Age Related Changes in the Purkinje Cells in Human Cerebellar Cortex in Bangladeshi People

This study was done to see the changes in the number of Purkinje cells per square mm in different age groups of Bangladeshi people. This cross-sectional descriptive type of study was done on total 40 postmortem human cerebellums, in the Department of Anatomy, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh from July 2016 to June 2017. The specimens were collected from morgue in the department of Forensic Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College, by purposive sampling technique. All the specimens were grouped into four categories: Group A (20 to 29 years), Group B (30 to 39 years), Group C (40 to 49 years) and Group D (50 to 59 years). Paraffin blocks of cerebellum were cut at 4-5μm thickness and stained with routine "Haematoxylin and Eosin" (H & E) stain. Estimation of number of Purkinje cell was done by using the counting circle and examined under the light microscope. In the present study, the mean±SD number of Purkinje cell was found 128.67±25.15 per sq mm in Group A, 136.53±34.45 in Group B per sq mm, 135.55±29.44 per sq mm in Group C, 127.69±35.31 per sq mm in Group D.

Genetic Differentiation of the Wheat Leaf Rust Fungus Puccinia triticina in Pakistan and Genetic Relationship to Other Worldwide Populations

Collections of Puccinia triticina, the wheat leaf rust pathogen, were obtained from Pakistan in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014. Collections were also obtained from Bhutan in 2013. Single uredinial isolates were derived and tested for virulence phenotype to 20 lines of Thatcher wheat that differ for single leaf rust resistance genes, and for molecular genotype with 23 simple-sequence repeat (SSR) primers. Twenty-four virulence phenotypes were described among the 89 isolates tested for virulence. None of the isolates had virulence to Thatcher lines with Lr9, Lr24, or Lr18. Virulence to most of the other Thatcher lines was over 50%. The two most common virulence phenotypes, FHPSQ and KHPQQ, had virulence to Lr16, Lr17, and Lr26. Twenty-seven SSR genotypes were found among the 38 isolates tested for molecular variation. The SSR genotypes had high levels of observed heterozygosity and significant correlation with virulence phenotype, which indicated clonal reproduction. Cluster analysis and principal component plots indicated three groups of SSR genotypes that also varied significantly for virulence. Isolates with MBDSS and MCDSS virulence phenotypes from Pakistan and Bhutan were highly related for SSR genotype and virulence to isolates from Turkey, Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, North America and South America, indicating the possible migration of the rust fungus between continental regions.

Nitrogen doping in the carbon matrix for Li-ion hybrid supercapacitors: state of the art, challenges and future prospective

Li ion hybrid supercapacitors are summarized with an emphasis on the use of nitrogen doped graphene and activated carbons.

Anti-Bacterial effect of Aqueous Garlic Extract (AGE) determined by Disc Diffusion Method against Escherichia coli

The study was performed to determine the antibacterial effect of aqueous extract of garlic (Allium sativum) against standard strain of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. An interventional study was conducted in Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh. Antibacterial effect of AGE was determined by disc diffusion method. Sensitivity of AGE determined in disc diffusion and the zone of inhibition (ZOI) was 4 mm, 10 mm and 20 mm at 25 μg/10 μl, 50 μg/10 μl and 100 μg/10 μl concentrations respectively. From the findings it is clearly determined the extract has definite antibacterial effect upon Escherichia coli. Further studies are required to detect and isolate the active ingredients present in the Garlic extract as well as detail steps of mechanism responsible for antibacterial effect. Then their effects against the studied organism should be studied in vivo separately and its toxicity profile should also be taken into account.

Multi-environment QTL analyses for drought-related traits in a recombinant inbred population of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, comprising 181 lines derived from ILC588 × ILC3279, was evaluated in 10 environments across three locations with different moisture gradients. A drought resistance score (DRS) and three phenology traits-plant height (PLHT), days to flowering (DFLR), and days to maturity (MAT)-were recorded along with seven yield-related traits-grain yield (GY), biological yield (BY), harvest index (HI), the number of pods/3 plants (Pod), percentage of empty pods (%Epod), 100 seed weight (100 sw), and seed number/3 plants (SN). Two RILs (152, 162) showed the best GYs and DRSs under stressed and non-stressed environments. The quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analyses detected 93 significant QTLs (LOD ≥ 2.0) across the genome × environment interactions. The highest phenotypic variation (>24 %) was explained by the QTLDFLR in Terbol-11. Four common possible pleiotropic QTLs on LG3 and LG4 were identified as associated with DFLR, DRS, GY, MAT, HI, SN, and Pod. No significant epistatic interactions were found between these QTLs and the other markers. However, the QTL for DRS was detected as a conserved QTL in three late planting environments. The markers H6C-07 (on LG3) and H5G01 (on LG4) were associated with QTLs for many traits in all environments studied except two. The allele 'A' of marker H6C07 (from the tolerant parent ILC588) explained 80 % of the yield increase under late planting and 29.8 % of that under dry environments. Concentrating on LG3 and LG4 in molecular breeding programs for drought could speed up improvement for these traits.

