We Live in Waves

Composition for orchestra

Growth of axile and lateral roots of maize: I development of a phenotying platform

The objective of this study was to develop a phenotyping platform for the non-destructive, digital measurement of early root growth of axile and lateral roots and to evaluate its suitability for identifying maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes with contrasting root development. The system was designed to capture images of the root system within minutes and to batch process them automatically. For system establishment, roots of the inbred line Ac7729/TZSRW were grown until nine days after germination on the surface of a blotting paper in pouches. An A4 scanner was used for image acquisition followed by digital image analysis. Image processing was optimized to enhance the separation between the roots and the background and to remove image noise. Based on the root length in diameter-class distribution (RLDD), small-diameter lateral roots and large-diameter axile roots were separated. Root systems were scanned daily to model the growth dynamics of these root types. While the axile roots exhibited an almost linear growth, total lateral root length increased exponentially. Given the determined exponential growth, it was demonstrated that two plants, germinated one day apart but with the same growth rates differed in root length by 100%. From the growth rates we were able to identify contrasting genotypes from 236 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of the CML444 x SC-Malawi cross. Differences in the growth of lateral roots of two selected RILs were due to differences in the final length and linear density of the primary lateral roots, as proven by the manual reanalysis of the digital images. The high throughput makes the phenotyping platform attractive for routine genetic studies and other screening purpose

Ethical and Practical Issues in Video Surveillance of Psychiatric Units

Objectives: Video surveillance is used in inpatient psychiatry in many countries and institutions. However, its use varies considerably because of a lack of research, discussion, and agreement on best practice. This review provides an overview of current issues in the use of video surveillance in psychiatry, with a focus on ethical questions and their practical implications. Methods: A narrative review of literature on video surveillance in psychiatry was conducted. References were identified through searches of PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar for articles published before December 2018. Sixteen articles in English and German were reviewed. Results: The ethical challenges and practical implications differ between surveillance of public spaces versus private areas, such as bedrooms or seclusion rooms. The most common reason for video surveillance was to increase security and safety. However, empirical evidence suggests that it is not useful in increasing security of shared spaces on psychiatric wards. Some evidence exists for clinical benefits of video surveillance in private spaces (e.g., allowing patients to sleep undisturbed). Video surveillance can increase patients’ choices regarding monitoring options. The main ethical conflict lies in balancing patients’ autonomy and privacy versus patient and staff security and safety. Conclusions: Whether video monitoring is used in the most effective and ethical manner needs to be reconsidered. Available evidence does not support its use as a security measure. More research is needed to evaluate the benefits, risks, and best practices of using video monitoring for patient observation, with consideration given to increasing the role of patient consent

QTLs for early vigor of tropical maize

A strong photosynthetic performance and rapid leaf development, are important indicators of vigorous early growth. The aim of this study was to (1) evaluate the tropical maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines CML444 and SC-Malawi for their photosynthetic performance at different growth stages and (2) assess quantitative trait loci (QTL) of photosynthesis-related traits in their 236 recombinant inbred lines at the heterotrophic growth stage. CML444 had a higher leaf chlorophyll (SPAD) content than SC-Malawi. Ten QTLs were found for the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (ΦPSII; four), SPAD (three) and the specific leaf area (SLA; three). The relevance of seedling QTLs for ΦPSII, SPAD and SLA for yield formation is emphasized by seven collocations (bins 5.01, 7.03, 8.05) with QTLs for kernel number and grain yield under field conditions. QTLs for SPAD at the V2 and at the reproductive stage did not collocate, indicating differences in the genetic control of SPAD at different growth stages. Knowing which loci affect SLA, SPAD and ΦPSII simultaneously and which do not will help to optimize light harvest by the canop

Pulmonary Histoplasmosis Mimicking Metastatic Lung Cancer: A Case Report.

Histoplasmosis is a well-known endemic fungal infection but experience in non-endemic regions is often limited, which may lead to delayed diagnosis and extensive testing. The diagnosis can be especially challenging, typically when the disease first presents with pulmonary nodules accompanied by hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, suggesting a much more common malignant disease. In this situation, a greater FDG uptake in draining lymph nodes in comparison with the associated lung nodule seen in [ <sup>18</sup> F]FDG-PET/CT, the so-called "flip-flop fungus" sign, can help to orientate further diagnostic measures. We report a case of a 56-year-old woman living in Switzerland, a non-endemic region, whose diagnosis of imported histoplasmosis was delayed since the findings had been initially misinterpreted as pulmonary malignancy. Further, histological workup was inconclusive due to lack of specific fungal staining, leading to ineffective treatment and non-resolving disease. This paper intends to highlight the pitfalls in diagnosing Histoplasma capsulatum and presents images of particularities of fungal infections in [ <sup>18</sup> F]FDG-PET/CT, which in our case showed a "flip-flop fungus" sign

