30 years of studies of grass pollen in Basel (Switzerland)

Measurements of the quantity of airborne grass pollen have been made in Basel, Switzerland, over a period of 30 years. This paper discusses the variations observed and correlates the data with meteorological records. The pattern is irregular, and there is no clear trend towards higher or lower levels during the period 1969-199

Perceived Benefits of Indiana Health Information Exchange Clinical Messaging Application by Physician Practices

According to researchers, standardized health information exchange could save billions annually in the United States by eliminating redundant laboratory tests and cost associated with paper ordering and results reporting. Indianapolis’s Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) Docs4Docs (D4D) application delivers results such as lab, radiology and dictation from the five major hospital systems in the Indianapolis area to local physician offices. Despite this technology, the release of information section at St Vincent still receives hundreds of calls a week for health information from local providers. One explanation for the continued high volume of requests is that the local physician practices are not using D4D and may be resistant to new technology. Diffusion theory states that the rate of adoption of innovation is related to the user’s perception of the attributes of the innovation rather than the actual attributes. A survey was developed to assess perception of benefits among users of D4D which would help explain resistance to technology. The survey was sent to 404 users who had web access to D4D and who had at one time received results from St. Vincent Hospital through the application. One hundred and thirty seven (137) responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study indicate that there is a high perception of benefits among D4D users as indicated by a satisfaction rating of 4.08 on a 5 point Likert scale. The users also reported that D4D was the most frequently used method of obtaining results from St. Vincent Hospital. Further research will be necessary to determine possible reasons for the high number of requests for health information that is available through D4D. Despite existing technology there still is a large gap between results delivery through D4D and the health information needed for the continuum of care

Caracterización molecular de la relación hospedante-patógeno en el sistema trigo-roya de la hoja

Polipéptidos relacionados con la interacción hospedante-patógeno en el sistema trigo-roya de la hoja Un problema central de la fitopatologia es esclarecer losmecanismos de defensa a las enfermedades. Se reconoció lapresencia de genes específicos que interactúan determinando eltipo de interacción. Los mecanismosmoleculares que determinansi una interacción es compatible o incompatible no han sido aúnsuficientemente dilucidados. Se postula que los mRNAs yproteinas especificos codificados por estos genes, seinducirían en una etapa temprana en el reconocimiento de ambosorganismos. El sistema trigo-roya de la hoja fue elegido como modelopara el estudio de relaciones hospedante-patógeno altamenteespecíficas. Se utilizaron dos lineas isogénicas de trigo (Triticum aestivum) y tres clones genéticamente relacionadosdel patógeno (Puccinia recondita tritici). Este material confondo genético común permite la identificación de polipéptidosy de mRNAs específicos inducidos a causa de la infección con elpatógeno. En primer lugar se caracterizaron los cambiospolipeptidicos inducidos a lo largo del proceso de infección através del marcado “in vivo“ con 35S-Metionina de proteínassintetizadas "de novo“. En segundo lugar se caracterizaron losmRNAs inducidos en las distintas interaccioneshospedante-patógeno a través de la síntesis "in vitro” depolipéptidos en un sistema libre de células. Se analizaron lospatrones electroforéticos de estos polipéptidos en gelesdesnaturalizantes de poliacrilamida y posterior fluorografia. Curvas de tiempo mostraron que los primeros cambiospolipeptidicos tanto "in vivo“ como “in vitro” se detectaronhacia el tercer día del proceso de infección. La comparación deseis interacciones caracterizadas y sus respectivos controlessin inocular permitió asignar la inducción o disminución dedeterminadas bandas polipeptidicas a interacciones entregenes/alelos del hospedante y genes del patógeno. En estecontexto se detectó: a) inducción específica tanto a nivel de RNA como deproteinas en interacciones compatibles (bandas de 85, 15 y 24kDa) e incompatibles (bandas de 39 y 21,5 kDa). b) disminución específica de polipéptidos "in vivo” (52 y 37 kDa) e “in vitro" (34 kDa). c) dos mRNAs (20,5 y 32,5 kDa) inducidos especificamente enlas interacciones que involucran a la raza F01independientemente del hospedante. Se concluye la existencia de asociaciones entre mRNAs yproteinas inducidas con interacciones compatibles comoincompatibles por lo que el reconocimiento específico para elsistema trigo-roya de la hoja podría estar determinado por unasu otras (o ambas) según los genes interactuantes. Se aislaronclones de cDNA diferenciales correspondientes a RNA mensajerosinducidos en el sistema compatible Gamma 1R-F01 hacia el dia 5del proceso de infección que codificarían para polipéptidosespecíficos de interacción o específicos de raza. Estos clonespodrán ser utilizados para llegar a aislar los genes queintervienen en el reconocimiento de hospedante y patógeno. Simultáneamente se identificó un marcador génicocorrespondiente a una secuencia codificante de una proteina dereserva (gliadina) que está ligada a alguno de los genes dereacción a roya de la hoja y que podría utilizarse como víaalternativa para aislar los genes de interés.Fil: Heinz, Ruth Amelia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

