Research Notes : Evaluation of soybean germplasm collection for climatic conditions in Poland

In 1974 studies were commenced to evaluate the variation in qualities and traits of soybean. The material covered a collection of 2412 entries including 275 varieties and 2137 genetic lines. The entries representing Maturity Groups (MGs) 00-IV were obtained from the following centers: U.S. Regional Soybean Lab., Urbana, Illinois, USA; Corn Breeding Lab . , Hokkaido, Japan; National Agric. Exp. Sta . , Hitsujigaoka, Sapporo, Japan; Weibullsholm Inst. Branch Sta., Fiskeby, Sweden; Dept. of Crop Science, Univ. of Guelph, Canada and Research Branch Canada Agric. Morden, Manitoba, Canada (41-58° northern latitude

Association of Clinical and Demographic Factors With the Severity of Palmoplantar Pustulosis.

Importance: Although palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) can significantly impact quality of life, the factors underlying disease severity have not been studied. Objective: To examine the factors associated with PPP severity. Design, Setting, and Participants: An observational, cross-sectional study of 2 cohorts was conducted. A UK data set including 203 patients was obtained through the Anakinra in Pustular Psoriasis, Response in a Controlled Trial (2016-2019) and its sister research study Pustular Psoriasis, Elucidating Underlying Mechanisms (2016-2020). A Northern European cohort including 193 patients was independently ascertained by the European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network (2014-2017). Patients had been recruited in secondary or tertiary dermatology referral centers. All patients were of European descent. The PPP diagnosis was established by dermatologists, based on clinical examination and/or published consensus criteria. The present study was conducted from October 1, 2014, to March 15, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, smoking status, Palmoplantar Pustulosis Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PPPASI), measuring severity from 0 (no sign of disease) to 72 (very severe disease), or Physician Global Assessment (PGA), measuring severity as 0 (clear), 1 (almost clear), 2 (mild), 3 (moderate), and 4 (severe). Results: Among the 203 UK patients (43 men [21%], 160 women [79%]; median age at onset, 48 [interquartile range (IQR), 38-59] years), the PPPASI was inversely correlated with age of onset (r = -0.18, P = .01). Similarly, in the 159 Northern European patients who were eligible for inclusion in this analysis (25 men [16%], 134 women [84%]; median age at onset, 45 [IQR, 34-53.3] years), the median age at onset was lower in individuals with a moderate to severe PGA score (41 years [IQR, 30.5-52 years]) compared with those with a clear to mild PGA score (46.5 years [IQR, 35-55 years]) (P = .04). In the UK sample, the median PPPASI score was higher in women (9.6 [IQR, 3.0-16.2]) vs men (4.0 [IQR, 1.0-11.7]) (P = .01). Likewise, moderate to severe PPP was more prevalent among Northern European women (57 of 134 [43%]) compared with men (5 of 25 [20%]) (P = .03). In the UK cohort, the median PPPASI score was increased in current smokers (10.7 [IQR, 4.2-17.5]) compared with former smokers (7 [IQR, 2.0-14.4]) and nonsmokers (2.2 [IQR, 1-6]) (P = .003). Comparable differences were observed in the Northern European data set, as the prevalence of moderate to severe PPP was higher in former and current smokers (51 of 130 [39%]) compared with nonsmokers (6 of 24 [25%]) (P = .14). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study suggest that PPP severity is associated with early-onset disease, female sex, and smoking status. Thus, smoking cessation intervention might be beneficial

Induction of somatic embryogenesis in in vitro cultures of Tryfolium genus species and molecular analysis of regeneration plants of R1 progeny using RAPD markers

