It’s Hard to Avoid Avoidance: Uncoupling the Evolutionary Connection between Plant Growth, Productivity and Stress “Tolerance”

Maggio, Albino,Bressan, Ray A.,Zhao, Yang,Park, Junghoon,Yun, Dae-Jin MDPI 2018 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES Vol.19 No.11

<P>In the last 100 years, agricultural developments have favoured selection for highly productive crops, a fact that has been commonly associated with loss of key traits for environmental stress tolerance. We argue here that this is not exactly the case. We reason that high yield under near optimal environments came along with <I>hypersensitization</I> of plant stress perception and consequently <I>early activation</I> of stress avoidance mechanisms, such as slow growth, which were originally needed for survival over long evolutionary time periods. Therefore, mechanisms employed by plants to cope with a stressful environment during evolution were overwhelmingly geared to avoid detrimental effects so as to ensure survival and that plant stress “tolerance” is fundamentally and evolutionarily based on “avoidance” of injury and death which may be referred to as evolutionary avoidance (EVOL-Avoidance). As a consequence, slow growth results from being exposed to stress because genes and genetic programs to adjust growth rates to external circumstances have evolved as a survival but not productivity strategy that has allowed extant plants to avoid extinction. To improve productivity under moderate stressful conditions, the evolution-oriented plant stress response circuits must be changed from a survival mode to a continued productivity mode or to <I>avoid</I> the evolutionary avoidance response, as it were. This may be referred to as Agricultural (AGRI-Avoidance). Clearly, highly productive crops have kept the slow, reduced growth response to stress that they evolved to ensure survival. Breeding programs and genetic engineering have not succeeded to genetically remove these responses because they are polygenic and redundantly programmed. From the beginning of modern plant breeding, we have not fully appreciated that our crop plants react overly-cautiously to stress conditions. They over-reduce growth to be able to survive stresses for a period of time much longer than a cropping season. If we are able to remove this polygenic redundant survival safety net we may improve yield in moderately stressful environments, yet we will face the requirement to replace it with either an emergency slow or no growth (dormancy) response to extreme stress or use resource management to rescue crops under extreme stress (or both).</P>

Novel pharmaceutical treatments for minimal traumatic brain injury and evaluation of animal models and methodologies supporting their development

Deselms, H.,Maggio, N.,Rubovitch, V.,Chapman, J.,Schreiber, S.,Tweedie, D.,Kim, D.S.,Greig, N.H.,Pick, C.G. Elsevier/North-Holland 2016 Journal of neuroscience methods Vol.272 No.-

Background: The need for effective pharmaceuticals within animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) continues to be paramount, as TBI remains the major cause of brain damage for children and young adults. While preventative measures may act to reduce the incidence of initial blunt trauma, well-tolerated drugs are needed to target the neurologically damaging internal cascade of molecular mechanisms that follow. Such processes, known collectively as the secondary injury phase, include inflammation, excitotoxicity, and apoptosis among other changes still subject to research. In this article positive treatment findings to mitigate this secondary injury in rodent TBI models will be overviewed, and include recent studies on Exendin-4, N-Acetyl-l-cycteine, Salubrinal and Thrombin. Conclusions: These studies provide representative examples of methodologies that can be combined with widely available in vivo rodent models to evaluate therapeutic approaches of translational relevance, as well as drug targets and biochemical cascades that may slow or accelerate the degenerative processes induced by TBI. They employ well-characterized tests such as the novel object recognition task for assessing cognitive deficits. The application of such methodologies provides both decision points and a gateway for implementation of further translational studies to establish the feasibility of clinical efficacy of potential therapeutic interventions.

Role and Functional Differences of HKT1-Type Transporters in Plants under Salt Stress

Ali, Akhtar,Maggio, Albino,Bressan, Ray A.,Yun, Dae-Jin MDPI 2019 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES Vol.20 No.5

<P>Abiotic stresses generally cause a series of morphological, biochemical and molecular changes that unfavorably affect plant growth and productivity. Among these stresses, soil salinity is a major threat that can seriously impair crop yield. To cope with the effects of high salinity on plants, it is important to understand the mechanisms that plants use to deal with it, including those activated in response to disturbed Na<SUP>+</SUP> and K<SUP>+</SUP> homeostasis at cellular and molecular levels. HKT1-type transporters are key determinants of Na<SUP>+</SUP> and K<SUP>+</SUP> homeostasis under salt stress and they contribute to reduce Na<SUP>+</SUP>-specific toxicity in plants. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the function of HKT1-type transporters and their importance in different plant species under salt stress. Comparison between HKT1 homologs in different plant species will shed light on different approaches plants may use to cope with salinity.</P>

Selective Immunoglobulin A Deficiency in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Prevalence Study in Western Sicily (Italy)

Domenico Greco,Filippo Maggio 대한당뇨병학회 2015 Diabetes and Metabolism Journal Vol.39 No.2

Background: The association between type 1 diabetes and immunoglobulin A deficiency (IgA-D) has long been recognized in many populations. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of IgA-D in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus all coming from a defined geographical area and to investigate the clinical features of these subjects. Methods: The records of 150 consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus referred in a period of one year were analyzed. A detailed history was obtained for each patient. Information was collected concerning age, gender, time of onset of diabetes, and presence of other autoimmune diseases. Results: Out of 150 patients with type 1 diabetes, eight (5.3%) had a diagnosis of IgA-D. There were one female and seven male; all these patients were diagnosed by screening: none of them had history of recurrent infections. Autoimmune thyroiditis was coexisting in five patients (62%). Although other associated autoimmune disorders were found in a number of patients, there was no different prevalence rate in IgA deficient patients. Conclusion: This study shows the prevalence of IgA-D in Sicilian patients with type 1 diabetes as 5.3% which is much higher than reported in other Italian studies. Moreover, our data show a high prevalence of IgA-D in male gender and describe thyroiditis as the most frequent autoimmune disease present in these patients. Finally, in our case report, IgA-D diagnosis always followed routine IgA measurement when case finding for celiac disease with no history of recurrent infections in each patient.

Development of a general strategy for the quantification of pseudopolymorphs: analysis of cefadroxil monohydrate in commercial products

de Marco Bianca A,Maggio Rubén M.,Nunes Salgado Hérida R. 한국약제학회 2020 Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation Vol.50 No.4

Purpose The presence of different polymorphic or pseudo-polymorphic forms in active pharmaceutical ingredients may affect the performance of the formulated products. Pseudo-polymorphs, especially hydrates, present a differential dissolution rate. In such a scenario, pseudo-polymorphism should be strictly controlled due to its impact on the bio-availability of formulates products. Methods In order to determine solid forms of cefadroxil present in commercial capsules, anhydrous and monohydrate pure the solid forms were prepared and fully characterized by optical microscopy, vibrational spectroscopy (middle and near infrared), calorimetric techniques (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry). Nuclear magnetic resonance was used to corroborate structural integrity. Two sets of synthetic samples for calibration (N = 12) and validation (N = 12) were prepared following a binary-mixtures design of monohydrate/anhydrous cefadroxil in the presence of the excipient matrix. NIR spectra were acquired and used as input of partial least squares (PLS) model. Results Three PLS-factors, mean scattering correction and MIN–MAX normalization demonstrated to be the optimal parameters on full range spectra (750–2500 nm). The method was validated for linearity/range, accuracy and precision by evaluation of validation set recovery. Once method validated, a commercial lot of capsules was analyzed and acceptable recovery results and low deviations were obtained. Conclusion Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) emerged as the technique of choice to determine pseudopolymorphic-purity. Cefadroxil monohydrate was determined in a fast and accurate way in presentence of cefadroxil anhydrous and excipients by NIR–PLS methodology. The developed analytical methodology, arise as a general strategy for hydrates determination, making a direct determination of pseudopolymorphic form.

Biotechnology for mechanisms that counteract salt stress in extremophile species: a genome-based view

레이브레산,박형철,Francesco Orsini,오동하,Maheshi Dassanayake,Gunsu Inan,윤대진,한스,Albino Maggio 한국식물생명공학회 2013 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.7 No.1

Molecular genetics has confirmed older research and generated new insights into the ways how plants deal with adverse conditions. This body of research is now being used to interpret stress behavior of plants in new ways, and to add results from most recent genomicsbased studies. The new knowledge now includes genome sequences of species that show extreme abiotic stress tolerances, which enables new strategies for applications through either molecular breeding or transgenic engineering. We will highlight some physiological features of the extremophile lifestyle, outline emerging features about halophytism based on genomics, and discuss conclusions about underlying mechanisms.

