Plasticity to drought and ecotypic differentiation in populations of a crop wild relative.

Populations of widely distributed species often exhibit geographic variation in functional traits in response to environmental heterogeneity. Such trait variation may be the result of different adaptive mechanisms, including genetically based differentiation, phenotypic plasticity or a combination of both. Disentangling the genetic and environmental components of trait variation may be particularly interesting in crop wild relatives, since they may provide unique reservoirs of genetic diversity for crop improvement. In this study, we assessed ecotypic differentiation and patterns of plasticity to drought in populations of Lupinus angustifolius, a Mediterranean crop wild relative, from two climatically distinct regions in the Iberian Peninsula. Using an outdoor common garden, we compared phenotypic responses of inbred maternal families to two ecologically meaningful water availability treatments (drought and high-moisture). We measured 18 different functional traits related to growth, morphology, phenology and reproduction. Plants in the drought treatment grew less, had lower leaf chlorophyll content and photochemical efficiency, but also reproduced faster, produced larger seeds and altered leaflet morphology through increased leaflet thickness, higher leaflet dry matter content and lower specific leaf area. We also found significant differences between regions that likely reflect adaptation to climatically distinct environments, with populations from the south showing a faster onset of reproduction, higher leaf thickness and higher seed size, consistent with the drier conditions experienced in southern sites. Plasticity to drought was in most cases in the same direction as quantitative genetic differentiation (i.e. cogradient variation), providing evidence of the adaptive value of the plastic change. Our results show that both genetic differentiation and plasticity can generate adaptive phenotypic variation in L. angustifolius, and help to identify potentially valuable genetic resources to incorporate into breeding programmes.

Antiglycine receptor antibody related disease: a case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Antibodies to glycine receptors (GlyR-Abs) were first defined in progressive encephalopathy with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM) but were subsequently identified in other clinical presentations. Our aim was to assess the clinical associations of all patients identified with GlyR-Abs in Queensland, Australia, between April 2014 and May 2017 and to compare these to cases reported in the literature. METHODS: A literature review identified the clinical features of all published GlyR-Ab-positive cases through online databases. A case series was undertaken via collection of clinical information from all patients diagnosed or known to immunology, pathology or neurological services in Queensland during the study period of 3 years. RESULTS: In all, 187 GlyR-Ab-positive cases were identified in the literature. The majority (47.6%) had PERM, 22.4% had epilepsy, but the remaining 30% included mixed phenotypes consisting of cerebellar ataxia, movement disorders, demyelination and encephalitis/cognitive dysfunction. By contrast, in our series of 14 cases, eight had clinical presentations consistent with seizures and epilepsy and only three cases had classical features of PERM. There was one case each of global fatiguable weakness with sustained clonus, laryngeal dystonia and movement disorder with hemiballismus and tics. The rate of response to immune therapy was similar in all groups. CONCLUSION: Antibodies to glycine receptors are linked to a spectrum of neurological disease. The results of the literature review and our case series suggest a greater relationship between GlyR-Abs and epilepsy than previously reported.

Inter-rectus distance in postpartum women can be reduced by isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles: a preliminary case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles on inter-rectus distance in postpartum women. DESIGN: Preliminary case-control study. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Ten postpartum women {mean age 30 [standard deviation (SD) 4] years; mean weight 58 (SD 7) kg; mean height 159 (SD 4) cm} and 10 nulliparous (control) women [mean age 28 (SD 2) years; mean weight 56 (SD 6) kg; mean height 160 (SD 6) cm]. INTERVENTIONS: Ultrasound images from the anterior abdominal wall were recorded at rest (supine position) and during an abdominal isometric contraction, with the subject actively performing an abdominal crunch (crook lying position). Two-way analysis of variance was used to compare the inter-rectus distance between groups (postpartum vs control) and between levels of abdominal muscle activation (rest vs isometric contraction). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inter-rectus distance 2cm above the level of the umbilicus. RESULTS: The inter-rectus distance was significantly greater in the postpartum group compared with the control group [14.7 (SD 3.1) mm vs 9.6 (SD 2.8) mm; mean difference 5.1mm; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.4 to 6.8]. The inter-rectus distance was significantly lower during isometric contraction compared with rest [10.7 (SD 3.1) mm vs 13.4 (SD 3.1) mm; mean difference 2.8mm; 95% CI 1.2 to 4.5]. No interaction was found between group and muscle contraction. CONCLUSIONS: The inter-rectus distance was significantly higher in postpartum women compared with controls, and significantly lower during isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles (abdominal crunch) compared with rest.

