Kernel weight in maize: genetic control of its physiological and compositional determinants in a dent × flint-caribbean RIL population

The genetic control of maize kernel weight (KW) determination could be studied through its physiological and/ or compositional determinants. Our objective was to dissect the genetic control of maize KW by analyzing its physiological (KGR: kernel growth rate; KFD: kernel filling duration) and compositional (protein, oil, starch) determinants in a dent×flint Caribbean RIL population, which combines a broad genetic background with grains of high added value for industry. An additional objective was to determine the stability of the genetic control under contrasting growing conditions, for which soil nitrogen offer was modified across experiments. Heritability (H2) values were high for KW (H2 = 0.74) and intermediate for the other traits (from 0.62 to 0.42). Kernel weight had a strong correlation with KFD (r = 0.69), KGR (r = 0.60) and protein concentration (r = 0.56). Ten joint QTL with inconsistent effects across years and seven epistatic interactions were detected. Despite changes in effect size, most QTL were significant under both environments. Nine QTL were associated with variations in potential KW (KW ), mean KW, KGR and oil concentration, eight with variations in protein and starch concentration and seven with KFD. Epistatic interactions were related to regions with significant main effects. The most important finding was the existence of a common QTL for KW , KGR and KFD on chromosome 5, for which there was no previous report. Results increased our knowledge on the genetic control of KW through its phenotypic and genetic correlation with KFD, confirming the need to explore different physiological strategies in different genetic backgrounds

DIAGNÓSTICO DA TUBERCULOSE EM UNIDADES PRISIONAIS DO OESTE PAULISTA: IMPORTÂNCIA DA CULTURA E AVALIAÇÃO DA IMPLANTAÇÃO DO TESTE RÁPIDO MOLECULAR

A Tuberculose, doença infecciosa causada por micobactérias pertencentes ao Complexo M. tuberculosis, consiste num problema de saúde pública, principalmente nas unidades prisionais cujas condições são propicias à incidência deste agravo. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a importância da cultura automatizada MGIT® 960 BD (“padrão-ouro”), o desempenho do Teste Rápido Molecular no equipamento GeneXpert® MTB/RIF e a distribuição do quantitativo da tuberculose em cinco unidades prisionais da área de abrangência do CLR IAL PP V, no período entre outubro/2015 e outubro/2016. Foram analisadas 4.509 amostras para diagnóstico, apresentando especificidade de 99,03%, sensibilidade de 72,73% e concordância de 97% entre os testes. Os Resultados mostraram a importância da cultura para identificação de espécie e implantação do TRM-TB na rotina laboratorial, bem como da necessidade de melhoria na qualidade e no quantitativo de amostras coletadas no sistema prisional

DIAGNÓSTICO DA TUBERCULOSE EM UNIDADES PRISIONAIS DO OESTE PAULISTA: IMPORTÂNCIA DA CULTURA E AVALIAÇÃO DA IMPLANTAÇÃO DO TESTE RÁPIDO MOLECULAR

A Tuberculose, doença infecciosa causada por micobactérias pertencentes ao Complexo M. tuberculosis, consiste num problema de saúde pública, principalmente nas unidades prisionais cujas condições são propicias à incidência deste agravo. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a importância da cultura automatizada MGIT® 960 BD (“padrão-ouro”), o desempenho do Teste Rápido Molecular no equipamento GeneXpert® MTB/RIF e a distribuição do quantitativo da tuberculose em cinco unidades prisionais da área de abrangência do CLR IAL PP V, no período entre outubro/2015 e outubro/2016. Foram analisadas 4.509 amostras para diagnóstico, apresentando especificidade de 99,03%, sensibilidade de 72,73% e concordância de 97% entre os testes. Os Resultados mostraram a importância da cultura para identificação de espécie e implantação do TRM-TB na rotina laboratorial, bem como da necessidade de melhoria na qualidade e no quantitativo de amostras coletadas no sistema prisional

The Athena X-ray Integral Field Unit: a consolidated design for the system requirement review of the preliminary definition phase

