Following the appearance of stripe rust in South Africa in 1996, efforts have been made to identify new sources of durable resistance. The French cultivar Cappelle-Desprez has long been considered a ...source of durable, adult plant resistance (APR) to stripe rust. As Cappelle-Desprez contains the seedling resistance genes
Yr3a
and
Yr4a,
wheat lines were developed from which
Yr3a
and
Yr4a
had been removed, while selecting for Cappelle-Desprez derived APR effective against South African pathotypes of the stripe rust fungus,
Puccinia striiformis
f. sp
. tritici.
Line Yr16DH70, adapted to South African wheat growing conditions, was selected and crossed to the stripe rust susceptible cultivar Palmiet to develop a segregating recombinant inbred line mapping population. A major effect QTL,
QYr.ufs
-
2A
was identified on the short arm of chromosome 2A derived from Cappelle-Desprez, along with three QTL of smaller effect,
QYr.ufs
-
2D, QYr.ufs
-
5B
and
QYr.ufs
-
6D. QYr.ufs
-
2D
was located within a region on the short arm of chromosome 2D believed to be the location of the stripe rust resistance gene
Yr16
. An additional minor effect QTL,
QYr.ufs
-
4B,
was identified in the cv. Palmiet. An examination of individual RILs carrying single or combinations of each QTL indicated significant resistance effects when
QYr.ufs
-
2A
was combined with the three minor QTL from Cappelle-Desprez, and between
QYr.ufs
-
2D
and
QYr.ufs
-
5B.
Adult plant resistance to stripe (yellow) rust in the wheat cultivar Kariega has previously been ascribed to a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on each of chromosomes 2B and 7D, along with a ...number of minor QTL. We have extended both the size of the cv. Kariega × cv. Avocet S mapping population, and the marker coverage within it, by assembling a set of Diversity Array Technology (DArT) markers. This has allowed for the analysis of the genetic basis of the adult plant and seedling resistances to stripe, leaf and stem rust present in the two mapping population parents. The stripe rust reactions of the segregating material were assessed in both field (three scoring dates) and greenhouse experiments. The chromosome 2B QTL became more important than the
Lr34/Yr18
complex on chromosome 7D as the plants aged. As the infection progressed, the two QTL explained an increasing proportion of the variance for percentage leaf area infected. The cv. Kariega allele at the minor chromosome 4A QTL had a consistent effect on the severity of stripe rust infection and the overall plant reaction at the earlier scoring dates, but lost importance as the disease progressed. Several rust resistances were detected using an improved greenhouse-based test.
Physical activity is important for healthy ageing, and daily walking is seen as a feasible way to be active at older ages. Yet, many older persons, particularly in lower socioeconomic groups and ...residing in deprived neighbourhoods, are insufficiently active. Creating a physical and social neighbourhood environment that is more supportive for walking has the potential to improve walking behaviour. Current evidence of the impact of changes to the physical and/or social environmental on walking behaviour is scarce. The aim of the NEW.ROADS study is to design, implement and evaluate changes to the physical and social environment for the purpose of increasing walking behaviour among older residents of deprived neighbourhoods.
Physical and social environmental interventions were developed by matching scientific evidence on environmental determinants of walking, with input from the target population and stakeholders, and ongoing neighbourhood activities. Specifically, a neighbourhood walking route was designed and marked, and neighbourhood walking groups were organised. These environmental interventions were evaluated in a four-armed experimental study. In addition, the design of the study to evaluate the effect of these environmental changes on walking behaviour is described.
Designing and implementing environmental interventions is a complex endeavour, challenged by limited available theory and evidence. Input from the target population and professional stakeholders is essential, but may also put constraints on the evaluation.
NTR3800 (registered 9/1/2013).
This study aimed to explore whether individual cognitions and neighbourhood social capital strengthen each other in their relation with engaging in sports at least three times per week. ...Cross-sectional analyses on data from the last wave of the YouRAction trial (2009–2010, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; baseline response: 98%) were conducted. In total 1129 had data on the last wave questionnaire (93%) and 832 of them had complete data on a self-administered questionnaire on frequency of sports participation, perceived neighbourhood social capital, cognitions (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and intention toward sport participation) and demographics. Ecometric methods were used to aggregate perceived neighbourhood social capital to the neighbourhood level. Multilevel logistic regression analyses (neighbourhood and individual as levels) were conducted to examine associations of cognitions, neighbourhood social capital and the social capital by individual cognition interaction with fit norm compliance. If the interaction was significant, simple slopes analyses were conducted to decompose interaction effects.
It was found that neighbourhood social capital was significantly associated with fit norm compliance (OR: 5.40; 95% CI: 1.13–25.74). Moreover, neighbourhood social capital moderated the association of attitude, perceived behavioural control and intention with fit norm compliance. The simple slope analyses visualized that the associations of cognitions with fit norm compliance were stronger in case of more neighbourhood social capital.
Hence, higher levels of neighbourhood social capital strengthen the associations of attitude, perceived behavioural control and intention in their association with fit norm compliance.
