HO-CR and HOLL-CR: new forms of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) with altered fatty acid composition and resistance to selected pathotypes of Plasmodiophora brassicae (clubroot).

The priority in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) research and breeding programs worldwide is to combine different features to develop cultivars tailored to specific applications of this crop. In this study, forms with a modified fatty acid composition of seed oil were successfully combined with a source of resistance to Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor., a harmful protist-causing clubroot. Three HO-type recombinants in F6-F12 generations with oleic acid content of 80.2-82.1% and one HOLL-type F6 inbred mutant recombinant (HOmut × LLmut), with a high oleic acid content (80.9%) and reduced linolenic acid content (2.3%), were crossed with the cultivar Tosca, resistant to several pathotypes of P. brassicae. The work involved genotyping with the use of DNA markers specific for allelic variants of desaturase genes responsible for the synthesis of oleic and linolenic fatty acids, CAPS (FAD2 desaturase, C18:1), and SNaPshot (FAD3 desaturase, C18:3), respectively. Of 350 progenies in the F3 generation, 192 (55%) were selected for further studies. Among them, 80 HO (≥ 72%) lines were identified, 10 of which showed resistance to at least one up to four P. brassicae pathotypes. Thirty lines in the selected progeny contained high oleic acid and less than 5% linolenic acid; eight of them belonged to the HOLL type conferring resistance to at least one pathotype. Two HO lines and two HOLL lines were resistant to four pathotypes. The resulting HO-CR and HOLL-CR inbred lines with altered seed oil fatty acid composition and resistance to P. brassicae represent unique oilseed rape material with the desired combination of valuable traits.

Comparison of COVID-19 and RSV Infection Courses in Infants and Children under 36 Months Hospitalized in Paediatric Department in Fall and Winter Season 2021/2022.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to determine the differences between COVID-19 and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in young children hospitalized in the pediatric department. METHODS: This retrospective study included 52 children with COVID-19 and 43 children with RSV infection younger than 36 months hospitalized in a pediatric department between September 2021 and March 2022. Clinical and laboratory findings, methods of treatment and hospitalization length were compared. RESULTS: In the RSV group, significantly higher rates of cough (93.2% vs. 38.5%), rhinitis (83.7% vs. 50%), dyspnea (83.7% vs. 21.1%), crackles (69.8% vs. 5.8%) and wheezes (72.1% vs. 9.6%) were observed. The COVID-19 group had significantly higher rates of fever (80.8% vs. 37.2%) and seizures (13.5% vs. 0%). Patients with RSV infection had significantly higher rates of bronchodilator therapy (88.37% vs. 5.77%) and oxygen therapy (48.8% vs. 7.7%) and required a longer hospital stay (8 vs. 3 days). In admission, the majority of the patients from both groups were not treated with antibiotics, but because of clinical deterioration and suspected bacterial co-infections, antibiotics were administered significantly more frequently in the RSV group (30.2% vs. 9.6%). CONCLUSIONS: RSV infection in infants and small children had a more severe course than COVID-19 infection. RSV infection was associated with a longer hospitalization period and required more elaborate treatment.

Evaluation of HPV DNA HR assay in females as a marker of recurrent disease following treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

AIM: The basic assumption of the prevention of cervical cancer is to early detect and treat CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) as well as to prevent recurrence of neoplasia after therapy This study involved comparison of the cytology test value and determination of HPV (human papilloma virus) DNA in women treated for CIN so as to find a sensitive and specific marker of disease recurrence. METHODS: A group of 107 females after CIN treatment underwent 14-month follow-up and regular cytological and molecular evaluations. RESULTS: Based on the follow-up data the recurrence of CIN was found in 9 females who despite effective therapy for the entire follow-up period were HPV positive. Evaluation of value of HR (high risk)--HPV DNA assay used to detect CIN showed its 100% sensitivity CONCLUSION: The HR-HPV DNA assay is likely to be a valuable diagnostic tool facilitating more precise detection of recurrent neoplasia risk than cytological test alone.

Local Duplication of TIR-NBS-LRR Gene Marks Clubroot Resistance in Brassica napus cv. Tosca.

Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection, is a disease of growing importance in cruciferous crops, including oilseed rape (Brassica napus). The affected plants exhibit prominent galling of the roots that impairs their capacity for water and nutrient uptake, which leads to growth retardation, wilting, premature ripening, or death. Due to the scarcity of effective means of protection against the pathogen, breeding of resistant varieties remains a crucial component of disease control measures. The key aspect of the breeding process is the identification of genetic factors associated with variable response to the pathogen exposure. Although numerous clubroot resistance loci have been described in Brassica crops, continuous updates on the sources of resistance are necessary. Many of the resistance genes are pathotype-specific, moreover, resistance breakdowns have been reported. In this study, we characterize the clubroot resistance locus in the winter oilseed rape cultivar "Tosca." In a series of greenhouse experiments, we evaluate the disease severity of P. brassicae-challenged "Tosca"-derived population of doubled haploids, which we genotype with Brassica 60 K array and a selection of SSR/SCAR markers. We then construct a genetic map and narrow down the resistance locus to the 0.4 cM fragment on the A03 chromosome, corresponding to the region previously described as Crr3. Using Oxford Nanopore long-read genome resequencing and RNA-seq we review the composition of the locus and describe a duplication of TIR-NBS-LRR gene. Further, we explore the transcriptomic differences of the local genes between the clubroot resistant and susceptible, inoculated and control DH lines. We conclude that the duplicated TNL gene is a promising candidate for the resistance factor. This study provides valuable resources for clubroot resistance breeding programs and lays a foundation for further functional studies on clubroot resistance.

Marker assisted selection of new high oleic and low linolenic winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) inbred lines revealing good agricultural value.

Development of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) breeding lines producing oil characterized by high oleic and low linolenic acid content is an important goal of rapeseed breeding programs worldwide. Such kind of oil is ideal for deep frying and can also be used as a raw material for biodiesel production. By performing chemical mutagenesis using ethyl methanesulfonate, we obtained mutant winter rapeseed breeding lines that can produce oil with a high content of oleic acid (C18:1, more than 75%) and a low content of linolenic acid (C18:3, less than 3%). However, the mutant lines revealed low agricultural value as they were characterized by low seed yield, low wintering, and high content of glucosinolates in seed meal. The aim of this work was to improve the mutant lines and develop high-oleic and low-linolenic recombinants exhibiting both good oil quality and high agronomic value. The plant materials used in this study included high-oleic and low-linolenic mutant breeding lines and high-yielding domestic canola-type breeding lines of good agricultural value with high oleic acid content and extremely low glucosinolates content. Field trials were conducted in four environments, in a randomized complete block design. Phenotyping was performed for wintering, yield of seed and oil, and seed quality traits. Genotype × environment interaction was investigated with respect to the content of C18:1 and C18:3 acids in seed oil. Genotyping was done for the selection of homozygous high oleic and low linolenic lines using allele-specific CAPS markers and SNaPshot assay, respectively. Finally, new high oleic and low linolenic winter rapeseed recombinant lines were obtained for use as a starting material for the development of new varieties that may be of high value on the oil crop market.

[Ultrasonographic analysis of cesarean scars features in nonpregnant uterus]. / Ultrasonograficzna ocena blizny po cieciu cesarskim w macicy nieciezarnej.

OBJECTIVES: To define and assess the new ultrasonographic parameters of cesarean hysterotomy scars and to analyze their variation depending on the number of cesarean sections. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Transvaginal ultrasound was carried out among 109 patients after cesarean section in the lower uterine segment with single-layer uterine closure. The following cesarean hysterectomy scar parameters were assessed: angle of the apex (K), basis (P) and height (W) of the anechoic triangle, the thickness of the knit tissue scar segment (G), G/P index and G/W index. RESULTS: Transvaginal ultrasound detected the cesarean hysterectomy scar in 100% of the examined woman. In 5.5% of cases the completely knit hysterectomy scar tissue was identified. All patients from this group underwent a single cesarean section. In the remaining 94.5% of women, the ultrasound detected a presence of the anechoic triangle, defined as scar defect. No difference of statistical importance considering assessed scar parameters was observed between the groups of patients after one and two cesarean sections. The decrease of the thickness of the knit tissue scar segment (G) in the group of patients after three cesarean, sections in comparison to the group of patients after single (1.3 mm vs. 6.7 mm, p = 0.0134) and two (1.3 mm vs. 7.4 mm, p = 0.0366) abdominal deliveries, was found, as well as statistically important decrease in G/P index value in the group of patients after three cesarean sections in comparison to the patients after one (0.3 vs. 1.3, p = 0.0263) and two cesarean sections (0.3 vs. 1.2, p = 0.0138). CONCLUSIONS: The new ultrasonographic parameters to assess the cesarean hysterectomy scar in nonpregnant uterus were introduced. Statistically important decrease in the thickness of the knit tissue scar segment (G) and G/P index value in the group of patients after three cesarean sections in comparison to the group of patients after single and two abdominal deliveries was revealed.

Determination of fatty acid composition in seed oil of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) by mutated alleles of the FAD3 desaturase genes.

One of the goals in oilseed rape programs is to develop genotypes producing oil with low linolenic acid content (C18:3, ≤3%). Low linolenic mutant lines of canola rapeseed were obtained via chemical mutagenesis at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute - NRI, in Poznan, Poland, and allele-specific SNP markers were designed for monitoring of two statistically important single nucleotide polymorphisms detected by SNaPshot analysis in two FAD3 desaturase genes, BnaA.FAD3 and BnaC.FAD3, respectively. Strong negative correlation between the presence of mutant alleles of the genes and linolenic acid content was revealed by analysis of variance. In this paper we present detailed characteristics of the markers by estimation of the additive and dominance effects of the FAD3 genes with respect to particular fatty acid content in seed oil, as well as by calculation of the phenotypic variation of seed oil fatty acid composition accounted by particular allele-specific marker. The obtained percentage of variation in fatty acid composition was considerable only for linolenic acid content and equaled 35.6% for BnaA.FAD3 and 39.3% for BnaC.FAD3, whereas the total percentage of variation in linolenic acid content was 53.2% when accounted for mutations in both genes simultaneously. Our results revealed high specificity of the markers for effective monitoring of the wild-type and mutated alleles of the Brassica napus FAD3 desaturase genes in the low linolenic mutant recombinants in breeding programs.

Protective effect of red beetroot against carbon tetrachloride- and N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced oxidative stress in rats.

The aim of the study was to investigate the potential protective effect of beetroot juice in a model of oxidative stress induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). Male Wistar rats were treated with beetroot juice per os, 8 mL/kg/day for 28 days, and a single i.p. dose of the xenobiotics: 150 mg/kg NDEA or 2 mL/kg CCl(4). Simultaneously, two groups of rats not pretreated with juice were given only each of the xenobiotics. The level of microsomal lipid peroxidation in the liver, expressed as TBARS concentration, was increased several fold in rats administered only NDEA or CCl(4). TBARS were decreased by 38% only in rats pretreated with beetroot juice before the administration of CCl(4). In animals pretreated with juice and receiving NDEA, a further increase in TBARS occurred. All of the investigated antioxidant enzymes were inhibited by the administration of either toxicant alone by 26%-77% as compared to controls. Pretreatment with juice caused a partial recovery in the activity of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, by 35% and 66%, respectively. Superoxide dismutase activity was increased about 3-fold in animals pretreated with juice. Both xenobiotics caused a rise in plasma protein carbonyls, which were reduced by 30% in rats pretreated with juice and then injected with NDEA. Similarly, DNA damage in blood leukocytes caused by either toxicant was slightly diminished, by 20%, in the rats treated with juice before NDEA administration. It could be concluded that pretreatment with beetroot juice can counteract, to some extent, xenobiotic-induced oxidative stress in rats.

[The hypereosinophilic syndrome: case report]. / Zespól hipereozynofilowy--opis przypadku.

The hypereosinophilic syndrome is a multi-organ disease characterized by large counts of eosinophils in peripheral blood observed during at least six months without any evidence for other known causes of eosinophilia. Idiopathic hypereosinophilia is rare and is always diagnosed by exclusion of other disease. This work describes a man aged 21 years who was hospitalized at the Department of Dermatology because of skin manifestations resembling eczema and urticaria. High eosinophil counts in this patient necessitated a wide array of diagnostic tests. The hypereosinophilic syndrome was diagnosed after more than 12 months of follow-up and exclusion of other causes. Corticosteroids and hydroxycarbamide were administered as first-line therapy. Unfortunately, the patient was unresponsive to steroids. Improvement in peripheral eosinophilia after Glivec therapy correlated with improved clinical status.

[Necrotizing fasciitis in a patient during interferon-alpha treatment for hepatitis C virus infection: case report]. / Martwicze zapalenie powiezi u chorego z zakazeniem wirusowym watroby typu C leczonego interferonem alfa. 0pis przypadku.

Necrotizing fascitis (NF) is a rare disease with a mortality rate ranging from 24 to 60 percent. The infection may be mono- or polymicrobial and is characterized by extensive necrosis of the skin and muscle, as well as fascia and subcutaneous tissue. NF may develop at the site of injury, e.g. trauma, needle puncture, or surgical incision. The lower extremities, perineum, and abdominal wall are common sites of NF. The remaining 10 percent of cases occur in the upper extremities or neck, usually in patients with vascular disease or diabetes mellitus. The course is rapidly progressive and may be life-threatening if the diagnosis is not made promptly and appropriate surgical debridement is not carried out. We report on a 44-year-old man with necrotizing fascitis during interferon-alpha treatment for hepatitis C virus infection.