5-Amino-2-pyridyl 1-thioglycosides in synthesis of analogs of glycosyltransferases substrates

We present the synthesis of 1-thioglycosyl derivatives of uridine, which were designed to act as potential donor substrates for glycosyltransferases. We constructed such analogs using 5-amino-2-pyridyl 1-thioglycosides as glycosyl units which were connected to uridine via succinic linker. For preparation of the amide bonds we applied different condensation procedures.     

Changes in the Viral Distribution Pattern after the Appearance of the Novel Influenza A H1N1 (pH1N1) Virus in Influenza-Like Illness Patients in Peru

Background

We describe the temporal variation in viral agents detected in influenza like illness (ILI) patients before and after the appearance of the ongoing pandemic influenza A (H1N1) (pH1N1) in Peru between 4-January and 13-July 2009.

Methods

At the health centers, one oropharyngeal swab was obtained for viral isolation. From epidemiological week (EW) 1 to 18, at the US Naval Medical Research Center Detachment (NMRCD) in Lima, the specimens were inoculated into four cell lines for virus isolation. In addition, from EW 19 to 28, the specimens were also analyzed by real time-polymerase-chain-reaction (rRT-PCR).

Results

We enrolled 2,872 patients: 1,422 cases before the appearance of the pH1N1 virus, and 1,450 during the pandemic. Non-pH1N1 influenza A virus was the predominant viral strain circulating in Peru through (EW) 18, representing 57.8% of the confirmed cases; however, this predominance shifted to pH1N1 (51.5%) from EW 19–28. During this study period, most of pH1N1 cases were diagnosed in the capital city (Lima) followed by other cities including Cusco and Trujillo. In contrast, novel influenza cases were essentially absent in the tropical rain forest (jungle) cities during our study period. The city of Iquitos (Jungle) had the highest number of influenza B cases and only one pH1N1 case.

Conclusions

The viral distribution in Peru changed upon the introduction of the pH1N1 virus compared to previous months. Although influenza A viruses continue to be the predominant viral pathogen, the pH1N1 virus predominated over the other influenza A viruses.     

Quantitative trait loci for plant height in Maresi × CamB barley population and their associations with yield-related traits under different water regimes

High-yielding capacity of the modern barley varieties is mostly dependent on the sources of semi-dwarfness associated with the sdw1/denso locus. The objective of the study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the plant height and yield potential of barley recombinant inbred lines (RILs) grown under various soil moisture regimes. The plant material was developed from a hybrid between the Maresi (European cv.) and CamB (Syrian cv.). A total of 103 QTLs affecting analysed traits were detected and 36 of them showed stable effects over environments. In total, ten QTLs were found to be significant only under water shortage conditions. Nine QTLs affecting the length of main stem were detected on 2H-6H chromosomes. In four of the detected QTLs, alleles contributed by Maresi had negative effects on that trait, the most significant being the QLSt-3H.1-1 in the 3H.1 linkage group. The close linkage between QTLs identified around the sdw1/denso locus, with positive alleles contributed by Maresi, indicates that the semi-dwarf cv. Maresi could serve as a donor of favourable traits resulting in grain yield improvement, also under water scarcity. Molecular analyses revealed that the Syrian cv. also contributed alleles which increased the yield potential. Available barley resources of genomic annotations were employed to the biological interpretation of detected QTLs. This approach revealed 26 over-represented Gene Ontology terms. In the projected support intervals of QGWS_l-5H.3-2 and QLSt-5H.3 on the chromosome 5H, four genes annotated to ‘response to stress’ were found. It suggests that these QTL-regions may be involved in a response of plant to a wide range of environmental disturbances.     

Interactions between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glu-1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glu-3</Emphasis> loci and associations of selected molecular markers with quality traits in winter wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.) DH lines

The quality of wheat depends on a large complex of genes and environmental factors. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci controlling technological quality traits and their stability across environments, and to assess the impact of interaction between alleles at loci Glu-1 and Glu-3 on grain quality. DH lines were evaluated in field experiments over a period of 4 years, and genotyped using simple sequence repeat markers. Lines were analysed for grain yield (GY), thousand grain weight (TGW), protein content (PC), starch content (SC), wet gluten content (WG), Zeleny sedimentation value (ZS), alveograph parameter W (APW), hectolitre weight (HW), and grain hardness (GH). A number of QTLs for these traits were identified in all chromosome groups. The Glu-D1 locus influenced TGW, PC, SC, WG, ZS, APW, GH, while locus Glu-B1 affected only PC, ZS, and WG. Most important marker-trait associations were found on chromosomes 1D and 5D. Significant effects of interaction between Glu-1 and Glu-3 loci on technological properties were recorded, and in all types of this interaction positive effects of Glu-D1 locus on grain quality were observed, whereas effects of Glu-B1 locus depended on alleles at Glu-3 loci. Effects of Glu-A3 and Glu-D3 loci per se were not significant, while their interaction with alleles present at other loci encoding HMW and LMW were important. These results indicate that selection of wheat genotypes with predicted good bread-making properties should be based on the allelic composition both in Glu-1 and Glu-3 loci, and confirm the predominant effect of Glu-D1d allele on technological properties of wheat grains.     

