RAPD analysis of Sclerotium rolfsii isolates causing collar rot of eggplant and tomato

Eight isolates of Sclerotium rolfsii from four strategically geographical sites of Bangladesh were characterized and their cultural properties like average linear mycelial growth, colony colour, colony consistency, growth pattern and sclerotia formation were studied. Isolates varied in mycelial growth and other growth characteristics and were grouped into three. The highest linear growth was displayed by S8. DNA concentration of eight isolates varied from 1150-7200 ng/?l. DNA fingerprinting by RAPD prompted the grouping of isolates. Selected 3 primers generated 20 bands with size ranging from 100-1500 bp. Out of the 20 bands, 9 bands (45%) were polymorphic and 11 bands (55%) were monomorphic among the eight isolates of Sclerotium rolfsii. The co-efficient of gene differentiation (Gst) was 1.000 reflecting the existence of high level of genetic variations among the 8 isolates. The lowest genetic distance and highest inter isolate similarity was found in S1 and S2 which would be homogeneous. The highest genetic distance and lowest inter isolate similarity found in S3, S7 and S3, S8 pair which would be most divergent isolates. The cluster analysis also revealed that S3, S7 and S8 belong to different clusters. All five varieties of eggplant and tomatoes were graded as susceptible when inoculated with eight isolates. Plant mortality 93.33% was recorded in S4, S6 and in S8. Considering the isolate factor the most virulent isolate would be S8 whereas the less virulent isolate would be S2 and S7. Host plant of S8 was tomato collected from Thakurgaon. S2 and S7 were collected from BAU farm and Dinajpur and host plants were lentil and tomato respectively. It is evident that Sclerotium rolfsii from Thakurgaon on host tomato is more virulent.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (1): 47-57, June, 201

Study of genetic variation of some eggplant cultivars through RAPD-PCR molecular markers and its relatedness to phomopsis blight disease reaction

Disease susceptibility and genetic variability in 10 eggplant genotypes were studied after inoculating Phomopsis vexans under confined field conditions. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to assess genetic variation and relationships among eggplant genotypes. The disease index of leaves ranged 0.208-13.79%, while fruit infection ranged 2.15-42.76%. Two varieties, Dohazari G and Laffa S, were found to be susceptible, 6 were moderately resistant, 1 was moderately susceptible, and BAU Begun-1 was resistant to P. vexans. Amplification of genomic DNA by using 3 RAPD primers produced 20 bands: 14 (70%) were polymorphic and 6 (30%) were monomorphic. The highest intra-variety similarity indices values were found in ISD 006, Ishurdi L, Jessore L, and BAU Begun-1 (100%), while the lowest was in Dohazari G (90%). The lowest genetic distance (0.0513) and the highest genetic identity (0.9500) were observed between the ISD 006 and Ishurdi L combinations. A comparatively higher genetic distance (0.3724) and the lowest genetic identity (0.6891) were observed between the ISD 006 and Dohazari G combinations. A dendogram was constructed based on Nei’s genetic distance, which produced 2 main clusters of the genotypes - Cluster I: ISD 006, Ishurdi L, Marich begun L, BAU Begun-1, Marich begun S, and Chega and Cluster 2: Laffa S, Dohazari G, Jessore L, and Singhnath. Genetic variation and its relationship with disease susceptibility were assessed using RAPD markers, to develop disease-resistant varieties and improve eggplant crops

Global REACH: Assessment of brady-arrhythmias in Andeans and Lowlanders during apnea at 4330m

