Quantification of a novel biotrophic mycoparasitic fungus using genus specific real-time PCR for biocontrol of phytopathogenic Fusarium graminearum in wheat root under controlled conditions

Non-Peer ReviewedFusarium species are well-known causal agents of Fusarium root-rot, Fusarium head blight (FHB), and Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) diseases in Saskatchewan and other provinces of Canada. Our goal is to develop quantitative real-time PCR techniques to determine and evaluate interactions between Fusarium-associated biotrophic mycoparasitic fungus SMCD 2220 and 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON) producing Fusarium graminearum Schwabe – in and surrounding wheat roots. ITS1F/ITS4 (internal transcribed spacer) sequences from SMCD 2220 biotrophic mycoparasitic fungal isolate and 20 different Fusarium strains were aligned, and consensus sequences were verified. Four candidate primer sets from ITS regions were designed based on the non-conserved regions of the consensus sequences. Using the primer set SmyITSF/R, the biotrophic mycoparasite genomic DNAs were amplified from SMCD 2220. This primer set was developed for assessing and quantifying the interactions between SMCD 2220 biotrophic mycoparasite and F. graminearum. Well-known necrotrophic T. harzianum T-22, was used as the positive control. During in vitro studies, only SMCD 2220 was observed to improve wheat seed germination, whereas T-22 induced post-emergence damping-off symptoms. Under controlled phytotron conditions, both SMCD 2220 and T. harzianum strains were able to reduce the quantity of F. graminearum in spring wheat root, as well as improving the survival and growth of the spring wheat seedlings. However, amount of SMCD 2220 DNA detected was no significantly difference between wheat inoculated with F. graminearum and without Fusarium. In contrary, the amount of T. harzianum DNA monitored in the treatment inoculated with F. graminearum was observed to reduce significantly, as compared to non-Fusarium treatment

Functional Brain Imaging with Multi-Objective Multi-Modal Evolutionary Optimization

Functional brain imaging is a source of spatio-temporal data mining problems. A new framework hybridizing multi-objective and multi-modal optimization is proposed to formalize these data mining problems, and addressed through Evolutionary Computation (EC). The merits of EC for spatio-temporal data mining are demonstrated as the approach facilitates the modelling of the experts' requirements, and flexibly accommodates their changing goals

On the feasibility of N2 fixation via a single-site FeI/FeIV cycle: Spectroscopic studies of FeI(N2)FeI, FeIV=N, and related species

The electronic properties of an unusually redox-rich iron system, [PhBPR 3]FeNx (where [PhBPR 3] is [PhB(CH2PR2)3]−), are explored by Mössbauer, EPR, magnetization, and density-functional methods to gain a detailed picture regarding their oxidation states and electronic structures. The complexes of primary interest in this article are the two terminal iron(IV) nitride species, [PhBPiPr 3]FeN (3a) and [PhBPCH2Cy 3]FeN (3b), and the formally diiron(I) bridged-Fe(μ-N2)Fe species, {[PhBPiPr 3]Fe}2(μ-N2) (4). Complex 4 is chemically related to 3a via a spontaneous nitride coupling reaction. The diamagnetic iron(IV) nitrides 3a and 3b exhibit unique electronic environments that are reflected in their unusual Mössbauer parameters, including quadrupole-splitting values of 6.01(1) mm/s and isomer shift values of −0.34(1) mm/s. The data for 4 suggest that this complex can be described by a weak ferromagnetic interaction (J/D < 1) between two iron(I) centers. For comparison, four other relevant complexes also are characterized: a diamagnetic iron(IV) trihydride [PhBPiPr 3]Fe(H)3(PMe3) (5), an S = 3/2 iron(I) phosphine adduct [PhBPiPr 3]FePMe3 (6), and the S = 2 iron(II) precursors to 3a, [PhBPiPr 3]FeCl and [PhBPiPr 3]Fe-2,3:5,6-dibenzo-7-aza bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene (dbabh). The electronic properties of these respective complexes also have been explored by density-functional methods to help corroborate our spectral assignments and to probe their electronic structures further

Visualizing Tree Structures in Genetic Programming

This paper presents methods to visualize the structure of trees that occur in genetic programming. These methods allow for the inspection of structure of entire trees even though several thousands of nodes may be involved. The methods also scale to allow for the inspection of structure for entire populations and for complete trials even though millions of nodes may be involved. Examples are given that demonstrate how this new way of “seeing” can afford a potentially rich way of understanding dynamics that underpin genetic programming. The examples indicate further studies that might be enabled by visualizing structure at these scales.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45620/1/10710_2005_Article_7621.pd

Amlodipine versus angiotensin II receptor blocker; control of blood pressure evaluation trial in diabetics (ADVANCED-J)

