Construction of genetic linkage map of the medicinal and ornamental plant Catharanthus roseus

An integrated genetic linkage map of the medicinal and ornamental plant Catharanthus roseus, based on different types of molecular and morphological markers was constructed, using a F2 population of 144 plants. The map defines 14 linkage groups (LGs) and consists of 131 marker loci, including 125 molecular DNA markers (76 RAPD, 3 RAPD combinations; 7 ISSR; 2 EST-SSR from Medicago truncatula and 37 other PCR based DNA markers), selected from a total of 472 primers or primer pairs, and six morphological markers (stem pigmentation, leaf lamina pigmentation and shape, leaf petiole and pod size, and petal colour). The total map length is 1131.9 cM (centiMorgans), giving an average map length and distance between two markers equal to 80.9 cM and 8.6 cM, respectively. The morphological markers/genes were found linked with nearest molecular or morphological markers at distances varying from 0.7 to 11.4 cM. Linkage was observed between the morphological markers concerned with lamina shape and petiole size of leaf on LG1 and leaf, stem and petiole pigmentation and pod size on LG8. This is the first genetic linkage map of C. roseus

Regulation of unipinnate character in the distal tendrilled domain of compound leaf-blade by the gene MULTIFOLIATE PINNA (MFP) in pea Pisum sativum

The wild type compound leaf-blade of Pisum sativum has one to three pairs of simple leaflet pinnae in its petiole proximal domain, one to four pairs of simple tendril pinnae in the distal domain and a simple tendril pinna in the apical domain. A novel ethyl methane sulfonate induced dominant mutant was isolated and characterized whose leaf-blades formed MULTIFOLIATE PINNA pairs in the distal domain. The distal multifoliate pinnae or compound pinna-blades had three tendrilled-leaflets as pinnules. The pinnules had a bifacial elliptic-lanceolate leaflet body and arc shaped apex that mimicked the ringlet shaped apex of tendrils. The TL/tl, mfp/mfp and tl/tl, mfp/mfp leaf-blades also produced multifoliate (compound) pinna-blades in distal positions; the pinnules of these genotypes had elliptic shape. The pinnae were branched tendrils in TL/TL, MFP/mfp plants. The leaf-blade rachis was more ramified in af mfp double mutants than in af mutant. In the af mfp double mutant, the multifoliate pinna-blades were present on tertiary and secondary branches of the rachis in the proximal domain and on secondary branches and the primary rachis in the distal domain. The leaf-blades of the af tl mfp triple mutant genotype were an order of magnitude more ramified than those of af tl and af mfp genotypes in proximal as well as distal domains. The leaf-blade phenotypes of various genotypes revealed in this study and those known from previous work have allowed the following conclusions about the nature of mfp mutation and mfp function(s). (a) The presence of mfp mutation or mfp function changes the identity of distal primordia, from tendrils in the wildtype (MFP/MFP) leaf-blades to multifoliate pinna-blades in mfp/mfp mutant. (b) A pathway for the lamination of pinnules of multifoliate blades formed in distal and terminal domains in the mfp mutant and all domains in af mfp double mutant is activated by the mfp mutation. (c) The leaflet-/pinnule-lamination pathway activated by the tl mutation interacts with the mfp-directed pathway. (d) The mfp mutation intensifies rachis ramification in proximal and distal domains activated by the af mutation. This process is distinct from analogous rachis ramification that occurs in the af tl double mutant

Constituents of the flower oil of Carissa opaca growing in the Aravalli mountain range at New Delhi

The highly fragrant essential oil of the flowers of Carissa opaca, growing on Aravalli ridge at New Delhi, was investigated by GC and GC-MS analyses. A total of 20 compounds, accounting for 99.5% of the oil, were identified. The main component was palmitic acid (82.5%). Other major compounds were benzyl salicylate (6.0%), benzyl benzoate (4.6%) and (E,E)-α-farnesene (3.5%)

Composition of the essential oils of the leaves and flowers of Rhus mysurensis Heyne ex Wight & Arn growing in the Aravalli mountain range at New Delhi

