Novartis

About: Novartis is a company organization based out in Basel, Switzerland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Alkyl & Population. The organization has 41930 authors who have published 50566 publications receiving 1978996 citations. The organization is also known as: Novartis International AG.

Soybean seed protein and oil contents and fatty acid composition adjustments by drought and temperature

Abstract: Environmental stress during soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed fill can alter the chemical composition of the seed and reduce yield, viability, and vigor. The effect of drought and high air temperature (AT) on soybean seed protein and oil contents have not been reported. The objective of this study was to characterize the protein and oil contents and fatty acid composition of soybean seeds after exposure to drought and high AT during seed fill. Experiments were conducted during two years, in which three drought-stress levels were maintained throughout seed fill. In Experiment I, “Gnome” soybeans were grown at daytime AT of 20 and 26°C, and in Experiment II “Hodgson 78” were grown at 27, 29, 33, and 35°C. Across experiments, severe drought increased protein content by 4.4 percentage points, while oil content decreased by 2.9 percentage points. As drought stress increased, measured by accumulating stress degree days, protein content increased linearly and oil content decreased linearly at each AT. Seeds from plants exposed to 35°C during seed fill contained 4.0 percentage points more protein and 2.6 percentage points less oil than those exposed to 29°C when averaged across drought stress levels. Drought had little effect on the fatty acid composition of the oil, but high AT reduced the proportion of the polyunsaturated components.

Critical aspects of the Bayesian approach to phase I cancer trials.

Abstract: The Bayesian approach to finding the maximum-tolerated dose in phase I cancer trials is discussed. The suggested approach relies on a realistic dose-toxicity model, allows one to include prior information, and supports clinical decision making by presenting within-trial information in a transparent way. The modeling and decision-making components are flexible enough to be extendable to more complex settings. Critical aspects are emphasized and a comparison with the continual reassessment method (CRM) is performed with data from an actual trial and a simulation study. The comparison revealed similar operating characteristics while avoiding some of the difficulties encountered in the actual trial when applying the CRM.

Self-renewal of embryonic stem cells by a small molecule

Abstract: A cell-based screen of chemical libraries was carried out to identify small molecules that control the self-renewal of ES cells. A previously uncharacterized heterocycle, SC1, was discovered that allows one to propagate murine ES cells in an undifferentiated, pluripotent state under chemically defined conditions in the absence of feeder cells, serum, and leukemia inhibitory factor. Long-term SC1-expanded murine ES cells can be differentiated into cells of the three primary germ layers in vitro and also can generate chimeric mice and contribute to the germ line in vivo. Biochemical and cellular experiments suggest that SC1 works through dual inhibition of RasGAP and ERK1. Molecules of this kind may not only facilitate practical applications of stem cells in research and therapy, but also provide previously undescribed insights into the complex biology of stem cells.