Managing the generalised tonic-clonic seizure and preventing progress to status epilepticus: a stepwise approach.

Seizures are a commonly encountered medical problem. Seizure protocols have been shown to be effective by avoiding inappropriate over- and undertreatment, but are not presently utilised in many centres in Australia. We outline a stepwise approach to effective seizure management based on timely investigation and escalating treatment with an appropriate choice of medications. Because large-scale clinical trials are lacking, we base our approach on the underlying seizure pathophysiology and the pharmacological properties of the available drugs. Early management consists of finding and correcting possible reversible causes and ensuring patient safety. With ongoing seizure length, spontaneous resolution becomes unlikely, necessitating administration of anti-epileptic drugs. Benzodiazepines are the agents of first choice, with a preference of short-acting drugs. With ongoing seizures, other agents (i.e. valproate, levetiracetam, phenobarbitone, phenytoin) are utilised. Refractory status epilepticus requires aggressive treatment in an intensive care setting. Novel approaches and agents, including ketamine, topiramate, lacosamide, pregabalin and intravenous immunoglobulins, are discussed. We provide our own recently developed hospital protocol as a guide. This protocol relies on a time-based four-step escalating approach to seizure management, ranging from supportive management of the initial simple seizure to the use of multiple agents for established status epilepticus.

Initial adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes to solid surfaces under liquid flow.

Some strains of the food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes persist in food processing environments. The exact reason behind this phenomenon is not known, but strain differences in the ability to adhere to solid surfaces could offer an explanation. In the present work, initial adhesion of nine strains of L. monocytogenes was investigated under liquid flow at two levels of shear stress on six different surfaces using a flow chamber set-up with microscopy measurements. The surfaces tested were glass and PVC, and glass coated with beef extract, casein, and homogenised and unhomogenised milk. In addition, the effect of prior environmental stress (5% NaCl, low nutrient availability) on initial adhesion was investigated. The hydrophobicity of the investigated surfaces was determined by contact angle measurements and the surface properties of the investigated L. monocytogenes strains were determined using Microbial Adhesion To Solvents (MATS). All surfaces with the exception of PVC were found to be hydrophilic. Strain differences were found to significantly influence the initial adhesion rate (IAR) of all nine strains to all the surfaces (p<0.05) at both low and high shear stress. Furthermore, there was a significant effect of the surfaces tested (p<0.05) in the adhesion ability of almost all strains. The IAR was affected by flow rate (shear stress) as seen by a decrease in adhesion at high shear stress for most strains. A significant effect of interactions between strain-surface and strain-shear stress (p<0.001) was observed but not of interactions between surface-shear stress. No correlation between surface hydrophobicity and IAR was observed. Addition of 5% NaCl during propagation resulted in a decrease in IAR whilst propagation in low nutrient media caused an increase indicating a general change in surface characteristics under these conditions. Known persisting strains did not display general better adherence.

A gut feeling about insular seizures.

A 43-year-old man presented to the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, after experiencing his first tonic-clonic seizure. For the previous 2 years he had undergone gastroenterological investigation of episodes of gagging associated with hypersalivation and lachrymation, occurring three or four times per week. EEG showed epileptiform discharges in the right anterior temporal region; brain MRI revealed a lesion in the right insular cortex. Video-EEG telemetry demonstrated that the episodes of gagging were focal seizures. Antiepileptic drug therapy resulted in no further episodes occurring over the next 10 months.