The chemical composition of red seaweed
Gracilaria cervicornis and brown seaweed
Sargassum vulgare from Brazil was investigated. In this study, the relationship between the nutritive components of ...each species and the environment was established. Protein content varied from 23.05
±
3.04% to 15.97
±
3.04%. The highest value was found in
G. cervicornis. The protein levels were positively correlated with nitrogen content and negatively with water temperature and salinity. Carbohydrate contents of both species varied significantly (
p
<
0.01) and the values observed were superior to others chemical constituents. Contrary to carbohydrates, the lipid concentrations were the lowest recorded chemical component and varied slightly between the two species. Ash content was greater in
S. vulgare (14.20
±
3.86) than in
G. cervicornis (7.74
±
1.15). In general the variation in chemical composition was related to environment.
Phosphorus (P) fixation on aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) oxides in soil clays restricts P availability for crops cultivated on highly weathered tropical soils, which are common in developing countries. ...Hence, P deficiency becomes a major obstacle for global food security. We used multi-trait quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping to study the genetic architecture of P efficiency and to explore the importance of root traits on sorghum grain yield on a tropical low-P soil.
P acquisition efficiency was the most important component of P efficiency, and both traits were highly correlated with grain yield under low P availability. Root surface area was positively associated with grain yield. The guinea parent, SC283, contributed 58% of all favorable alleles detected by single-trait mapping. Multi-trait mapping detected 14 grain yield and/or root morphology QTLs. Tightly linked or pleiotropic QTL underlying the surface area of fine roots (1-2 mm in diameter) and grain yield were detected at positions 1-7 megabase pairs (Mb) and 71 Mb on chromosome 3, respectively, and a root diameter/grain yield QTL was detected at 7 Mb on chromosome 7. All these QTLs were near sorghum homologs of the rice serine/threonine kinase, OsPSTOL1. The SbPSTOL1 genes on chromosome 3, Sb03g006765 at 7 Mb and Sb03g031690 at 60 Mb were more highly expressed in SC283, which donated the favorable alleles at all QTLs found nearby SbPSTOL1 genes. The Al tolerance gene, SbMATE, may also influence a grain yield QTL on chromosome 3. Another PSTOL1-like gene, Sb07g02840, appears to enhance grain yield via small increases in root diameter. Co-localization analyses suggested a role for other genes, such as a sorghum homolog of the Arabidopsis ubiquitin-conjugating E2 enzyme, phosphate 2 (PHO2), on grain yield advantage conferred by the elite parent, BR007 allele.
Genetic determinants conferring higher root surface area and slight increases in fine root diameter may favor P uptake, thereby enhancing grain yield under low-P availability in the soil. Molecular markers for SbPSTOL1 genes and for QTL increasing grain yield by non-root morphology-based mechanisms hold promise in breeding strategies aimed at developing sorghum cultivars adapted to low-P soils.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Key message
A multiparental random mating population used in sorghum breeding is amenable for the detection of QTLs related to tropical soil adaptation, fine mapping of underlying genes and genomic ...selection approaches.
Tropical soils where low phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) toxicity limit sorghum
Sorghum bicolor
(L.) Moench production are widespread in the developing world. We report on BRP13R, a multiparental random mating population (MP-RMP), which is commonly used in sorghum recurrent selection targeting tropical soil adaptation. Recombination dissipated much of BRP13R’s likely original population structure and average linkage disequilibrium (LD) persisted up to 2.5 Mb, establishing BRP13R as a middle ground between biparental populations and sorghum association panels. Genome-wide association mapping (GWAS) identified conserved QTL from previous studies, such as for root morphology and grain yield under low-P, and indicated the importance of dominance in the genetic architecture of grain yield. By overlapping consensus QTL regions, we mapped two candidate P efficiency genes to a ~ 5 Mb region on chromosomes 6 (
ALMT
) and 9 (
PHO2
). Remarkably, we find that only 200 progeny genotyped with ~ 45,000 markers in BRP13R can lead to GWAS-based positional cloning of naturally rare, subpopulation-specific alleles, such as for
SbMATE-
conditioned Al tolerance. Genomic selection was found to be useful in such MP-RMP, particularly if markers in LD with major genes are fitted as fixed effects into GBLUP models accommodating dominance. Shifts in allele frequencies in progeny contrasting for grain yield indicated that intermediate to minor-effect genes on P efficiency, such as
SbPSTOL1
genes, can be employed in pre-breeding via allele mining in the base population. Therefore, MP-RMPs such as BRP13R emerge as multipurpose resources for efficient gene discovery and deployment for breeding sorghum cultivars adapted to tropical soils.