•Neighbourhood social capital was positively associated with fit norm compliance.•Neighbourhood social capital moderated TPB cognition-fit norm compliance associations.•When more neighbourhood social capital was present, these associations were stronger.
There is little evidence on how changing the physical environment changes health-related behaviours. We studied the effects of the new M74 motorway (freeway) - opened in 2011 - and the existing M8 ...motorway in Glasgow, Scotland, on physical activity and sedentary behaviour among local residents.
This natural experimental study used baseline (T1; 2005) and follow-up data (T2; 2013) from a longitudinal cohort (N = 365) and two cross-sectional samples (T1 N = 980; T2 N = 978). Adult participants were recruited from three study areas: one surrounding the new motorway, one surrounding the existing motorway, and a third, control, area without a motorway. The outcomes were self-reported time spent sitting, walking, and in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Motorway exposure was defined in terms of (1) study area and (2) distance from home to the nearest motorway junction. Outcomes were regressed on exposures in two-part (walking and MVPA) or linear (sedentary behaviour) cohort and repeat cross-sectional models, adjusted for baseline behaviour and sociodemographic covariates.
Cohort participants living in the M8 area were less likely to participate in MVPA at follow-up than those living in the area without a motorway (OR 0.37; 95%CI 0.15, 0.91). Within the M8 area, those living closer to the motorway were also less likely to do so (OR 0.30; 95%CI 0.09, 0.97). No other statistically significant results were found.
We found some evidence of a negative association between exposure to an existing urban motorway and MVPA. However, the behavioural impacts of motorways are likely to be complex and evolve over time.
ObjectiveTo identify preconception clinical factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS).MethodsA ...single-centre, retrospective cohort study was conducted, which included pregnant women treated at the University Medical Center Groningen between January 2010 and August 2021 who fulfilled classification criteria for SLE or pSS. Demographic data, relevant comorbidities, disease duration, disease activity before and during pregnancy, APO, laboratory parameters and treatment regimens were recorded. Associations between the presence of APO and preconception characteristics were evaluated.ResultsOur study population included 48 (70%) SLE and 21 (30%) pSS pregnancies concerning 70 fetuses (one twin). Preterm birth (n=9, 19%) was the most frequent APO in SLE pregnancies, while in pSS pregnancies this was miscarriages (n=3, 14%). There were no associations between the presence of APO in SLE pregnancies and clinical parameters, laboratory parameters or medication use prior to conception. In the pSS group, significant associations were found between the presence of APO and body mass index (p=0.010), parity (p=0.046), C4 (p=0.021) and low C4 levels (p=0.002).ConclusionsNo preconception risk factors related to APO were found in SLE pregnancies, whereas preconception complement levels were associated with APO development in patients with pSS.
The catalytic activity of Brønsted acid sites in zeolites was studied by the monomolecular conversion of propane over zeolites with varying framework topologies and Si/Al ratios. The rates and ...apparent activation energies of cracking and dehydrogenation were determined. The activity of the Brønsted acid sites depends on the rate-limiting step of the reaction. In the cracking reaction, the protonation of the alkane is the rate-limiting step, and the heat of reactant adsorption dominates the differences in the observed activity. The similar intrinsic activities over the different zeolites show that the ability of zeolitic Brønsted acid sites to transfer a proton to an alkane does not vary significantly, suggesting that the acid sites that participate in the reaction have very similar strengths. In the dehydrogenation reaction, the rate-limiting step is the desorption of the alkoxide species. The rate is determined by the stability of the alkoxide species, which is influenced by the local geometric and electronic structure of the Brønsted acid site and is affected by zeolite structure and Si/Al ratio. Implications of these conclusions are related to other reactions, such as catalytic cracking and alkylation.
Objective During the last decade, endovascular repair of popliteal artery aneurysms (PAAs) has become a valid alternative to open repair. This study analyzes the incidence and origin of stent graft ...fractures after endovascular repair, its impact on patency, and strategies to prevent fractures. Methods Data of 78 atherosclerotic PAAs in 64 patients were gathered in a prospectively-held database from 1998 to 2009. All x-rays were reviewed to detect stent fractures. Only circumferential fractures were included for analysis; localized strut fractures were excluded. Clinical endpoints were circumferential stent fracture, occlusion, and clinical status of the patient. Results Mean follow-up time was 50 months (range, 1-127 months). Fifteen circumferential stent fractures occurred in 13 (16.7%) patients. The majority of stent fractures (93.3%) were associated with the use of multiple stent grafts. At univariate analysis, younger age was identified as the only significant predictor for stent fracture ( P = .007). The cumulative stent fracture-free survival was estimated at 78% and 73% at 5- and 10-year follow-up, respectively. The cumulative primary patency rate, defined as time to occlusion, was not different for the fracture group compared with the nonfracture group ( P = .284). Conclusions The incidence of stent fractures after endovascular PAA repair is probably underreported in the literature. Stent graft fractures mainly occur at overlap zones and are associated with younger age of the patient. Fracture of the stent did not significantly influence patency of the stent graft.