Williamsgauthier4014
The structure of plant communities, which is based on species abundance ratios, is closely linked to ecosystem functionality. Seed germination niche plays a major role in shaping plant communities, although it has often been neglected when explaining species coexistence. The aim of this work is to link the seed germination niche to community ecology, investigating how functional seed traits contribute to species coexistence.
Species selection was based on a database of 504 vegetation surveys from the Veneto coast (Italy). Through cluster analysis we identified the foredune community and selected all of its 19 plant species. By using the 'Phi coefficient' and frequency values, species were pooled in different categories (foundation species, accidental species of the semi-fixed dune and aliens), then the 19 species were grouped according to their germination responses to temperature and photoperiod through cluster analyses. For each germination cluster, we investigated germination trends against temperatureecosystem functioning), and hence potentially altering the plant community structure.
Our research suggests that different categories of species have dissimilar seed germination niches, which contributes to explaining their coexistence. Climatic events, such as rising temperature, could alter germination patterns, favouring seed regeneration of certain categories (i.e. alien and semi-fixed dune species) at the expense of others (i.e. foundation species, pivotal to ecosystem functioning), and hence potentially altering the plant community structure.
Pre-existing antibodies to influenza, shaped by early infection and subsequent exposures, may impact responses to influenza vaccination.
We enrolled 72 children (7-17 years) in 2015-16, all received inactivated influenza vaccines. Forty-one were also vaccinated in 2014-15 with 12 became infected with A(H3N2) in 2014-15. selleck chemicals llc Thirty-one children did not have documented influenza exposures in the prior 5 seasons. Sera were collected pre- and post-vaccination in both seasons. We constructed antibody landscapes using hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers against 16 A(H3N2) viruses representative of major antigenic clusters that circulated between 1968 and 2015.
The breadth of the antibody landscapes increased with age. Vaccine-induced antibody responses correlated with boosting of titers to previously encountered antigens. Post-vaccination titers were highest against vaccine antigens rather than the historic A(H3N2) viruses previously encountered. Pre-vaccination titers to the vaccine were the strongest predictors of post-vaccination titers. Responses to vaccine antigens did not differ by likely priming virus. Influenza A(H3N2) infected children in 2014-15 had narrower antibody landscapes than those uninfected, but prior season infection status had little effect on antibody landscapes following 2015-16 vaccination.
A(H3N2) antibody landscapes in children were largely determined by age-related immune priming, rather than recent vaccination or infection.
A(H3N2) antibody landscapes in children were largely determined by age-related immune priming, rather than recent vaccination or infection.A novel approach for treatment of enterovirus infections was characterized. Application of treatment course of consecutive alternating administration (CAA) of triple combination of enterovirus replication inhibitors in experimental infections (20 MLD50) with coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) strains in newborn mice is presented. It was established that in infection with cardiotropic Woodruff strain the combination of pleconaril, МDL-860 and oxoglaucine (PMO) subjected to the CAA scheme, a significant protective effect was observed. Monotherapeutic courses as well as simultaneously daily applied PMO were without effect. Analogous data were observed at experimental infection with the neurotriopic Nancy strain of CVB3. Following IC50 values of virus samples taken every day from target organs of infected animals during the whole period of study, a drug-resistance was established in monotherapy with compounds-partners in the PMO combination. At courses by the treatment scheme CAA of PMO development of drug-resistance was not established, but an increased susceptibility to the effect of the inhibitor-components in the combination was proven. Toxicity of PMO applied via the CAA scheme and in the monotherapeutic courses in both healthy and CVB3 infected animals was recorded. All data obtained prove the potential of the CAA treatment scheme for development of effective chemotherapy of enterovirus infections.
Oat (Avena sativa) has human health benefits when consumed as a whole-grain food, attributed to the high content of (1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucan (mixed-linkage glucan [MLG]), but little is known about the synthase genes and synthesis mechanism of MLG polysaccharides in this species.
The concentration of oat MLGs under different light intensities was measured by a standard enzymatic approach and further verified by immunoelectron microscopy. The effect of light intensity on MLG synthase genes was examined by RT-qPCR and western blot analyses. The pattern of expression directed by the promoter of the oat MLG synthase gene was also investigated by histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) analysis.
The oat orthologues of genes implicated in the synthesis of MLG in other cereals, including cellulose synthase-like (Csl) F, H and J gene families, were defined. Transcript profiling of these genes across oat tissues indicated that AsCslF6 transcripts dominated. Under high light intensities, the expression of AsCslF6, a major isoform of the MLG synthase genes, increased to >30 % of the dark growth control. The amount of MLG in oat rose from 0.07 to 1.06 % with increased light intensity. Histochemical tests showed that the AsCslF6 gene promoter preferentially directs GUS expression under high light intensity conditions.
Oat MLG synthesis is regulated by light. High light intensity upregulates the expression of the MLG synthase AsCslF6 gene, leading to an increase in the amount of MLG in oat leaves.
Oat MLG synthesis is regulated by light. High light intensity upregulates the expression of the MLG synthase AsCslF6 gene, leading to an increase in the amount of MLG in oat leaves.
