Effect of Herbicides on the Toxicity of Fungicides Against Rhizoctonia solani Causing Damping-off of Cotton

The effect of two herbicides (paraquat and simazine on the antifungal activity of two fungicides (captan and mounsrin) against Rhizoctonia solani was studied. when the herbicides paraquat and simazine were applied to soil they altered the effectiveness of both fungicides in controlling R. solani , thus causing damping-off of cotton. Both herbicides increased the toxicity of both fungicides against mycelial growth of the fungus. In pot tests, seeds or soil treated with captan or mounsrin, gave better control of R. solani damping-off disease when the soil was treated with paraquat or simazine compared to untreated soil. Captan was, however, found to be more effective in controlling the disease than mounsrin.     

Direct molecular analysis of the fragile X syndrome in a sample of Egyptian and German patients using non-radioactive PCR and Southern blot followed by chemiluminescent detection

Molecular genetic analysis of individuals from 6 Egyptian and 33 German families with fragile X syndrome and 240 further patients with mental retardation was performed applying a completely non-radioactive system. The aim of our study was the development of a non-radioactive detection method and its implementation in molecular diagnosis of the fragile X syndrome. Furthermore, we wanted to assess differences in the mutation sizes between Egyptian and German patients and between Egyptian and German carriers of a premutation. Using non-radioactive polymerase chain reaction (PCR), agarose gel electrophoresis and blotting of the PCR products, followed by hybridisation with a digoxigenin-labelled oligonucleotide probe (CGG)₅ and chemiluminescent detection, we identified the fragile X full mutation (amplification of a CGG repeat in the FMR-1 gene ranging from several hundred to several thousand repeat units) in all patients. We observed no differences in the length of the CGG repeat between the Egyptian and German patients and carriers, respectively. However, in one prenatal diagnosis, we detected only one normal sized allele in a female fetus using the PCR-agarose assay, whereas Southern blot analysis with the digoxigenin labelled probe StB 12.3 revealed presence of a full mutation. Our newly established nonradioactive genomic blotting method is based on the conventional radioactive Southern blot analysis. Labelling of the probe StB 12.3 with digoxigenin via PCR allowed the detection of normal, premutated and fully mutated alleles. For exact sizing of small premutated or large normal alleles, we separated digoxigenin labelled PCR products through denaturing poly-acrylamide gelelectrophoresis (PAGE) and transfered them to a nylon membrane using a gel dryer. The blotted PCR-fragments can easily be detected with alkaline phosphate-labelled anti-digoxigenin antibody. The number of trinucleotide repeat units can be determined by scoring the detected bands against a digoxigenated M13 sequencing ladder. Our newly developed digoxigenin/chemiluminescence approach using PCR and Southern blot analysis provides reliable results for routine detection of full fragile X mutations and premutations.     

Plasma Reflectarrays

This paper investigates the design of four different configurations of plasma reflectarrays. The results provide insight into different radiation characteristics of plasma reflectarrays. The proposed unit cell consists of a cubic glass box filled with argon gas energized with applied AC voltage. The reflectarray reflection coefficient phase variation is achieved by varying the plasma frequency of the energized gas. Four plasma reflectarrays for satellite applications at 12 GHz are proposed (centre feed centre beam, centre feed offset beam, offset feed centre beam, and finally, offset feed offset beam). The finite integration technique is used to analyse the plasma reflectarray.     

Revisiting the use of Iprodione and Trichoderma in the integrated management of onion white rot

The biocontrol properties of Trichoderma species are well documented, but their effectiveness in antagonism of the problematic Sclerotium cepivorum, the causal agent of white rot in Allium species, appears limited with reports of significant control only relating to deliberately-mutated strains of Trichoderma. Our previous studies have indicated the possibility of using selected naturally-occurring strains of the antagonist in the suppression of other diseases; now in vitro and controlled environment in vivo studies have indicated that a degree of control of Onion White Rot is possible, and that the selected antagonist strains can be used in integrated treatments with Iprodione to good effect. The possible value of such treatments is considered in light of other approaches to the suppression of this continuing problem.     

Association of Genetic Variants with Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma in Two Different Populations

Purpose

A recent large genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified multiple variants associated with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). The present study investigated the role of these variants in two cohorts with PACG recruited from Australia and Nepal.

Method

Patients with PACG and appropriate controls were recruited from eye clinics in Australia (n = 232 cases and n = 288 controls) and Nepal (n = 106 cases and 204 controls). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs3753841 (COL11A1), rs1015213 (located between PCMTD1 and ST18), rs11024102 (PLEKHA7), and rs3788317 (TXNRD2) were selected and genotyped on the Sequenom. Analyses were conducted using PLINK and METAL.

