Whole genome resequencing and phenotyping of MAGIC population for high resolution mapping of drought tolerance in chickpea

Terminal drought is one of the major constraints to crop production in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). In order to map drought tolerance related traits at high resolution, we sequenced multi-parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) population using whole genome resequencing approach and phenotyped it under drought stress environments for two consecutive years (2013-14 and 2014-15). A total of 52.02 billion clean reads containing 4.67 TB clean data were generated on the 1136 MAGIC lines and eight parental lines. Alignment of clean data on to the reference genome enabled identification of a total, 932,172 of SNPs, 35,973 insertions, and 35,726 deletions among the parental lines. A high-density genetic map was constructed using 57,180 SNPs spanning a map distance of 1606.69 cM. Using compressed mixed linear model, genome-wide association study (GWAS) enabled us to identify 737 markers significantly associated with days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, 100 seed weight, biomass, and harvest index. In addition to the GWAS approach, an identity-by-descent (IBD)-based mixed model approach was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs). The IBD-based mixed model approach detected major QTLs that were comparable to those from the GWAS analysis as well as some exclusive QTLs with smaller effects. The candidate genes like FRIGIDA and CaTIFY4b can be used for enhancing drought tolerance in chickpea. The genomic resources, genetic map, marker-trait associations, and QTLs identified in the study are valuable resources for the chickpea community for developing climate resilient chickpeas

Molecular traces of alternative social organization in a termite genome

Although eusociality evolved independently within several orders of insects, research into the molecular underpinnings of the transition towards social complexity has been confined primarily to Hymenoptera (for example, ants and bees). Here we sequence the genome and stage-specific transcriptomes of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis (Blattodea) and compare them with similar data for eusocial Hymenoptera, to better identify commonalities and differences in achieving this significant transition. We show an expansion of genes related to male fertility, with upregulated gene expression in male reproductive individuals reflecting the profound differences in mating biology relative to the Hymenoptera. For several chemoreceptor families, we show divergent numbers of genes, which may correspond to the more claustral lifestyle of these termites. We also show similarities in the number and expression of genes related to caste determination mechanisms. Finally, patterns of DNAmethylation and alternative splicing support

A Novel Intravital Method to Evaluate Cerebral Vasospasm in Rat Models of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Study with Synchrotron Radiation Angiography

Precise in vivo evaluation of cerebral vasospasm caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage has remained a critical but unsolved issue in experimental small animal models. In this study, we used synchrotron radiation angiography to study the vasospasm of anterior circulation arteries in two subarachnoid hemorrhage models in rats. Synchrotron radiation angiography, laser Doppler flowmetry-cerebral blood flow measurement, [125I]N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine cerebral blood flow measurement and terminal examinations were applied to evaluate the changes of anterior circulation arteries in two subarachnoid hemorrhage models made by blood injection into cisterna magna and prechiasmatic cistern. Using synchrotron radiation angiography technique, we detected cerebral vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage rats compared to the controls (p<0.05). We also identified two interesting findings: 1) both middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery shrunk the most at day 3 after subarachnoid hemorrhage; 2) the diameter of anterior cerebral artery in the prechiasmatic cistern injection group was smaller than that in the cisterna magna injection group (p<0.05), but not for middle cerebral artery. We concluded that synchrotron radiation angiography provided a novel technique, which could directly evaluate cerebral vasospasm in small animal experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage models. The courses of vasospasm in these two injection models are similar; however, the model produced by prechiasmatic cistern injection is more suitable for study of anterior circulation vasospasm

The preparation of Tc-99m-DTPA-LSA and its instant lyophilized kit for hepatic receptor imaging

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China [20871020, 21271030]; Beijing Natural Science Foundation [2092018]Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid neolactosyl human serum albumin (DTPA-LSA) was prepared and labeled with technetium-99m. The labeling conditions of Tc-99m-DTPA-LSA were optimized, and lyophilized kit was developed for instant preparing of Tc-99m-DTPA-LSA. Tc-99m-DTPA-LSA showed high liver uptake in normal mice (> 96% ID/g at 5 min after injection), and it could be blocked significantly by pre-injecting free neogalactosylalbumin (NGA). Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) study was performed in normal Japanese White rabbits and SPECT images with high quality were obtained at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min after injection of the radiotracer. The promising biological properties of Tc-99m-DTPA-LSA combined with the development of reliable and instant lyophilized DTPA-LSA kit afford the opportunity of hepatic receptor imaging for routine clinical assessment of hepatic function. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The preparation of 99mTc-DTPA-LSA and its instant lyophilized kit for hepatic receptor imaging

Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid neolactosyl human serum albumin (DTPA-LSA) was prepared and labeled with technetium-99m. The labeling conditions of 99mTc-DTPA-LSA were optimized, and lyophilized kit was developed for instant preparing of 99mTc-DTPA-LSA. 99mTc-DTPA-LSA showed high liver uptake in normal mice (>96% ID/g at 5min after injection), and it could be blocked significantly by pre-injecting free neogalactosylalbumin (NGA). Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) study was performed in normal Japanese White rabbits and SPECT images with high quality were obtained at 15, 30, 60, and 120min after injection of the radiotracer. The promising biological properties of 99mTc-DTPA-LSA combined with the development of reliable and instant lyophilized DTPA-LSA kit afford the opportunity of hepatic receptor imaging for routine clinical assessment of hepatic function. ? 2012 Elsevier Ltd

Spirobifluorene Trimers : High Triplet Pure Hydrocarbon Hosts for Highly Efficient Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

International audiencePure aromatic hydrocarbon materials (PHC) represent a new generation of host materials for phosphorescent OLEDs (PhOLEDs), free of heteroatoms. They reduce the molecular complexity, can be easily synthesized and are an important direction towards robust devices. As heteroatoms can be involved in bonds dissociations in operating OLEDs through exciton induced degradation process, developing novel PHCs appear particularly relevant for the future of this technology. In the present work, we report a series of extended PHCs constructed on the assembly of three spirobifluorene fragments. The resulting positional isomers present a high triplet energy level, a wide HOMO/LUMO difference and improved thermal and morphological properties compared to previously reported PHCs. These characteristics are beneficial for the next generation of host materials for PhOLEDs and provide relevant design guidelines. Used as host in blue-emitting PhOLEDs, which are still the weakest link of the field, a very high EQE of 24 % and low threshold voltage of 3.56 V were obtained with a low-efficiency roll-off. This high performance strengthens the position of PHC strategy as an efficient alternative for OLED technology and opens the way to a more simple electronic

Overlap phenotypes of the left ventricular noncompaction and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with complex arrhythmias and heart failure induced by the novel truncated DSC2 mutation

10.1186/s13023-021-02112-9Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases16149