Effects of pumping on entomopathogenic nematodes and temperature increase within a spray system

Exposure to hydrodynamic stresses and increased temperature during hydraulic agitation within a spray system could cause permanent damage to biological pesticides during spray application. Damage to a benchmark biopesticide, entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), was measured after a single passage through three different pump types (centrifugal, diaphragm, and roller) at operating pressures up to 828 kPa. No mechanical damage to the EPNs due to passage through the pumps was observed. Separate tests evaluated the effect of pump recirculation on temperature increase of water within a laboratory spray system (56.8-L spray tank) and a conventional-scale spray system (1136-L spray tank). A constant volume of water (45.4 L) was recirculated through each pump at 15.1 L/min within the laboratory spray system. After 2 h, the temperature increase for the centrifugal pump was 33.6 degrees C, and for the diaphragm and roller pumps was 8.5 degrees C and 11.2 degrees C, respectively. The centrifugal pump was also evaluated within the conventional spray system, under both a constant (757 L) and reducing volume scenario, resulting in an average temperature increase of 3.2 degrees C and 6.5 degrees C, respectively, during the 3-h test period. When comparing the number of recirculations for each test, the rate of temperature increase was the same for the conventional spray, system (for both the constant and reducing volume scenarios), while for the laboratory spray system the temperature increased at a greater rate, suggesting that the volume capacity of the spray tank is the primary factor influencing the temperature increase. Results from this study indicate that thermal influences during pump recirculation could be more detrimental to EPNs than mechanical stress. Results show that extensive recirculation of the tank mix can cause considerable increases in the liquid temperature. Diaphragm and roller pumps (low-capacity pumps) are better suited for use with biopesticides compared to the centrifugal pump, which was found to contribute significant heat to the spray system

Resistance to wheat rusts identified in wheat/Amblyopyrum muticum chromosome introgressions

© 2020 The Authors. Crop Science © 2020 Crop Science Society of America Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rusts are a worldwide production problem. Plant breeders have used genetic resistance to combat these fungi. However, single-gene resistance is rapidly overcome as a result of frequent occurrence of new virulent fungal strains. Thus, a supply of new resistance sources is continually needed, and new resistance sources are limited within hexaploid wheat genetic stocks. Wild relatives are able to be a resource for new resistance genes but are hindered because of chromosome incapability with domesticated wheats. Twenty-eight double-haploid hexaploid wheat/Amblyopyrum muticum (Boiss.) Eig introgression lines, with introgressions covering the majority of the T genome, were evaluated for resistance to Puccinia triticina Erikss., P. graminis Pers.:Pers. f.sp. tritici Erikss. & E. Henning, and P. striiformis Westend. f.sp. tritici Erikss. At the seedling level, four lines were resistant to races of P. triticina, six lines were resistant to P. graminis, and 15 lines were resistant to P. striiformis. At the adult stage, 16 lines were resistant to P. triticina. Line 355 had resistance to all three rusts and line 161 had resistance to all tested races of P. triticina. Some of these lines will require further work to reduce the size of the introgressed segment; however, lines 92 and 355 have very small fragments and can be used directly as new resistance donors

Long-Term Stability of an Area-Reversible Atom-Interferometer Sagnac Gyroscope

We report on a study of the long-term stability and absolute accuracy of an atom interferometer gyroscope. This study included the implementation of an electro-optical technique to reverse the vector area of the interferometer for reduced systematics and a careful study of systematic phase shifts. Our data strongly suggests that drifts less than 96 $\mu$deg/hr are possible after empirically removing shifts due to measured changes in temperature, laser intensity, and several other experimental parameters.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR

Mapping spot blotch resistance genes in four barley populations

Bipolaris sorokiniana (teleomorph: Cochliobolus sativus) is the fungal pathogen responsible for spot blotch in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and occurs worldwide in warmer, humid growing conditions. Current Australian barley varieties are largely susceptible to this disease and attempts are being made to introduce sources of resistance from North America. In this study we have compared chromosomal locations of spot blotch resistance reactions in four North American two-rowed barley lines; the North Dakota lines ND11231-12 and ND11231-11 and the Canadian lines TR251 and WPG8412-9-2-1. Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT)-based PCR, expressed sequence tag (EST) and SSR markers have been mapped across four populations derived from crosses between susceptible parental lines and these four resistant parents to determine the location of resistance loci. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring resistance to spot blotch in adult plants (APR) were detected on chromosomes 3HS and 7HS. In contrast, seedling resistance (SLR) was controlled solely by a locus on chromosome 7HS. The phenotypic variance explained by the APR QTL on 3HS was between 16 and 25% and the phenotypic variance explained by the 7HS APR QTL was between 8 and 42% across the four populations. The SLR QTL on 7HS explained between 52 to 64% of the phenotypic variance. An examination of the pedigrees of these resistance sources supports the common identity of resistance in these lines and indicates that only a limited number of major resistance loci are available in current two-rowed germplasm

The chaperone protein clusterin may serve as a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker for chronic spinal cord disorders in the dog

Chronic spinal cord dysfunction occurs in dogs as a consequence of diverse aetiologies, including long-standing spinal cord compression and insidious neurodegenerative conditions. One such neurodegenerative condition is canine degenerative myelopathy (DM), which clinically is a challenge to differentiate from other chronic spinal cord conditions. Although the clinical diagnosis of DM can be strengthened by the identification of the Sod1 mutations that are observed in affected dogs, genetic analysis alone is insufficient to provide a definitive diagnosis. There is a requirement to identify biomarkers that can differentiate conditions with a similar clinical presentation, thus facilitating patient diagnostic and management strategies. A comparison of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein gel electrophoresis profile between idiopathic epilepsy (IE) and DM identified a protein band that was more prominent in DM. This band was subsequently found to contain a multifunctional protein clusterin (apolipoprotein J) that is protective against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis, oxidative stress, and also serves as an extracellular chaperone influencing protein aggregation. Western blot analysis of CSF clusterin confirmed elevated levels in DM compared to IE (p < 0.05). Analysis of spinal cord tissue from DM and control material found that clusterin expression was evident in neurons and that the clusterin mRNA levels from tissue extracts were elevated in DM compared to the control. The plasma clusterin levels was comparable between these groups. However, a comparison of clusterin CSF levels in a number of neurological conditions found that clusterin was elevated in both DM and chronic intervertebral disc disease (cIVDD) but not in meningoencephalitis and IE. These findings indicate that clusterin may potentially serve as a marker for chronic spinal cord disease in the dog; however, additional markers are required to differentiate DM from a concurrent condition such as cIVDD

The burden of diabetes mellitus during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries : a systematic review

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Control of human endometrial stromal cell motility by PDGF-BB, HB-EGF and trophoblast-secreted factors

Human implantation involves extensive tissue remodeling at the fetal-maternal interface. It is becoming increasingly evident that not only trophoblast, but also decidualizing endometrial stromal cells are inherently motile and invasive, and likely contribute to the highly dynamic processes at the implantation site. The present study was undertaken to further characterize the mechanisms involved in the regulation of endometrial stromal cell motility and to identify trophoblast-derived factors that modulate migration. Among local growth factors known to be present at the time of implantation, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) triggered chemotaxis (directed locomotion), whereas platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB elicited both chemotaxis and chemokinesis (non-directed locomotion) of endometrial stromal cells. Supernatants of the trophoblast cell line AC-1M88 and of first trimester villous explant cultures stimulated chemotaxis but not chemokinesis. Proteome profiling for cytokines and angiogenesis factors revealed neither PDGF-BB nor HB-EGF in conditioned media from trophoblast cells or villous explants, while placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and PDGF-AA were identified as prominent secretory products. Among these, only PDGF-AA triggered endometrial stromal cell chemotaxis. Neutralization of PDGF-AA in trophoblast conditioned media, however, did not diminish chemoattractant activity, suggesting the presence of additional trophoblast-derived chemotactic factors. Pathway inhibitor studies revealed ERK1/2, PI3 kinase/Akt and p38 signaling as relevant for chemotactic motility, whereas chemokinesis depended primarily on PI3 kinase/Akt activation. Both chemotaxis and chemokinesis were stimulated upon inhibition of Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase. The chemotactic response to trophoblast secretions was not blunted by inhibition of isolated signaling cascades, indicating activation of overlapping pathways in trophoblast-endometrial communication. In conclusion, trophoblast signals attract endometrial stromal cells, while PDGF-BB and HB-EGF, although not identified as trophoblast-derived, are local growth factors that may serve to fine-tune directed and non-directed migration at the implantation site

Neighbourhood, Route and Workplace-Related Environmental Characteristics Predict Adults' Mode of Travel to Work