Late Glacial and Holocene Ostracoda of the Gulf of Gdańsk,the Baltic Sea,Poland

To trace environmental changes in water hydrology and salinity in the Late Glacial to Holocene of the Gulf of Gdańsk, a south‐eastern bay of the Baltic Sea within the maritime zone of Poland, the distribution of ostracod valves was studied in 20 sediment cores collected from both the shallow‐ and deep‐water zones (depth 10.9–67.5 m). The studied sediment sequences yielded ca. 3000 valves of 21 ostracod species, of which only five are known to live today in the Gulf, which has a present maximum depth of 118 m and water salinity up to 7–8‰. The majority of the studied sediment layers that contained ostracod valves corresponded to the period of the Late Glacial to Mid‐Holocene and was dominated by non‐marine species, of which the most common were Candona neglecta (present in 17 cores), Cytherissa lacustris (15 cores) and Candona candida (14 cores). By clustering classification five major ostracod assemblage types were recognised in the studied cores. Initial assemblage types dominated mostly by inhabitants of the profundal/sub‐littoral zones of modern oligo‐mesotrophic lakes (C. lacustris and C. neglecta) in some sediment sequences were replaced in stratigraphical order by the assemblages dominated by brackish‐water species (Cyprideis torosa or Cytheromorpha fuscata). The structure and species composition of the distinguished ostracod assemblage types as well as their successional transitions indicate that the studied sediments were deposited initially in the Late Glacial in freshwater lacustrine conditions, and subsequently, during the Holocene marine transgression, covered by marine sands. The present results confirm and consolidate inferences based on previously published data on ostracods from the western part of the Gulf of Gdańsk as well as on other biotic (molluscs, diatoms) and abiotic (seismoacoustic) indices from this area (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Neural and humoral control of regional vascular beds via A1 adenosine receptors located in the nucleus tractus solitarii

Our previous studies showed that stimulation of adenosine A(1) receptors located in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) exerts counteracting effects on the iliac vascular bed: activation of the adrenal medulla and β-adrenergic vasodilation vs. sympathetic and vasopressinergic vasoconstriction. Because NTS A(1) adenosine receptors inhibit baroreflex transmission in the NTS and contribute to the pressor component of the HDR, we hypothesized that these receptors also contribute to the redistribution of blood from the visceral to the muscle vasculature via prevailing sympathetic and vasopressinergic vasoconstriction in the visceral (renal and mesenteric) vascular beds and prevailing β-adrenergic vasodilation in the somatic (iliac) vasculature. To test this hypothesis, we compared the A(1) adenosine-receptor-mediated effects of each vasoactive factor triggered by NTS A(1) adenosine receptor stimulation [N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA), 330 pmol in 50 nl] on the regional vascular responses in urethane/chloralose-anesthetized rats. The single-factor effects were separated using adrenalectomy, β-adrenergic blockade, V(1) vasopressin receptor blockade, and sinoaortic denervation. In intact animals, initial vasodilation was followed by large, sustained vasoconstriction with smaller responses observed in renal vs. mesenteric and iliac vascular beds. The initial β-adrenergic vasodilation prevailed in the iliac vs. mesenteric and renal vasculature. The large and sustained vasopressinergic vasoconstriction was similar in all vascular beds. Small sympathetic vasoconstriction was observed only in the iliac vasculature in this setting. We conclude that, although A(1) adenosine-receptor-mediated β-adrenergic vasodilation may contribute to the redistribution of blood from the visceral to the muscle vasculature, this effect is overridden by sympathetic and vasopressinergic vasoconstriction.     

Differential activation of adrenal, renal, and lumbar sympathetic nerves following stimulation of the rostral ventrolateral medulla of the rat

Under acute and chronic conditions, the sympathetic nervous system can be activated in a differential and even selective manner. Activation of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) has been implicated in differential control of sympathetic outputs based on evidence primarily in the cat. Although several studies indicate that differential control of sympathetic outflow occurs in other species, only a few studies have addressed whether the RVLM is capable of producing varying patterns of sympathetic activation in the rat. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine whether activation of the RVLM results in simultaneous and differential increases in preganglionic adrenal (pre-ASNA), renal (RSNA), and lumbar (LSNA) sympathetic nerve activities. In urethane-chloralose anesthetized rats, pre-ASNA, RSNA, and LSNA were recorded simultaneously in all animals. Microinjections of selected concentrations and volumes of glutamate increased pre-ASNA, RSNA, and LSNA concurrently and differentially. Pre-ASNA and RSNA (in most cases) exhibited greater increases compared with LSNA on a percentage basis. By varying the volume or location of the glutamate microinjections, we also identified individual examples of differential and selective activation of these nerves. Decreases in arterial pressure or bilateral blockade of RVLM GABA(A) receptors also revealed differential activation, with the latter having a 3- to 4-fold greater effect on sympathetic activity. Our data provide evidence that activation of the rat RVLM increases renal, lumbar, and preganglionic adrenal sympathetic nerve activities concurrently, differentially, and, in some cases, selectively.