Indukcję somatycznej embriogenezy w rodzaju Trifolium przeprowadzono u 8 odmian pochodzących z trzech gatunków: Trifolium pratense - odmiany: 'Hruszowska', 'Nike', 'Dajana', 'Jubilatka', 'Ulka', 'Karo'; Trifolium resupinatum odmiana 'Ira' oraz Trifolium incarnatum odmiana 'Opolska'. Kalus indukowano na pożywce PHILLIPS, COLLINS [1979] z modyfikacjami wg RYBCZYŃSKIEGO [1991] zawierającej 2 mg·dm⁻³ 2,4-D, 0,1 mg·dm⁻³ BAP, 0,06 mg·dm⁻³ picloramu oraz 2 mg·dm⁻³ 2iP. Efektywność somatycznej embriogenezy oceniano na dwóch rodzajach eksplantatów: liścieniach i hypokotylach pobieranych z 5-6 dniowych sterylnych siewek. Namnażanie kalusa i formowanie się w nim zarodków przebiegało na pożywce różnicującej, zawierającej ten sam skład jak pożywka indukująca za wyjątkiem 2iP, który zastąpiono 0,2 mg·dm⁻³ zeatyny. Pasażowanie zarodków somatycznych na pożywkę regeneracyjną MURASHIGE, SKOOG [1962] przyspieszało ich rozwój i doprowadzało do wzrostu roślin. Embriogenny kalus uzyskano tylko u odmiany 'Opolska' z gatunku Trifolium incarnatum z obu rodzajów eksplantatów. Analiza molekularna wykonana techniką PCR z wykorzystaniem markerów RAPD wskazuje na niski stopień podobieństwa genetycznego pomiędzy odmianą wyjściową 'Opolska', a jej klonami uzyskanymi na drodze somatycznej embriogenezy.Induction of somatic embryogenesis in Trifolium genus was been carried out on eight varieties from three species: Trifolium pretense ('Hruszowska', 'Nike', 'Dajana', 'Jubilatka', 'Ulka', 'Karo' cvs.); Trifolium resupinatum (cv. 'Ira') and Trifolium incarnatum (cv. 'Opolska'). The callus was obtained on PHILLIPS, COLLINS [1979] medium with modifications by Rybczyński [1991], Somatic embryogenesis was induced on two of explants: cotyledons and hypocotyls. The medium contained 2.0 mg·dm⁻³ 2,4-D, 0.1 mg·dm⁻³ BAP, 0.06 mg·dm⁻³ picloram and 2.0 mg·dm⁻³ 2iP. Proliferation of callus and formation of embryos were carried out on differentiating medium with composition the same as induction medium, except of 2iP, that was replaced by 0.2 mg·dm⁻³ zeatin. Transfer of somatic embryos on regeneration medium MURASHIGE, SKOOG [1962] accelerated their development and affected plant growth. Embryogenic callus was obtained only from 'Opolska' cv. of Trifolium incarnatum from both types of explants. Molecular analysis performed with PCR technique using RAPD markers, indicated low level of genetic similarity between 'Opolska' cultivar and clones obtained by somatic embryogenesis

Research Notes : Evaluation of soybean germplasm collection for climatic conditions in Poland

In 1974 studies were commenced to evaluate the variation in qualities and traits of soybean. The material covered a collection of 2412 entries including 275 varieties and 2137 genetic lines. The entries representing Maturity Groups (MGs) 00-IV were obtained from the following centers: U.S. Regional Soybean Lab., Urbana, Illinois, USA; Corn Breeding Lab . , Hokkaido, Japan; National Agric. Exp. Sta . , Hitsujigaoka, Sapporo, Japan; Weibullsholm Inst. Branch Sta., Fiskeby, Sweden; Dept. of Crop Science, Univ. of Guelph, Canada and Research Branch Canada Agric. Morden, Manitoba, Canada (41-58° northern latitude)</p

Effects of silencing relaxin-3 production in nucleus incertus neurons on food intake, body weight, anxiety-like behaviour and limbic brain activity in female rats

The neuropeptide, relaxin-3 (RLN3) is part of the insulin-relaxin superfamily, is primarily expressed by neurons in the brainstem nucleus incertus (NI) and is implicated in motivated behaviours and stress responses. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of RLN3 mRNA knockdown in NI RLN3-positive neurons of female rats on body weight, food intake and anxiety-like behaviour. Female rats received a bilateral infusion into the NI of adeno-associated virus encoding microRNA against RLN3 (knockdown) or control. Three weeks after viral injections, food intake and body weight were measured every 24 h. At week 7, rats were subjected to the behavioural tests light/dark box (L/D), elevated plus maze (EPM) and large open-field (LOF) test followed. During week 8, rats were sacrificed, and intra-cardiac blood samples and brains were collected. The targeting and specificity of RLN3 knockdown in NI neurons was assessed using in situ hybridization. The c-fos mRNA expression was analysed in regions involved in stress and feeding. RLN3 mRNA expression in the NI of knockdown rats was significantly suppressed compared to control. Two-way ANOVA revealed significant difference on body weight. Bonferroni’s multiple comparison tests revealed a decrease in body weight of RLN3 knockdown rats from week 2 which persisted until week 7. Food intake was decreased in knockdown group compared to control during week 4. In addition, RLN3 knockdown rats displayed significantly higher anxiety-like behaviour in the LOF, but not in the EPM and L/D compared with virus control rats. After behavioural tests, corticosterone levels were not different between groups for all tests, however basal levels of corticosterone were significantly decreased in knockdown group compared to control. Moreover, c-fos mRNA expression significantly decreased in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and in the lateral hypothalamus area in knockdown rats compared to control, at the basal level. Reduced RLN3 expression in NI neurons induced weight loss associated with an imbalance on food intake, elevated anxiety in environment with no escape, and disrupted the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis in female rats