Network and biosignature analysis for the integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data to characterize leaf senescence process in sunflower

In recent years, high throughput technologies have led to an increase of datasets from omics disciplines allowing the understanding of the complex regulatory networks associated with biological processes. Leaf senescence is a complex mechanism controlled by multiple genetic and environmental variables, which has a strong impact on crop yield. Transcription factors (TFs) are key proteins in the regulation of gene expression, regulating different signaling pathways; their function is crucial for triggering and/or regulating different aspects of the leaf senescence process. The study of TF interactions and their integration with metabolic profiles under different developmental conditions, especially for a non-model organism such as sunflower, will open new insights into the details of gene regulation of leaf senescence.Fil: Moschen, Sebastián Nicolás. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Higgins, Janet. The Genome Analysis Centre; Reino UnidoFil: Di Rienzo, Julio Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Heinz, Ruth Amelia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Paniego, Norma Beatriz. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Paula del Carmen. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Differential representation of sunflower ESTs in enriched organ-specific cDNA libraries in a small scale sequencing project

BACKGROUND: Subtractive hybridization methods are valuable tools for identifying differentially regulated genes in a given tissue avoiding redundant sequencing of clones representing the same expressed genes, maximizing detection of low abundant transcripts and thus, affecting the efficiency and cost effectiveness of small scale cDNA sequencing projects aimed to the specific identification of useful genes for breeding purposes. The objective of this work is to evaluate alternative strategies to high-throughput sequencing projects for the identification of novel genes differentially expressed in sunflower as a source of organ-specific genetic markers that can be functionally associated to important traits. RESULTS: Differential organ-specific ESTs were generated from leaf, stem, root and flower bud at two developmental stages (R1 and R4). The use of different sources of RNA as tester and driver cDNA for the construction of differential libraries was evaluated as a tool for detection of rare or low abundant transcripts. Organ-specificity ranged from 75 to 100% of non-redundant sequences in the different cDNA libraries. Sequence redundancy varied according to the target and driver cDNA used in each case. The R4 flower cDNA library was the less redundant library with 62% of unique sequences. Out of a total of 919 sequences that were edited and annotated, 318 were non-redundant sequences. Comparison against sequences in public databases showed that 60% of non-redundant sequences showed significant similarity to known sequences. The number of predicted novel genes varied among the different cDNA libraries, ranging from 56% in the R4 flower to 16 % in the R1 flower bud library. Comparison with sunflower ESTs on public databases showed that 197 of non-redundant sequences (60%) did not exhibit significant similarity to previously reported sunflower ESTs. This approach helped to successfully isolate a significant number of new reported sequences putatively related to responses to important agronomic traits and key regulatory and physiological genes. CONCLUSIONS: The application of suppressed subtracted hybridization technology not only enabled the cost effective isolation of differentially expressed sequences but it also allowed the identification of novel sequences in sunflower from a relative small number of analyzed sequences when compared to major sequencing projects

Sunflower Leaf Senescence: A Complex Genetic Process with Economic Impact on Crop Production

