Genomics-assisted breeding in four major pulse crops of developing countries: present status and prospects

The global population is continuously increasing and is expected to reach nine billion by 2050. This huge population pressure will lead to severe shortage of food, natural resources and arable land. Such an alarming situation is most likely to arise in developing countries due to increase in the proportion of people suffering from protein and micronutrient malnutrition. Pulses being a primary and affordable source of proteins and minerals play a key role in alleviating the protein calorie malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and other undernourishment-related issues. Additionally, pulses are a vital source of livelihood generation for millions of resource-poor farmers practising agriculture in the semi-arid and sub-tropical regions. Limited success achieved through conventional breeding so far in most of the pulse crops will not be enough to feed the ever increasing population. In this context, genomics-assisted breeding (GAB) holds promise in enhancing the genetic gains. Though pulses have long been considered as orphan crops, recent advances in the area of pulse genomics are noteworthy, e.g. discovery of genome-wide genetic markers, high-throughput genotyping and sequencing platforms, high-density genetic linkage/QTL maps and, more importantly, the availability of whole-genome sequence. With genome sequence in hand, there is a great scope to apply genome-wide methods for trait mapping using association studies and to choose desirable genotypes via genomic selection. It is anticipated that GAB will speed up the progress of genetic improvement of pulses, leading to the rapid development of cultivars with higher yield, enhanced stress tolerance and wider adaptability

Adrenal myelolipoma: a comprehensive review

INTRODUCTION: Adrenal myelolipoma is an invariably benign neoplasm of the adrenal gland that is the second most common primary adrenal incidentaloma following adrenocortical adenomas. It is composed of elements of adipose tissue and extramedullary hematopoiesis. Hypotheses on stem cells and hormonal factors have been formulated regarding its pathogenesis that is still obscure. Despite its benign behavior, adrenal myelolipoma is clinically relevant as it might cause significant difficulties in the differential diagnosis of adrenal tumors. METHODS: We have reviewed 420 cases reported between 1957 and 2017 on adrenal myelolipoma retrieved from PubMed and Scopus databases and also 20 of our case series to provide a comprehensive analysis of their pathology, epidemiological and clinical features. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The average age for its diagnosis was 51 years, and no gender difference was observed. The average size of tumors was 10.2 cm. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia was associated to 10% of all cases analyzed, while other adrenal hypersecretory disorders (cortisol, aldosterone) were found in 7.5% of cases. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can be reliably used for its differential diagnosis. If the diagnosis of an adrenal myelolipoma is unambiguous, and no associated symptoms or hormonal activity are established, surgical intervention is usually not necessary

Transparencia corporativa en empresas generadoras de energía eléctrica en el Perú

TesisThe main objective of this thesis is to address the problem of the absence of standardized measurement parameters of corporate transparency in the Peruvian local environment, particularly in the electric power generation sector. In this regard, this research compiles and analyzes different studies and instruments at the national and international level related to corporate transparency to propose an instrument for estimating corporate transparency, adapted and validated for the specific context of said sector from the perspective of its main stakeholders, the same one that finds its origin in four basic instruments selected after an analysis of the revision of the current international literature. These basic instruments have been chosen after valuing a series of criteria to prioritize them and select the most relevant according to the characteristics of the sector and national reality. This tool allowed to develop a descriptive qualitative research that used secondary sources such as the web channel by consulting the official website of each company and in a complementary way the official websites of the regulatory bodies to collect information; in order to identify and analyze the levels of corporate transparency achieved by nine companies in the local electricity generation industry that are listed on the Lima Stock Exchange in 2017. The results obtained from the application of the instrument show a significant dispersion, for greater appreciation of the same, tables have been presented by dimensions and by the companies that make up the sample. Finally, based on the developed content, conclusions and recommendations are presented in accordance with those results.La presente tesis tiene como objetivo principal abordar la problemática de la ausencia de parámetros de medición estandarizados de transparencia corporativa en el medio local peruano, en particular, en el sector de generación de energía eléctrica. En tal sentido, esta investigación recopila y analiza diferentes estudios e instrumentos a nivel nacional e internacional relacionados con transparencia corporativa para proponer un instrumento de estimación de transparencia corporativa, adaptado y validado para el contexto específico del mencionado sector desde la perspectiva de sus principales partes interesadas, el mismo que encuentra su origen en cuatro instrumentos básicos seleccionados luego de un análisis de la revisión de la literatura vigente a nivel internacional. Estos instrumentos básicos han sido elegidos luego de valorizar una serie de criterios para priorizarlos y seleccionar los más relevantes de acuerdo a las características del sector y realidad nacional. Esta herramienta permitió desarrollar una investigación cualitativa descriptiva que utilizó fuentes secundarias como es el canal web consultando la página oficial de cada empresa y de manera complementaria los sitios web oficiales de los entes reguladores para recolectar información; con el fin de identificar y analizar los niveles de transparencia corporativa que alcanzaron nueve empresas de la industria generadora de energía eléctrica local que cotizan en la Bolsa de Valores de Lima en el año 2017. Los resultados obtenidos de la aplicación del instrumento muestran una dispersión significativa, para mayor apreciación de los mismos, se han presentado tablas por dimensiones y por las empresas que conforman la muestra. Finalmente y en base a todo lo desarrollado, se plantean conclusiones y recomendaciones acordes con dichos resultados

Efficacy of Argentinean propolis extracts on control of potato soft rot caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp.

Erwinia carotovora subsp. cause the potato soft rot, which is a major disease in agriculture. Antibacterial agents currently applied on potato soft rot often offer a restricted control and have several disadvantages. Propolis has shown a wide range of antimicrobial activity, although its effect has not been investigated on E. carotovora subsp. In this work, we tested extracts from propolis samples of Northwest Argentina against E. carotovora subsp.RESULTS: Ethanolic propolis extracts (EPEs) from samples of Santiago del Estero province, particularly from sample 4 (EPE4), showed the highest antibacterial activity, which was associated with the highest content of flavonoids. 2′,4′‐Dihydroxychalcone, 2′,4′‐dihydroxy‐3′‐methoxychalcone, galangin, and pinocembrin were identified as antibacterial constituents of EPE4. 2′,4′‐Dihydroxychalcone showed an antibacterial activity (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC = 0.3?1.2 μg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) mL−1; minimum bactericidal concentration, MBC = 0.6?4.8 μg GAE mL−1) lower than that of bacterimycin (MIC = 2.4?9.6 μg mL−1; MBC = 19.2?38.4 μg GAE mL−1) and streptocycline (MIC = 19.2?38.4 μg mL−1; MBC = 38.4?76.8 μg mL−1). Preventive assays on unwounded and wounded potatoes showed that their immersion in EPE4 containing 87.5 μg GAE mL−1 or streptocycline containing 40 μg mL−1 was equally effective in controlling potato soft rot, reducing the disease incidence by 64.6?67.0% (unwounded tubers) and 88.0?86.0% (wounded tubers) and the disease severity by 49.8?49.8% (unwounded tubers) and 54.5?68.5% (wounded tubers).CONCLUSIONS: Flavonoid‐rich propolis extracts from Northwest Argentina efficiently reduced in vivo the incidence and severity of potato soft rot caused by E. carotovora subsp.Fil: Sampietro, Diego Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Bertini Sampietro, Maria Sofia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Vattuone, Marta Amelia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentin