Best management practices for stripe rust of wheat in Saskatchewan

Non-Peer Reviewe

Integrated disease management of leaf spots and crown rust of oat

Non-Peer ReviewedCrown rust and leaf spots can reduce the yield and quality of oats. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of conventional fungicides, Actigard® and oat cultivars that vary in resistance to crown rust on leaf spot and crown rust severity, and oat yield and quality. Two experiments were established at each location in Saskatchewan: Saskatoon and Melfort. Experiment one consisted of three oat varieties: AC Morgan (crown rust susceptible), CDC Dancer (intermediate) and CDC Morrison (resistant) and three fungicide treatments: check (unsprayed), propiconazole and pyraclostrobin. Experiment two consisted of the application of Actigard® at two rates: 8.75 g ai/ha and 26.25 g ai/ha; three crop growth stages: seedling, boot and heading; on two varieties: CDC Dancer and CDC Morrison, with an unsprayed check for each variety. At Saskatoon, crown rust was observed while leaf spot severity was low. At Melfort, no crown rust was observed but leaf spot severity was low to moderate. Fungicide reduced the severity of crown rust and increased yield and quality of oat at Saskatoon for the susceptible variety (AC Morgan) and somewhat for the moderately susceptible variety (CDC Dancer). The crown rust resistant variety (CDC Morrison) did not benefit from fungicide. Leaf spots were reduced by fungicide application at Melfort, but little increase in yield or quality was detected. There was little difference between AC Morgan and CDC Morrison for leaf spot symptoms, but CDC Dancer appeared to suffer slightly more than the other varieties. There was no impact of fungicide on beta-glucan content at either location, although there were differences among varieties, but only at Saskatoon. Actigard® was not observed to have any positive or negative effects on disease severity (crown rust or leaf spots) or any of the factors measured, including nutritional characteristics, at either location, although there were differences among varieties for many of the factors measured

Disease survey of cereal crops in Saskatchewan in 2013

Non-Peer ReviewedCereal crops in Saskatchewan can suffer a number of diseases that reduce yield and quality. A disease survey was conducted in 2013 to identify pathogenic agents and assess disease severity on oat, canaryseed, barley and winter and spring wheat. Crown rust was detected at trace levels in four of 32 oat crops and the most common leaf spotting pathogens were Pyrenophora avenae and Stagnospora avenae, similar to previous years. On canaryseed, Septoria triseti was observed from plating of leaf samples and appeared to be highest in west-central SK and lowest in the north-east. Fusarium avenaceum was identified from plating of seeds in four of 26 crops, but only at low levels. In barley, only two crops were affected by stripe rust, but leaf spots symptoms observed on most crops, most commonly caused by Cochliobolus sativus and Pyrenophora teres; Septoria passerinii was identified in a few samples. Severe stripe rust infection was observed in seven of 89 winter wheat crops, but 60 crops were stripe rust-free. In winter wheat fusarium head blight was generally low in most regions of SK, except near Outlook, where severity was much higher. In spring wheat, stripe rust infection was observed in eight of 17 crops and was severe in one crop

Age at first birth in women is genetically associated with increased risk of schizophrenia

Prof. Paunio on PGC:n jäsenPrevious studies have shown an increased risk for mental health problems in children born to both younger and older parents compared to children of average-aged parents. We previously used a novel design to reveal a latent mechanism of genetic association between schizophrenia and age at first birth in women (AFB). Here, we use independent data from the UK Biobank (N = 38,892) to replicate the finding of an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women, and to estimate the genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in women stratified into younger and older groups. We find evidence for an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women (P-value = 1.12E-05), and we show genetic heterogeneity between younger and older AFB groups (P-value = 3.45E-03). The genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in the younger AFB group is -0.16 (SE = 0.04) while that between schizophrenia and AFB in the older AFB group is 0.14 (SE = 0.08). Our results suggest that early, and perhaps also late, age at first birth in women is associated with increased genetic risk for schizophrenia in the UK Biobank sample. These findings contribute new insights into factors contributing to the complex bio-social risk architecture underpinning the association between parental age and offspring mental health.Peer reviewe

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Combination of searches for Higgs boson pairs in pp collisions at \sqrts = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This letter presents a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair production using up to 36.1 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy root s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The combination is performed using six analyses searching for Higgs boson pairs decaying into the b (b) over barb (b) over bar, b (b) over barW(+)W(-), b (b) over bar tau(+)tau(-), W+W-W+W-, b (b) over bar gamma gamma and W+W-gamma gamma final states. Results are presented for non-resonant and resonant Higgs boson pair production modes. No statistically significant excess in data above the Standard Model predictions is found. The combined observed (expected) limit at 95% confidence level on the non-resonant Higgs boson pair production cross-section is 6.9 (10) times the predicted Standard Model cross-section. Limits are also set on the ratio (kappa(lambda)) of the Higgs boson self-coupling to its Standard Model value. This ratio is constrained at 95% confidence level in observation (expectation) to -5.0 &lt; kappa(lambda) &lt; 12.0 (-5.8 &lt; kappa(lambda) &lt; 12.0). In addition, limits are set on the production of narrow scalar resonances and spin-2 Kaluza-Klein Randall-Sundrum gravitons. Exclusion regions are also provided in the parameter space of the habemus Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model and the Electroweak Singlet Model. For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2019.135103</p

Searches for lepton-flavour-violating decays of the Higgs boson in s=13\sqrt{s}=13 TeV pp\mathit{pp} collisions with the ATLAS detector

This Letter presents direct searches for lepton flavour violation in Higgs boson decays, H → eτ and H → μτ , performed with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The searches are based on a data sample of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy √s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb−1. No significant excess is observed above the expected background from Standard Model processes. The observed (median expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits on the leptonflavour-violating branching ratios are 0.47% (0.34+0.13−0.10%) and 0.28% (0.37+0.14−0.10%) for H → eτ and H → μτ , respectively.publishedVersio

Search for flavour-changing neutral currents in processes with one top quark and a photon using 81 fb⁻¹ of pp collisions at \sqrts = 13 TeV with the ATLAS experiment

A search for flavour-changing neutral current (FCNC) events via the coupling of a top quark, a photon, and an up or charm quark is presented using 81 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data taken at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events with a photon, an electron or muon, a b-tagged jet, and missing transverse momentum are selected. A neural network based on kinematic variables differentiates between events from signal and background processes. The data are consistent with the background-only hypothesis, and limits are set on the strength of the tqγ coupling in an effective field theory. These are also interpreted as 95% CL upper limits on the cross section for FCNC tγ production via a left-handed (right-handed) tuγ coupling of 36 fb (78 fb) and on the branching ratio for t→γu of 2.8×10−5 (6.1×10−5). In addition, they are interpreted as 95% CL upper limits on the cross section for FCNC tγ production via a left-handed (right-handed) tcγ coupling of 40 fb (33 fb) and on the branching ratio for t→γc of 22×10−5 (18×10−5). © 2019 The Author(s