Prüfung neuer pilzwiderstandsfähiger Rotweinrebsorten auf ihre Anbaueignung in Franken

Five new fungus-tolerant grape varieties were tested from 2005 to 2010 in comparison to Merlot in Franconia/Germany. Crossings with Cabernet Sauvignon showed different ripening behavior, and aroma expression. Cabernet Carbon presented a full-bodied wine, whereas Cabernet Coral ranged sensorically near his cross parent Cabernet Sauvignon. Reberger as a very early ripening variety reached often plumy notes. All 5 varieties are not totally fungus resistant and need some plant protection depending on the yearly infection conditions. In specific years the tested Cabernet crossings had problems with stem dieback and bunch rot. Cabernet Carol and Cabernet Cortis reached the best results in relation to Merlot

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in several porcine cathepsin genes are associated with growth, carcass, and production traits in Italian Large White pigs

To identify DNA markers associated with performance, carcass, and meat production traits including muscle postmortem cathepsin activity, sev- eral porcine genes encoding for lysosomal proteinases (cathepsin B, CTSB; cathepsin D, CTSD; cathepsin F, CTSF; cathepsin H, CTSH; cathepsin L, CTSL; and cathepsin Z, CTSZ) and for a cathepsin inhibitor (cys- tatin B) were investigated. Single nucleotide polymor- phisms were identified in CTSD, CTSH, CTSL, and CTSZ genes with a combination of in silico expressed sequence tag database mining and single-strand confor- mation polymorphism analysis. Sequencing and PCR- RFLP protocols were used to validate the identified polymorphisms. Allele frequencies at these loci were investigated in Italian Large White, Landrace, Duroc, Pietrain, Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, and Meishan breeds. Genotyping CTSD and CTSH markers made it possible to genetically map these genes to SSC 2 and 7, respectively. Markers in CTSD, CTSH, CTSL, and CTSZ genes, together with mutations we previously re- ported in cystatin B, CTSB, and CTSF genes, were genotyped in an Italian Large White sib-tested popu- lation (272 or 482 animals). For these animals, meat quality traits (cathepsin B activity, pH measured at 2 h postmortem, pH measured at 24 h postmortem, glyco- gen, lactate, and glycolytic potential of semimembrano- sus muscle) and EBV for ADG, lean cuts (LC), backfat thickness (BFT), ham weight (HW), and feed:gain ra- tio (FGR) were determined. Analyzed markers did not show any association with muscle cathepsin B activity. Thus, it could be possible that different genes, other than these investigated candidates, affect this trait, which is correlated with the excessive softness defect of dry-cured hams. The results of association analysis confirmed the effects we already reported in another study for CTSF on ADG (P = 0.008), LC (P = 0.001), and BFT (P = 0.02). Moreover, CTSD was associated with ADG, LC (P < 0.0001), BFT, HW, and FGR (P < 0.001); CTSH was associated with FGR (P = 0.026); and CTSZ was associated with ADG (P = 0.006), LC (P = 0.01), HW (P = 0.024), and FGR (P = 0.029). The biochemical and physiological functions of the lys- osomal proteinases, together with the results obtained in our investigation, suggest that the cathepsin gene family might play important roles affecting economic traits in pigs

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background: The EMPA KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods: EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all &gt;0·1). Interpretation: In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

Mapping of quantitative trait loci for mycoplasma and tetanus antibodies and interferon-gamma in a porcine F-2 Duroc x Pietrain resource population

The aim of the present study was to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for innate and adaptive immunity in pigs. For this purpose, a Duroc x Pietrain F-2 resource population (DUPI) with 319 offspring was used to map QTL for the immune traits blood antibodies and interferon-gamma using 122 microsatellites covering all autosomes. Antibodies response to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and tetanus toxoid vaccine and the interferon-gamma (IFNG) serum concentration were measured at three different time points and were used as phenotypes. The differences of antibodies and interferon concentration between different time points were also used for the linkage mapping. Line-cross and imprinting QTL analysis, including two-QTL, were performed using QTL Express. A total of 30 QTL (12, 6, and 12 for mycoplasma, tetanus antibody, and IFNG, respectively) were identified at the 5% chromosome-wide-level significant, of which 28 were detected by line-cross and 2 by imprinting model. In addition, two QTL were identified on chromosome 5 using the two-QTL approach where both loci were in repulsion phase. Most QTL were detected on pig chromosomes 2, 5, 11, and 18. Antibodies were increased over time and immune traits were found to be affected by sex, litter size, parity, and month of birth. The results demonstrated that antibody and IFNG concentration are influenced by multiple chromosomal areas. The flanking markers of the QTL identified for IFNG on SSC5 did incorporate the position of the porcine IFNG gene. The detected QTL will allow further research in these QTL regions for candidate genes and their utilization in selection to improve the immune response and disease resistance in pig