Effect of a rye dwarfing gene on plant height,heading stage,and Fusarium head blight in triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack)

Key message

The rye-derived dwarfing gene Ddw1 on chromosome 5R acts in triticale in considerably reducing plant height, increasing FHB severity and delaying heading stage.

Abstract

Triticale, an amphiploid hybrid between durum wheat and rye, is an European cereal mainly grown in Germany, France, Poland, and Belarus for feeding purposes. Dwarfing genes might further improve the genetic potential of triticale concerning lodging resistance and yield. However, they might have pleiotropic effects on other, agronomically important traits including Fusarium head blight. Therefore, we analyzed a population of 199 doubled haploid (DH) lines of the cross HeTi117-06 × Pigmej for plant height, heading stage, and FHB severity across 2 locations and 2 years. The most prominent QTL was detected on chromosome 5R explaining 48, 77, and 71 % of genotypic variation for FHB severity, plant height, and heading stage, respectively. The frequency of recovery in cross validation was ≥90 % for all three traits. Because the markers that detect dwarfing gene Ddw1 in rye are also in our population the most closely linked markers, we assume that this major QTL resembles Ddw1. For FHB severity two, for plant height three, and for heading stage five additional QTL were detected. Caused by the considerable genetic variation for heading stage and FHB severity within the progeny with the dwarfing allele, short-strawed, early heading and FHB-resistant lines can be developed when population size is large enough.     

Patient and Healthcare Provider Barriers to Hypertension Awareness,Treatment and Follow Up: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies

Background

Although the importance of detecting, treating, and controlling hypertension has been recognized for decades, the majority of patients with hypertension remain uncontrolled. The path from evidence to practice contains many potential barriers, but their role has not been reviewed systematically. This review aimed to synthesize and identify important barriers to hypertension control as reported by patients and healthcare providers.

Methods

Electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health were searched systematically up to February 2013. Two reviewers independently selected eligible studies. Two reviewers categorized barriers based on a theoretical framework of behavior change. The theoretical framework suggests that a change in behavior requires a strong commitment to change [intention], the necessary skills and abilities to adopt the behavior [capability], and an absence of health system and support constraints.

Findings

Twenty-five qualitative studies and 44 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria. In qualitative studies, health system barriers were most commonly discussed in studies of patients and health care providers. Quantitative studies identified disagreement with clinical recommendations as the most common barrier among health care providers. Quantitative studies of patients yielded different results: lack of knowledge was the most common barrier to hypertension awareness. Stress, anxiety and depression were most commonly reported as barriers that hindered or delayed adoption of a healthier lifestyle. In terms of hypertension treatment adherence, patients mostly reported forgetting to take their medication. Finally, priority setting barriers were most commonly reported by patients in terms of following up with their health care providers.

Conclusions

This review identified a wide range of barriers facing patients and health care providers pursuing hypertension control, indicating the need for targeted multi-faceted interventions. More methodologically rigorous studies that encompass the range of barriers and that include low- and middle-income countries are required in order to inform policies to improve hypertension control.     

Synthesis,Biological Evaluation,Molecular Docking,ADME Predictions and QSAR Studies of Novel 1,2-Diazet and Pyrrole Derivatives as Anti-Inflammatory Agents

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - Here we synthesized novel 1, 2-diazet and pyrrole derivatives and screened for their anti-inflammatory activity. In vivo anti-inflammatory evaluation...     

Design,synthesis, anticancer evaluation,and molecular modelling studies of novel tolmetin derivatives as potential VEGFR-2 inhibitors and apoptosis inducers

Novel tolmetin derivatives 5a–f to 8a–c were designed, synthesised, and evaluated for antiproliferative activity by NCI (USA) against a panel of 60 tumour cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of the most active tolmetin derivatives 5b and 5c was examined against HL-60, HCT-15, and UO-31 tumour cell lines. Compound 5b was found to be the most potent derivative against HL-60, HCT-15, and UO-31 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 10.32 ± 0.55, 6.62 ± 0.35, and 7.69 ± 0.41 µM, respectively. Molecular modelling studies of derivative 5b towards the VEGFR-2 active site were performed. Compound 5b displayed high inhibitory activity against VEGFR-2 (IC₅₀ = 0.20 µM). It extremely reduced the HUVECs migration potential exhibiting deeply reduced wound healing patterns after 72 h. It induced apoptosis in HCT-15 cells (52.72-fold). This evidence was supported by an increase in the level of apoptotic caspases-3, -8, and -9 by 7.808-, 1.867-, and 7.622-fold, respectively. Compound 5b arrested the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, the ADME studies showed that compound 5b possessed promising pharmacokinetic properties.     

Increased cone sensitivity to ABCA4 deficiency provides insight into macular vision loss in Stargardt's dystrophy