Results

After adjustment for age and sex, SNP rs3753841 was found to be significantly associated with PACG in the Australian cohort (p = 0.017; OR = 1.34). SNPs rs1015213 (p = 0.014; OR 2.35) and rs11024102 (p = 0.039; OR 1.43) were significantly associated with the disease development in the Nepalese cohort. None of these SNPs survived Bonferroni correction (p = 0.05/4 = 0.013). However, in the combined analysis, of both cohorts, rs3753841 and rs1015213 showed significant association with p-values of 0.009 and 0.004, respectively both surviving Bonferroni correction. SNP rs11024102 showed suggestive association with PACG (p-value 0.035) and no association was found with rs3788317.

Conclusion

The present results support the initial GWAS findings, and confirm the SNP’s contribution to PACG. This is the first study to investigate these loci in both Australian Caucasian and Nepalese populations.     

A web server to locate periodicities in a sequence

Summary : FT is a tool written in C++, which implements the Fourier analysis method to locate periodicities in aminoacid or DNA sequences. It is provided for free public use on a WWW server with a Java interface. Availability : The server address is http://o2.db. uoa.gr/FT Contact : shamodr@atlas.uoa.gr      

A computational investigation of kinetoplastid trans-splicing

Trans-splicing is an unusual process in which two separate RNA strands are spliced together to yield a mature mRNA. We present a novel computational approach which has an overall accuracy of 82% and can predict 92% of known trans-splicing sites. We have applied our method to chromosomes 1 and 3 of Leishmania major, with high-confidence predictions for 85% and 88% of annotated genes respectively. We suggest some extensions of our method to other systems.     

Microsatellite variation and evolution in the Mimulus guttatus species complex with contrasting mating systems

Mutational variability at microsatellite loci is shaped by both population history and the mating system. In turn, alternate mating systems in flowering plants can resolve aspects of microsatellite loci evolution. Five species of yellow monkeyflowers (Mimulus sect. Simiolis) differing for historical rates of inbreeding were surveyed for variation at six microsatellite loci. High levels of diversity at these loci were found in both outcrossing and selfing taxa. In line with allozyme studies, inbreeders showed more partitioning of diversity among populations, and diversity in selfing taxa was lower than expected from reductions in effective population size due to selfing alone, suggesting the presence of either population bottlenecks or background selection in selfers. Evaluation of the stepwise mutation model (a model of DNA replication slippage) suggests that these loci evolve in a stepwise fashion. Inferred coalescent times of microsatellite alleles indicate that past bottlenecks of population size or colonization events were important in reducing diversity in the inbreeding taxon.      

Selection shapes malaria genomes and drives divergence between pathogens infecting hominids versus rodents

Background  

Malaria kills more people worldwide than all inherited human genetic disorders combined. To characterize how the parasites causing this disease adapt to different host environments, we compared the evolutionary genomics of two distinct groups of malaria pathogens in order to identify critical properties associated with infection of different hosts: those parasites infecting hominids (Plasmodium falciparum and P. reichenowi) versus parasites infecting rodent hosts (P. yoelii yoelii, P. berghei, and P. chabaudi). Adaptation by the parasite to its host is likely highly critical to the evolution of these species.     

Beam Steering Plasma Reflectarray/Transmitarray Antennas

The aim of this paper is to design and analyze plasma reflectarray/transmitarray antennas which include investigation of performance parameters for these antennas in free space. The unit cell element for both arrays consists of a cubic glass box with fixed dimensions filled by argon gas. The plasma frequency of the argon gas is varied by changing the applied voltage at both ends of the glass box. This allows steering the reflected/transmitted wave to a certain direction. Full-wave simulations using the finite element method (FEM) and finite integral technique (FIT) are used to optimize and analyze different plasma reflectarray and plasma transmitarray antennas. The plasma reflectarray antenna is composed of 13?×?13 elements and covered an area of 208?×?208 mm². A circular horn is used to feed the antenna at a distance of 20.8 cm (focal-to-diameter ratio (F/D)?=?1). The reflectarray is designed at f?=?12 GHz. The radiation patterns of the plasma reflectarray for scanning angles of 10° to 70° angles are illustrated. For larger scanning angles, significant sidelobe levels are produced. The maximum value of beam scanning gain patterns is reduced. The half-power beamwidth (HPBW) is increased. The plasma transmitarray is composed of 9?×?9 cell elements and covered an area of 72?×?72 mm². The feed is a linearly polarized circular horn. The F/D ratio is set to 1. The transmitarray is operating at f?=?15 GHz. The radiation patterns of the plasma transmitarray for scanning angles of ?40° to +40° are demonstrated. Significant sidelobe levels are produced at large scanning angles.