Partner outcomes from an uncontrolled trial of Couple HOPES: A guided online couple intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder and relationship enhancement.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with significant individual and relationship impairment for people with PTSD and their romantic partners. Conjoint treatments, such as cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD (CBCT), are designed to address individual and relationship factors, yet significant barriers impede accessing in-person therapy. Couple HOPES (i.e., Helping Overcome PTSD and Enhance Satisfaction) is a coach-guided, online couple intervention for PTSD based on CBCT that was designed to address these barriers. Previous investigations have found preliminary efficacy of Couple HOPES for improving PTSD symptoms, relationship functioning, and some individual functioning domains for the partner with probable PTSD. However, no study to date has tested individual outcomes for romantic partners, which is needed to fully evaluate the intervention's promise. The current study tested these partner outcomes in a combined, uncontrolled sample of 27 couples. Intent-to-intervene analyses found significant improvements at postintervention in four of eight tested outcomes, including ineffective arguing, g = 0.74; anger, g = 0.32; perceived health, g = 0.67; and quality of life, g = 0.56. Depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety, alcohol misuse, and work functioning did not significantly change, gs = 0.17-0.42. Among participants who completed a 1-month follow-up assessment, generalized anxiety, g = 0.43, and perceived health, g = 0.73, significantly improved over follow-up, whereas anger, g = -0.48, lost gains previously made. Results were largely consistent in the completer sample. These findings show the potential of Couple HOPES to have broad benefits not only for individuals with probable PTSD but also for their romantic partners.

Active transcription and essential role of RNA polymerase II at the centromere during mitosis.

Transcription of the centromeric regions has been reported to occur in G1 and S phase in different species. Here, we investigate whether transcription also occurs and plays a functional role at the mammalian centromere during mitosis. We show the presence of actively transcribing RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and its associated transcription factors, coupled with the production of centromere satellite transcripts at the mitotic kinetochore. Specific inhibition of RNAPII activity during mitosis leads to a decrease in centromeric α-satellite transcription and a concomitant increase in anaphase-lagging cells, with the lagging chromosomes showing reduced centromere protein C binding. These findings demonstrate an essential role of RNAPII in the transcription of α-satellite DNA, binding of centromere protein C, and the proper functioning of the mitotic kinetochore.

A case series of sage: a new couple-based intervention for borderline personality disorder.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that interpersonal dysfunction may be central to borderline personality disorder (BPD), and that the relationships of people with BPD are particularly impaired. Further, the significant others of people with BPD exhibit elevated psychological problems but little access to mental healthcare. Despite this, most BPD interventions are delivered individually and do not routinely incorporate significant others. This manuscript presents the first case series of Sage, a 12-session manualized intervention for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and their intimate partners with three targets: a) BPD severity, b) relationship conflict, and c) intimate partner mental health. FINDINGS: Five couples of people with BPD with frequent suicidal/self-injurious behavior or high suicidal ideation and their intimate partners received Sage. Measures of Sage targets as well as tertiary outcomes were administered at pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Four out of five dyads completed Sage, with high intervention satisfaction ratings. Improvements were generally demonstrated in BPD severity, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior/self-injury. Half of dyads exhibited improvements in conflict, and additional improvements in mental health outcomes for dyad members were demonstrated. One dyad exhibited poor outcomes and speculations regarding this are offered. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide proof of concept of Sage as an intervention that can improve BPD and other mental health outcomes in those with BPD and their intimate partners. Incorporating intimate partners into BPD treatment may optimize and expedite its outcomes. However, further testing is needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This project was pre-registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: [NCT04737252]).

The influence of sleep on emotion dysregulation in borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and healthy controls.

Emotion dysregulation is central to borderline personality disorder (BPD) and exacerbated by sleep disruptions. This study investigated whether homeostatic (i.e., sleep efficiency), circadian (i.e., chronotype), and subjective (i.e., sleep quality) sleep elements predict emotion dysregulation in BPD, healthy controls (HCs), and a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) group. Participants (N = 120) with BPD, GAD, and HCs completed daily sleep measures for seven days prior to an experiment wherein baseline emotion, emotional reactions to stressors (i.e., reactivity), and the extent to which they can decrease their emotion using mindfulness and distraction (i.e., emotion regulation) were measured across self-reported, sympathetic, and parasympathetic emotion. Across groups, earlier chronotypes and higher sleep quality predicted less self-reported baseline negative emotion, and higher sleep quality predicted better parasympathetic emotion regulation. For HCs, higher sleep efficiency and lower sleep quality predicted higher parasympathetic baseline emotion, and higher sleep efficiency predicted more self-reported baseline negative emotion. Also in HCs, earlier chronotype predicted better sympathetic emotion regulation, and there was a quadratic relationship between sleep efficiency and self-reported emotion regulation. Optimizing sleep quality and improving alignment between chronotype and daily living may improve baseline emotion and emotion regulation. Healthy individuals may be particularly vulnerable to high or low sleep efficiency.

