hippocampal-neuronal-cultures-to-detect-study-new-pathogenic

Hippocampal Neuronal Cultures to Detect and Study New Pathogenic Antibodies Involved in Autoimmune Encephalitis

Over the last 15 years, a new category of antibody-mediated diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) has been characterized and is now defined as ...

calcium-imaging-in-electrically-stimulated-flat-mounted-retinas

Calcium Imaging In Electrically Stimulated Flat-Mounted Retinas

Retinal dystrophies are a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Extensive efforts are underway to develop advanced retinal prostheses that can bypass the ...

The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology

Non-centrosymmetric polar compounds have important technological properties. Reported perovskite oxynitrides show centrosymmetric structures, and for some of them high permittivities have been observed and ascribed to local dipoles induced by partial order of nitride and oxide. Reported here is the first hexagonal perovskite oxynitride BaWON , which shows a polar 6H polytype. Synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, and annular bright-field in scanning transmission electron microscopy indicate that it crystalizes in the non-centrosymmetric space group P6 mc, with a total order of nitride and oxide at two distinct coordination environments in cubic and hexagonal packed BaX layers. A synergetic second-order Jahn-Teller effect, supported by first principle calculations, anion order, and electrostatic repulsions between W cations, induce large distortions at two inequivalent face-sharing octahedra that lead to long-range ordered dipoles and spontaneous polarization along the c axis. The new oxynitride is a semiconductor with a band gap of 1.1 eV and a large permittivity.

Engineering Polar Oxynitrides: Hexagonal Perovskite BaWON.

 I-1582 is approved in Europe for the management of  on vegetable crops. However, little information about its modes of action and temperature requirements is available, despite the effect of these parameters in its efficacy. The cardinal temperatures for bacterial growth and biofilm formation were determined. The bacteria was transformed with GFP to study its effect on nematode eggs and root colonization of tomato () and cucumber () by laser-scanning confocal microscopy. Induction of plant resistance was determined in split-root experiments and the dynamic regulation of genes related to jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) by RT-qPCR at three different times after nematode inoculation. The bacteria was able to grow and form biofilms between 15 and 45°C; it degraded egg-shells and colonized eggs; it colonized tomato roots more extensively than cucumber roots; it induced systemic resistance in tomato, but not in cucumber; SA and JA related genes were primed at different times after nematode inoculation in tomato, but only the SA-related gene was up-regulated at 7 days after nematode inoculation in cucumber. In conclusion,  I-1582 is active at a wide range of temperatures; its optimal growth temperature is 35°C; it is able to degrade  eggs, and to colonize plant roots, inducing systemic resistance in a plant dependent species manner.

 Strain I-1582, a Nematode Antagonist by Itself and Through the Plant.

Four rotation sequences consisting of ungrafted tomato cv. Durinta - melon cv. Paloma or tomato grafted onto the resistant rootstock 'Aligator' - melon grafted onto the resistant  accession BGV11135, and in reverse order, were conducted from 2015 to 2017 in a plastic greenhouse infested or not with  to determine the plant tolerance (), the minimum relative crop yield () and fruit quality. The relationship between  densities in soil at transplanting () of each crop and the crop yield was assessed and  and  were estimated by the Seinhorst's damage model. In addition, the volume and the number of nuclei of single giant cells and the number of giant cells, its volume and the number of nuclei per feeding site in susceptible tomato and melon were compared to those in the resistant tomato and  15 days after nematode inoculation in pot test. The relationship between the  and the relative crop yield fitted the Seinhorst's damage model in both ungrafted and grafted tomato and melon, but not for all years and cropping seasons. The estimated  for ungrafted and grafted tomato did not differ but  was lower in the former (34%) than the latter (67%). Sodium concentration in fruits from ungrafted but not from grafted tomato increased with nematode densities in spring 2015 and 2016. The estimated ungrafted melon  did not differ from the grafted melon cultivated in spring, but it did when it was cultivated in summer. The relative crop yield of ungrafted melon was lower (2%) than the grafted cultivated in spring (62%) and summer (20%). Sodium concentration in melon fruits from ungrafted plants increased with nematode densities. No variations in fruit quality from grafted melon cultivated in spring were found, although less dry matter and soluble solid content at highest nematode densities were registered when it was cultivated in summer. Lower number of giant cells per feeding site was observed in both susceptible tomato germplasms compared to the resistant ones but they were more voluminous and held higher number of nuclei per giant cell and per feeding site.

Tomato and Melon  Resistant Rootstocks Improve Crop Yield but Melon Fruit Quality Is Influenced by the Cropping Season.

A rotation sequence of ungrafted and grafted tomato-melon-pepper-watermelon on resistant rootstocks 'Brigeor', , 'Oscos' and , respectively, was carried out in a plastic greenhouse, ending with a susceptible or resistant tomato crop. The rotation was conducted in plots infested by an avirulent (Avi) or a partially virulent (Vi)  population to the  gene. At the beginning of the study, the reproduction index (RI, relative reproduction in the resistant respect susceptible tomato) of Avi and Vi populations was 1.3% and 21.6%, respectively. Soil nematode density at transplanting () and at the end () of each crop, disease severity and crop yield were determined. Moreover, the putative virulence selection and fitness cost were determined at the end of each crop in pot tests. In addition, a histopathological study was carried out 15 days after nematode inoculation in pot test. The volume and number of nuclei per giant cell (GC) and the number of GC, their volume and the number of nuclei per feeding site in susceptible watermelon and pepper were compared with  and resistant pepper. At the beginning of the study, the  of Avi and Vi plots did not differ between susceptible and resistant germplasm. At the end of the rotation, the  of Avi was 1.2 the  in susceptible and 0.06 in resistant, the cumulative yield of grafted crops was 1.82 times higher than that of the ungrafted susceptible ones, and the RI in resistant tomato less than 10% irrespective of the rotation sequence. Concerning the Vi,  was below the detection level at the end of the rotation in resistant and 3 times  in the susceptible. The cumulative yield of grafted crops was 2.83 times higher than that of the ungrafted and the RI in resistant tomato was 7.6%, losing the population's virulence. In the histopathological study, no differences in number of GC per feeding site were observed in watermelon compared to , but they were more voluminous and contained higher number of nuclei per GC and per feeding site. Regarding pepper, Avi population did not penetrate resistant rootstock.

Marina Cunquero

ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques,
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)

The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology

Hippocampal Neuronal Cultures to Detect and Study New Pathogenic Antibodies Involved in Autoimmune Encephalitis

Calcium Imaging In Electrically Stimulated Flat-Mounted Retinas

Marina Cunquero

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques,Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)

The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology

Hippocampal Neuronal Cultures to Detect and Study New Pathogenic Antibodies Involved in Autoimmune Encephalitis

Calcium Imaging In Electrically Stimulated Flat-Mounted Retinas

ICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques,
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)