Estrous Cycle Modulation of Feeding and Relaxin-3/Rxfp3 mRNA Expression: Implications for Estradiol Action

Introduction: Food intake varies during the ovarian hormone/estrous cycle in humans and rodents, an effect mediated mainly by estradiol. A potential mediator of the central anorectic effects of estradiol is the neuropeptide relaxin-3 (RLN3) synthetized in the nucleus incertus (NI) and acting via the relaxin family peptide-3 receptor (RXFP3). Methods: We investigated the relationship between RLN3/RXFP3 signaling and feeding behavior across the female rat estrous cycle. We used in situ hybridization to investigate expression patterns of Rln3 mRNA in NI and Rxfp3 mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), medial preoptic area (MPA), and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), across the estrous cycle. We identified expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) in the NI using droplet digital PCR and assessed the electrophysiological responsiveness of NI neurons to estradiol in brain slices. Results: Rln3 mRNA reached the lowest levels in the NI pars compacta during proestrus. Rxfp3 mRNA levels varied across the estrous cycle in a region-specific manner, with changes observed in the perifornical LHA, magnocellular PVN, dorsal BNST, and MPA, but not in the parvocellular PVN or lateral LHA. G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (Gper1) mRNA was the most abundant ER transcript in the NI. Estradiol inhibited 33% of type 1 NI neurons, including RLN3-positive cells. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the RLN3/RXFP3 system is modulated by the estrous cycle, and although further studies are required to better elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of estradiol signaling, current results implicate the involvement of the RLN3/RXFP3 system in food intake fluctuations observed across the estrous cycle in female rats

Clinical and genetic differences between pustular psoriasis subtypes

The term pustular psoriasis indicates a group of severe skin disorders characterized by eruptions of neutrophil-filled pustules. The disease, which often manifests with concurrent psoriasis vulgaris, can have an acute systemic (generalized pustular psoriasis [GPP]) or chronic localized (palmoplantar pustulosis [PPP] and acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau [ACH]) presentation. Although mutations have been uncovered in IL36RN and AP1S3, the rarity of the disease has hindered the study of genotype-phenotype correlations. We sought to characterize the clinical and genetic features of pustular psoriasis through the analysis of an extended patient cohort. We ascertained a data set of unprecedented size, including 863 unrelated patients (251 with GPP, 560 with PPP, 28 with ACH, and 24 with multiple diagnoses). We undertook mutation screening in 473 cases. Psoriasis vulgaris concurrence was lowest in PPP (15.8% vs 54.4% in GPP and 46.2% in ACH, P <.0005 for both), whereas the mean age of onset was earliest in GPP (31.0 vs 43.7 years in PPP and 51.8 years in ACH, P <.0001 for both). The percentage of female patients was greater in PPP (77.0%) than in GPP (62.5%; P = 5.8 × 10 ). The same applied to the prevalence of smokers (79.8% vs 28.3%, P < 10 ). Although AP1S3 alleles had similar frequency (0.03-0.05) across disease subtypes, IL36RN mutations were less common in patients with PPP (0.03) than in those with GPP (0.19) and ACH (0.16; P = 1.9 × 10 and.002, respectively). Importantly, IL36RN disease alleles had a dose-dependent effect on age of onset in all forms of pustular psoriasis (P =.003). The analysis of an unparalleled resource revealed key clinical and genetic differences between patients with PPP and those with GPP