Community Choir Improves Vocal Production Measures in Individuals Living with Parkinson's Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease leading to motor impairments and dystonia across diverse muscle groups including vocal muscles. The vocal production challenges associated with PD have received considerably less research attention than the primary gross motor symptoms of the disease despite having a substantial effect on quality of life. Increasingly, people living with PD are discovering group singing as an asset-based approach to community building that is purported to strengthen vocal muscles and improve vocal quality. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: The present study investigated the impact of community choir on vocal production in people living with PD across two sites. Prior to and immediately following a 12-week community choir at each site, vocal testing included a range of vocal-acoustic measures, including lowest and highest achievable pitch, duration of phonation, loudness, jitter, and shimmer. RESULTS: Results showed that group singing significantly improved some, though not all, measures of vocal production. Group singing improved lowest pitch (both groups), duration (both groups), intensity (one group), and jitter (one group) and shimmer (both groups). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support community choir as a feasible and scalable complementary approach to managing vocal production challenges associated with PD.

One Hundred Percent Reparability of Mitral Prolapse: Results of a Dynamic Nonresectional Technique.

BACKGROUND: We studied the results of a dynamic mitral repair technique that preserves normal mitral valve function by avoiding leaflet resection and rigid and semirigid annuloplasty rings. METHODS: In previous reports we demonstrated that intraoperative simulation of mitral valve locking and isovolumic systole by rapid left ventricular inflation with pressurized saline accurately simulates mitral annular and leaflet shape and position, and left ventricular outflow tract dimensions. Length of polytetrafluoroethylene neochordae and size of fully flexible adjustable annuloplasty ring can be adjusted in three dimensions for accurate apposition of zones of leaflet coaptation, premarked with dots. We followed 1068 consecutive patients after repairs performed between 2001 and 2018. RESULTS: Of the 1068 patients, 674 were men (63.1%). Mean age was 62.25 ± 13 years. Leaflet repaired was anterior in 118 patients (11.05%), posterior in 564 (52.81%), both in 55 (5.15%), and neither in 123 (11.5%). Barlow's disease was present in 208 patients (19.48%). Repair was isolated in 82.5% (881 of 1068). Reparability was 100%. Perioperative mortality overall was 1.59% (17 of 1068): isolated repair, 1.14% (10 of 881); and isolated posterior leaflet, 0.85% (4 of 472). Leaflet systolic anterior motion occurred in 1.7% (18 of 1068), and was significant in 0.4% (4 of 1068). Survival at 10 years by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 74.65%, freedom from reoperation was 96.01%, and freedom from severe mitral regurgitation was 94%. The only predictor of reoperation (Cox analysis) was being male (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Use of intraoperative simulation of mitral dynamics led to 100% reparability for degenerative valves with minimal systolic anterior motion, despite no leaflet resection. Long-term durability has been good and similar for all leaflets.

Genomic characterization of Ugandan smallholder farmer-preferred cassava varieties.

Understanding the genetic relationships among farmer-preferred cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) varieties is indispensable to genetic improvement efforts. In this study, we present a genetic analysis of 547 samples of cassava grown by 192 smallholder farmers, which were sampled at random within four districts in Uganda. We genotyped these samples at 287,952 single nucleotide polymorphisms using genotyping-by-sequencing and co-analyzed them with 349 cassava samples from the national breeding program in Uganda. The samples collected from smallholders consisted of 86 genetically unique varieties, as assessed using a genetic distance-based approach. Of these varieties, most were cultivated in only one district (30 in Kibaale, 19 in Masindi, 14 in Arua, and three in Apac), and only three were cultivated across all districts. The genetic differentiation we observed among farming districts in Uganda (mean fixation index [F ST] = .003) is similar to divergence observed within other countries. Despite the fact that none of the breeding lines were directly observed in farmer fields, genetic divergence between the populations was low (F ST = .020). Interestingly, we detected the presence of introgressions from the wild relative M. glaziovii Müll. Arg. on chromosomes 1 and 4, which implies ancestry with cassava breeding lines. Given the apparently similar pool of alleles in the breeding germplasm, it is likely that breeders have the raw genetic material they require to match the farmer-preferred trait combinations necessary for adoption. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the genetic makeup of cassava currently grown by smallholder farmers and relative to that of plant breeding germplasm.

Transgenic plants expressing two Bacillus thuringiensis toxins delay insect resistance evolution.