The Athena X-ray Integral Unit (X-IFU) is the high resolution X-ray spectrometer studied since 2015 for flying in the mid-30s on the Athena space X-ray Observatory. Athena is a versatile observatory designed to address the Hot and Energetic Universe science theme, as selected in November 2013 by the Survey Science Committee. Based on a large format array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES), X-IFU aims to provide spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy, with a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV (up to 7 keV) over a hexagonal field of view of 5 arc minutes (equivalent diameter). The X-IFU entered its System Requirement Review (SRR) in June 2022, at about the same time when ESA called for an overall X-IFU redesign (including the X-IFU cryostat and the cooling chain), due to an unanticipated cost overrun of Athena. In this paper, after illustrating the breakthrough capabilities of the X-IFU, we describe the instrument as presented at its SRR (i.e. in the course of its preliminary definition phase, so-called B1), browsing through all the subsystems and associated requirements. We then show the instrument budgets, with a particular emphasis on the anticipated budgets of some of its key performance parameters, such as the instrument efficiency, spectral resolution, energy scale knowledge, count rate capability, non X-ray background and target of opportunity efficiency. Finally, we briefly discuss the ongoing key technology demonstration activities, the calibration and the activities foreseen in the X-IFU Instrument Science Center, touch on communication and outreach activities, the consortium organisation and the life cycle assessment of X-IFU aiming at minimising the environmental footprint, associated with the development of the instrument. Thanks to the studies conducted so far on X-IFU, it is expected that along the design-to-cost exercise requested by ESA, the X-IFU will maintain flagship capabilities in spatially resolved high resolution X-ray spectroscopy, enabling most of the original X-IFU related scientific objectives of the Athena mission to be retained. The X-IFU will be provided by an international consortium led by France, The Netherlands and Italy, with ESA member state contributions from Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, with additional contributions from the United States and Japan.The French contribution to X-IFU is funded by CNES, CNRS and CEA. This work has been also supported by ASI (Italian Space Agency) through the Contract 2019-27-HH.0, and by the ESA (European Space Agency) Core Technology Program (CTP) Contract No. 4000114932/15/NL/BW and the AREMBES - ESA CTP No.4000116655/16/NL/BW. This publication is part of grant RTI2018-096686-B-C21 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”. This publication is part of grant RTI2018-096686-B-C21 and PID2020-115325GB-C31 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033

Score 3 prostate lesions: A gray zone for PI-RADS v2

Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) does not offer a precise guidance on the clinical management (biopsy or not biopsy) for PI-RADS v2 score 3 lesions. Lesion volume calculated on biparametric MRI (bpMRI) [T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)] by introducing a cut-off of 0.5 mL, allows to distinguish the lesions assigned by the multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) to the category PI-RADS v2 score 3 in two subgroups: a) Indolent or low risk lesions with volume <0.5 mL, and b) Significant or high risk lesions with volume ≥0.5 mL. For mpMRI lesions assigned to PI-RADS v2 score 3, we suggest the following management: 1) Subgroup a (low-risk lesion): Clinical surveillance (accurate evaluation of age and clinical informations, periodic monitoring of prostate specific antigen value and repeated bpMRI 1 year later); 2) Subgroup b (high-risk lesion): Targeted biopsy. The proposed management would reduce the use of unnecessary biopsies and increase the diagostic yield of significant prostate cancer of approximately 50% and 30% respectively. These approaches encourage the radiologist to adopt MRI lesion volume to improve PI-RADS v2 and to optimize the management of PI-RADS v2 score 3 lesions

Phenotypic plasticity for biomass partitioning in maize : genotype effects across a range of environments

El rendimiento en grano de maíz está determinado por el genotipo (G), el ambiente (E) y los efectos de la interacción G × E que influyen en la expresión de los rasgos a lo largo del ciclo del cultivo. Líneas endocriadas e híbridos pueden diferir en sus respuestas a las fluctuaciones ambientales, lo que determina cambios en los niveles de heterosis a través de los ambientes y, en consecuencia, en el ambiente objetivo para su evaluación. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron (i) comparar rasgos relacionados con el rendimiento en grano, la producción de biomasa aérea y su partición en dos grupos genotípicos contrastantes (líneas e híbridos) y (ii) analizar su desempeño a través de ambientes para la evaluación de su plasticidad fenotípica, así como los efectos del ambiente sobre la expresión de la heterosis. Construimos un índice ambiental balanceado basado en el rendimiento en grano por planta normalizado (BEINPGY) de 14 ambientes contrastantes utilizando un diseño dialélico completo de 6 líneas endocriadas y analizamos la respuesta de los 12 rasgos evaluados a este índice para cada grupo genotípico. Este enfoque nos permitió (i) diferenciar entre rasgos con respuesta lineal (rendimiento de grano, biomasa total, número de granos, intervalo antesis-silking y eficiencia reproductiva de la planta), bilineal (índice de cosecha, peso individual del grano, prolificidad y eficiencia reproductiva de la espiga apical) o sin respuesta (tasas de crecimiento de la espiga y de la planta alrededor de floración, así como su relación) en la plasticidad fenotípica de cada grupo al BEINPGY , y (ii) agrupar rasgos de acuerdo a la respuesta de su heterosis absoluta (es decir, plasticidad de la heterosis) al BEINPGY, la cual varió en signo (positivo, nulo o negativo) según el rasgo. Hubo una relación clara y positiva entre la plasticidad de la heterosis absoluta y la plasticidad de los rasgos, que estuvo determinada principalmente por los híbridos. Los grupos genotípicos difirieron en los patrones de asociación de los valores de los rasgos per se, así como en sus plasticidades fenotípicas, indicativo de las diferentes bases genéticas que los determinan. El hecho de que el porcentaje de heterosis para el rendimiento en grano y otros rasgos secundarios relevantes no varió a través de los ambientes, mientras que se espera que la heredabilidad disminuya en condiciones de estrés, podría contribuir a orientar esfuerzos futuros del mejoramiento con el objetivo de desarrollar híbridos superiores con un desempeño exitoso, particularmente en los desafiantes escenarios ambientales futuros.Maize grain yield is determined by genotype (G), environment (E) and G × E interaction effects that influence the expression of traits along the crop cycle. Inbreds and hybrids may differ in their responses to fluctuations in environmental conditions, determining changes in heterosis levels across environments and consequently the target environment for their evaluation. The objectives of this work were (i) to compare traits related to grain yield, aboveground biomass production and its partitioning in two contrasting genotypic groups (inbreds and hybrids) and (ii) to analyze their performance across environments for the assessment of their phenotypic plasticity as well as environmental effects on the expression of heterosis. We built a balanced environmental index based on normalized plant grain yield (BEINPGY) from 14 contrasting environments using a 6-inbred complete diallel mating design and analyzed the response of the 12 evaluated traits to this index for each genotypic group. This approach allowed us to (i) differentiate among traits with simple linear (grain yield, total biomass, kernel numbers, the anthesis-silking interval and plant reproductive efficiency), bilinear (harvest index, individual kernel weight, prolificacy and apical ear reproductive efficiency) or no response (ear and plant growth rates around flowering as well as their relationship) in phenotypic plasticity of each group to the BEINPGY, and (ii) group traits depending upon their absolute heterosis response (i.e., heterosis plasticity) to the BEINPGY, which varied in sign (positive, null or negative) depending upon the trait. There was a clear and positive relationship between absolute heterosis plasticity and traits plasticities, which was mainly driven by hybrids. Genotypic groups differed in the association patterns of traits values per se as well as of their phenotypic plasticities, indicative of the different genetic bases that determine them. The fact that percent heterosis for grain yield and other relevant secondary traits did not vary across environments, whereas heritability is expected to decrease under stressful conditions, may contribute to guide future breeding efforts aiming to develop superior hybrids with successful performance, particularly in future challenging environmental scenarios.EEA PergaminoFil: Galizia, Luciana A. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento de Ecofisiología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina.Fil: Munaro, Eugenia M. AgriScience; Estados UnidosFil: Cirilo; Alfredo Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento de Ecofisiología; ArgentinaFil: Otegui, María Elena. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Ecofisiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: D'Andrea, Karina Elizabeth. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin