Structural and functional characterization of a winter malting barley

The development of winter malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties is emerging as a worldwide priority due to the numerous advantages of these varieties over spring types. However, the complexity of both malting quality and winter hardiness phenotypes makes simultaneous improvement a challenge. To obtain an understanding of the relationship between loci controlling winter hardiness and malt quality and to assess the potential for breeding winter malting barley varieties, we structurally and functionally characterized the six-row accession "88Ab536", a cold-tolerant line with superior malting quality characteristics that derives from the cross of NE76129/Morex//Morex. We used 4,596 SNPs to construct the haplotype structure of 88Ab536 on which malting quality and winter hardiness loci reported in the literature were aligned. The genomic regions determining malting quality and winter hardiness traits have been defined in this founder germplasm, which will assist breeders in targeting regions for marker-assisted selection. The Barley1 GeneChip array was used to functionally characterize 88Ab536 during malting. Its gene expression profile was similar to that of the archetypical malting variety Morex, which is consistent with their similar malting quality characteristics. The characterization of 88Ab536 has increased our understanding of the genetic relationships of malting quality and winter hardiness, and will provide a genetic foundation for further development of more cold-tolerant varieties that have malt quality characteristics that meet or exceed current benchmarks.

Molecular mapping of Loci conferring resistance to different pathotypes of the spot blotch pathogen in barley

ABSTRACT Spot blotch, caused by Cochliobolus sativus, is an important disease of barley in many production areas and is best controlled through the deployment of resistant cultivars. Information on the genetics of resistance in various sources can be useful in developing effective breeding strategies. Parents of the doubled haploid mapping population Calicuchima-sib/ Bowman-BC (C/B) exhibit a differential reaction to pathotypes 1 and 2 of C. sativus. To elucidate the genetics of spot blotch resistance in this population, C/B progeny were evaluated with both pathotypes at the seedling stage in the greenhouse and at the adult plant stage in the field. At the seedling stage, progeny segregated 84 resistant to 26 susceptible based on the qualitative analysis of infection response (IR) data to pathotype 1. This fit best to a 3:1 ratio, indicating that two genes were involved in conferring resistance. Quantitative analysis of the raw IR data to pathotype 1 revealed a single quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 4(4H) explaining 14% of the phenotypic variance. Adult plant resistance to pathotype 1 was conferred by QTL on chromosome 2(2H) and chromosome 3(3H), explaining 21 and 32% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. Bowman contributed the resistance alleles on chromosome 3(3H) and chromosome 4(4H), whereas Calicuchima-sib contributed the resistance allele on chromosome 2(2H). Resistance to pathotype 2 was conferred by a single gene (designated Rcs6) on chromosome 5(1H) based on qualitative analysis of data. Rcs6 was effective at both the seedling and adult plant stages and was contributed by Calicuchima-sib. This result was corroborated in the quantitative analysis of raw IR (seedling stage) and disease severity (adult plant stage) data as a single major effect (r(2) = 0.93 and 0.88, respectively) QTL was identified on chromosome 5(1H). Progeny with resistance to both pathotypes were identified in the C/B population and may be useful in programs breeding for spot blotch resistance.

Pulmonary protective effects of hyberbaric oxygen and N-acetylcysteine treatment in necrotizing pancreatitis

The purpose of this study is to analyze the protective effect of combining N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and hyberbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment in the lung tissue during acute pancreatitis. Sixty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into five groups; Group I; Control group (n=12), Group II; pancreatitis group (n=12), Group III; pancreatitis + NAC treatment group (n=12), Group IV; pancreatitis + HBO treatment group (n=12), Group V; pancreatitis + HBO + NAC treatment group (n=12). HBO was applied postoperatively for 5 days, twice a day at 2.5 fold absolute atmospheric pressure for 90 min. Lung tissue was obtained for measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels along with histopathological tissue examinations. This study showed that all three treated groups (HBO alone, NAC alone and combined HBO+NAC treatment) had pulmonary protective effects during acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Comprehensive genetic analyses reveal differential expression of spot blotch resistance in four populations of barley