BACKGROUND: The coexistence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study has shown that blood pressure control as well as blood glucose control is efficient for prevention of complications in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus. However, some reports have shown that it is difficult to control the blood pressure and the concomitant use of a plurality of drugs is needed in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus. In recent years renin-angiotensin system depressants are increasingly used for the blood pressure control in diabetic patients. Particularly in Japan, angiotensin II (A II) antagonists are increasingly used. However, there is no definite evidence of the point of which is efficient for the control, the increase in dose of A II antagonist or the concomitant use of another drug, in hypertensive patients whose blood pressure levels are inadequately controlled with A II antagonist. METHODS/DESIGN: Hypertensive patients of age 20 years or over with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have been treated by the single use of AII antagonist at usual doses for at least 8 weeks or patients who have been treated by the concomitant use of AII antagonist and an antihypertensive drug other than calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors at usual doses for at least 8 weeks are included. DISCUSSION: We designed a multi-center, prospective, randomized, open label, blinded-endpoint trial, ADVANCED-J, to compare the increases in dose of A II antagonist and the concomitant use of a Ca-channel blocker (amlodipine) and A II antagonist in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus, whose blood pressure levels were inadequately controlled with A II antagonist. This study is different from the usual previous studies in that home blood pressures are assessed as indicators of evaluation of blood pressure. The ADVANCED-J study may have much influence on selection of antihypertensive drugs for treatment in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus. It is expected to give an important hint for considering the validity of selection of antihypertensive drugs from the aspects not only of the antihypertensive effect but medical cost-effectiveness

Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism modifies fasting total cholesterol concentrations in response to replacement of dietary saturated with monounsaturated fatty acids in adults at moderate cardiovascular disease risk

Consumption of ≤10% total energy from fat as saturated fatty acids (SFA) is recommended for cardiovascular disease risk reduction in the UK; however there is no clear guidance on the optimum replacement nutrient. Lipid-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been shown to modify the lipid responses to dietary fat interventions. Hence, we performed a retrospective analysis in 120 participants from the Dietary Intervention and VAScular function (DIVAS) study to investigate whether lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) SNPs modify the fasting lipid response to replacement of SFA with monounsaturated (MUFA) or n-6 polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids. The DIVAS study was a randomized, single-blinded, parallel dietary intervention study performed in adults with a moderate cardiovascular risk who received one of three isoenergetic diets rich in SFA, MUFA or n-6 PUFA for 16 weeks. After the 16-week intervention, a significant diet-gene interaction was observed for changes in fasting total cholesterol (P = 0.001). For the APOE SNP rs1064725, only TT homozygotes showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol after the MUFA diet (n = 33; -0.71 ± 1.88 mmol/l) compared to the SFA (n = 38; 0.34 ± 0.55 mmol/l) or n-6 PUFA diets (n = 37; -0.08 ± 0.73 mmol/l) (P = 0.004). None of the interactions were statistically significant for the other SNPs. In summary, our findings have demonstrated a greater sensitivity of the APOE SNP rs1064725 to dietary fat composition, with a total cholesterol lowering effect observed following substitution of SFA with MUFA but not n-6 PUFA. Further large intervention studies incorporating prospective genotyping are required to confirm or refute our findings. The trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01478958

Iron-catalysed, general and operationally simple formal hydrogenation using Fe(OTf)(3) and NaBH4

An operationally simple and environmentally benign formal hydrogenation protocol has been developed using highly abundant iron(iii) salts and an inexpensive, bench stable, stoichiometric reductant, NaBH(4), in ethanol, under ambient conditions. This reaction has been applied to the reduction of terminal alkenes (22 examples, up to 95% yield) and nitro-groups (26 examples, up to 95% yield). Deuterium labelling studies indicate that this reaction proceeds via an ionic rather than radical mechanism

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Not AvailableIn order to find out the feasibility of feeding rapeseed (Brassica napus) meal to commercial broiler chicken a trail has been conducted using raw and detoxified rapeseed meal. Deoiled rapeseed meal (DRSM) was included in diet on isocaloric and isonitrogenous basis at 14% level untreated and treated with copper sulphate at different levels viz. 0.1, 0.2, 0.3% and fed to a total of 200 day-old commercial broiler chickens from day 1 to 42days of age. This study revealed that, the body weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) higher in broiler fed with 0.3% CuSO4 treated DRSM diet compared to the soybean meal control group. There was no significant difference was observed in feed consumption during 0-42 days of age. 0.3% copper sulphate treated DRSM had significantly (P<0.05) better feed conversion. Economics of feeding of DRSM based diets indicated that 0.2 and 0.3% copper sulphate treated DRSM increased returns over feed cost than that of raw DRSM, 0.1% CuSO4 treated DRSM and control diets. It is concluded that 0.3% CuSO4 treated deoiled rapeseed meal at 14% level could be safely incorporated in broiler chicken diet.Not Availabl

Selection enthusiasm.

This paper reports experimental results to test the hypothesis: does the technique change the overall fitness and diversity of Genetic Algorithms. An improved selection algorithm is reported in which a coefficient associated with an individual's fitness is adapted each time an individual is not selected to improve the probability of being selected the next time. The benchmark chosen was symmetric TSP and a new diversity metric was introduced. The results show that using such a technique did improve the overall diversity and fitness of GA. The work in continuing as part of a current PhD project