Evaluation of cotton (Gossypium spp.) Germplasm for heat tolerance under normal and late planting time

The objective of this study was to determine cotton (Gossypium ssp.) germplasm for heat tolerance under normal and late planting time. For this aiming 200 cotton genotypes and five check varieties (Gloria, SG 125, Flash, Ozbek 105 and Candia) were evaluated under two different temperature regimes and experiments were conducted according to the augmented design with four blocks. Field studies were carried out at the GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center’s experimental area in Diyarbakır, Turkey, in 2016 cotton growing season. In the study heat susceptibility index was used for discriminate to the genotypes for heat tolerance. Genotypes were classified into four groups based on the heat susceptibility index. The results of this study indicated that five cotton genotypes (TAM 139-17 ELS, CIM-240, Haridost, MNH-990 and AzGR-11835) were in highly heat tolerant, 28 genotypes were found heat tolerant, 56 genotypes were in the moderately heat tolerant and other 120 genotypes were observed susceptible for heat tolerance. Based on the heat susceptibility index, five cotton genotypes can be used as parent for heat tolerance improvement in the cotton breeding program where high temperature is a limiting factor for seed cotton yield

Magnetic resonance imaging pattern recognition in childhood bilateral basal ganglia disorders

Bilateral basal ganglia abnormalities on MRI are observed in a wide variety of childhood disorders. MRI pattern recognition can enable rationalization of investigations and also complement clinical and molecular findings, particularly confirming genomic findings and also enabling new gene discovery. A pattern recognition approach in children with bilateral basal ganglia abnormalities on brain MRI was undertaken in this international multicentre cohort study. Three hundred and five MRI scans belonging to 201 children with 34 different disorders were rated using a standard radiological scoring proforma. In addition, literature review on MRI patterns was undertaken in these 34 disorders and 59 additional disorders reported with bilateral basal ganglia MRI abnormalities. Cluster analysis on first MRI findings from the study cohort grouped them into four clusters: Cluster 1—T2-weighted hyperintensities in the putamen; Cluster 2—T2-weighted hyperintensities or increased MRI susceptibility in the globus pallidus; Cluster 3—T2-weighted hyperintensities in the globus pallidus, brainstem and cerebellum with diffusion restriction; Cluster 4—T1-weighted hyperintensities in the basal ganglia. The 34 diagnostic categories included in this study showed dominant clustering in one of the above four clusters. Inflammatory disorders grouped together in Cluster 1. Mitochondrial and other neurometabolic disorders were distributed across clusters 1, 2 and 3, according to lesions dominantly affecting the striatum (Cluster 1: glutaric aciduria type 1, propionic acidaemia, 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness, encephalopathy and Leigh-like syndrome and thiamine responsive basal ganglia disease associated with SLC19A3), pallidum (Cluster 2: methylmalonic acidaemia, Kearns Sayre syndrome, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency) or pallidum, brainstem and cerebellum (Cluster 3: vigabatrin toxicity, Krabbe disease). The Cluster 4 pattern was exemplified by distinct T1-weighted hyperintensities in the basal ganglia and other brain regions in genetically determined hypermanganesemia due to SLC39A14 and SLC30A10. Within the clusters, distinctive basal ganglia MRI patterns were noted in acquired disorders such as cerebral palsy due to hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in full-term babies, kernicterus and vigabatrin toxicity and in rare genetic disorders such as 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness, encephalopathy and Leigh-like syndrome, thiamine responsive basal ganglia disease, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, TUBB4A and hypermanganesemia. Integrated findings from the study cohort and literature review were used to propose a diagnostic algorithm to approach bilateral basal ganglia abnormalities on MRI. After integrating clinical summaries and MRI findings from the literature review, we developed a prototypic decision-making electronic tool to be tested using further cohorts and clinical practice

Vaccination Targeting a Surface Sialidase of P. acnes: Implication for New Treatment of Acne Vulgaris

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris afflicts more than fifty million people in the United State and the severity of this disorder is associated with the immune response to Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). Systemic therapies for acne target P. acnes using antibiotics, or target the follicle with retinoids such as isotretinoin. The latter systemic treatment is highly effective but also carries a risk of side effects including immune imbalance, hyperlipidemia, and teratogenicity. Despite substantial research into potential new therapies for this common disease, vaccines against acne vulgaris are not yet available. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Here we create an acne vaccine targeting a cell wall-anchored sialidase of P. acnes. The importance of sialidase to disease pathogenesis is shown by treatment of a human sebocyte cell line with recombinant sialidase that increased susceptibility to P. acnes cytotoxicity and adhesion. Mice immunized with sialidase elicit a detectable antibody; the anti-sialidase serum effectively neutralized the cytotoxicity of P. acnes in vitro and P. acnes-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in human sebocytes. Furthermore, the sialidase-immunized mice provided protective immunity against P. acnes in vivo as this treatment blocked an increase in ear thickness and release of pro-inflammatory macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2) cytokine. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that acne vaccines open novel therapeutic avenues for acne vulgaris and other P. acnes-associated diseases

Cathelicidin-BF, a Snake Cathelicidin-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide, Could Be an Excellent Therapeutic Agent for Acne Vulgaris