Autosomal recessive Stargardt macular dystrophy is caused by mutations in the photoreceptor disc rim protein ABCA4/ABCR. Key clinical features of Stargardt disease include relatively mild rod defects such as delayed dark adaptation, coupled with severe cone defects reflected in macular atrophy and central vision loss. In spite of this clinical divergence, there has been no biochemical study of the effects of ABCA4 deficiency on cones vs. rods. Here we utilize the cone-dominant Abca4(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) double knockout mouse to study this issue. We show that as early as post-natal day (P) 30, Abca4(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) retinas have significantly fewer rosettes than Abca4(+/+)/Nrl(-/-) retinas, a phenotype often associated with accelerated degeneration. Abca4-deficient mice in both the wild-type and cone-dominant background accumulate more of the toxic bisretinoid A2E than their ABCA4-competent counterparts, but Abca4(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) eyes generate significantly more A2E per mole of 11-cis-retinal (11-cisRAL) than Abca4(-/-) eyes. At P120, Abca4(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) produced 340 ± 121 pmoles A2E/nmol 11-cisRAL while Abca4(-/-) produced 50.4 ± 8.05 pmoles A2E/nmol 11-cisRAL. Nevertheless, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of Abca4(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) eyes exhibits fewer lipofuscin granules than the RPE of Abca4(-/-) eyes; at P120: Abca4(-/-)/Nrl(-/-) exhibit 0.045 ± 0.013 lipofuscingranules/μm2 of RPE vs. Abca4(-/-) 0.17 ± 0.030 lipofuscingranules/μm2 of RPE. These data indicate that ABCA4-deficient cones simultaneously generate more A2E than rods and are less able to effectively clear it, and suggest that primary cone toxicity may contribute to Stargardt's-associated macular vision loss in addition to cone death secondary to RPE atrophy.     

Prophylactic effect of vitamin E against hepatotoxicity,nephrotoxicity, haematological indices and histopathology induced by diazinon insecticide in mice

Considering that the involvement of reactive oxygen species （ROS） has been implicated in the toxicity of various pesticides, this study was designed to study the ameliorative effect of Vitamin E （100 mg/kg body weight） on mice （25 -30 mg） treated with diazinon （32.5 or 16.25 mg/kg body weight） organophosphate insecticide for 14 days. Subehronic DZN exposure and the protective effects of vitamins E （vitE） were evaluated for their effects on haematological indices, the enzymes concerning liver damage [plasma alanine aminotransferase （ ALT）, aspartate aminotaransferase （ AST）, alkaline phosphatise （ ALP）, and some parameters of kidney function （urea and creatinine） in mice. Additionally, the histopathological changes in liver and kidney tissue were examined. The high dose of diazinon （DZNH） decreased the body weight significantly at the end of experiment. Additionally, the liver and kidney were examines for histopathological changes. The high dose of diazinon decreased body weight significandy. Moreover, there was a statistically significant decrease in haemoglobin （Hb）, red blood cell （RBC） and hematocrit （Hct） in diazinon-treated mice compared to controls. This decrease was partially remedied in the diazinon-treated group that also received vitE. Damage in the liver and kidney tissues was also evident as elevated plasma ALT, AST, ALP, urea and creatinine. VitE partially counteracts the toxic effect of DZN and repairs tissue damage in the liver and kidney, especially when supplemented to 1/4 LD50 intoxicated animals. Histopathological changes in liver and kidney were observed only in 32.5 mg/kg DZN given group. These results suggest that the effects of DZN are dose dependent. No pathological findings were observed in vitE ＋ DZNtreated groups. According to the present study, we conclude that vitE ean reduce the detrimental impacts of diazinon on haematological indicies, as well as liver and kidney function [ Current Zoology 55 （3） ： 219 - 226, 2009].     

Prophylactic effect of vitamin E against hepatotoxicity,nephrotoxicity, haematological indices and histopathology induced by diazinon insecticide in mice

Considering that the involvement of reactive oxygen species(ROS)has been implicated in the toxicity of various pesticides,this study was designed to study the ameliorative effect of Vitamin E(100 mg/kg body weight)on mice(25-30 mg)treated with diazinon(32.5 or 16.25 mg/kg body weight)organophosphate insecticide for 14 days.Subchronic DZN exposure and the protective effects of vitamins E(vitE)were evaluated for their effects on haematological indices,the enzymes concerning liver damage [plasma alanine aminot...     

Understanding and Eliminating Hysteresis for Highly Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

Through detailed device characterization using cross‐sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and trap density of states measurements, we identify that the J–V hysteresis seen in planar organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) using SnO₂ electron selective layers (ESLs) synthesized by low‐temperature plasma‐enhanced atomic‐layer deposition (PEALD) method is mainly caused by the imbalanced charge transportation between the ESL/perovskite and the hole selective layer/perovskite interfaces. We find that this charge transportation imbalance is originated from the poor electrical conductivity of the low‐temperature PEALD SnO₂ ESL. We further discover that a facile low‐temperature thermal annealing of SnO₂ ESLs can effectively improve the electrical mobility of low‐temperature PEALD SnO₂ ESLs and consequently significantly reduce or even eliminate the J–V hysteresis. With the reduction of J–V hysteresis and optimization of deposition process, planar PVSCs with stabilized output powers up to 20.3% are achieved. The results of this study provide insights for further enhancing the efficiency of planar PVSCs.     

Pantoprazole attenuates tumorigenesis via inhibition of exosomal secretion in a rat model of hepatic precancerous lesion induced by diethylnitrosamine and 2-acetamidofluorene

The present study aimed to evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of pantoprazole, a proton-pump inhibitor, on precancerous lesion (PCL) in rats. diethylnitrosamine and 2-acetylaminofluorene were used to induce PCL in rats, in vivo. The rats were treated with three doses of pantoprazole (100, 50, and 25  mg/kg; three times weekly) during the last 4 weeks of the total 10 weeks of the experiment. Blood and liver tissue samples were collected for measurement of the exosomal abundance and exosomal competing endogenous RNA markers. Results revealed that pantoprazole administration had an ameliorating effect on liver function tests and microscopic features of the liver; and decreased exosome abundance in the liver tissue samples and sera of the rats. Meanwhile, the treatment also resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in exosomal RAB11A mRNA and long noncoding RNA RP11-513I15.6, which is an important participant in th exosomal secretion process with an increase in exosomal miRNA-1262. Based on these results, we postulated that pantoprazole has the potential to attenuate liver tumorigenesis in this rat model.