Commuting provides opportunities for regular physical activity which can reduce the risk of chronic disease. Commuters' mode of travel may be shaped by their environment, but understanding of which specific environmental characteristics are most important and might form targets for intervention is limited. This study investigated associations between mode choice and a range of objectively assessed environmental characteristics.Participants in the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study reported where they lived and worked, their usual mode of travel to work and a variety of socio-demographic characteristics. Using geographic information system (GIS) software, 30 exposure variables were produced capturing characteristics of areas around participants' homes and workplaces and their shortest modelled routes to work. Associations between usual mode of travel to work and personal and environmental characteristics were investigated using multinomial logistic regression.Of the 1124 respondents, 50% reported cycling or walking as their usual mode of travel to work. In adjusted analyses, home-work distance was strongly associated with mode choice, particularly for walking. Lower odds of walking or cycling rather than driving were associated with a less frequent bus service (highest versus lowest tertile: walking OR 0.61 [95% CI 0.20–1.85]; cycling OR 0.43 [95% CI 0.23–0.83]), low street connectivity (OR 0.22, [0.07–0.67]; OR 0.48 [0.26–0.90]) and free car parking at work (OR 0.24 [0.10–0.59]; OR 0.55 [0.32–0.95]). Participants were less likely to cycle if they had access to fewer destinations (leisure facilities, shops and schools) close to work (OR 0.36 [0.21–0.62]) and a railway station further from home (OR 0.53 [0.30–0.93]). Covariates strongly predicted travel mode (pseudo r-squared 0.74).Potentially modifiable environmental characteristics, including workplace car parking, street connectivity and access to public transport, are associated with travel mode choice, and could be addressed as part of transport policy and infrastructural interventions to promote active commuting

Analysis of the XRCCI gene as a modifier of the cerebral response in ischemic stroke

Background: Although there have been studies of the genetic risk factors in the development of stroke, there have been few investigations of role of genes in the cerebral response to ischemia. The brain responds to ischemia in a series of reactions that ultimately influence the volume of a stroke that, in general, correlates with disability. We hypothesize that polymorphisms in genes encoding proteins involved in these reactions could act as modifiers of this response and impact stroke volume. One of the pathways participating in the cerebral ischemic response involves reactive oxygen species which can cause oxidative damage to nucleic acids. DNA repair mechanisms are in place to protect against such damage and imply a role for DNA repair genes in the response of the brain to ischemia and are potential candidate genes for further investigation. Methods: We studied two common polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene, XRCC1, C26304T and G28152A, in 134 well characterized patients with non lacunar ischemic strokes. We also performed a case control association study with 113 control patients to assess whether these variants represent risk factors in the development of ischemic stroke. Results: Independent of etiology, the T allele of the C26304T polymorphism is significantly associated with larger stroke volumes (T-test analysis, p < 0.044; multivariate regression analysis, beta = 0.23, p < 0.008). In the case control association study, we found that neither of these polymorphisms represented a risk factor for the development of stroke. Conclusion: Our study suggests a major gene effect of the T allele of the C26304T polymorphism modulating the cerebral response to ischemia in non lacunar ischemic stroke

Comparative mapping and targeted-capture sequencing of the gametocidal loci in Aegilops sharonensis

Gametocidal (Gc) chromosomes or elements in species such as Aegilops sharonensis are preferentially transmitted to the next generation through both the male and female gametes when introduced into wheat. Furthermore, any genes, e.g. genes that control agronomically important traits, showing complete linkage with gametocidal elements, are also transmitted preferentially to the next generation without the need for selection. The mechanism for the preferential transmission of the gametocidal elements appears to occur by the induction of extensive chromosome damage in any gametes that lack the gametocidal chromosome in question. Previous studies on the mechanism of the gametocidal action in Ae. sharonensis indicates that at least two-linked elements are involved. The first, the ‘breaker’ element, induces chromosome breakage in gametes, which have lost the gametocidal elements while the second, the ‘inhibitor’ element, prevents the chromosome breakage action of the ‘breaker’ element in gametes, which carry the Gc elements. In this study, we have used comparative genomic studies to map 54 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in an Ae. sharonensis 4SshL introgression segment in wheat and have also identified 18 candidate genes in Ae. sharonensis for the ‘breaker’ element through targeted sequencing of this 4SshL introgression segment. This valuable genomic resource will aide in further mapping the Gc locus that could be exploited in wheat breeding to produce new, superior varieties of wheat