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Historian Anna Bennett has a book to write. She also has an insomniac toddler, a precocious, death-obsessed seven-year-old, and a frequently absent ecologist husband who has brought them all to Colsay, a desolate island in the Hebrides, so he can count the puffins. Ferociously sleep-deprived, torn between mothering and her desire for the pleasures of work and solitude, Anna becomes haunted by the discovery of a baby's skeleton in the garden of their house. Her narrative is punctuated by letters home, written 200 years before, by May, a young, middle-class midwife desperately trying to introduce modern medicine to the suspicious, insular islanders. The lives of these two characters intersect unexpectedly in this deeply moving but also at times blackly funny story about maternal ambivalence, the way we try to control children, and about women's vexed and passionate relationship with work. Moss's second novel displays an exciting expansion of her range - showing her to be both an excellent comic writer and a novelist of great emotional depth.

Floral pigmentation patterning is important for pollinator attraction as well as aesthetic appeal. Patterning of anthocyanin accumulation is frequently associated with variation in activity of the Myb, bHLH and WDR transcription factor complex (MBW) that regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis. Investigation of two classic mutants in Antirrhinum majus, mutabilis and incolorata I, showed they affect a gene encoding a bHLH protein belonging to subclade bHLH-2. The previously characterised gene, Delila, which encodes a bHLH-1 protein, has a bicoloured mutant phenotype, with residual lobe-specific pigmentation conferred by Incolorata I. Both Incolorata I and Delila induce expression of the anthocyanin biosynthetic gene DFR. Rosea 1 (Myb) and WDR1 proteins compete for interaction with Delila, but interact positively to promote Incolorata I activity. Delila positively regulates Incolorata I and WDR1 expression. Hierarchical regulation can explain the bicoloured patterning of delila mutants, through effects on both regulatory gene expression and the activity of promoters of biosynthetic genes like DFR that mediate MBW regulation. bHLH-1 and bHLH-2 proteins contribute to establishing patterns of pigment distribution in A. majus flowers in two ways: through functional redundancy in regulating anthocyanin biosynthetic gene expression, and through differences between the proteins in their ability to regulate genes encoding transcription factors.

\"In the north of England, far from the intrusions of cities but not far from civilization, Silvie and her family are living as if they are ancient Britons, surviving by the tools and knowledge of the Iron Age. For two weeks, the length of her father's vacation, they join an anthropology course set to reenact life in simpler times. They are surrounded by forests of birch and rowan; they make stew from foraged roots and hunted rabbit. The students are fulfilling their coursework; Silvie's father is fulfilling his lifelong obsession. He has raised her on stories of early man, taken her to witness rare artifacts, recounted time and again their rituals and beliefs--particularly their sacrifices to the bog. Mixing with the students, Silvie begins to see, hear, and imagine another kind of life, one that might include going to university, traveling beyond England, choosing her own clothes and food, speaking her mind. The ancient Britons built ghost walls to ward off enemy invaders, rude barricades of stakes topped with ancestral skulls. When the group builds one of their own, they find a spiritual connection to the past. What comes next but human sacrifice?\"--Publisher's description.

Anthocyanins are flavonoid compounds responsible for red/purple colors in the leaves, fruit, and flowers of many plant species. They are produced through a multistep pathway that is controlled by MYB transcription factors. VvMYBA1 and VvMYBA2 activate anthocyanin biosynthesis in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and are nonfunctional in white grapevine cultivars. In this study, transgenic grapevines with alteredVvMYBAgene expression were developed, and transcript analysis was carried out on berries using a microarray technique. The results showed that VvMYBA is a positive regulator of the later stages of anthocyanin synthesis, modification, and transport in cv Shiraz. One up-regulated gene,ANTHOCYANIN 3-O-GLUCOSIDE-6ʹʹ-O-ACYLTRANSFERASE(Vv3AT), encodes a BAHD acyltransferase protein (named after the first letter of the first four characterized proteins: BEAT [for acetyl CoA:benzylalcohol acetyltransferase], AHCT [for anthocyaninO-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase], HCBT [for anthranilateN-hydroxycinnamoyl/benzoyltransferase], and DAT [for deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase]), belonging to a clade separate from most anthocyanin acyltransferases. Functional studies (in planta and in vitro) show that Vv3AT has a broad anthocyanin substrate specificity and can also utilize both aliphatic and aromatic acyl donors, a novel activity for this enzyme family found in nature. In cv Pinot Noir, a red-berried grapevine mutant lacking acylated anthocyanins,Vv3ATcontains a nonsense mutation encoding a truncated protein that lacks two motifs required for BAHD protein activity. Promoter activation assays confirm thatVv3ATtranscription is activated by VvMYBA1, which adds to the current understanding of the regulation of the BAHD gene family. The flexibility of Vv3AT to use both classes of acyl donors will be useful in the engineering of anthocyanins in planta or in vitro.

Tissue organoids hold enormous potential as tools for a variety of applications, including disease modeling and drug screening. To effectively mimic the native tissue environment, it is critical to integrate a microvasculature with the parenchyma and stroma. In addition to providing a means to physiologically perfuse the organoids, the microvasculature also contributes to the cellular dynamics of the tissue model via the cells of the perivascular niche, thereby further modulating tissue function. In this review, we discuss current and developing strategies for vascularizing organoids, consider tissue-specific vascularization approaches, discuss the importance of perfusion, and provide perspectives on the state of the field.