A Road Less Traveled: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in a Patient with Long-standing Achalasia and Sigmoid Esophagus

Nadia O. Trabelsi,Katherine Marchut,Sally Romina Urena Campos,Davide Maggio,George Rakovich 대한소화기학회 2023 대한소화기학회지 Vol.82 No.4

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in a patient with achalasia and sigmoid esophagus poses a unique technical challenge, as one must safely guide the side viewing duodenoscope across a severely distorted distal esophagus and non-relaxing lower esophageal sphincter. In such patients, the use of an overtube is a simple solution that allows the safe passage of a duodenoscope and the removal of common bile duct stones.

The pink bias: Consumption choices of pink-colored products

Mileti Antonio,Piper Luigi,Rizzo Cristian,Guido Gianluigi,Peluso Alessandro M.,Prete Maria Irene,Maggio Salvatore 한국마케팅과학회 2023 Journal of Global Fashion Marketing Vol.14 No.2

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the role of the heterosexual orientation on men’s product choices in different consumption contexts. The research provides empirical evidence for a bias – here called pink bias – that leads male consumers to avoid consumption of pink-colored products because of a gender-related prejudice. An experimental study investigated the interplay of the consumption context (private/ public) and product type (utilitarian/hedonic), and used heterosex- ual orientation as moderator. The findings confirmed the existence of a pink bias, according to which men tend to avoid consumption of pink-colored products, especially in public circumstances. In male consumers who feel less heterosexual, this effect could be driven by the fear that consuming pink-colored products in public contexts would “expose” their sexual orientation and align them with femininity. Moreover, pink-colored products could find success among heterosexual males only when they are exclusively for private use.

Regional MRI Diffusion, White-Matter Hyperintensities, and Cognitive Function in Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia

Claudia Altamura,Federica Scrascia,Carlo Cosimo Quattrocchi,Yuri Errante,Emma Gangemi,Giuseppe Curcio,Francesca Ursini,Mauro Silvestrini,Paola Maggio,Bruno Beomonte Zobel,Paolo Maria Rossini,Lorenzo F 대한신경과학회 2016 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.12 No.2

Background and Purpose An increase in brain water diffusivity as measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been recently reported in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients affected by cognitive impairment. However, it remains to be clarified if this reflects an overt neuronal tissue disruption that leads to degenerative or microvascular lesions. This question was addressed by comparing the regional MRI apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of NAWM in patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or vascular dementia (VaD). The relationships of ADCs with the white-matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden, carotid atherosclerosis, and cognitive performance were also investigated. Methods Forty-nine AD and 31 VaD patients underwent brain MRI to assess the WMH volume and regional NAWM ADCs, neuropsychological evaluations, and carotid ultrasound to assess the plaque severity and intima-media thickness (IMT). Results Regional ADCs in NAWM did not differ between VaD and AD patients, while the WMH volume was greater in VaD than in AD patients. The ADC in the anterior corpus callosum was related to the WMH volume, while a greater carotid IMT was positively correlated with the temporal ADC and WMH volume. The memory performance was worse in patients with higher temporal ADCs. Constructional praxis scores were related to ADCs in the frontal, and occipital lobes, in the anterior and posterior corpus callosum as well as to the WMH volume. Abstract reasoning was related to frontal, parietal, and temporal ADCs. Conclusions Our data show that higher regional ADCs in NAWM are associated with microcirculatory impairment, as depicted by the WMH volume. Moreover, regional ADCs in NAWM are differently associated with the neuropsychological performances in memory, constructional praxia, and abstract reasoning domains.

Biotechnology for mechanisms that counteract salt stress in extremophile species: a genome-based view

Bressan, Ray A.,Park, Hyeong Cheol,Orsini, Francesco,Oh, Dong-Ha,Dassanayake, Maheshi,Inan, Gunsu,Yun, Dae-Jin,Bohnert, Hans J.,Maggio, Albino 한국식물생명공학회 2013 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.7 No.1

Molecular genetics has confirmed older research and generated new insights into the ways how plants deal with adverse conditions. This body of research is now being used to interpret stress behavior of plants in new ways, and to add results from most recent genomicsbased studies. The new knowledge now includes genome sequences of species that show extreme abiotic stress tolerances, which enables new strategies for applications through either molecular breeding or transgenic engineering. We will highlight some physiological features of the extremophile lifestyle, outline emerging features about halophytism based on genomics, and discuss conclusions about underlying mechanisms.