The Barley <i>Uniculme4 </i>Gene Encodes a BLADE-ON-PETIOLE-Like Protein That Controls Tillering and Leaf Patterning

Tillers are vegetative branches that develop from axillary buds located in the leaf axils at the base of many grasses. Genetic manipulation of tillering is a major objective in breeding for improved cereal yields and competition with weeds. Despite this, very little is known about the molecular genetic bases of tiller development in important Triticeae crops such as barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Recessive mutations at the barley Uniculme4 (Cul4) locus cause reduced tillering, deregulation of the number of axillary buds in an axil, and alterations in leaf proximal-distal patterning. We isolated the Cul4 gene by positional cloning and showed it encodes a BTB-ankyrin protein closely related to Arabidopsis BLADE-ON-PETIOLE1 (BOP1) and BOP2. Morphological, histological and in situ RNA expression analyses indicate that Cul4 acts at axil and leaf boundary regions to control axillary bud differentiation, as well as development of the ligule, which separates the distal blade and proximal sheath of the leaf. As the first functionally characterized BOP gene in monocots, Cul4 suggests partial conservation of BOP gene function between dicots and monocots, while phylogenetic analyses highlight distinct evolutionary patterns in the two lineages

A new journal on the legume research horizon-Legume Perspectives; Legume Perspectives Editorial Board

Through the decades of research on various legume species and crops worldwide, its results have been published in an endless number of national and international journals and magazines dealing with various topics. It is certain that the articles on genetics, propelled by Mendel’s pioneering work, are among the most numerous, but it is also true that those on agronomy, agro-ecology, or stress tolerance were produced rather abundantly. So far, there has not been a journal devoted specifically to legume science, except Legume Research published by the Agricultural Research Communication Centre, India. We have published our articles in several crop-specific journals, such as Bean Improvement Cooperative Annual Report, Journal of Lentil Research, Lathyrus Lathyrism Newsletter, Pisum Genetics or Soybean Genetics Newsletter: however, some of these no longer exist. A unique publication in the world of legume science, research and promotion was Grain Legumes, published by the European Association for Grain Legume Research (AEP), with 57 issues published from 1992 to 2011. With the official registration of a novel International Legume Society (LS) on 1st April 2013, an initiative was born among the researchers on all legume crop groups, including grain legumes, forage legumes, soybean, tree legumes, ornamental legumes or pharmaceutical legumes, and all legume research topics, ranging from genomics, genetic resources and breeding to agronomy, agro-ecology and stress tolerance, to establish a magazinelike journal, named Legume Perspectives. Following the tradition of Grain Legumes, each of its four issues per year will be devoted to a specific legume crop or research topic, with several brief but rather informative and updated reviews supplemented by a few research articles, and important announcements for the global legume community. We are deeply convinced that Legume Perspectives will serve well the members of the International Legume Society and all interested in legumes in general, and will successfully meet the criteria for an innovative, serious, useful, interesting and regularly issued publication

Rivaroxaban versus enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis after hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: This phase 3 trial compared the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban, an oral direct inhibitor of factor Xa, with those of enoxaparin for extended thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind study, we assigned 4541 patients to receive either 10 mg of oral rivaroxaban once daily, beginning after surgery, or 40 mg of enoxaparin subcutaneously once daily, beginning the evening before surgery, plus a placebo tablet or injection. The primary efficacy outcome was the composite of deep-vein thrombosis (either symptomatic or detected by bilateral venography if the patient was asymptomatic), nonfatal pulmonary embolism, or death from any cause at 36 days (range, 30 to 42). The main secondary efficacy outcome was major venous thromboembolism (proximal deep-vein thrombosis, nonfatal pulmonary embolism, or death from venous thromboembolism). The primary safety outcome was major bleeding. RESULTS: A total of 3153 patients were included in the superiority analysis (after 1388 exclusions), and 4433 were included in the safety analysis (after 108 exclusions). The primary efficacy outcome occurred in 18 of 1595 patients (1.1%) in the rivaroxaban group and in 58 of 1558 patients (3.7%) in the enoxaparin group (absolute risk reduction, 2.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 3.7; P<0.001). Major venous thromboembolism occurred in 4 of 1686 patients (0.2%) in the rivaroxaban group and in 33 of 1678 patients (2.0%) in the enoxaparin group (absolute risk reduction, 1.7%; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.5; P<0.001). Major bleeding occurred in 6 of 2209 patients (0.3%) in the rivaroxaban group and in 2 of 2224 patients (0.1%) in the enoxaparin group (P=0.18). CONCLUSIONS: A once-daily, 10-mg oral dose of rivaroxaban was significantly more effective for extended thromboprophylaxis than a once-daily, 40-mg subcutaneous dose of enoxaparin in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty. The two drugs had similar safety profiles. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00329628