BACKGROUND: Ascent to altitude increases the prevalence of arrhythmogenesis in low-altitude dwelling populations (Lowlanders). High altitude populations (ie. Nepalese Sherpa) may have arrhythmias resistant adaptations that prevent arrhythmogenesis at altitude, though this has not been documented in other High altitude groups, including those diagnosed with chronic mountain sickness (CMS). We investigated whether healthy (CMS-) and CMS afflicted (CMS+) Andeans exhibit cardiac arrhythmias under acute apneic stress at altitude. METHODS AND RESULTS: Electrocardiograms (lead II) were collected in CMS- (N=9), CMS+ (N=8), and Lowlanders (N= 13) following several days at 4330m (Cerro de Pasco, Peru). ECG rhythm and HR were assessed at both rest and during maximal volitional apnea (End-Expiratory [EXP]). Both CMS- and CMS+ had similar basal HR (69 ± 8 beats/min vs. 62 ± 11 beats/min), while basal HR was higher in Lowlanders (77 ± 18 beats/min; P<0.05 versus CMS+). Apnea elicited significant bradycardia (nadir -32 ± 15 beats/min; P<0.01) and the development of arrhythmias in 8/13 Lowlanders (junctional rhythm, 3° atrio-venticular block, sinus pause). HR was preserved was prior to volitional breakpoint in both CMS- (nadir -6 ± 1 beat/min) and CMS+ (1 ±12 beats/min), with 2/17 Andeans developing arrhythmias ( 1 CMS+ and 1 CMS-; both Premature Atrial Contraction) prior to breakpoint. CONCLUSIONS: Andeans showed an absence of arrhythmias and preserved HR response to volitional apnea at altitude, demonstrating that potential cardio-resistant adaptations to arrhythmogenesis exist across permanent HA populations. Acclimatized Lowlanders have further demonstrated an increased prevalence of arrhythmias at altitude

The SESAMI evaluation of employment support in the UK: background and baseline data

Aims: This study evaluates real world employment support for people with severe mental health problems in the UK. Given a policy context which promotes social inclusion and welfare to work, we wanted to find out about typical employment services and their effects on people with mental health problems. Method: A case study design was adopted, incorporating qualitative and quantitative interviews with staff and users of each service. After screening for severity, 182 individuals met our inclusion criteria for current use of the services. They were interviewed about their current engagement with support services, their employment and job satisfaction if employed. Measures of self esteem, hope/optimism and job satisfaction were taken as outcomes. Results: We report here associations between the outcome measures and: current working status; support from the agency; and demographic features at baseline. People who were working had higher outcome scores than those who were in work preparation or training. People working with support had higher job satisfaction. Conclusions: The study highlights the methodological issues raised by doing real world research. These findings were generated by heterogeneous interventions in non-experimental settings. Despite this, they tend to support previous evidence in favour of early placement and ongoing support in work

A thematic analysis of factors influencing recruitment to maternal and perinatal trials

Background: Recruitment of eligible participants remains one of the biggest challenges to successful completion of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Only one third of trials recruit on time, often requiring a lengthy extension to the recruitment period. We identified factors influencing recruitment success and potentially effective recruitment strategies. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE from 1966 to December Week 2, 2006, the Cochrane Library Methodology Register in December 2006, and hand searched reference lists for studies of any design which focused on recruitment to maternal/perinatal trials, or if no studies of maternal or perinatal research could be identified, other areas of healthcare. Studies of nurses' and midwives' attitudes to research were included as none specifically about trials were located. We synthesised the data narratively, using a basic thematic analysis, with themes derived from the literature and after discussion between the authors. Results: Around half of the included papers (29/53) were specific to maternal and perinatal healthcare. Only one study was identified which focused on factors for maternal and perinatal clinicians and only seven studies considered recruitment strategies specific to perinatal research. Themes included: participant assessment of risk; recruitment process; participant understanding of research; patient characteristics; clinician attitudes to research and trials; protocol issues; and institutional or organisational issues. While no reliable evidence base for strategies to enhance recruitment was identified in any of the review studies, four maternal/perinatal primary studies suggest that specialised recruitment staff, mass mailings, physician referrals and strategies targeting minority women may increase recruitment. However these findings may only be applicable to the particular trials and settings studied. Conclusion: Although factors reported by both participants and clinicians which influence recruitment were quite consistent across the included studies, studies comparing different recruitment strategies were largely missing. Trials of different recruitment strategies could be embedded in large multicentre RCTs, with strategies tailored to the factors specific to the trial and institution.Rebecca L Tooher, Philippa F Middleton and Caroline A Crowthe

Crowded kitchens: The 'democratisation' of domesticity?

