain unknown. Here we isolate guard cell nuclei from plants to examine whether the physiological signals, ABA and CO, regulate guard cell chromatin during stomatal movements.

Do biotransformation data from laboratory experiments reflect micropollutant degradation in a large river basin?

Identifying a chemical's potential for biotransformation in the aquatic environment is crucial to predict its fate and manage its potential hazards. Due to the complexity of natural water bodies, especially river networks, biotransformation is often studied in laboratory experiments, assuming that study outcomes can be extrapolated to compound behavior in the field. Here, we investigated to what extent outcomes of laboratory simulation studies indeed reflect biotransformation kinetics observed in riverine systems.

Temporal control of late replication and coordination of origin firing by self-stabilizing Rif1-PP1 hubs in .

In the metazoan S phase, coordinated firing of clusters of origins replicates different parts of the genome in a temporal program. Despite advances, neither the mechanism controlling timing nor that coordinating firing of multiple origins is fully understood. Rif1, an evolutionarily conserved inhibitor of DNA replication, recruits protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and counteracts firing of origins by S-phase kinases.

Plant hormone regulation of abiotic stress responses.

Plant hormones are signalling compounds that regulate crucial aspects of growth, development and environmental stress responses. Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, heat, cold and flooding, have profound effects on plant growth and survival. Adaptation and tolerance to such stresses require sophisticated sensing, signalling and stress response mechanisms.

Biotransformation of Chemicals at the Water-Sediment Interface-Toward a Robust Simulation Study Setup.

Studying aquatic biotransformation of chemicals in laboratory experiments, i.e., OECD 308 and OECD 309 studies, is required by international regulatory frameworks to prevent the release of persistent chemicals into natural water bodies.

Videolaryngoscope-assisted flexible intubation tracheal tube exchange in a patient with a difficult airway.

An 88-year-old woman presented with acute airway obstruction caused by a large retrothyroid bleed following anterior neck trauma. Her airway was secured in the operating theatre with an awake nasal flexible optical bronchoscope tracheal intubation using an Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway tracheal tube. Haemostasis was achieved following surgical ligation and the patient was transferred to the critical care unit.

Occurrence of Urban-Use Pesticides and Management with Enhanced Stormwater Control Measures at the Watershed Scale.

Urban-use pesticides are of increasing concern as they are widely used and have been linked to toxicity of aquatic organisms. To assess the occurrence and treatment of these pesticides in stormwater runoff, an approach combining field sampling and watershed-scale modeling was employed. Stormwater samples were collected at four locations in the lower San Diego River watershed during a storm event and analyzed for fipronil, three of its degradation products, and eight pyrethroids.

Rapid embryonic cell cycles defer the establishment of heterochromatin by Eggless/SetDB1 in .

Acquisition of chromatin modifications during embryogenesis distinguishes different regions of an initially naïve genome. In many organisms, repetitive DNA is packaged into constitutive heterochromatin that is marked by di/trimethylation of histone H3K9 and the associated protein HP1a. These modifications enforce the unique epigenetic properties of heterochromatin.

A trial comparing emergency front of neck airway performance in a novel obese-synthetic neck, meat-modified obese neck and conventional slim manikin.

Conventional emergency front of neck airway training manikins mimic slim patients and are associated with unrealistic procedural ease. We have described previously a pork belly-modified manikin that more realistically simulated an obese patient's neck. In this study, we compared a novel obese-synthetic manikin (obese-synthetic manikin) with a pork belly-modified manikin (obese-meat manikin) and a conventional slim manikin (slim manikin).

Rif1 prolongs the embryonic S phase at the Drosophila mid-blastula transition.

In preparation for dramatic morphogenetic events of gastrulation, rapid embryonic cell cycles slow at the mid-blastula transition (MBT). In Drosophila melanogaster embryos, down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) activity initiates this slowing by delaying replication of heterochromatic satellite sequences and extending S phase. We found that Cdk1 activity inhibited the chromatin association of Rap1 interacting factor 1 (Rif1), a candidate repressor of replication.

Universal videolaryngoscopy: a structured approach to conversion to videolaryngoscopy for all intubations in an anaesthetic and intensive care department.

Background: Videolaryngoscopy (VL) is increasingly used, but not yet routine practice, for tracheal intubation. Few departments formally trial equipment before adopting it into practice. We describe the decision-making and implementation processes that our department used when introducing universal VL, with the C-MAC (Karl Storz, Germany), throughout our anaesthesia and intensive care departments.

Timing the Drosophila Mid-Blastula Transition: A Cell Cycle-Centered View.

At the mid-blastula transition (MBT), externally developing embryos refocus from increasing cell number to elaboration of the body plan. Studies in Drosophila reveal a sequence of changes in regulators of Cyclin:Cdk1 that increasingly restricts the activity of this cell cycle kinase to slow cell cycles during early embryogenesis. By reviewing these events, we provide an outline of the mechanisms slowing the cell cycle at and around the time of MBT.

Ubiquitin ligase trapping identifies an SCF(Saf1) pathway targeting unprocessed vacuolar/lysosomal proteins.

We have developed a technique, called Ubiquitin Ligase Substrate Trapping, for the isolation of ubiquitinated substrates in complex with their ubiquitin ligase (E3). By fusing a ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain to an E3 ligase, we were able to selectively purify the polyubiquitinated forms of E3 substrates. Using ligase traps of eight different F box proteins (SCF specificity factors) coupled with mass spectrometry, we identified known, as well as previously unreported, substrates.

Gcn5 and sirtuins regulate acetylation of the ribosomal protein transcription factor Ifh1.

Background: In eukaryotes, ribosome biosynthesis involves the coordination of ribosomal RNA and ribosomal protein (RP) production. In S. cerevisiae, the regulation of ribosome biosynthesis occurs largely at the level of transcription.

Case report: spontaneous coronary artery dissection during elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.

A 37-year-old woman, otherwise healthy, had an acute myocardial infarction associated with acute left ventricular failure during an elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Emergency coronary catheterisation postoperatively revealed a probable dissection distally in the D1 branch of the left anterior descending artery. We review the recent literature and case reports on spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and discuss its recommended management.

Evaluation of the size 4 i-gel airway in one hundred non-paralysed patients.

We studied the i-gel in 100 elective, anaesthetised patients (55:45 male:female, median age 53 years) assessing: ease of use, airway quality, positioning, seal and complications. First insertion attempt was successful in 86 patients, second attempt in 11 patients, and third attempt in three patients. Fifty three manipulations were required in 26 patients (median 1) to achieve a clear airway.

Case series: Protection from aspiration and failure of protection from aspiration with the i-gel airway.

We present three patients of regurgitation while using the i-gel supraglottic airway in 280 patients. In two patients, the i-gel completely protected the airway from aspiration. In one patient, it did not provide complete protection.

Initiation rites as a perceived stressor for Isixhosa males with schizophrenia.

Although traditional initiation forms a pivotal part of Xhosa culture, it may be a stressful life event for the individual. In this study, 75 Xhosa males diagnosed with schizophrenia were interviewed to examine their perceptions of the role of initiation in the onset and course of their illness. In all, eight patients (10.