The Rice Receptor-Like Kinases DWARF AND RUNTISH SPIKELET1 and 2 Repress Cell Death and Affect Sugar Utilization during Reproductive Development.

Cell-to-cell communication precisely controls the creation of new organs during reproductive growth. However, the sensor molecules that mediate developmental signals in monocot plants are poorly understood. Here, we report that DWARF AND RUNTISH SPIKELET1 (DRUS1) and DRUS2, two closely related receptor-like kinases (RLKs), redundantly control reproductive growth and development in rice (Oryza sativa). A drus1-1 drus2 double knockout mutant, but not either single mutant, showed extreme dwarfism and barren inflorescences that harbored sterile spikelets. The gibberellin pathway was not impaired in this mutant. A phenotypic comparison of mutants expressing different amounts of DRUS1 and 2 revealed that reproductive growth requires a threshold level of DRUS1/2 proteins. DRUS1 and 2 maintain cell viability by repressing protease-mediated cell degradation and likely by affecting sugar utilization or conversion. In the later stages of anther development, survival of the endothecium requires DRUS1/2, which may stimulate expression of the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene UGP2 and starch biosynthesis in pollen. Unlike their Arabidopsis thaliana ortholog FERONIA, DRUS1 and 2 mediate a fundamental signaling process that is essential for cell survival and represents a novel biological function for the CrRLK1L RLK subfamily.

Development of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for middle-aged inhabitants in the Chaoshan area, China.

AIM: This paper aims to develop a data-based semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) covering both urban and rural areas in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province, China, for the investigation of relationships between food intake and lifestyle-related diseases among middle-aged Chinese. METHODS: We recruited 417 subjects from the general population and performed an assessment of the diet, using a 3-d weighed dietary record survey. We employed contribution analysis (CA) and multiple regression analysis (MRA) to select food items covering up to a 90% contribution and a 0.90 R(2), respectively. The total number of food items consumed was 523 (443 in the urban and 417 in the rural population) and the intake of 29 nutrients was calculated according to the actual consumption by foods/recipes. RESULTS: The CA selected 233, 194, and 183 foods/recipes for the combined, the urban and the rural areas, respectively, and then 196, 157, and 160 were chosen by the MRA. Finally, 125 foods/recipes were selected for the final questionnaire. The frequencies were classified into eight categories and standard portion sizes were also calculated. CONCLUSION: For adoption of the area-specific SQFFQ, validity and reproducibility tests are now planned to determine how the combined SQFFQ performs in actual assessment of disease risk and benefit.

Reproducibility of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in Chaoshan area, China.

OBJECTIVE: To examine reproducibility of assessed intake of foods and nutrients according to a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) in adult doctors and nurses residing in Chaoshan area of China. SUBJECTS: The SQFFQ was administered first in October to December of 2004 to 120 adult doctors and nurses living in Chaoshan area of China and was then re-administered to 102 three months later between January and March of 2005 (SQFFQ 1 and SQFFQ 2). METHODS: Reproducibility was evaluated in terms of consumption of 10 food groups and energy and 34 macro- and micro-nutrients based on the SQFFQ from the 102 doctors and nurses. RESULTS: For intake of foods, Pearsom's correlation coefficients (CCs) with log-transformation and energy adjustment (minimum - median - maximum) range from 0.43 (eggs) - 0.84 - 0.90 (teas). Spearman's rank CCs with energy adjustment ranged from 0.77 (cereals) - 0.84 - 0.94 (milks). Kappa statistics with energy adjustment ranged from 0.53 (vegetables) - 0.63 - 0.82 (teas). For consumption of nutrients, Pearson's correlation coefficients (CCs) with log-transformation and energy adjustment (minimum - median - maximum) range from 0.83 (docosahexaenoic acid and oryzanin) - 0.88 - 0.90 (linolenic acid, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin E, calcium, sodium, selenium and magnesium). Spearman's rank CCs with energy adjustment ranged from 0.81 (oryzanin and vitamin C) - 0.86 - 0.90 (sodium). Kappa statistics with energy adjustment ranged from 0.49 (protein) - 0.60 - 0.77 (sodium). CONCLUSION: Substantially high reproducibility was observed; it is possible to use the tailored, relatively simple, but comprehensive, self-administered SQFFQ to facilitate assessment of the association between lifestyle and health/disease in large-scale epidemiological studies.

The KOJACH food frequency questionnaire for Chaoshan, China: development and description.

This paper aims to develop a data-based Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQFFQ) covering both urban and rural areas in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province, China, for the investigation of relationships between food intake and lifestyle-related diseases among middle-aged Chinese. We recruited 417 subjects from the general population and performed an assessment of the diet, using a 3-day weighed dietary record survey. We employed contribution analysis (CA) and multiple regression analysis (MRA) to select food items covering up to a 90% contribution and a 0.90 R2, respectively. The total number of food items consumed was 523 (443 in the urban and 417 in the rural population) and the intake of 29 nutrients was calculated according to the actual consumption by foods/recipes. The CA selected 233, 194 and 183 foods/recipes for the combined, the urban and the rural areas, respectively, and then 196, 157 and 160 were chosen by the MRA. Finally, 125 foods/recipes were selected for the final questionnaire. The frequencies were classified into eight categories and standard portion sizes were also calculated. For adoption of the area-specific SQFFQ, Validity and reproducibility tests are now planned to determine how the combined SQFFQ performs in actual assessment of disease risk and benefit.