Hydrodistillation of the leaves (L) and flowers (inflorescence, F) of Rhus mysurensis plants growing on the Aravalli ridge at New Delhi in India gave sweet scented volatile oils which were investigated by GC and GC-MS analyses. Both the oils were found to contain almost the same compounds. The major components of the oils were identified as α-pinene (F, 15.5%; L, 26.8%), limonene (L, 26.2%; F, 51.3%), sabinene (L,3.8%; F, 4.1%), β-caryophyllene (L, 6.6%; F, 9.4%) and α- and β-eudesmol (L, 7.8%; F, 4.4%)

Volatile components of leaves and flowers of periwinkle Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don from New Delhi

The hydrodistilled waxy oils of the leaves and flowers of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don cv. Nirmal plants grown at New Delhi were analysed by GC and GC-MS. A total of 52 compounds were identified, accounting for the 91.3% of the leaf oil. Among these the main constituents were as follows: (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal (7.7%), citronellol (7.9%), geraniol (7.9%), p-cresol (4.7%), (Z,E)-pentadecanal (6.6%), hexadecanoic acid (4.9%), palmitic acid (4.9%) and phytol (6.4%). A total of 41 compounds were identified, accounting for 99.4% of the flower oil, whose main constituents were heneicosane (20.8%), tricosane (37.9%), tetracosane (6.1%) and docosane (4.3%). A total of 24 compounds occurred in both the leaf and flower oils

Treatment of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma.

Immunosuppressed patients such as solid organ transplant and hematologic malignancy patients appear to be at increased risk for morbidity and mortality due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Convalescent plasma, a method of passive immunization that has been applied to prior viral pandemics, holds promise as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Immunocompromised patients may experience more benefit from convalescent plasma given underlying deficits in B and T cell immunity as well as contraindications to antiviral and immunomodulatory therapy. We describe our institutional experience with four immunosuppressed patients (two kidney transplant recipients, one lung transplant recipient, and one chronic myelogenous leukemia patient) treated with COVID-19 convalescent plasma through the Expanded Access Program (NCT04338360). All patients clinically improved after administration (two fully recovered and two discharged to skilled nursing facilities) and none experienced a transfusion reaction. We also report the characteristics of convalescent plasma product from a local blood center including positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG and negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR in all samples tested. This preliminary evidence suggest that convalescent plasma may be safe among immunosuppressed patients with COVID-19 and emphasizes the need for further data on the efficacy of convalescent plasma as either primary or adjunctive therapy for COVID-19

Hospital red blood cell and platelet supply and utilization from March to December of the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic: The BEST collaborative study

BackgroundAt the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, widespread blood shortages were anticipated. We sought to determine how hospital blood supply and blood utilization were affected by the first wave of COVID-19.Study design and methodsWeekly red blood cell (RBC) and platelet (PLT) inventory, transfusion, and outdate data were collected from 13 institutions in the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Denmark from March 1st to December 31st of 2020 and 2019. Data from the sites were aligned based on each site's local first peak of COVID-19 cases, and data from 2020 (pandemic year) were compared with data from the corresponding period in 2019 (pre-pandemic baseline).ResultsRBC inventories were 3% lower in 2020 than in 2019 (680 vs. 704, p < .001) and 5% fewer RBCs were transfused per week compared to 2019 (477 vs. 501, p < .001). However, during the first COVID-19 peak, RBC and PLT inventories were higher than normal, as reflected by deviation from par, days on hand, and percent outdated. At this time, 16% fewer inpatient beds were occupied, and 43% fewer surgeries were performed compared to 2019 (p < .001). In contrast to 2019 when there was no correlation, there was, in 2020, significant negative correlations between RBC and PLT days on hand and both percentage occupancy of inpatient beds and percentage of surgeries performed.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, RBC and PLT inventories remained adequate. During the first wave of cases, significant decreases in patient care activities were associated with excess RBC and PLT supplies and increased product outdating