Cathelicidins are a family of antimicrobial peptides acting as multifunctional effector molecules in innate immunity. Cathelicidin-BF has been purified from the snake venoms of Bungarus fasciatus and it is the first identified cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide in reptiles. In this study, cathelicidin-BF was found exerting strong antibacterial activities against Propionibacterium acnes. Its minimal inhibitory concentration against two strains of P. acnes was 4.7 µg/ml. Cathelicidin-BF also effectively killed other microorganisms including Staphylococcus epidermidis, which was possible pathogen for acne vulgaris. Cathelicidin-BF significantly inhibited pro-inflammatory factors secretion in human monocytic cells and P. acnes-induced O2.− production of human HaCaT keratinocyte cells. Observed by scanning electron microscopy, the surfaces of the treated pathogens underwent obvious morphological changes compared with the untreated controls, suggesting that this antimicrobial peptide exerts its action by disrupting membranes of microorganisms. The efficacy of cathelicidin-BF gel topical administering was evaluated in experimental mice skin colonization model. In vivo anti-inflammatory effects of cathelicidin-BF were confirmed by relieving P. acnes-induced mice ear swelling and granulomatous inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effects combined with potent antimicrobial activities and O2.− production inhibition activities of cathelicidin-BF indicate its potential as a novel therapeutic option for acne vulgaris

Cotton in the new millennium: advances, economics, perceptions and problems

Cotton is the most significant natural fibre and has been a preferred choice of the textile industry and consumers since the industrial revolution began. The share of man-made fibres, both regenerated and synthetic fibres, has grown considerably in recent times but cotton production has also been on the rise and accounts for about half of the fibres used for apparel and textile goods. To cotton’s advantage, the premium attached to the presence of cotton fibre and the general positive consumer perception is well established, however, compared to commodity man-made fibres and high performance fibres, cotton has limitations in terms of its mechanical properties but can help to overcome moisture management issues that arise with performance apparel during active wear. This issue of Textile Progress aims to: i. Report on advances in cotton cultivation and processing as well as improvements to conventional cotton cultivation and ginning. The processing of cotton in the textile industry from fibre to finished fabric, cotton and its blends, and their applications in technical textiles are also covered. ii. Explore the economic impact of cotton in different parts of the world including an overview of global cotton trade. iii. Examine the environmental perception of cotton fibre and efforts in organic and genetically-modified (GM) cotton production. The topic of naturally-coloured cotton, post-consumer waste is covered and the environmental impacts of cotton cultivation and processing are discussed. Hazardous effects of cultivation, such as the extensive use of pesticides, insecticides and irrigation with fresh water, and consequences of the use of GM cotton and cotton fibres in general on the climate are summarised and the effects of cotton processing on workers are addressed. The potential hazards during cotton cultivation, processing and use are also included. iv. Examine how the properties of cotton textiles can be enhanced, for example, by improving wrinkle recovery and reducing the flammability of cotton fibre

Manufacture Techniques of Chitosan-Based Microcapsules to Enhance Functional Properties of Textiles

In recent years, the textile industry has been moving to novel concepts of products, which could deliver to the user, improved performances. Such smart textiles have been proven to have the potential to integrate within a commodity garment advanced feature and functional properties of different kinds. Among those functionalities, considerable interest has been played in functionalizing commodity garments in order to make them positively interact with the human body and therefore being beneficial to the user health. This kind of functionalization generally exploits biopolymers, a class of materials that possess peculiar properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability that make them suitable for bio-functional textile production. In the context of biopolymer chitosan has been proved to be an excellent potential candidate for this kind of application given its abundant availability and its chemical properties that it positively interacts with biological tissue. Notwithstanding the high potential of chitosan-based technologies in the textile sectors, several issues limit the large-scale production of such innovative garments. In facts the morphologies of chitosan structures should be optimized in order to make them better exploit the biological activity; moreover a suitable process for the application of chitosan structures to the textile must be designed. The application process should indeed not only allow an effective and durable fixation of chitosan to textile but also comply with environmental rules concerning pollution emission and utilization of harmful substances. This chapter reviews the use of microencapsulation technique as an approach to effectively apply chitosan to the textile material while overcoming the significant limitations of finishing processes. The assembly of chitosan macromolecules into microcapsules was proved to boost the biological properties of the polymer thanks to a considerable increase in the surface area available for interactions with the living tissues. Moreover, the incorporation of different active substances into chitosan shells allows the design of multifunctional materials that effectively combine core and shell properties. Based on the kind of substances to be incorporated, several encapsulation processes have been developed. The literature evidences how the proper choices concerning encapsulation technology, chemical formulations, and process parameter allow tuning the properties and the performances of the obtained microcapsules. Furthermore, the microcapsules based finishing process have been reviewed evidencing how the microcapsules morphology can positively interact with textile substrate allowing an improvement in the durability of the treatment. The application of the chitosan shelled microcapsules was proved to be capable of imparting different functionalities to textile substrates opening possibilities for a new generation of garments with improved performances and with the potential of protecting the user from multiple harms. Lastly, a continuous interest was observed in improving the process and formulation design in order to avoid the usage of toxic substances, therefore, complying with an environmentally friendly approach

Aptitud combinatoria para parámetros de calidad de fibra y los componentes de producción de cápsulas en poblaciones intraespecíficas e interespecíficas de algodón

The major problem with the simultaneous improvement of yield with higher fiber quality is the negative association due to the linkage and pleiotropic effects between lint yield components and fiber quality parameters. The objectives of this research were to estimate the general combining ability (GCA) of parents and specific combining abilities (SCA) of hybrids for fiber quality parameters and within-boll yield components, and to determine the association of fiber quality parameters with basic within-boll lint yield components. In this study, eight cotton cultivars and 15 F1 hybrids obtained by crossing five lines and three testers in the line x tester mating system during 2006 were planted in a randomized block design with four replications in 2007. The predominance of non-additive gene action was estimated for all traits except for the upper half mean fiber length (UHM), fiber strength, and seeds per boll, which were controlled by an additive type gene action due to the high GCA variance. Among the parents, 'Askabat-100' and 'Carmen' were the best general combiners for fiber length, strength, and uniformity index (UI). Additionally, 'GW Teks' and 'Sahin-2000' were determined to be good combiners for lint weight per seed (L/S) and spinnable fibers per seed (F/S). The SCA effects showed that the best specific combination was 'Sealand-542' x 'Sahin-2000' and 'TAM 94L-25' x 'SG-125' for lint percentage, L/S, and lint weight unit per seed surface area. The most important fiber quality parameters, UHM, fiber strength, and UI, were negatively associated with the most basic within-boll lint yield components, L/S, and F/S.El principal problema para la mejora simultánea de la producción y la obtención de fibra de alta calidad en el algodón es la asociación negativa entre la producción de fibra y los parámetros de calidad de la misma debido al ligamiento y los efectos pleitrópicos. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron estimar la aptitud combinatoria general (GCA) de los parentales y la aptitud combinatoria específica (SCA) de los híbridos para los parámetros de calidad de fibra y los componentes de producción de la cápsula del algodón, así como determinar la asociación entre los parámetros de calidad de fibra con componentes básicos de producción de fibra. En este estudio, se plantaron ocho cultivares de algodón y 15 híbridos F1 en 2007, en un diseño de bloques al azar con cuatro repeticiones. Los híbridos F1 fueron obtenidos en 2006 por cruzamientos de 5 líneas y 3 testigos mediante un sistema de cruce línea x testigo. Se estimó la predominancia de la acción génica no aditiva para todos los caracteres excepto para la longitud de la mitad superior de la fibra (UHM), resistencia de la fibra y semillas por cápsula, que fueron controlados por una acción génica de tipo aditivo debido a una varianza GCA alta. Entre los parentales, 'Askabat-100' y 'Carmen' fueron los que presentaron la mejor aptitud GCA para longitud de fibra, resistencia e índice de uniformidad (UI). Además, se determinó que 'GWTeks' y 'Sahin-2000' presentaron una buena aptitud combinatoria general para peso de fibra por semilla (L/S) y fibras por semilla (F/S). Los efectos SCA mostraron que las mejores combinaciones específicas fueron los cruces: 'Sealand-542' x 'Sahin-2000' y 'TAM 94L-25' x 'SG-125' para porcentaje de fibra, L/S, y unidad de peso de fibra por área de superficie de semilla. Los parámetros de calidad de fibra más importantes (UHM, resistencia de fibra y UI) estaban negativamente asociados con la mayoría de los componentes básicos de producción de fibra en cápsula (L/S y F/S)

Root Growth Parameters of Converted Race Stocks of Upland Cotton and Two BC2F2 Populations

Genetic modification of the rooting system may lead to more drought tolerant upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. This experiment was designed to evaluate rooting traits at the seedling stage for 68 Converted Race Stocks (CRS) compared with TAM94L-25 and 'Lankart 142', and to investigate the recoverability of robust rooting traits in two BC2F2 populations derived by crossing a robust (M-9044-0031) and a nonrobust (M-9044-0057) rooting CRS donor parent with TAM94L-25. Initial screen of the CRS showed that genetic variation occurred among the 68 accessions for root length (RL), lateral root number (LRN), root fresh weight (RFW), lateral root dry weight (LRDW), and total root dry weight (TRDW). There was a 2.3-, 2.6-, 4.6-, 4.8-, and 4.4-fold difference among the 11 most robust and 11 least robust rooting CRS accessions for RL, LRN, RFW, LRDW, and TRDW, respectively. However, no CRS were identified that were superior to the elite germplasm and BC2F2 recurrent parent, TAM94L-25. The robust rooting population of M-9044-0031/3*TAM94L-25 produced longer RL and more LRN per plant than the nonrobust rooting population of M-9044-0057/3*TAM94L-25. However, no differences were observed between the two BC2F 2 populations for root weight parameters. Results suggest that the day-neutral CRS accessions have useful genetic variability for root growth parameters, that robustness of seedling rooting parameters can be recovered easily, and that seedling rooting robustness can be improved by crossing robust rooting parents