Evidence for Cognitive Impairment in Mastocytosis: Prevalence, Features and Correlations to Depression

Mastocytosis is a heterogeneous disease characterized by mast cells accumulation in one or more organs. We have reported that depression is frequent in mastocytosis, but although it was already described, little is known about the prevalence and features of cognitive impairment. Our objective was to describe the prevalence and features of cognitive impairment in a large cohort of patients with this rare disease (n = 57; mean age = 45) and to explore the relations between memory impairment and depression. Objective memory impairment was evaluated using the 3rd edition of the Clinical Memory scale of Wechsler. Depression symptoms were evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Age and education levels were controlled for all patients. Patients with mastocytosis presented high levels of cognitive impairment (memory and/or attention) (n = 22; 38.6%). Cognitive impairment was moderate in 59% of the cases, concerned immediate auditory (41%) and working memory (73%) and was not associated to depression (p≥0.717). In conclusion, immediate auditory memory and attention impairment in mastocytosis are frequent, even in young individuals, and are not consecutive to depression. In mastocytosis, cognitive complaints call for complex neuropsychological assessment. Mild-moderate cognitive impairment and depression constitute two specific but somewhat independent syndromes in mastocytosis. These results suggest differential effects of mast-cell activity in the brain, on systems involved in emotionality and in cognition

Identification of several small main-effect QTLs and a large number of epistatic QTLs for drought tolerance related traits in groundnut (Arachishypogaea L.)

Cultivated groundnut or peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), an allotetraploid (2n = 4x = 40), is a self pollinated and widely grown crop in the semi-arid regions of the world. Improvement of drought tolerance is an important area of research for groundnut breeding programmes. Therefore, for the identification of candidate QTLs for drought tolerance, a comprehensive and refined genetic map containing 191 SSR loci based on a single mapping population (TAG 24 × ICGV 86031), segregating for drought and surrogate traits was developed. Genotyping data and phenotyping data collected for more than ten drought related traits in 2–3 seasons were analyzed in detail for identification of main effect QTLs (M-QTLs) and epistatic QTLs (E-QTLs) using QTL Cartographer, QTLNetwork and Genotype Matrix Mapping (GMM) programmes. A total of 105 M-QTLs with 3.48–33.36% phenotypic variation explained (PVE) were identified using QTL Cartographer, while only 65 M-QTLs with 1.3–15.01% PVE were identified using QTLNetwork. A total of 53 M-QTLs were such which were identified using both programmes. On the other hand, GMM identified 186 (8.54–44.72% PVE) and 63 (7.11–21.13% PVE), three and two loci interactions, whereas only 8 E-QTL interactions with 1.7–8.34% PVE were identified through QTLNetwork. Interestingly a number of co-localized QTLs controlling 2–9 traits were also identified. The identification of few major, many minor M-QTLs and QTL × QTL interactions during the present study confirmed the complex and quantitative nature of drought tolerance in groundnut. This study suggests deployment of modern approaches like marker-assisted recurrent selection or genomic selection instead of marker-assisted backcrossing approach for breeding for drought tolerance in groundnut

Cultivation of Angelica archangelica Linn.: evaluation for economical viability at two different climatic conditions

Cultivation of an important sub alpine-alpine medicinal and aromatic herb, Angelica archangelica Linn. (Apiaceae), was carried out at two different climatic zone at 2200 m asl (Pothivasa, PV) and 3600 m asl (Tungnath, TN) altitudes in Garhwal, North west Himalaya, India. These altitudes represent temperate and alpine region of the Himalaya. Since the species has a very few wild populations, cultivation of the species is recommended for its medicinal use. After the establishment of sufficient quantity of seedlings, they were transplanted in both sites at the age of two, three and four months for the comparative accounts on survival, growth and yield and, to test the appropriate age of seedlings for transplantation and climatic suitability for cultivation of the species. Organic cultivation protocol was adopted by using different farm yard manure (FYM) as treatments. Yield was minimum in youngest seedlings (two months old ) transplanted at TN in ordinary alpine soil (control) and maximum under polyhouse beds at PV after three years of growth. Observations on yield at different climatic zone revealed that it was maximum in PV (temperate site) as compared to alpine site (natural site) in all treatments. Seedlings of different age also had better survival, growth and yield at the temperate site though; two months old seedlings after transplantation had comparatively slow growth and yield than those of three and four months seedlings. These observations clearly suggested that temperate region (2200 m) is suitable for cultivation of A. archangelica. Addition of manure (leaf litter in particular) and polyhouse cultivation further improved the yield. Economical viability of the cultivation was also observed and presented here. Keywords: Seedlings, economic yield, profit, observations, polyhouse.International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences Vol. 2 (4) 2008: pp. 563-57