يتحاور الكتاب عن الزمان الماضي الراسخ لثمار الكاكاو الثمينة منذ أن استخدمت خلفا عن النقود في المقايضات التجارية حتى يومنا ذاك. وتنمو شجرة الكاكاو في الأنحاء التي تبعد 20 درجة عن خط الاستواء على زيادات لا تتعدى ثلاثمائة متر، وهي تفتقر لظل مستديم ورطوبة مستمرة وحرارة لا تنزل عن ست 10 درجة مائوية، وبالإضافة إلى هذا فإنها تفتقر لعناية مستمرة لحمايتها من أمراض مفاجئة قد تمضي على مزارعها في أسابيع ضئيلة، مثلما أن الجراب الذي يتضمن على حبوبها وينمو على جذوعها يقتضي حصاده بكيفية خاصة تحمي البراعم المتاخمة التي ستثمر في السيزون المقبل.

Background Globally, disparities between non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors, functional performance, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) exist in people living in rural and low-resourced urban settings. Evidence of these health differences determined with objective NCD risk factors and functional performance measurements in South Africa, is scarce. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the differences in NCD risk factors, functional performance and HRQoL between rural and low-resourced urban areas. Methods The study recruited 311 adults (35–80 years) presenting with at least one NCD risk factor from low-resourced urban- ( n  = 183) and rural ( n  = 128) communities. Objective measurements of physical activity (PA) by means of combined heart rate and accelerometery, body composition employing skinfolds, peripheral lipid and glucose concentrations, blood pressure, functional performance indicators (handgrip, single leg stand, sit-to-stand, timed-up-and-go speed, predicted peak VO 2 max); and HRQoL were measured according to standard procedures. Independent t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-square tests were performed to determine differences between the variables of low-resourced urban and rural settings. Results The participants from the low-resourced urban setting were significantly older than the rural residents (59.1 ± 10.7 years vs. 52.8 ± 11.3 years; p  = 0.001). NCD risk factors were significantly more prevalent in the low-resourced urban participants compared to rural participants, in particular for elevated systolic (85.8% vs. 62.5%; p  = 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (88.5% vs. 65.6%; p  = 0.001), physical inactivity (95.9% vs. 87.7%; p  = 0.026), increased cholesterol concentrations (22.1% vs. 8.7%; p  = 0.002), and increased waist circumference (61.9% vs. 49.2%; p  = 0.027). Low-resourced urban residents presented with a higher average body fat percentage (27.69% ± 7.65% vs. 12.23% ± 4.67%; p  < 0.001), and lower moderate to vigorous PA levels (37.19 ± 49.55 [95% CI = 29.12–45.27] vs. 62.92 ± 60.43 min/week [95% CI = 47.95–77.90]; p  = 0.003) compared to rural residents. Rural residents showed significantly better functional performance, including peak VO 2 (23.99 ± 9.89 vs. 16.95 ± 7.64 ml/min/kg; p  = 0.001) and single leg stand (right leg: 44.96 ± 18.47 vs. 20.87 ± 19.18 s; p  = 0.001) as well as higher HRQoL for the physical (51.06 ± 8.14% vs. 45.62 ± 11.13%; p  < 0.001) and mental (54.75 ± 8.24% vs. 48.91 ± 12.27%; p  < 0.001) component scores compared to participants from the low-resourced urban areas. Conclusion NCD risk factors, functional performance, and HRQoL significantly differ in rural communities compared to low-resourced urban communities in South Africa. Urban areas’ most prevalent risk factors were elevated blood pressure, physical inactivity, and increased waist circumference. Participants from rural areas demonstrated significantly better functional performance, such as fitness and balance. HRQoL was better in rural settings than in urban settings. Future intervention programmes should be tailored for specific settings.

In Arabidopsis , the identity of perianth and reproductive organs are specified by antagonistic action of two floral homeotic genes, APETALA2 ( AP2 ) and AGAMOUS ( AG ). AP2 is also negatively regulated by an evolutionary conserved interaction with a microRNA, miR172, and has additional roles in general plant development. A kiwifruit gene with high levels of homology to AP2 and AP2 -like genes from other plant species was identified. The transcript was abundant in the kiwifruit flower, particularly petal, suggesting a role in floral organ identity. Splice variants were identified, all containing both AP2 domains, including a variant that potentially produces a shorter transcript without the miRNA172 targeting site. Increased AP2 transcript accumulation was detected in the aberrant flowers of the mutant ‘Pukekohe dwarf’ with multiple perianth whorls and extended petaloid features. In contrast to normal kiwifruit flowers, the aberrant flowers failed to accumulate miR172 in the developing whorls, although accumulation was detected at the base of the flower. An additional role during dormancy in kiwifruit was proposed based on AP2 transcript accumulation in axillary buds before and after budbreak.

Tissue organoids or “mini organs” can be invaluable tools for understanding health and disease biology, modeling tissue dynamics, or screening potential drug candidates. Effective vascularization of these models is critical for truly representing the in vivo tissue environment. Not only is the formation of a vascular network, and ultimately a microcirculation, essential for proper distribution and exchange of oxygen and nutrients throughout larger organoids, but vascular cells dynamically communicate with other cells to modulate overall tissue behavior. Additionally, interstitial fluid flow, mediated by a perfused microvasculature, can have profound influences on tissue biology. Thus, a truly functionally and biologically relevant organoid requires a vasculature. Here, we review existing strategies for fabricating and incorporating vascular elements and perfusion within tissue organoids.