Our aim is to study the relationship between the incidence of hospitalisations of ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) in small geographic areas and characteristics of the primary care ...delivery system that are associated with access to care such as travel time to the provider, volume of resources and patient–doctor ties. We try to assess the relative importance of access barriers and draw useful implications for healthcare planning policy.
This work combines the approach of ACSC rates by Billings et al. (1993) and the Penchansky and Thomas (1981) framework of access, building a tool for analysing variations in small areas and assessing barriers to access for primary health care. We explicitly address and describe some of those barriers through an empirical test of the relevance on ACSC hospitalisation rates of factors that can be grouped in the access dimensions of that framework.
We examine data of hospitalisations in public hospitals and characteristics of the public primary care delivery system in small areas of Portugal in 2014, estimating two models by ordinary least squares: one with variables that capture specific aspects of access and one without such variables. We then compared the predictive power of the two models.
Although data on specific access barriers are scarce, results show that a model with access variables explains 70% of the variation in ACSC hospitalisation rates, 11 percentage points more than a model without such variables.
Our results suggest that increasing resources do not seem to necessarily enhance patient access to care. Other factors, such as reduced travel time and long-term patient–doctor ties, arise as more important in reducing unnecessary hospitalisations. Thus, the solution for increasing the access to primary health care and reducing disparities among small areas seems to lie more in organisational changes than in allocation of resources.
•We study the association between unnecessary hospitalizations and access to primary care.•Our results suggest that increasing resources does not necessarily enhance patient access to care.•Reduced travel time and long-term patient–doctor ties arise as more important in reducing unnecessary hospitalisations.•We argue that increasing access to primary health care depends more on organizational changes than on allocation of resources.
Classification using a scale of visual notes is a strategy used to select erect bean plants in order to improve bean plant architectures. Use of morphological traits associated with the phenotypic ...expression of bean architecture in classification procedures may enhance selection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of artificial neural networks (ANNs) as auxiliary tools in the improvement of bean plant architecture. Data from 19 lines were evaluated for 22 traits, in 2007 and 2009 winter crops. Hypocotyl diameter and plant height were selected for analysis through ANNs. For classification purposes, these lines were separated into two groups, determined by the plant architecture notes. The predictive ability of ANNs was evaluated according to two scenarios to predict the plant architecture - training with 2007 data and validating in 2009 data (scenario 1), and vice versa (scenario 2). For this, ANNs were trained and validated using data from replicates of the evaluated lines for hypocotyl diameter individually, or together with the mean height of plants in the plot. In each scenario, the use of data from replicates or line means was evaluated for prediction through previously trained and validated ANNs. In both scenarios, ANNs based on hypocotyl diameter and mean height of plants were superior, since the error rates obtained were lower than those obtained using hypocotyl diameter only. Lower apparent error rates were verified in both scenarios for prediction when data on the means of the evaluated traits were submitted to better trained and validated ANNs.
Common bean is one of the main legumes used for food worldwide. Among the main limitations for its production is common bacterial blight (CBB) caused by Xanthomonas citri pv. fuscans (Xcf). The most ...desirable method to control the disease is the use of plant genetic resistance, but resistance against Xcf has not been sufficiently investigated. Genetic studies have shown that resistance to CBB is of quantitative type, but no gene associated with resistance has been identified. Here, we aimed to determine the resistance to CBB of 103 Mesoamerican common bean cultivars by evaluating disease severity and the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) after inoculation with a Xcf strain. In addition, 80 of the evaluated cultivars were used to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the resistance phenotype in a genome‐wide association study (GWAS). Twenty‐nine cultivars were classified as highly resistant, 15 of which are shown to be resistant to CBB for the first time in this work. A positive correlation between AUDPC and disease severity was observed. The 10 SNPs with the highest −log10(p) values in the GWAS are located on bean chromosomes Pv01, Pv03, Pv06, Pv07, Pv08, Pv09, Pv10, and Pv11 within or near genes predicted to code for biochemical functions such as serine/threonine‐protein kinase, glutamine synthase, lectin domain protein, MADS‐domain transcription factor, and pentatricopeptide repeat protein, previously associated with immunity. This work identifies common bean germplasm resistant to Xcf, molecular markers for germplasm selection, and genes potentially involved in the resistance response.
A genome‐wide association study revealed new sources of resistance to common bacterial blight and SNPs near genes coding for functions implicated in plant defence response in Mesoamerican common bean.