Pathotype IV, a New and Highly Virulent Pathotype of Didymella rabiei, Causing Ascochyta Blight in Chickpea in Syria

The causal agent of Ascochyta blight disease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is highly variable because of the presence of a sexual phase (Didymella rabiei). There is also selection pressure on the pathogen due to wide adoption of improved resistant chickpea cultivars in some countries. The pathogen is able to produce pathotypes with specific virulence on particular cultivars. Three pathotypes, I, II, and III, have been reported (3). In this study, we confirmed the presence of a new and highly virulent pathotype that we designate as pathotype IV. To test the pathogenicity of the isolates collected and maintained at ICARDA, 10 isolates representing a wide spectrum of pathogenic variation, including those classified by S. M. Udupa et al. (3) and a putatively identified more virulent type, which was collected from a chickpea production field in the Kaljebrine area, Syria, were inoculated onto a set of differential chickpea genotypes. The differential genotypes, ILC 1929, ILC 482, ILC 3279, and ICC 12004, were sown in individual 10-cm-diameter pots containing potting mix and arranged in a randomized block design with three replications in a plastic house maintained at 18 to 20°C. Each differential genotype was inoculated individually with the 10 isolates following the methodology of S. M. Udupa et al. (3). DNA was extracted from single-spored isolates to compare the genotypes of the isolates using three simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (ArA03T, ArH05T, and ArH06T) (2) and to determine the frequency of mating types (MAT) through the use of MAT-specific PCR primers for MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 (1). Host genotype reactions were measured on a 1 to 9 rating scale (1 = resistant and 9 = plant death). On the basis of the pathogenicity tests, the isolates were classified into four pathotypes: I (least virulent, killed ILC 1929 but not ILC 482, ILC 3279, or ICC12004); II (virulent, killed ILC 1929 and ILC 482 but not ILC 3279 or ICC12004); III (more virulent, killed ILC 1929, ILC 482, and ILC 3279 but not ICC12004); and IV (highly virulent, killed all four host differentials). Of 10 single-spore isolates tested, four showed similar disease reactions unique to pathotype I, four revealed pathotype II reactions, and one isolate each behaved like pathotype III or pathotype IV. SSR fingerprinting of these isolates provided evidence for genetic diversity since SSR ArH05T was highly polymorphic and amplified five bands, including pathotypes III- and IV-specific bands, which need further investigation to discern if this locus has any role to play in the virulence. MAT-type analysis showed that seven isolates were MAT1-1 while the remaining three isolates were MAT1-2. Only pathotype I showed the profile of MAT1-2 and the other three pathotypes were MAT1-1. Initially, a number of chickpea wild relatives were screened to identify sources of resistance to pathotype IV, but none of the accessions tested showed resistance. However, efforts are underway to combine minor and major gene(s) available in the breeding program in addition to a further search of the wild gene pools to control pathotype IV. References: (1) M. P. Barve et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 39:151, 2003. (2) J. Geistlinger et al. Mol. Ecol. 9:1939, 2000. (3) S.M. Udupa et al. Theor. Appl. Genet. 97:299, 1998.

Genetic and QTL analyses of seed dormancy and preharvest sprouting resistance in the wheat germplasm CN10955

The inheritance and genetic linkage analysis for seed dormancy and preharvest sprouting (PHS) resistance were carried out in an F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cross between "CN19055" (white-grained, PHS-resistant) with locally adapted Australian cultivar "Annuello" (white-grained, PHS-susceptible). Seed dormancy was assessed as germination index (GI7) while assessment for preharvest sprouting resistance was based on whole head assay (sprouting index, SI) and visibly sprouted seeds (VI). Segregation analysis of the F2, F3 data from the glasshouse and the RIL population in 2004 and 2005 field data sets indicated that seed dormancy and PHS resistance in CN19055 is controlled by at least two genes. Heritabilities for GI7 and VI were high and moderate for SI. The most accurate method for assessing PHS resistance was achieved using VI and GI7 while SI exhibited large genotype by environment interaction. Two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) QPhs.dpivic.4A.1 and QPhs.dpivic.4A.2 were identified. On pooled data across four environments, the major QTL, QPhs.dpivic.4A.2, explained 45% of phenotypic variation for GI7, 43% for VI and 20% for SI, respectively. On the other hand, QPhs.dpivic.4A.1 which accounted for 31% of the phenotypic variation in GI7 in 2004 Horsham field trial, was not stable across environments. Physical mapping of two SSR markers, Xgwm937 and Xgwm894 linked to the major QTL for PHS resistance, using Chinese Spring deletions lines for chromosome 4AS and 4AL revealed that the markers were located in the deletion bins 4AL-12 and 4AL-13. The newly identified SSR markers (Xgwm937/Xgwm894) showed strong association with seed dormancy and PHS resistance in a range of wheat lines reputed to possess PHS resistance. The results suggest that Xgwm937/Xgwm894 could be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for incorporating preharvest sprouting resistance into elite wheat cultivars susceptible to PHS.

Mining synthetic hexaploids for multiple disease resistance to improve bread wheat

A collection of 253 synthetic hexaploid wheats (SHWs) produced from 192 Aegilops tauschii accessions and 39 elite durum varieties were studied to identify, characterise, and evaluate potentially untapped diversity of disease resistance in wheat. The diseases for which resistance was sought included cereal cyst nematode (CCN), root lesion nematode (RLN), Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB), Septoria tritici blotch (STB), and the 3 rusts, leaf rust, stem rust, and stripe rust, all important diseases of bread wheat worldwide, which can severely reduce wheat yield and quality. The SHWs exhibited a wide spectrum of resistance to the 8 pathogens. The frequency of disease-resistant SHWs ranged from 1% for one species of RLN (Pratylenchus neglectus), 3% and 10% for Septoria nodorum leaf and glume blotch, 10% for seedling resistance to yellow leaf spot, 16% for CCN, 21% for the second species of RLN (Pratylenchus thornei), 73% for Septoria tritici blotch, and 15%, 40%, and 24% for leaf rust, stem rust, and stripe rust, respectively. Five SHWs, Aus26860, Aus30258, Aus30294, Aus30301, and Aus30304, exhibited high levels of resistance to CCN, YLP, STB, LR, and SR, while 56 SHWs showed resistance to either 3 or 4 diseases. The genetics of resistance to CCN in some of the SHWs revealed that some of the accessions carry the same CCN gene(s) against pathotype Ha13, while others may carry different resistance gene(s). Additional studies were carried out to understand the relationship between the resistances identified in SHWs and the ones already present in common wheat, in particular the resistance genes Cre1 and Cre3 against CCN. The use of perfect markers associated with Cre1 and Cre3 suggested that some SHWs may carry a new CCN resistance gene(s), which could be deployed in breeding programs to increase the diversity of available resistance. The identification of SHWs with resistance to a range of diseases provides an opportunity to generate genetic knowledge and resistant germplasm to be used in future variety development.

Molecular genetic diversity and linked resistance to ascochyta blight in Australian chickpea breeding materials and their wild relatives

Simple sequence-repeat (SSR) and sequence characterised amplified regions (SCARs) have been used to characterise the genetic diversity of chickpea germplasm. A set of 48 genotypes comprising cultigen, landraces, and wild relatives important for breeding purposes was used to determine the genetic similarity between genotypes and to assess the association between ascochyta blight (AB) and SCAR phenotypes. The 21 SSR markers amplified a total of 370 alleles, with an average of ~17 alleles per SSR locus among the 48 genotypes. Polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.37 for the XGA13 locus to 0.93 for the XGA106. Principal coordinate analysis (PCO) of genetic similarity (GS) estimates revealed a clear differentiation of the chickpea genotypes into 5 groups, which were generally consistent with available pedigree information. Comparison of SCAR and AB phenotypes enabled us to tag the common source(s) of AB resistance in the breeding collection. Based on the SCAR phenotypes, it was evident that the studied chickpea genotypes, including worldwide-known AB-resistant lines (ICC12004, ILC72, ILC3279), carry at least one common source of resistance to AB. Since SSR markers are polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based markers, highly polymorphic, and amenable to high-throughput technologies, they are therefore well suited for studies of genetic diversity and cultivar identification in chickpea. The broad level of genetic diversity detected in the chickpea germplasm should be useful for selective breeding for specific traits such as AB, backcrossing, and in enhancing the genetic base of breeding programs.