Association between Disease Severity, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Serum Cortisol Concentrations in Horses with Acute Abdominal Pain

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive technique to detect changes in the autonomous nervous system. It has rarely been investigated in horses with colic. Therefore, the objective was to assess the evolution of HRV parameters and cortisol concentrations in horses with colic. The 43 horses included in this study were categorized into three groups according to the treatment (1, surgical; 2, conservative; 3, euthanized). The HRV and laboratory variables were measured at admission (T1), the day after admission (T2), and at discharge (T3) and compared between groups and over time with an ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Relationships between the HRV parameters themselves and the laboratory variables was assessed by Pearson correlation coefficients. Evolution of the heart rate (HR) over time, mean normal to normal R intervals (meanNN) and cortisol concentrations indicate a decreased sympathetic stimulation over time in group 1 and 2, in contrast to group 3. For group 3, the meanNN and HR differed significantly to group 2 at T1 and to group 1 and 2 at T2. Treatment induced a change in the HRV and cortisol response in horses managed conservatively or surgically but not in horses that required euthanasia. However, further studies are required to assess the validity of HRV analyses in horses with colic

Genomics of the new species Kingella negevensis: diagnostic issues and identification of a locus encoding a RTX toxin.

Kingella kingae, producing the cytotoxic RTX protein, is a causative agent of serious infections in humans such as bacteremia, endocarditis and osteoarticular infection, especially in young children. Recently, Kingella negevensis, a related species, has been isolated from the oral cavity of healthy children. In this study, we report the isolation of K. negevensis strain eburonensis, initially misidentified as K. kingae with MALDI-TOF MS, from a vaginal specimen of a patient suffering of vaginosis. The genome sequencing and analysis of this strain together with comparative genomics of the Kingella genus revealed that K. negevensis possesses a full homolog of the rtx operon of K. kingae involved in the synthesis of the RTX toxin. We report that a K. kingae specific diagnostic PCR, based on the rtxA gene, was positive when tested on K. negevensis strain eburonensis DNA. This cross-amplification, and risk of misidentification, was confirmed by in silico analysis of the target gene sequence. To overcome this major diagnostic issue we developed a duplex real-time PCR to detect and distinguish K. kingae and K. negevensis. In addition to this, the identification of K. negevensis raises a clinical issue in term of pathogenic potential given the production of a RTX hemolysin

Early vertical distribution of roots and its association with drought tolerance in tropical maize

Background and aims: Selection for deep roots to improve drought tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) requires presence of genetic variation and suitable screening methods. Methods: We examined a diverse set of 33 tropical maize inbred lines that were grown in growth columns in the greenhouse up to the 2-, 4-, and 6-leaf stage and in the field in Mexico. To determine length of roots from different depths at high throughput, we tested an approach based on staining roots with methylene blue and measuring the amount of absorbed dye as proxy measure for root length. Results: Staining provided no advantage over root weights that are much easier to measure and therefore preferable. We found significant genotypic variation for all traits at the 6-leaf stage. For development rates between the 2-leaf and the 6-leaf stage, genotypes only differed for rooting depth and the number of crown roots. Positive correlations of leaf area with root length and rooting depth indicated a common effect of plant vigor. However, leaf area in growth columns was negatively related to grain yield under drought (r = −0.50). Conclusion: The selection for deeper roots by an increase in plant vigor likely results in a poorer performance under drought conditions. The proportion of deep roots was independent of other traits but showed a low heritability and was not correlated to field performance. An improved screening protocol is proposed to increase throughput and heritability for this trait

Seroepidemiological Survey of West Nile Virus Infections in Horses from Berlin/Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Following the introduction of the West Nile virus (WNV) into eastern Germany in 2018, increasing infections have been diagnosed in birds, equines, and humans over time, while the spread of WNV into western Germany remained unclear. We screened 437 equine sera from 2018 to 2020, excluding vaccinated horses, collected from convenience sampled patients in the eastern and western parts of Germany, for WNV-specific antibodies (ELISAs followed by virus/specific neutralization tests) and genomes (RT-qPCRs). Clinical presentations, final diagnoses, and demographic data were also recorded. In the eastern part, a total of eight horses were found WNV seropositive in 2019 (seroprevalence of 8.16%) and 27 in 2020 (13.77%). There were also two clinically unsuspected horses with WNV-specific antibodies in the western part from 2020 (2.63%), albeit travel history-related infections could not be excluded. None of the horse sera contained WNV-specific genomes. Eight horses in eastern Germany carried WNV-IgM antibodies, but only four of these showed typical clinical signs. These results underline the difficulty of detecting a WNV infection in a horse solely based on clinical signs. Thus, WNV circulation is established in the horse population in eastern Germany, but not yet in the western part