Leaf senescence is a complex process controlled by multiple genetic and environmental variables. In different crops, a delay in leaf senescence has an important impact on grain yield trough the maintenance of the photosynthetic leaf area during the reproductive stage. In sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), the fourth largest oil crop worldwide, senescence reduces the capacity of plants to maintain their green leaf area for longer periods, especially during the grain filling phase, leading to important economic losses

A ~180,000years sedimentation history of a perialpine overdeepened glacial trough (Wehntal, N-Switzerland)

A 30m-deep drill core from a glacially overdeepened trough in Northern Switzerland recovered a ~180ka old sedimentary succession that provides new insights into the timing and nature of erosion-sedimentation processes in the Swiss lowlands. The luminescence-dated stratigraphic succession starts at the bottom of the core with laminated carbonate-rich lake sediments reflecting deposition in a proglacial lake between ~180 and 130ka ago (Marine Isotope Stage MIS 6). Anomalies in geotechnical properties and the occurrence of deformation structures suggest temporary ice contact around 140ka. Up-core, organic content increases in the lake deposits indicating a warming of climate. These sediments are overlain by a peat deposit characterised by pollen assemblages typical of the late Eemian (MIS 5e). An abrupt transition following this interglacial encompasses a likely hiatus and probably marks a sudden lowering of the water level. The peat unit is overlain by deposits of a cold unproductive lake dated to late MIS 5 and MIS 4, which do not show any direct influence from glaciers. An upper peat unit, the so-called >, previously encountered in construction pits, interrupts this cold lacustrine phase and marks more temperate climatic conditions between 60 and 45ka (MIS 3). In the upper part of the core, a succession of fluvial and alluvial deposits documents the Late Glacial and Holocene sedimentation in the basin. The sedimentary succession at Wehntal confirms that the glaciation during MIS 6 did not apparently cause the overdeepening of the valley, as the lacustrine basin fill covering most of MIS 6 is still preserved. Consequently, erosion of the basin is most likely linked to an older glaciation. This study shows that new dating techniques combined with palaeoenvironmental interpretations of sediments from such overdeepened troughs provide valuable insights into the past glacial histor

Identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and analysis of Linkage Disequilibrium in sunflower elite inbred lines using the candidate gene approach

Background. Association analysis is a powerful tool to identify gene loci that may contribute to phenotypic variation. This includes the estimation of nucleotide diversity, the assessment of linkage disequilibrium structure (LD) and the evaluation of selection processes. Trait mapping by allele association requires a high-density map, which could be obtained by the addition of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and short insertion and/or deletions (indels) to SSR and AFLP genetic maps. Nucleotide diversity analysis of randomly selected candidate regions is a promising approach for the success of association analysis and fine mapping in the sunflower genome. Moreover, knowledge of the distance over which LD persists, in agronomically meaningful sunflower accessions, is important to establish the density of markers and the experimental design for association analysis. Results. A set of 28 candidate genes related to biotic and abiotic stresses were studied in 19 sunflower inbred lines. A total of 14,348 bp of sequence alignment was analyzed per individual. In average, 1 SNP was found per 69 nucleotides and 38 indels were identified in the complete data set. The mean nucleotide polymorphism was moderate ( = 0.0056), as expected for inbred materials. The number of haplotypes per region ranged from 1 to 9 (mean = 3.54 1.88). Model-based population structure analysis allowed detection of admixed individuals within the set of accessions examined. Two putative gene pools were identified (G1 and G2), with a large proportion of the inbred lines being assigned to one of them (G1). Consistent with the absence of population sub-structuring, LD for G1 decayed more rapidly (r 2= 0.48 at 643 bp; trend line, pooled data) than the LD trend line for the entire set of 19 individuals (r2= 0.64 for the same distance). Conclusion. Knowledge about the patterns of diversity and the genetic relationships between breeding materials could be an invaluable aid in crop improvement strategies. The relatively high frequency of SNPs within the elite inbred lines studied here, along with the predicted extent of LD over distances of 100 kbp (r2∼0.1) suggest that high resolution association mapping in sunflower could be achieved with marker densities lower than those usually reported in the literature.Fil:Fusari, C.M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Lia, V.V. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Hopp, H.E. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Heinz, R.A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina