scholarly journals Impacts of environmental conditions, and allelic variation of cytosolic glutamine synthetase on maize hybrid kernel production

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nardjis Amiour ◽  
Laurent Décousset ◽  
Jacques Rouster ◽  
Nicolas Quenard ◽  
Clément Buet ◽  
...  

AbstractCytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) is the enzyme mainly responsible of ammonium assimilation and reassimilation in maize leaves. The agronomic potential of GS1 in maize kernel production was investigated by examining the impact of an overexpression of the enzyme in the leaf cells. Transgenic hybrids exhibiting a three-fold increase in leaf GS activity were produced and characterized using plants grown in the field. Several independent hybrids overexpressing Gln1-3, a gene encoding cytosolic (GS1), in the leaf and bundle sheath mesophyll cells were grown over five years in different locations. On average, a 3.8% increase in kernel yield was obtained in the transgenic hybrids compared to controls. However, we observed that such an increase was simultaneously dependent upon both the environmental conditions and the transgenic event for a given field trial. Although variable from one environment to another, significant associations were also found between two GS1 genes (Gln1-3 and Gln1-4) polymorphic regions and kernel yield in different locations. We propose that the GS1 enzyme is a potential lead for producing high yielding maize hybrids using either genetic engineering or marker-assisted selection. However, for these hybrids, yield increases will be largely dependent upon the environmental conditions used to grow the plants.

2004 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 1640-1647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiki Ishiyama ◽  
Eri Inoue ◽  
Mayumi Tabuchi ◽  
Tomoyuki Yamaya ◽  
Hideki Takahashi

2016 ◽  
pp. erw454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriyuki Konishi ◽  
Keiki Ishiyama ◽  
Marcel Pascal Beier ◽  
Eri Inoue ◽  
Keiichi Kanno ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 601-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriyuki Konishi ◽  
Masahide Saito ◽  
Fumi Imagawa ◽  
Keiich Kanno ◽  
Tomoyuki Yamaya ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Akilesh M ◽  
Ashish Wadhwani

: Infectious diseases have been prevalent since many decades and viral pathogens have caused global health crisis and economic meltdown on a devastating scale. High occurrence of newer viral infections in the recent years, in spite of the progress achieved in the field of pharmaceutical sciences defines the critical need for newer and more effective antiviral therapies and diagnostics. The incidence of multi-drug resistance and adverse effects due to the prolonged use of anti-viral therapy is also a major concern. Nanotechnology offers a cutting edge platform for the development of novel compounds and formulations for biomedical applications. The unique properties of nano-based materials can be attributed to the multi-fold increase in the surface to volume ratio at the nano-scale, tunable surface properties of charge and chemical moieties. Idealistic pharmaceutical properties such as increased bioavailability and retention times, lower toxicity profiles, sustained release formulations, lower dosage forms and most importantly, targeted drug delivery can be achieved through the approach of nanotechnology. The extensively researched nano-based materials are metal and polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers and micelles, nano-drug delivery vesicles, liposomes and lipid based nanoparticles. In this review article, the impact of nanotechnology on the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) viral infections during the last decade are outlined.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s111-s112
Author(s):  
Mohammed Alsuhaibani ◽  
Mohammed Alzunitan ◽  
Kyle Jenn ◽  
Daniel Diekema ◽  
Michael Edmond ◽  
...  

Background: Surveillance for surgical site infections (SSI) is recommended by the CDC. Currently, colon and abdominal hysterectomy SSI rates are publicly available and impact hospital reimbursement. However, the CDC NHSN allows surgical procedures to be abstracted based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) or current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. We assessed the impact of using ICD and/or CPT codes on the number of cases abstracted and SSI rates. Methods: We retrieved administrative codes (ICD and/or CPT) for procedures performed at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics over 1 year: October 2018–September 2019. We included 10 procedure types: colon, hysterectomy, cesarean section, breast, cardiac, craniotomy, spinal fusion, laminectomy, hip prosthesis, and knee prosthesis surgeries. We then calculated the number of procedures that would be abstracted if we used different permutations in administration codes: (1) ICD codes only, (2) CPT codes only, (3) both ICD and CPT codes, and (4) at least 1 code from either ICD or CPT. We then calculated the impact on SSI rates based on any of the 4 coding permutations. Results: In total, 9,583 surgical procedures and 180 SSIs were detected during the study period using the fourth method (ICD or CPT codes). Denominators varied according to procedure type and coding method used. The number of procedures abstracted for breast surgery had a >10-fold difference if reported based on ICD only versus ICD or CPT codes (104 vs 1,109). Hip prosthesis had the lowest variation (638 vs 767). For SSI rates, cesarean section showed almost a 3-fold increment (2.6% when using ICD only to 7.32% with both ICD & CPT), whereas abdominal hysterectomy showed nearly a 2-fold increase (1.14% when using CPT only to 2.22% with both ICD & CPT codes). However, SSI rates remained fairly similar for craniotomy (0.14% absolute difference), hip prosthesis (0.24% absolute difference), and colon (0.09% absolute difference) despite differences in the number of abstracted procedures and coding methods. Conclusions: Denominators and SSI rates vary depending on the coding method used. Variations in the number of procedures abstracted and their subsequent impact on SSI rates were not predictable. Variations in coding methods used by hospitals could impact interhospital comparisons and benchmarking, potentially leading to disparities in public reporting and hospital penalties.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Gabriela Wiergowska ◽  
Dominika Ludowicz ◽  
Kamil Wdowiak ◽  
Andrzej Miklaszewski ◽  
Kornelia Lewandowska ◽  
...  

To improve physicochemical properties of vardenafil hydrochloride (VAR), its amorphous form and combinations with excipients—hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)—were prepared. The impact of the modification on physicochemical properties was estimated by comparing amorphous mixtures of VAR to their crystalline form. The amorphous form of VAR was obtained as a result of the freeze-drying process. Confirmation of the identity of the amorphous dispersion of VAR was obtained through the use of comprehensive analysis techniques—X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), supported by FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) coupled with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The amorphous mixtures of VAR increased its apparent solubility compared to the crystalline form. Moreover, a nearly 1.3-fold increase of amorphous VAR permeability through membranes simulating gastrointestinal epithelium as a consequence of the changes of apparent solubility (Papp crystalline VAR = 6.83 × 10−6 cm/s vs. Papp amorphous VAR = 8.75 × 10−6 cm/s) was observed, especially for its combinations with β-CD in the ratio of 1:5—more than 1.5-fold increase (Papp amorphous VAR = 8.75 × 10−6 cm/s vs. Papp amorphous VAR:β-CD 1:5 = 13.43 × 10−6 cm/s). The stability of the amorphous VAR was confirmed for 7 months. The HPMC and β-CD are effective modifiers of its apparent solubility and permeation through membranes simulating gastrointestinal epithelium, suggesting a possibility of a stronger pharmacological effect.


Author(s):  
Marta Oliveira ◽  
Sílvia Capelas ◽  
Cristina Delerue-Matos ◽  
Simone Morais

Grilling activities release large amounts of hazardous pollutants, but information on restaurant grill workers’ exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is almost inexistent. This study assessed the impact of grilling emissions on total workers’ exposure to PAHs by evaluating the concentrations of six urinary biomarkers of exposure (OHPAHs): naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene. Individual levels and excretion profiles of urinary OHPAHs were determined during working and nonworking periods. Urinary OHPAHs were quantified by high-performance liquid-chromatography with fluorescence detection. Levels of total OHPAHs (∑OHPAHs) were significantly increased (about nine times; p ≤ 0.001) during working comparatively with nonworking days. Urinary 1-hydroxynaphthalene + 1-hydroxyacenapthene and 2-hydroxyfluorene presented the highest increments (ca. 23- and 6-fold increase, respectively), followed by 1-hydroxyphenanthrene (ca. 2.3 times) and 1-hydroxypyrene (ca. 1.8 times). Additionally, 1-hydroxypyrene levels were higher than the benchmark, 0.5 µmol/mol creatinine, in 5% of exposed workers. Moreover, 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene, biomarker of exposure to carcinogenic PAHs, was detected in 13% of exposed workers. Individual excretion profiles showed a cumulative increase in ∑OHPAHs during consecutive working days. A principal component analysis model partially discriminated workers’ exposure during working and nonworking periods showing the impact of grilling activities. Urinary OHPAHs were increased in grill workers during working days.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1901
Author(s):  
Ana Gonzalez-Martinez ◽  
Carmen De-Pablos-Heredero ◽  
Martin González ◽  
Jorge Rodriguez ◽  
Cecilio Barba ◽  
...  

The Guayas, located in Ecuador, is the largest basin in the Pacific Ocean and has an inventory of 123 native freshwater species. Most of these are endemic species that are threatened or at-risk due to anthropogenic activity and the modification, fragmentation, and destruction of habitats. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric variation in three wild populations of Brycon dentex in the Guayas basin rivers and their connections to fishing management and environmental conditions. A total of 200 mature fish were captured, and 26 morphometric parameters were measured. The fishing policies (Hypothesis 1) and environmental conditions (Hypothesis 2) were considered fixed factors and were validated by t-tests. The morphological variation among the three populations (Hypothesis 3) was validated through a discriminant analysis. Fishing policies and resource management were found to generate morphological differences associated with body development. In addition, the environmental conditions were found to influence the size and structure of Brycon dentex populations. The analyzed populations were discriminated by the generated morphometric models, which differentiated Cluster 1 (Quevedo and Mocache rivers) with high fishing pressure from Cluster 2 (Pintado river) with medium–low fishing pressure. Morphometric differentiation by discriminant analysis is a direct and economic methodology that can be applied as an indicator of diversity maintenance.


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