Morphometrical and genetic diversity of Meloidogyne javanica isolates from the north east of Iran

Twenty one populations ofMeloidogyne javanica collected from roots of four different host plants in different regions of Khorasan Razavi province, north east of Iran, were studied by statistical analysis based on 27 morphometrical characters of females, J2s and perineal pattern. Morphological studies were confirmed by species specific primers. PCA analysis separated the different populations, however no geographical or host patterns were observed. Cluster analysis confirmed these results. Statistical analysis showed 86% similarity in morphometrical characters, revealed for the first time in this study. The genetic diversity of populations was studied by RAPD with ten primers, showing 92.6% similarity. The results of Mantel test, which has been used for searching correlation between morphometrical and genetic diversity, revealed low values between the two data sets. The present study demonstrated morphological and genetic variations among populations of M. javanica and that such variations are little influenced by geographical origin of nematodes and/or their host plants

Effects of foliar application of liquid fertilizer on agronomical and physiological traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Providing rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants with the required nutrients is essential in order to avoid yield reduction. As such, an experiment was performed at the Rice Research Institute of Iran in Amol Township to evaluate the effects of foliar application of nutrients on rice plants. The experiment consisted of a randomized complete block design, with four replications during 2 crop years (2016 and 2017). Experimental treatments included foliar application of nutrients [the chemical composition of liquid fertilizer was as follows: nitrogen (N): 7%, phosphorus (P): 7%, potassium (K): 7%, iron (Fe): 0.05%, boron (B): 0.05%, zinc (Zn): 0.01%, manganese (Mn): 0.01%, and copper (Cu): 0.01%] in the following growth phases: (A) midtillering stage, (B) maximum tillering, (C) panicle initiation, (D) maximum tillering + panicle initiation, (E) all stages, and (F) control treatment (no liquid fertilizer applied). Our results indicate that foliar application of nutrients in different vegetative and generative stages significantly affected plant height, number of tillers per plant, chlorophyll concentration, number of filled grains per panicle, and grain yield. However, our treatments did not significantly affect the 1,000-grain weight. Furthermore, foliar application of nutrients significantly affected physiological traits including leaf area index, growth rate, and total dry weight of plants. Our results indicate that the mean values of the investigated traits were highest in the “maximum tillering + panicle initiation” and “all stages” treatments. In contrast, the lowest mean values of the investigated traits were found in the control treatment. Foliar application of nutrients at the “maximum tillering + panicle initiation” stage resulted in the highest chlorophyll concentrations, leaf area index, and crop growth rate in the flowering stage. Our results indicate that foliar application of nutrients was most effective when applied to Sahel variety rice during two vegetative and reproductive stage

Ulcerative Colitis: Current Treatment Strategies and Future Prospects

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by inflammation of the mucosa and occasionally the submucosa of the colon. Conventional drug therapy for UC involves use of aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, cyclosporine and anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy. Alternative therapies include probiotics, nicotine and fish oil. Drugs like tacrolimus, rosiglitazone and Trichuris suis ova are being evaluated for use in UC patients. With the new biologic agents, new treatment options for UC continue to evolve. In this article we will discuss the conventional drugs, the alternative therapies and the management strategies according to the severity and extent of UC

sj-docx-1-cjb-10.1177_00938548241246437 – Supplemental material for Examining the Measurement Invariance and Psychometrics of the Drug Abuse Screening Test for Adolescents (DAST-A) in Justice-Involved Youth

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-cjb-10.1177_00938548241246437 for Examining the Measurement Invariance and Psychometrics of the Drug Abuse Screening Test for Adolescents (DAST-A) in Justice-Involved Youth by Alexandra Mogadam, Tracey A. Skilling, Michele Peterson-Badali and Liam Hannah in Criminal Justice and Behavior</p

Immunoglobulin Free Light Chains in the Pathogenesis of Lung Disorders.

Inflammation is an important component of numerous cancers and chronic diseases and many inflammatory mediators have been shown to have potential prognostic roles. Tumor-infiltrating mast cells can promote tumor growth and angiogenesis, but the mechanism of mast cell activation is unclear. Early studies have shown that immunoglobulin free light chains (FLC) can trigger mast cell activation in an antigen-specific manner. Increased expression of FLC is observed within the stroma of many human cancers including those of breast, colon, lung, pancreas, kidney, and skin. These overexpressed FLCs are co-localized to areas of mast cell infiltration. Importantly, FLC expression is associated with basal-like cancers with an aggressive phenotype. Moreover, FLC is expressed in areas of inflammatory cell infiltration and its expression is significantly associated with poor clinical outcome. In addition, serum and bronchoalveolar fluid FLC concentrations are increased in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) compared to control subjects. In this review, we provide an update on the role of FLC in the pathogenesis of several lung disorders and indicate how this may contribute to new therapeutic opportunities