Scapular winging: anatomical review, diagnosis, and treatments

Scapular winging is a rare debilitating condition that leads to limited functional activity of the upper extremity. It is the result of numerous causes, including traumatic, iatrogenic, and idiopathic processes that most often result in nerve injury and paralysis of either the serratus anterior, trapezius, or rhomboid muscles. Diagnosis is easily made upon visible inspection of the scapula, with serratus anterior paralysis resulting in medial winging of the scapula. This is in contrast to the lateral winging generated by trapezius and rhomboid paralysis. Most cases of serratus anterior paralysis spontaneously resolve within 24 months, while conservative treatment of trapezius paralysis is less effective. A conservative course of treatment is usually followed for rhomboid paralysis. To allow time for spontaneous recovery, a 6–24 month course of conservative treatment is often recommended, after which if there is no recovery, patients become candidates for corrective surgery

Combinação da altura de desponte e do espaçamento entre plantas de tomate Combination of planting densities with top lopping heights of tomato plants

Em trabalhos a campo realizados na Epagri, Estação Experimental de Caçador (SC), durante as safras de 1998/1999, 1999/2000 e 2000/2001, estudou-se a interação entre quatro alturas de desponta (acima do 5º, 7º, 9º e 11º cachos) e quatro espaçamentos entre plantas (0,30; 0,45; 0,60 e 0,75 m), de plantas de tomate cv. Diva. O espaçamento entre fileiras foi de 1,0 m para todos os tratamentos e anos estudados. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos completos ao acaso, em um fatorial 4 x 4, com três repetições. As plantas foram tutoradas em 'V' invertido empregando-se varas de bambu (taquaruçú) como tutores. Foram avaliados a produtividade e o número de frutos total e comercial, a percentagem e a massa média de frutos comercial, a altura de plantas e o diâmetro da base do caule. O aumento do espaçamento de plantas reduziu a altura das plantas, o número e a produtividade de frutos comercial e total, porém proporcionou aumento do diâmetro do caule e da massa média dos frutos comerciais. Por sua vez, o aumento do número de cachos por planta aumentou a altura das plantas, o número e a produtividade de frutos comercial e total. Entretanto, o diâmetro do caule e a massa média dos frutos comerciais diminuíram com o aumento do número de cachos por planta.<br>Three field experiments were carried out in Caçador, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, during 1998/1999, 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons to study four lopping heights of the tops (above the 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th clusters) and four-plant spacings between plants (0.30; 0.45; 0.60, and 0.75 m). Plant spacing between rows of tomato cv. Diva was of 1.0 m, in all studied treatments and years of the research. Experiments were designed in randomized blocks, with three replicates in a factorial scheme (4 x 4). Plants were staked as crossed fence, using bamboo sticks as tutors. The yield, number of fruits, percentage and average weight of marketable fruits, plant height and stem base diameter were evaluated. Higher plant spacing resulted in a reduction of plant height, of the number and yield of commercial and total fruits. However, larger plant spacing provided higher average values of stem diameter and average weight of commercial fruits. In turn, the higher number of fruit clusters resulted in higher tomato plants, in the number of tomato fruits and yield of commercial and total fruits. However, more clusters in a plant reduced the stem diameter and the average weight of the commercial fruits

A major QTL corresponding to the Rk locus for resistance to root-knot nematodes in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.)

KEY MESSAGE: Genome resolution of a major QTL associated with theRklocus in cowpea for resistance to root-knot nematodes has significance for plant breeding programs and R gene characterization. ABSTRACT: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is a susceptible host of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) (RKN), major plant-parasitic pests in global agriculture. To date, breeding for host resistance in cowpea has relied on phenotypic selection which requires time-consuming and expensive controlled infection assays. To facilitate marker-based selection, we aimed to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring the resistance trait. One recombinant inbred line (RIL) and two F2:3 populations, each derived from a cross between a susceptible and a resistant parent, were genotyped with genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The populations were screened in the field for root-galling symptoms and/or under growth-chamber conditions for nematode reproduction levels using M. incognita and M. javanica biotypes. One major QTL was mapped consistently on linkage group VuLG11 of each population. By genotyping additional cowpea lines and near-isogenic lines derived from conventional backcrossing, we confirmed that the detected QTL co-localized with the genome region associated with the Rk locus for RKN resistance that has been used in conventional breeding for many decades. This chromosomal location defined with flanking markers will be a valuable target in marker-assisted breeding and for positional cloning of genes controlling RKN resistance. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00122-015-2611-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Assessment of resistances to multiple pathogens in experimental sweet pepper hybrids

The aim of this study was to assess resistance to some of the major sweet pepper pathogens [Phytophthora capsici, Pepper yellow mosaic virus (PepYMV) and Meloidogyne incognita] in a group of experimental hybrids and their respective parental lines, and to identify hybrids possibly resistant to all three pathogens. Ten parental breeding lines, thirty experimental hybrids and seven commercial controls (Konan-R, Magali-R, Martha-R, Stephany, Mallorca, Magnata Super and Criollo de Morelos-334) were used. Each experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with three replications and plots consisting of 16 plants. For assessment of resistance to P. capsici and PepYMV, the percent of asymptomatic plants was considered. In evaluating reactions to M. incognita, both the nematode reproduction index and the nematode reproduction factor were calculated. Five hybrids were found with resistance to all three pathogens. For all three pathogens, there was evidence that hybrids with two resistant parental lines showed slightly higher levels of pathogen resistance than those with only one resistant parental line. © 2017, Sociedade de Olericultura do Brasil. All rights reserved