Evolution and biogeography of the Pavetteae tribe

With over 700 species, the Pavetteae are one o f the largest tribes in the subfamily Dialypetalanthoideae (formerly: Ixoroideae). Pavetteae representatives are characterized by a high morphological variation, especially regarding the reproductive characters (e.g., number of seeds per fruit, seed type and placentation). Representatives of the tribe occur throughout the Paleotropics in humid and dry vegetation types. In the Asian-Pacific región ca 300 species are currently described whereas on continental Africa and Madagascar (and Western Indian Ocean Islands) ca 350 and ca 80 species are present, respectively. Recently many new genera have been recognized among the Malagasy Pavetteae species (e.g. Tulearia). In addition, it is clear that within the paleotropical genus Tarenna there will be a split into different genera. Not only is the taxonomic history of the tribe rather complicated, also the biogeographical history and evolutionary patterns of the tribe remain understudied to date. Molecular phylogenetics combined with age inference methods, diversificaron analyses and ancestral area reconstruction clearly indicate that current diversity of the Pavetteae is the result of several dispersal events within the Paleotropical region. Moreover, several shifts in ecological preference have likely driven the evolutionary history within the Pavetteae

Identifying coffee: development of a low-cost and robust barcoding assay for wild African Coffea species

With an estimated consumption of more than two billion cups a day, coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Nearly all coffee is produced from the seeds of two species: Coffea arabica (Arabica coffee) and Coffea canephora (Robusta coffee). Both Arabica and Robusta coffee production is threatened by climate fluctuations and disease outbreaks, reducing yields and ravaging coffee plantations. To overcome these challenges, the potential of other wild Coffea species for the improvement of existing coffee varieties or for the development of new varieties has been studied. The Coffea genus consists of circa 130 described species that are mainly found in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Coffea species on the African continent are more closely related to Arabica and Robusta coffee. Nevertheless, the identification of African Coffea species at species level based on morphological traits can be challenging as several species seem to have overlapping trait characteristics. In this study, we developed a molecular barcoding assay consisting of eight nuclear markers between ca 200 and 800 base pairs long that can be sequenced using Sanger sequencing. Marker regions were selected based on the output of publicly available genotyping-by-sequencing data, ensuring that each Coffea species included in this dataset had a unique allele for at least two out of eight markers. The resulting barcoding assay is a cost-efficient and accessible tool for the molecular identification of wild African Coffea species, facilitating their conservation and their application for the improvement of coffee cultivation

Dirac-Foldy term and the electromagnetic polarizability of the neutron

We reconsider the Dirac-Foldy contribution $\mu^2/m$ to the neutron electric polarizability. Using a Dirac equation approach to neutron-nucleus scattering, we review the definitions of Compton continuum ($\bar{\alpha}$), classical static ($\alpha^n_E$), and Schr\"{o}dinger ($\alpha_{Sch}$) polarizabilities and discuss in some detail their relationship. The latter $\alpha_{Sch}$ is the value of the neutron electric polarizability as obtained from an analysis using the Schr\"{o}dinger equation. We find in particular $\alpha_{Sch} = \bar{\alpha} - \mu^2/m$ , where $\mu$ is the magnitude of the magnetic moment of a neutron of mass $m$. However, we argue that the static polarizability $\alpha^n_E$ is correctly defined in the rest frame of the particle, leading to the conclusion that twice the Dirac-Foldy contribution should be added to $\alpha_{Sch}$ to obtain the static polarizability $\alpha^n_E$.Comment: 11 pages, RevTeX, to appear in Physical Review

Genetic diversity and structure of Musa balbisiana populations in Vietnam and its implications for the conservation of banana crop wild relatives

Open Access Journal; Published online: 23 Jun 2021Crop wild relatives (CWR) are an indispensable source of alleles to improve desired traits in related crops. While knowledge on the genetic diversity of CWR can facilitate breeding and conservation strategies, it has poorly been assessed. Cultivated bananas are a major part of the diet and income of hundreds of millions of people and can be considered as one of the most important fruits worldwide. Here, we assessed the genetic diversity and structure of Musa balbisiana, an important CWR of plantains, dessert and cooking bananas. Musa balbisiana has its origin in subtropical and tropical broadleaf forests of northern Indo-Burma. This includes a large part of northern Vietnam where until now, no populations have been sampled. We screened the genetic variation and structure present within and between 17 Vietnamese populations and six from China using 18 polymorphic SSR markers. Relatively high variation was found in populations from China and central Vietnam. Populations from northern Vietnam showed varying levels of genetic variation, with low variation in populations near the Red River. Low genetic variation was found in populations of southern Vietnam. Analyses of population structure revealed that populations of northern Vietnam formed a distinct genetic cluster from populations sampled in China. Together with populations of central Vietnam, populations from northern Vietnam could be subdivided into five clusters, likely caused by mountain ranges and connected river systems. We propose that populations sampled in central Vietnam and on the western side of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in northern Vietnam belong to the native distribution area and should be prioritised for conservation. Southern range edge populations in central Vietnam had especially high genetic diversity, with a high number of unique alleles and might be connected with core populations in northern Laos and southwest China. Southern Vietnamese populations are considered imported and not native

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Phylogeography and conservation gaps of Musa balbisiana Colla genetic diversity revealed by microsatellite markers

Open Access Article; Published online: 07 May 2022Collection and storage of crop wild relative (CWR) germplasm is crucial for preserving species genetic diversity and crop improvement. Nevertheless, much of the genetic variation of CWRs is absent in ex situ collections and detailed passport data are often lacking. Here, we focussed on Musa balbisiana, one of the two main progenitor species of many banana cultivars. We investigated the genetic structure of M. balbisiana across its distribution range using microsatellite markers. Accessions stored at the International Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC) ex situ collection were compared with plant material collected from multiple countries and home gardens from Vietnam. Genetic structure analyses revealed that accessions could be divided into three main clusters. Vietnamese and Chinese populations were assigned to a first and second cluster respectively. A third cluster consisted of ITC and home garden accessions. Samples from Papua New Guinea were allocated to the cluster with Chinese populations but were assigned to a separate fourth cluster if the number of allowed clusters was set higher. Only one ITC accession grouped with native M. balbisiana populations and one group of ITC accessions was nearly genetically identical to home garden samples. This questioned their wild status, including accessions used as reference for wild M. balbisiana. Moreover, most ITC accessions and home garden samples were genetically distinct from wild populations. Our results highlight that additional germplasm should be collected from the native distribution range, especially from Northeast India, Myanmar, China, and the Philippines and stored for ex situ conservation at the ITC. The lack of passport data for many M. balbisiana accessions also complicates the interpretation of genetic information in relation to cultivation and historical dispersal routes