Deficits of postural control and perceptions of verticality are disabling problems observed in stroke patients that have been recently correlated to each other. However, there is no evidence in the ...literature confirming this relationship with quantitative posturography analysis. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to analyze the relationship between Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV) and Haptic Vertical (HV) with posturography and functionality in stroke patients. We included 45 stroke patients. The study protocol was composed by clinical interview, evaluation of SPV and HV in roll and pitch planes and posturography. Posturography was measured in the sitting and standing positions under the conditions: eyes open, stable surface (EOSS); eyes closed, stable surface (ECSS); eyes open, unstable surface (EOUS); and eyes closed, unstable surface (ECUS). The median PV in roll plane was 0.34° (-1.44° to 2.54°) and in pitch plane 0.36° (-2.72° to 2.45°). The median of HV in roll and pitch planes were -0.94° (-5.86° to 3.84°) and 3.56° (-0.68° to 8.36°), respectively. SPV in the roll plane was correlated with all posturagraphy parameters in sitting position in all conditions (r = 0.35 to 0.47; p < 0.006). There were moderate correlations with the verticality perceptions and all the functional scales. Linear regression model showed association between speed and SPV in the roll plane in the condition EOSS (R2 of 0.37; p = 0.005), in the condition ECSS (R2 of 0.13; p = 0.04) and in the condition EOUS (R2 of 0.22; p = 0.03). These results suggest that verticality perception is a relevant component of postural control and should be systematically evaluated, particularly in patients with abnormal postural control.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Microfluidic devices constructed using low cost materials presents as alternative for conventional flow analysis systems because they provide advantages as low consumption of reagents and samples, ...high speed of analysis, possibility of portability and the easiness of construction and maintenance. Herein, is described for the first time the use of an electrochemical biosensor for phenol detection combined with a very simple and efficient microfluidic device based on commercial textile threads. Taking advantages of capillary phenomena and gravity forces, the solution transportation is promoted without any external forces or injection pump. Screen printed electrodes were modified with carbon nanotubes/gold nanoparticles followed by covalent binding of tyrosinase. After the biosensor electrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry technique, the optimization of relevant parameters such as pH, potential of detection and linear range for the biosensor performance was carried out; the system was evaluated for analytical phenol detection presenting limit of detection and limit of quantification 2.94nmolL−1 and 8.92nmolL−1 respectively. The proposed system was applied on phenol addition and recovery studies in drinking water, obtaining recoveries rates between 90% and 110%.
•Tyrosinase electrochemical biosensor was combined with microfluidic thread-based device for Phenol detection.•Detection and limit of: 2.94nmolL−1 for phenol detection.•The proposed method/device was sensitive, simple, and reliable for phenol detection in tap water.
Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) is a common form of non-scaring hair loss that occurs in adult women. Although several treatments have already been proposed for FPHL, only Topical Minoxidil ...accumulated an adequate level of evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic response of MMP® (intradermal infiltration) of Minoxidil formulation in the frontal-parietal-vertex regions compared with the gold-standard home administration of Minoxidil 5% Capillary Solution. This self-controlled comparative study evaluated 16 FPHL patients, without treatment for at least 6 months, confirmed by trichoscopy with TrichoLAB® software. They received 4 monthly sessions of MMP® with Minoxidil 0,5% on the right side of the scalp (frontal-parietal-vertex areas), followed by occlusion with plastic film for 12 h and prescription of Minoxidil 5% Solution for home use once a day, on both scalp sides, starting 72 h after the procedure. The reassessment trichoscopy was 6 weeks after the last session and they answered a “self-assessment” questionnaire. Treated scalp areas were compared and showed both treatments, in general, were effective, with no difference between them. If they were analyzed separately by treated areas, there were signs of better response in the parietal-vertex regions with treatment by MMP® with Minoxidil, while clinical treatment indicated a better response in the other regions. When patients were divided into more and less advanced cases, a better response in parietal-vertex regions treated by MMP® with Minoxidil in less advanced patients was confirmed. MMP® with Minoxidil showed a better response in the parietal-vertex regions in less advanced FPHL patients. It represents yet another resource to improve quality of life of these suffering patients.
We consider non-linear plane gravitational waves as propagating space-time defects, and construct the Burgers vector of the waves. In the context of classical continuum systems, the Burgers vector is ...a measure of the deformation of the medium, and at a microscopic (atomic) scale, it is a naturally quantized object. One purpose of the present article is ultimately to probe an alternative way on how to quantize plane gravitational waves.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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