No-till cropping systems in Oklahoma

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What causes hidradenitis suppurativa? - 15 years after

The 14 authors of the first review article on hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) pathogenesis published 2008 in EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY cumulating from the 1st International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Research Symposium held March 30?April 2, 2006 in Dessau, Germany with 33 participants were prophetic when they wrote "Hopefully, this heralds a welcome new tradition: to get to the molecular heart of HS pathogenesis, which can only be achieved by a renaissance of solid basic HS research, as the key to developing more effective HS therapy." (Kurzen et al. What causes hidradenitis suppurativa? Exp Dermatol 2008;17:455). Fifteen years later, there is no doubt that the desired renaissance of solid basic HS research is progressing with rapid steps and that HS has developed deep roots among inflammatory diseases in Dermatology and beyond, recognized as ?the only inflammatory skin disease than can be healed?. This anniversary article of 43 research-performing authors from all around the globe in the official journal of the European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation e.V. (EHSF e.V.) and the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, Inc (HSF USA) summarizes the evidence of the intense HS clinical and experimental research during the last 15 years in all aspects of the disease and provides information of the developments to come in the near future

Deregulation of DUX4 and ERG in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Chromosomal rearrangements deregulating hematopoietic transcription factors are common in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).1,2 Here, we show that deregulation of the homeobox transcription factor gene DUX4 and the ETS transcription factor gene ERG are hallmarks of a subtype of B-progenitor ALL that comprises up to 7% of B-ALL. DUX4 rearrangement and overexpression was present in all cases, and was accompanied by transcriptional deregulation of ERG, expression of a novel ERG isoform, ERGalt, and frequent ERG deletion. ERGalt utilizes a non-canonical first exon whose transcription was initiated by DUX4 binding. ERGalt retains the DNA-binding and transactivating domains of ERG, but inhibits wild-type ERG transcriptional activity and is transforming. These results illustrate a unique paradigm of transcription factor deregulation in leukemia, in which DUX4 deregulation results in loss-of-function of ERG, either by deletion or induction of expression of an isoform that is a dominant negative inhibitor of wild type ERG function

Races, disease symptoms and genetic variability in Pyrenophora tritici-repentis isolates from Oklahoma that cause tan spot of winter wheat

In recent years, tan spot of wheat caused by the fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis has become more prevalent in Oklahoma. Experiments were conducted to investigate the race structure, disease symptoms and genetic variability in P. tritici-repentis isolates collected from winter wheat over three decades. Race determination was conducted for 16 isolates based on expression of necrosis and/or chlorosis produced on wheat differentials. Variability in disease symptoms expressed by 12 isolates was determined on 13 hard red winter wheat cultivars grown in Oklahoma. In addition, genetic variability among 17 isolates was determined using amplified fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (AFLP-PCR). All isolates except one (El Reno) were classified as race 1. Isolates varied widely in producing necrosis and/or chlorosis symptoms on wheat cultivars, but necrosis with a chlorotic halo was predominant (56.4%). AFLP-PCR analysis using 13 primer pairs produced a total of 494 alleles of which 285 were polymorphic. The overall genetic diversity among the isolates was 25.2%. Genetic relationships based on cluster analysis and principal component analysis showed only minor differences between isolates, and isolates did not form tight clusters or groups. The isolates of P. tritici-repentis were predominantly race 1; however, they produced a range of tan spot symptoms on wheat cultivars. The lack of distinct genetic grouping by the AFLP marker study indicates that the isolates used in this study likely originated from a single lineage

Fungicides for Winter Wheat

Topic Relevance Foliar diseases often reduce grain yields of winter wheat in the southern Great Plains, with some individual year yield losses in excess of 10%. At current prices, the gross value of these losses for the region could exceed a quarter of a billion dollars annually. Historically, use of foliar fungicide applications to manage these diseases has not been common in the region. As a result, management of foliar diseases has largely relied on genetic resistance and other cultural practices such as planting date and crop rotations. However, in Europe, where wheat yields average more than twice the U.S. average, fungicides are applied to over 95% of the wheat area and are credited as one of the major factors influencing increases in European wheat yields since the 1970s (Gianessi and Williams 2011). Recent wheat prices and decreasing fungicide costs have generated interest among U.S. wheat farmers in evaluating the economics of fungicide treatments. Wheat grain yield response to fungicide treatment is variable, and depends on several factors including incidence and severity of specific foliar diseases, cultivar disease resistance, timing and leaf coverage achieved by fungicide application, yield potential, and environmental conditions. In addition, if a ground applicator is used to apply the fungicide, the wheel tracks or the use of tram lines may influence yield. Alternatively, if an aerial application is used, the cost consequence of applying a sufficient water volume to achieve adequate plant leaf coverage is critical. Some research has been conducted to determine the expected returns to fungicide treatment as part of a disease management strategy. However, variability of expected returns resulting from alternative management strategies has not been considered. The objective of this research is to determine the expected net returns to fungicide treatment on hard red winter wheat cultivars with differing levels of genetic resistance to foliar diseases in the southern Great Plains, and to determine if fungicide treatment is an economically optimal management strategy for several levels of risk aversion. Research Methods Hard red winter wheat grain yield data were produced in field experiments conducted at two locations during seven production seasons, from 2005 to 2012. Varietal resistance for each wheat cultivar was determined based on average disease resistance rating to leaf rust, stripe rust, and powdery mildew. Two fungicides were rotated between the two locations and applied at recommended rates at Feekes growth stage 9.5 to 10. SAS Proc Mixed was used to determine grain yield response to fungicide treatment, varietal resistance level, and their interaction. Least-square mean grain yields were estimated and compared for differences between fungicide treated and nontreated plots by varietal resistance level for each year and location. A partial budgeting approach was used to determine the expected net returns for each disease management strategy at both locations. Expected yields were adjusted for losses expected to occur from wheel tracking and/or tram lines required for ground application of fungicide. Given the lack of information about these losses, sensitivity analysis was done across various levels of yield losses. Fungicide treatment cost included the per acre cost of chemical as well as the per acre rental rate for ground application. Risk analysis was conducted using SIMETAR (Richardson, Schumann, and Feldman 2001). Assuming each season was equally likely, and the years of the study were representative of the entire distribution, cumulative distribution functions of net returns to alternative strategies were evaluated using stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF). SERF was used to determine the fungicide treatment cost that would entice wheat producers to use fungicide for several levels of risk aversion. Potential for Generating Discussion Fungicide treatment on winter wheat is a timely topic that has the potential to generate discussion. Fungicides are not commonly used among U.S. wheat producers in the southern Great Plains. However, results of recent literature, including this analysis, suggest potential economic benefits to treating winter wheat with fungicides. In addition, results of this analysis suggest that the utility of risk averse decision makers would generally be increased by strategies that include fungicide treatment given its tendency to protect from the downside risk of large yield losses in years of high disease incidence and severity. These results may facilitate a discussion as to the role of fungicides in winter wheat production in particular and chemical use in production agriculture in general. Other facets of this research, such whether or not U.S. farmers could benefit from using tramlines, also have potential to stimulate discussion