Building on previous work concerning the gendered nature of domestic space, this article focuses on the kitchen as a key site in which gendered roles and responsibilities are experienced and contested. As men have begun to engage more frequently in cooking and other domestic practices (albeit selectively and often on their own terms), this article argues that kitchens have become ‘crowded’ spaces for women. Drawing on evidence from focus groups, interviews and ethnographic observation of kitchen practices in South Yorkshire (UK), we suggest that men's entry into the kitchen has facilitated the expression of a more diverse range of masculine subjectivities, while also creating new anxieties for women. Specifically, our evidence suggests that family meals may be experienced as a site of domestic conflict as well as a celebration of family life; that convenience and shortcuts can be embraced by women without incurring feelings of guilt and imperfection; that cooking is being embraced as a lifestyle choice by an increasing numbers of men who use it as an opportunity to demonstrate competence and skill, while women are more pragmatic; and that kitchens may be experienced as ‘uncanny’ spaces by women as men increasingly assert their presence in this domain. Our analysis confirms that while the relationship between domestic practices and gendered subjectivities is changing, this does not amount to a fundamental ‘democratisation’ of domesticity with significantly greater equality between men and women

Reconceptualizing power and gendered subjectivities in domestic cooking spaces

Drawing on evidence from the Global North and South, this paper explores the power dynamics of domestic kitchens in different geographical contexts. Noting the gendered nature of domesticity, it contrasts those perspectives which regard women’s primary responsibility for foodwork as inherently oppressive, with others which see kitchens and associated domestic spaces as sites of potential empowerment for women. The paper explores the complex, spatially-distributed, character of power surrounding domestic foodwork, decentring Anglo-American understandings of the relationship between gender, power and domestic space by foregrounding the experiences of a range of women from across the globe. The paper also examines the increasing role of men in domestic settings, particularly in the Global North, assessing the extent to which their engagement in cooking and other domestic practices may be challenging conventional understandings of the relationship between gender, power and space. Focusing on the spatial dynamics of the domestic kitchen, this paper advances a more nuanced understanding of the co-constitutive nature of the relationship between gender and power, including the instabilities and slippages that occur in the performance of various domestic foodwork tasks. The paper advocates future research on the boundaries of home, work and leisure, focusing on their significance in the constitution and transformation of male and female subjectivities

Barriers and facilitators of effective self-management in asthma: systematic review and thematic synthesis of patient and healthcare professional views

Self-management is an established, effective approach to controlling asthma, recommended in guidelines. However, promotion, uptake and use among patients and health-care professionals remain low. Many barriers and facilitators to effective self-management have 25 been reported, and views and beliefs of patients and health care professionals have been explored in qualitative studies. We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research into self-management in patients, carers and health care professionals regarding self-management of asthma, to identify perceived barriers and facilitators associated with reduced effectiveness of asthma self-management interventions. Electronic databases and guidelines were searched systematically for qualitative literature that explored factors relevant to facilitators and barriers to uptake, adherence, or outcomes of self-management in patients with asthma. Thematic synthesis of the 56 included studies identified 11 themes: 1) partnership between patient and health care professional; 2) issues around medication; 3) education about asthma and its management; 4) health beliefs; 5) self-management interventions; 6) co-morbidities 7) mood disorders and anxiety; 8) social support; 9) non-pharmacological methods; 10) access to healthcare; 11) professional factors. From this, perceived barriers and facilitators were identified at the level of individuals with asthma (and carers), and health-care professionals. Future work addressing the concerns and beliefs of adults, adolescents and children (and carers) with asthma, effective communication and partnership, tailored support and education (including for ethnic minorities and at risk groups), and telehealthcare may improve how self-management is recommended by professionals and used by patients. Ultimately, this may achieve better outcomes for people with asthma

Highs and Lows of Sympathetic Neuro-cardiovascular Transduction: Influence of Altitude Acclimatization and Adaptation

