Inheritance and association of earliness and grain yield in four winter x spring wheat crosses (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.)

Parental and segregating populations derived from four winter x spring wheat crosses were investigated to obtain information concerning the inheritance and association of earliness, grain yield and yieldrelated traits. Feasibility of selecting in early generations for these characteristics was also evaluated. Four winter wheat cultivars (Hyslop, Yamhill, Bezostaia 1, and Sprague) and one spring wheat cultivar (Inia 66) were chosen on the basis of their relative maturity and contrasting agronomic characteristics. Parents, F₁ s, F₂' s, and reciprocal backcrosses to both parents were planted in the fall in a space-planted randomized complete block design. The two environmentally diverse locations selected were the Hyslop Agronomy Farm, Corvallis, Oregon (1000 mm of rainfall) and Sherman Experimental Station, Moro, Oregon (250 mm of rainfall). The effectiveness of early generation selection for the measured characteristics was evaluated by growing F₃ lines identified as the earliest 1% and the highest yielding 1% of F₂ individuals in each cross. These were grown along with the parents, F₁s, BC₁ s, BC₂ s and F₂' s under space-planted conditions at Hyslop Agronomy Farm. A study with the same populations was conducted by vernalizing and planting in the spring to gain further information on earliness. Analyses of variance were conducted for all characteristics measured. Frequency distributions for days to heading of F₁, F₂, backcross generations and parents were examined. From the data collected, estimates of F ₁ -midparent deviations, degree of dominance, heritability in the narrow sense and genetic advance under selection were determined for each cross. The data were further analyzed by parent-progeny regression, correlation and path-coefficient analyses, polynomial and multiple regressions. Partially dominant major genes, varying in number between one to five depending on the particular cross, appeared to influence heading date. Modifying factors also seemed to affect the date of heading. The gene action involved in the inheritance of earliness was primarily additive indicating that selection for earliness would be effective as early as the F₂ generation under both high and low rainfall conditions. Estimates of additive and nonadditive gene action suggested both were equally important in determining the yield components. Higher heritability estimates for the components of yield indicated that there was more genetic variability associated with the yield components than yield per se. Occurrence of additive genetic variation by location interaction implied that selection should be practiced simultaneously under different environments if wide adaptability of potential lines is desired. Since pronounced additive effect by year interactions occurred for the yield components, delayed selection for these traits may not be productive. Positive correlations were obtained between yield and the number of days to heading when all generations were combined. However, in the F₂ generations, it appeared possible to select for the desired earliness with high yields as indicated by the low association between these two traits. The path-coefficient analyses suggested that tiller number had the highest direct effect on grain yield. However, because of a negative association between tiller number and kernel weight, selection pressures would have to be balanced between these two components. In most cases, linear relationships existed between grain yield and seven measured traits, respectively. The result of regression analyses also showed that grain yield may be described best as a linear function of its components

Endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in children with irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease

Objective: To assess endothelial dysfunction and the risk for coronary atherosclerosis in children with irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: The study included 18 cyanotic patients (the mean age was 12.28 ± 3.26 years) who developed irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to cyanotic and acyanotic CHDs, and 18 control patients (the mean age was 11.78 ± 3.00 years). Study groups were compared for flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and atherosclerotic risk factors. Results: Compared to the control group, the mean FMD was significantly reduced in the cyanotic group (5.26 ± 2.42% and 9.48 ± 2.60%, respectively; P-value < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between the groups in CIMT (0.41 ± 0.08 mm and 0.39 ± 0.06 mm, respectively; P-value = 0.299). The levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were statistically significantly lower compared tothe control group (P-value = 0.001, 0.006 and 0.014, respectively), whereas no statistically significant difference was found in the levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglycerides (P-value = 0.113 and 0.975, respectively). Conclusions: Systemic endothelial dysfunction in children with irreversible pulmonary hypertension due to CHD was noted but there was no increased risk for atherosclerosis

Can troponin T levels be useful in the diagnosis of rheumatic carditis?

Objective: Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an endemic disease observed in children of developing countries. The purpose of this study was to test if it was possible to identify myocardial involvement in cases with rheumatic carditis by the measurement of serum cardiac TnT. Methods: 30 patients diagnosed as ARF underwent echocardiography and their cardiac troponin T (cTnT) serum levels were measured. Patients were divided into group 1: Arthritis alone, group 2: carditis, and group 3 carditis with congestive heart failure (CHF). Results: cTnT serum levels were normal in all except one patient with in group 3. Two patients in carditis (group 2) and three patients in CHF (group 3) had dilation in left ventricular end diastolic diameter. Conclusions: Normal cTnT levels in our patient group suggests that inflammation rather than myocardial necrosis is predominant in ARF carditis