Phenotypic and genotypic intra-diversity among Anatolian durum wheat “Kunduru” landraces

Kunduru is an important Anatolian landrace having peculiar traits that are appreciated by farmers and breeders. 33 accessions known as Kunduru collected by ICARDA from six geographical provinces of Turkey, were used to study the phenotypic and genotypic intra-diversity. Kunduru landraces exhibited high intra-diversity for most of the studied morphological traits. GPC (12.10–14.90%), vitreousness (75–100%), TKW (31.80–56.70 g), YP (4.70–8.00 ppm), b*-value (14.30–19.50), ash content (1.60–2.0%) and gluten strength (14–60 ml) showed marked variations. Gliadin and glutenin banding patterns showed high polymorphism. 65 alleles were detected with 14 SSR markers, giving a mean of 6.77 alleles per locus. The average PIC value was 0.44 and ranged from 0.11 to 0.70. The average genetic distance between pairs of landraces was 0.47 and ranged between 0.11 and 0.72. This study showed that Kunduru landraces maintains high allelic variation. PCoA indicated that eco-geographical variables have a significant effect on SSR diversity as well as morphological traits. Many of the landraces studied are in danger of disappearing from the local farmers' fields; this study demonstrates the importance of maintaining and conserving this precious genetic resources.     

Evaluation of N-substituent structural variations in opioid receptor profile of LP1

The benzomorphan scaffold has great potential as lead structure and the nature of the N-substituent is able to influence affinity, potency, and efficacy at all three opioid receptors. Building upon these considerations, we synthesized a new series of LP1 analogues by introducing naphthyl or heteroaromatic rings in propanamide side chain of its N-substituent (9–15). In vitro competition-binding assays in HEK293 cells stably expressing MOR, DOR or KOR showed that in compound 9 the 1-naphthyl ring led to the retention of MOR affinity (K_i^MOR = 38 ± 4 nM) displaying good selectivity versus DOR and KOR. In the electrically stimulated GPI, compound 9 was inactive as agonist but produced an antagonist potency value (pA₂) of 8.6 in presence of MOR agonist DAMGO. Moreover, subcutaneously administered it antagonized the antinociceptive effects of morphine with an AD₅₀ = 2.0 mg/kg in mouse-tail flick test. Modeling studies on MOR revealed that compound 9 fit very well in the binding pocket but in a different way in respect to the agonist LP1. Probably the replacement of its N-substituent on the III, IV and V TM domains reflects an antagonist behavior. Therefore, compound 9 could represent a potential lead to further develop antagonists as valid therapeutic agents and useful pharmacological tools to study opioid receptor function.     

基于生态位模型的艾比湖鹅喉羚生境评价

明确物种生境空间分布格局及其与环境因素的关系,对了解该物种的生境需求和适宜生境空间分布至关重要。生境评价和预测是对物种进行有效保护的基础。以鹅喉羚(Gazella subgutturosa)为研究对象,以其重要栖息地新疆博州艾比湖国家级湿地自然保护区为研究区域,选取115个鹅喉羚分布点数据和23个环境变量因子,应用MAXENT模型分析其生境空间分布及主要影响因子,划分了鹅喉羚在研究区域的适宜生境,并对它的栖息地特征进行了分析。探讨了鹅猴羚生境选择与环境因子的关系。结果表明:气温日较差是影响鹅喉羚生境分布的主要环境因子。植被类型,坡度和最干月降水量对艾比湖鹅喉羚的生境选择影响不大。除了温度和降水在内的19项生物气候变量是鹅猴羚选择生境的重要因素之外,海拔和坡向等地形特征也影响鹅猴羚的生境选择性。鹅喉羚的高度适宜生境区主要分布在研究区域的北部和东部,中度及低度适宜生境区则分布于高度适宜生境区的边缘,而非适宜生境区主要集中在西部地区。研究不仅提供了鹅喉羚在艾比湖的实际分布状况及其栖息地特征,也为鹅喉羚在栖息地方面的研究,即鹅猴羚的栖息地选择和环境因子的关系方面提供了一个重要的依据。     

How to diagnose heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: the value of invasive stress testing