Spot blotch, caused by Cochliobolus sativus, is an important disease of barley in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The resistance of six-rowed malting cultivars like Morex has remained effective for over 40 years and is considered durable. Previous research on Steptoe/Morex (S/M), a 6x6-rowed doubled haploid (DH) population, showed that seedling resistance is controlled by a single gene (Rcs5) on chromosome 1(7H) and adult plant resistance by two quantitative trait loci (QTL): one of the major effect on chromosome 5(1H) explaining 62% of the phenotypic variance and a second of minor effect on chromosome 1(7H) explaining 9% of the phenotypic variance. To corroborate these results in a 2x6-rowed DH population, composite interval mapping (CIM) was performed on Harrington/Morex (H/M). As in the S/M population, a single major gene (presumably Rcs5) on chromosome 1(7H) conferred resistance at the seedling stage. However, at the adult plant stage, the results were markedly different as no chromosome 5(1H) effect whatsoever was detected. Instead, a QTL at or near Rcs5 on chromosome 1(7H) explained nearly all of the phenotypic variance (75%) for disease severity. To determine whether this result might be due to the genetic background of the two-rowed susceptible parent Harrington, we analyzed another DH population that included the same resistance donor (Morex) and another six-rowed susceptible cultivar Dicktoo (D/M). Three QTL conferred seedling resistance in the D/M population: one near Rcs5 on chromosome 1(7H) explaining 30%, a second near the centromere of chromosome 1(7H) explaining 9%, and a third on the short arm of chromosome 3(3H) explaining 19% of the phenotypic variation. As in the H/M population, no chromosome 5(1H) QTL was detected for adult plant resistance in the D/M population. Instead, three QTL on other chromosomes explained most of the variation: one on the short arm of chromosome 3(3H) explaining 36%, a second on the long arm of chromosome 3(3H) explaining 11%, and a third at or near Rcs5 on chromosome 1(7H) explaining 20% of the phenotypic variation. These data demonstrate the complexity of expression of spot blotch resistance in different populations and have important implications in breeding for durable resistance.

The diagnostic values of serum, pleural fluid and urine neopterin measurements in tuberculous pleurisy

SETTING

Pulmonary department of a medical academy in Ankara, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE

Neopterin is a marker of cell-mediated immunity, and it has been demonstrated that neopterin levels of various body fluids could be elevated in tuberculosis. We aimed to investigate diagnostic values of serum, pleural fluid and urine neopterin measurements in tuberculous pleurisy (TP).

DESIGN

Serum, pleural fluid and urine neopterin levels were measured in 34 patients with TP and in 29 patients with pleural effusion of non-tuberculous origin as controls.

RESULTS

Neopterin levels in serum, pleural fluid and urine (38.28 +/- 14.18 nmol/l, 38.97 +/- 14.18 nmol/l and 759.15 +/- 622.74 micromol/mol, respectively) were significantly higher in patients with TP than those with non-tuberculous pleural effusion (22.57 +/- 6.02 nmol/l, 21.88 +/- 6.90 nmol/l and 343.10 +/- 233.65 micromol/mol, respectively). Pleural fluid neopterin > or =30 mol/l gave the best diagnostic yield, with 85% sensitivity, 93% specificity, 94% positive predictive value, 84% negative predictive value and 89% diagnostic accuracy, although it is not superior to pleural fluid adenosine deaminase determination.

CONCLUSION

We have suggested that elevated serum, pleural fluid and urinary neopterin levels in TP with respect to pleural effusions of non-tuberculous origin may reflect activation of cell-mediated immunity and that pleural fluid neopterin measurement may be of value in the differential diagnosis of TP.

Low parathormone levels and hypercalcaemia in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: relation to radiological extent of disease and tuberculin skin test

AIM

We hypothesised that serum calcium (Ca) and parathormone (PTH) levels correlate with radiological extent and that there may also be a relationship between the tuberculin skin test (TST), serum Ca and PTH levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-four patients with active PTB and 33 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Serum Ca, PTH, magnesium and phosphate levels were measured in patients and controls and compared. Correlations were also investigated for TST values, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the degree of radiological involvement, serum PTH and corrected Ca levels.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between the two groups for mean serum PTH and corrected Ca levels. Significant correlations were detected between radiological extent of disease and serum PTH levels, between TST values and serum PTH levels and between ESR and serum PTH levels. We suggest that abnormal Ca metabolism in PTB patients is related to the radiological extent of disease. Factors determining the radiological extent of disease, predominantly the patient's immune status, may have an important role in modulating Ca metabolism in PTB patients.

Urinary neopterin measurement as a non-invasive diagnostic method in pulmonary tuberculosis

SETTING

Pulmonary department of a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the usefulness of neopterin in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) as a rapid diagnostic tool.

DESIGN

Neopterin concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL), serum and urine were measured in patients with PTB, with lung cancer and with pneumonia and in a healthy control group.

RESULTS

In the BAL of PTB patients, serum and urine levels of neopterin were significantly higher than all the other groups (P < 0.001). Compared with the lung cancer group, PTB patients had higher neopterin in BAL and urine (P < 0.05). The PTB group had higher levels not only in BAL and urine, but also in serum, than the pneumonia group (P < 0.05). Compared with the pneumonia group and the healthy controls, neopterin levels in serum and urine were significantly higher in the lung cancer group (P < 0.05). In the PTB group, patients with moderately advanced PTB according to radiographic extent had higher levels of urine neopterin than patients with minimal disease (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Neopterin levels in BAL, serum and particularly in urine may reflect PTB activity before exact diagnosis of the disease by culture results, and correlates with radiological extent.

Prevention of further cyclophosphamide induced hemorrhagic cystitis by hyperbaric oxygen and mesna in guinea pigs

PURPOSE

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and mesna have been successfully used for hemorrhagic cystitis. We defined the protective effects of hyperbaric oxygen and mesna in further cyclophosphamide induced hemorrhagic cystitis in guinea pigs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 48 male guinea pigs were divided into 6 groups. All groups received 2 doses of 68.1 mg./kg. cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally at the same time intervals but group 1 served as controls. Group 2 received cyclophosphamide only, group 3 received hyperbaric oxygen treatment (2.8 ATA for 90 minutes twice daily) before and the day after further cyclophosphamide, group 4 received 21.5 mg./kg. mesna intraperitoneally only with further cyclophosphamide, group 5 received hyperbaric oxygen and mesna with further cyclophosphamide, and group 6 received hyperbaric oxygen before initial cyclophosphamide, between the 2 doses and after the further dose of cyclophosphamide, and mesna on the days of cyclophosphamide.

RESULTS

Although mesna alone provided protection against cyclophosphamide induced cystitis in animal bladders, there was also significant damage compared with controls. When the uroprotective efficacy of mesna was supported with hyperbaric oxygen, bladder protection was promoted since mean histological scores and hematuria levels in this group did not differ from those in controls.

CONCLUSIONS

According to this animal study using hyperbaric oxygen as adjuvant therapy in humans may be a better tool than mesna alone for the prophylaxis and treatment of cyclophosphamide induced hemorrhagic cystitis.

Assessment of tumour necrosis and detection of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in bronchial carcinoma with technetium-99m sestamibi imaging: comparison with CT scan

Thirty-eight patients with four major types of bronchial carcinoma were studied to evaluate technetium-99m sestamibi imaging in the assessment of tumour necrosis and the detection of hilar and mediastinal lymph node metastasis. Quantitative analysis was also performed to ascertain whether tumour uptake values correlate with histological types of bronchial carcinoma. Of the patients, 34 showed tumour uptake on planar imaging (n = 38) and 27 on single-photon emission tomography (SPET) (n = 29), the overall sensitivity in the localisation of primary tumour being 89% with planar imaging and 93% with SPET. Four types of tumour uptake pattern were identified: (1) focal uptake, (2) focal uptake with a central hypoactive focus. (3) ring-like uptake and (4) no uptake (negative uptake). Tumour necrosis was diagnosed in 12 patients based upon histopathology (n = 2) and density measurements and type of contrast enhancement on computed tomography (CT) scan (n = 12). Defective tumour uptake was seen in 11 of these patients on planar images (focal uptake with a central hypoactive focus, n = 7; ring-like uptake, n = 2; and no tumour uptake, n = 2) and in 12 patients on SPET (focal uptake with a central hypoactive focus, n = 7, ring-like uptake, n = 3, and no uptake, n = 2). Hilar and mediastinal lymph node involvement was detected in ten patients on CT scan, nine on planar images and 11 on SPET. A total of 26 metastatic lymph nodes were detected on CT scan: 24 of these were seen on planar, and all 26 on SPET images.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)