High-altitude (>2500m) exposure results in increased muscle sympathetic nervous activity (MSNA) in acclimatizing lowlanders. However, little is known about how altitude affects MSNA in 66 indigenous high-altitude populations. Additionally, the relationship between MSNA and blood 67 pressure regulation (i.e., neurovascular transduction) at high-altitude is unclear. We sought to 68 determine 1) how high-altitude effects neuro-cardiovascular transduction and 2) whether 69 differences exist in neuro-cardiovascular transduction between low and high-altitude 70 populations. Measurements of MSNA (microneurography), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP; 71 finger photoplethysmography), and heart rate (electrocardiogram) were collected in: I) 72 lowlanders (n=14) at low (344m) and high-altitude (5050m), II) Sherpa highlanders (n=8; 73 5050m), and III) Andean (with and without excessive erythrocytosis) highlanders (n=15; 74 4300m). Cardiovascular responses to MSNA burst sequences (i.e. singlet, couplet, triplet, and 75 quadruplets) were quantified using custom software (coded in MATLAB, v2015b). Slopes were 76 generated for each individual based on peak responses and normalized total MSNA. High 77 altitude reduced neuro-cardiovascular transduction in lowlanders (MAP slope: high-altitude, 78 0.0075±0.0060 vs low-altitude, 0.0134±0.080; p=0.03). Transduction was elevated in Sherpa 79 (MAP slope, 0.012±0.007) compared to Andeans (0.003±0.002; p=0.001). MAP transduction 80 was not statistically different between acclimatizing lowlanders and Sherpa (MAP slope, p=0.08) 81 or Andeans (MAP slope, p=0.07). When accounting for resting MSNA (ANCOVA), transduction 82 was inversely related to basal MSNA (bursts/min) independent of population (RRI, r= 0.578 83 p<0.001; MAP, r= -0.627 p<0.0001). Our results demonstrate transduction is blunted in 84 individuals with higher basal MSNA, suggesting blunted neuro-cardiovascular transduction is a 85 physiological adaptation to elevated MSNA rather than an effect or adaptation specific to 86 chronic hypoxic exposure

Global REACH 2018: Andean Highlanders, Chronic Mountain Sickness and the Integrative Regulation of Resting Blood Pressure

High‐altitude maladaptation syndrome chronic mountain sickness (CMS) is characterised by excessive erythrocytosis and frequently accompanied by accentuated arterial hypoxaemia. Whether altered autonomic cardiovascular regulation is apparent in CMS is unclear. Therefore, we assessed integrative control of blood pressure (BP) and determined basal sympathetic vasomotor outflow and arterial baroreflex function in 8 Andean natives with CMS ([Hb] 22.6 ± 0.9 g/dL) and 7 healthy highlanders ([Hb] 19.3 ± 0.8 g/dL) at their resident altitude (Cerro de Pasco, Peru; 4383 m). R‐R interval (RRI, electrocardiogram), beat‐by‐beat BP (photoplethysmography) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; microneurography) were recorded at rest and during pharmacologically‐induced changes in BP (modified Oxford test). Although [Hb] and blood viscosity (7.8 ± 0.7 vs 6.6 ± 0.7cP; d = 1.7, P = 0.01) were elevated in CMS compared to healthy highlanders, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance and mean BP were similar between groups. The vascular sympathetic baroreflex MSNA set‐point (i.e. MSNA burst incidence) and reflex gain (i.e. responsiveness) were also similar between groups (MSNA set‐point; d = 0.75, P = 0.16, gain; d = 0.2, P = 0.69). In contrast, in CMS the cardiovagal baroreflex operated around a longer RRI (960 ± 159 vs 817 ± 50msec; d = 1.4, P = 0.04) with a greater reflex gain (17.2 ± 6.8 vs 8.8 ± 2.6msec·mmHg−1; d = 1.8, P = 0.01) versus healthy highlanders. Basal sympathetic vasomotor activity was also lower compared to healthy highlanders (33 ± 11 vs 45 ± 13bursts·min−1; d = 1.0, P = 0.08). In conclusion, our findings indicate adaptive differences in basal sympathetic vasomotor activity and heart rate compensate for the haemodynamic consequences of excessive erythrocyte volume and contribute to integrative blood pressure regulation in Andean highlanders with mild CMS