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a growing healthcare burden worldwide and its prevalence is increasing. Diagnosing HFpEF is challenging and relies upon the presence of symptoms and/or signs of heart failure, preserved left ventricular systolic function, and evidence of diastolic dysfunction. Current diagnostic algorithms mainly rely on echocardiography (E/e’) and biomarkers (NT-proBNP). However, only a minority of patients with HFpEF are identified, and especially HFpEF patients at an early stage of the disease are easily missed. We propose to incorporate invasive stress testing, by means of right heart catheterisation at rest and during exercise, and accurate assessment of right ventricular function, by means of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. These additions to the current diagnostic work-up will improve diagnostic sensitivity and accurate staging of HFpEF patients.     

Eimeria tenella: Local Antibodies and Interactions with the Sporozoite Surface

.Using fixed sporozoites in a 3-layer immunofluorescence assay (TLIFA), class-specific, parasite-specific antibody responses in chicks to single-pulse infection with Eimeria tenella have been studied in gut contents and bile as well as plasma and feces. After infection with 10³ oocysts, IgA antibody was first detected in the duodenal lumen, then in bile, plasma, cecum, and the distal small intestine. The kinetics of the bile IgA response correlated with that in plasma and peaked 9 days post-infection (d.p.i.); IgM was detected in gut contents and bile as well as plasma, and IgG was occasionally detected in gut contents, especially in the duodenum. In some experiments, IgA was detected in gut contents and bile to at least 21 d.p.i. Infection with 10³ oocysts resulted in an earlier and increased response and relatively high IgG titers in cecal contents. Coproantibody was detected inconsistently and at low titer. When sporozoites that excysted in vitro were incubated in specific, antibody-positive (9 d.p.i.) cecal contents, some complement-mediated IgG-associated anti-sporozoite effects were observed; however, the major effect of cecal contents and the only effect of bile was a non-lethal agglutination of living sporozoites. By fractionation of cecal contents and imtnunoblotting this was confirmed to be IgA mediated; IgA antibodies in cecal contents and bile after infection were shown to bind to sporozoite membrane antigens by surface fluorescence as well as agglutination. Agglutination detected anti-sporozoite antibody in gut contents and bile up to 21 d.p.i., peaking between 7 and 13 d.p.i., corresponding with TLIFA results. The immunofluorescence studies reveal the extremely labile nature of the sporozoite surface antigens and support the hypothesis that naturally elaborated IgA antibodies are involved in the modulation of complexed sporozoite surface antigens.     

杭州湾、钱塘江流域肉毒梭菌分布调查及其生物学特性的研究

杭州湾、钱塘江流域沿岸外环境的肉毒梭菌分布很广。调查22个点检出阳性21个点。外环境各种样品的总检出率为75.95％,上海地区的检出率最低(29.41％),其它地区间的检出率无显著差异。绍兴市区生产的酱豆面制品肉毒梭菌的检出率为20％。检出的所有菌株几乎均为无毒株,其中2株弱毒株其毒力弱到无法定型。生化试验结果显示,被试大多数菌株的生化特性与A、B、F型的PL株相似,但有13株菌株的个别生化反应与试验菌株的总体不同。     

X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region of two-component heterokaryons of Neurospora crassa. II. More extensive genetic tests reveal an unexpectedly high frequency of multiple-locus mutations

More extensive genetic tests have been performed on a series of 832 X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region of a 2-component heterokaryon (H-12) of Neurospora crassa, reported earlier (Webber and de Serres 1965). Using a new tester strains and techniques for performing large-scale genetic tests (heterokaryon, dikaryon and trikaryon) to characterize ad-3 mutants induced in 2-component heterokaryons, new data have been obtained on this sample of X-ray-induced ad-3 mutants. These new data show that unexpectedly high frequencies of both single-locus (gene/point) mutations and multilocus deletions in the ad-3 region have additional, but separate, sites of resessive lethal (RL^CL) damage in the immediately adjacent genetic regions. The frequencies of these X-ray-induced multiple-locus mutants in the ad-3 region are orders of magnitude higher than expected on the basis of target theory and classical models of chromosome structure during interphase. Current models of interphase chromosome structure in higher eukaryotes as revealed by chromosome “painting” offer a possible explanation of the Neurospora data.