Severity of leaf diseases in maize inbred lines with different kernel hardness in two sowing seasons

Resistance of maize inbred lines to major leaf diseases should be characterized for the development of new hybrids in breeding programs. Thus, this study aimed to assess the severity of leaf diseases in maize inbredlines with different kernel hardnessand two sowingseasons. We assessed four inbred lines and one check hybrid with dent kernels and four inbred lines and a check hybrid with flint kernels. Treatments were conducted in two sowing seasons, one in October, and another in December 2013. The symptoms of gray leaf spot (Cercospora zeae-maydis), northern leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum), and white leaf spot (a complex of Phaeosphaeria maydis and Pantoea ananatis) were assessed every 10 days from flowering. The area under the disease progress curve was also calculated. Severity level of the diseases was higher in inbred lines when compared to the check hybrds (AG8041 PRO and P30R50YH), regardless of kernel hardness. Dent-kernel inbred lines showed a higher severity of northern leaf blight symptoms when compared to flint-kernelones. It is worth mentioning that disease severity increased as sowing was delayed

Performance and stability of maize topcross hybrids from partly inbred lines

Commercial hybrids are viable to generate base populations for obtaining new superior lines. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the performance and stability of maize topcross hybrids and select superior partly inbred lines. We evaluated 155 topcross hybrids of partly inbred lines crossed with an elite inbred line (tester) together with 14 commercial hybrids (2B688, AG7088, AS1575, DKB390, GNZ2005, GNZ8132, GNZ9501, GNZ9505, GNZ9548, GNZ9623, P30F35, P30F53, P30R50, and Penta) in Guarapuava-PR, Candói-PR, Guarda-Mor-MG, and Paracatu-MG (Brazil). The assessed variable was grain yield (GY), in kg ha-1, at 13% moisture, being the plant stand corrected by covariance method. A variance analysis was carried out, testing both stability and adaptability. There were significant differences for all sources of variation. By considering the GY means of the genotypes in each environment, Candói (10,985 kg ha-1) and Paracatu (10,917 kg ha-1) were in the first group, while Guarda-Mor (10,448 kg ha-1) was allocated in the intermediate group, and Guarapuava (10,159 kg ha-1) formed the group of lower GY means. None of the topcrosses stood out in any of the four environments, which may be related to the differences in climate and altitude between environments. Despite of this fact, lines 9, 13, 39, 40, 60, 93, 108, 179, 184, 189, 194, 211, 212, 213, 216, 217, 235, 243, 245, and 253 excelled as promising and should follow the process of inbreeding, in addition to the topcrosses 87, 144, 179, and 211, which also stood out for stability and adaptability in these environments

Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics in Evaluation of LIXisenatide in Acute Coronary Syndrome, a long-term cardiovascular end point trial of lixisenatide versus placebo

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, patients with T2DM and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a particularly high risk of CV events. The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, lixisenatide, improves glycemia, but its effects on CV events have not been thoroughly evaluated. METHODS: ELIXA (www.clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT01147250) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study of lixisenatide in patients with T2DM and a recent ACS event. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of lixisenatide on CV morbidity and mortality in a population at high CV risk. The primary efficacy end point is a composite of time to CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina. Data are systematically collected for safety outcomes, including hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, and malignancy. RESULTS: Enrollment began in July 2010 and ended in August 2013; 6,068 patients from 49 countries were randomized. Of these, 69% are men and 75% are white; at baseline, the mean ± SD age was 60.3 ± 9.7 years, body mass index was 30.2 ± 5.7 kg/m(2), and duration of T2DM was 9.3 ± 8.2 years. The qualifying ACS was a myocardial infarction in 83% and unstable angina in 17%. The study will continue until the positive adjudication of the protocol-specified number of primary CV events. CONCLUSION: ELIXA will be the first trial to report the safety and efficacy of a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist in people with T2DM and high CV event risk