Preventing insect pests from developing resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins produced by transgenic crops is a major challenge for agriculture. Theoretical models suggest that plants containing two dissimilar Bt toxin genes ('pyramided' plants) have the potential to delay resistance more effectively than single-toxin plants used sequentially or in mosaics. To test these predictions, we developed a unique model system consisting of Bt transgenic broccoli plants and the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. We conducted a greenhouse study using an artificial population of diamondback moths carrying genes for resistance to the Bt toxins Cry1Ac and Cry1C at frequencies of about 0.10 and 0.20, respectively. After 24 generations of selection, resistance to pyramided two-gene plants was significantly delayed as compared with resistance to single-gene plants deployed in mosaics, and to Cry1Ac toxin when it was the first used in a sequence. These results have important implications for the development and regulation of transgenic insecticidal plants.

beta-Carotene accumulation induced by the cauliflower Or gene is not due to an increased capacity of biosynthesis.

The cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) Or gene is a rare carotenoid gene mutation that confers a high level of beta-carotene accumulation in various tissues of the plant, turning them orange. To investigate the biochemical basis of Or-induced carotenogenesis, we examined the carotenoid biosynthesis by evaluating phytoene accumulation in the presence of norflurazon, an effective inhibitor of phytoene desaturase. Calli were generated from young seedlings of wild type and Or mutant plants. While the calli derived from wild type seedlings showed a pale green color, the calli derived from Or seedlings exhibited intense orange color, showing the Or mutant phenotype. Concomitantly, the Or calli accumulated significantly more carotenoids than the wild type controls. Upon treatment with norflurazon, both the wild type and Or calli synthesized significant amounts of phytoene. The phytoene accumulated at comparable levels and no major differences in carotenogenic gene expression were observed between the wild type and Or calli. These results suggest that Or-induced beta-carotene accumulation does not result from an increased capacity of carotenoid biosynthesis.

One Hundred Percent Reparability of Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation: Intermediate-Term Results of a Dynamic Engineered Approach.

BACKGROUND: Advances in understanding dynamic mitral valve function have led to a repair technique with no leaflet resection, accurate dynamic annular and chordal sizing, and preservation of left ventricular outflow tract dynamics. METHODS: This approach uses inflation of the left ventricle and ascending aorta with pressurized saline to achieve diastolic mitral valve locking and early isovolumic systole. The left ventricle is maximally dilated, the aorta and root are distended, and the mitral leaflets are opposed. This is used to adjust the length of the artificial chordae and size the fully flexible annuloplasty ring in three dimensions for accurate apposition of the zones of leaflet coaptation. We monitored 752 consecutive patients after repairs performed between 2001 and 2013. RESULTS: There were 510 men (68.8%). Mean age was 61.3 ± 13.54 years. The leaflet repaired was anterior in 127 patients (17%), posterior in 451 (60%), both 55 (7.3%), and Barlow's in 119 (16%). Repair was isolated in 76% (573 of 752). Reparability was 100%. No prosthetic valve was implanted in patients with myxomatous or degenerative disease. Perioperative mortality was 2.3% (17 of 752) overall and was 1.6% (9 of 573) for isolated repair and 0.2% (1 of 451) for isolated posterior leaflet. Nonsignificant leaflet systolic anterior leaflet motion was observed in 0.2% (14 of 739) of patients. At 10 years, survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 66.4%, and freedom from reoperation was 91.8%. Freedom from significant mitral regurgitation at 5 years was 90.3%. Cox analysis showed male gender was a predictor of reoperation (p = 0.63). CONCLUSIONS: This dynamic approach enabled 100% reparability of myxomatous and degenerative valves with no occurrence of significant systolic anterior leaflet motion. Despite 100% of patients having been repaired, intermediate-term durability measured by reoperation rates, freedom from prosthetic valve, and intermediate echocardiographic follow-up have been good.

Evaluation of a chemically inducible promoter for developing a within-plant refuge for resistance management.

Chemically inducible production of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins in transgenic plants may provide considerable benefits in preventing or delaying the evolution of insect resistance to Bt crops by creating within-plant temporal refuges. We examined the effect of inducible cry1Ab expression on survival of different genotypes (RR, RS, and SS) of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), in transgenic broccoli, Brassica oleracea L., plants transformed with a PR-1a/cry1Ab expression cassette. Spraying leaves of these plants with the inducer acibenzolar-s-methyl [= benzo (1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester] (ASM) resulted in high levels of Bt toxin, and detached leaves from fully induced plants caused 100% mortality to all instars of P. xylostella SS and RS genotypes. When plants infested with larvae were treated with ASM, only a few larvae that were nearing completion of their development were able to survive the induction process. Signal transduction from ASM-treated leaves to new plant tissue also was evaluated using a larval assay. New foliage that emerged after plants were induced remained toxic to > or = 80% of RS larvae up to the fourth new leaf. In whole plant tests, however, induced plants remained protected from larval damage for > or = 3 wk. Uninduced PR-1a/cry1Ab plants seemed to produce low levels of Bt that were undetected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay but that resulted in significant fitness costs for susceptible insects. The suitability of PR-1a/cry1Ab broccoli plants for insect resistance management and the requirements of an appropriate inducible promoter are discussed.

Sensitivity of bacterial and fungal plant pathogens to the lytic peptides, MSI-99, magainin II, and cecropin B.

In vitro and leaf disk assays of bacterial and fungal plant pathogens were conducted using three cationic lytic peptides, MSI-99, magainin II (MII), and cecropin B (CB). Growth of bacterial organisms was retarded or completely inhibited by low concentrations of these lytic peptides. The peptides also significantly reduced germination of fungal spores and growth of mycelia; however, higher concentrations of peptides were needed to inhibit fungal growth compared with those needed to inhibit bacteria. The relative efficacy of the peptides depended on the microorganism tested, but CB was the most inhibitory to the majority of the bacteria and fungi assayed. MSI-99, a synthetic derivative of MII with increased positive charge, showed equal or two- to fivefold higher antibacterial activity compared to MII in the in vitro assays. MSI-99 was also superior to MII against the oomycete, Phytophthora infestans but was slightly inferior to MII in assays with the true fungi, Penicillium digitatum and Alternaria solani. In the leaf disk assays, pretreating spores of Alternaria solani and Phytophthora infestans with the peptides at concentrations as low as 10 microg per ml led to significant reductions in the size of early blight lesions and prevented development of any late blight lesions on tomato leaf disks. Our results from in vitro and leaf disk assays suggest that MSI-99 can be used as a transgene to generate tomato lines with enhanced resistance to bacterial and fungal diseases of this crop.

Mitral valve repair in patients with low left ventricular ejection fractions: early and late results.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study was performed to examine the outcome of mitral valve repair (ie, mitral valvuloplasty [MVP]) in relation to preoperative low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). DESIGN AND SETTINGS: From our series of 338 consecutive patients who underwent MVP between 1983 and 2001, we compared the course of 302 patients with preoperative LVEF of > 35% (group I) to that of 36 patients with LVEF of

Natural enemies delay insect resistance to Bt crops.

We investigated whether development of resistance to a Bt crop in the presence of a natural enemy would be slower than without the natural enemy and whether biological control, in conjunction with a Bt crop, could effectively suppress the pest population. Additionally, we investigated whether insecticide-sprayed refuges of non-Bt crops would delay or accelerate resistance to the Bt crop. We used a system of Bt broccoli expressing Cry1Ac, a population of the pest Plutella xylostella with a low frequency of individuals resistant to Cry1Ac and the insecticide spinosad, and a natural enemy, Coleomegilla maculata, to conduct experiments over multiple generations. The results demonstrated that after 6 generations P. xylostella populations were very low in the treatment containing C. maculata and unsprayed non-Bt refuge plants. Furthermore, resistance to Bt plants evolved significantly slower in this treatment. In contrast, Bt plants with no refuge were completely defoliated in treatments without C. maculata after 4-5 generations. In the treatment containing sprayed non-Bt refuge plants and C. maculata, the P. xylostella population was low, although the speed of resistance selection to Cry1Ac was significantly increased. These data demonstrate that natural enemies can delay resistance to Bt plants and have significant implications for integrated pest management (IPM) with Bt crops.

Bt crops producing Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab and Cry1F do not harm the green lacewing, Chrysoperla rufilabris.

The biological control function provided by natural enemies is regarded as a protection goal that should not be harmed by the application of any new pest management tool. Plants producing Cry proteins from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), have become a major tactic for controlling pest Lepidoptera on cotton and maize and risk assessment studies are needed to ensure they do not harm important natural enemies. However, using Cry protein susceptible hosts as prey often compromises such studies. To avoid this problem we utilized pest Lepidoptera, cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), that were resistant to Cry1Ac produced in Bt broccoli (T. ni), Cry1Ac/Cry2Ab produced in Bt cotton (T. ni), and Cry1F produced in Bt maize (S. frugiperda). Larvae of these species were fed Bt plants or non-Bt plants and then exposed to predaceous larvae of the green lacewing Chrysoperla rufilabris. Fitness parameters (larval survival, development time, fecundity and egg hatch) of C. rufilabris were assessed over two generations. There were no differences in any of the fitness parameters regardless if C. rufilabris consumed prey (T. ni or S. frugiperda) that had consumed Bt or non-Bt plants. Additional studies confirmed that the prey contained bioactive Cry proteins when they were consumed by the predator. These studies confirm that Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab and Cry1F do not pose a hazard to the important predator C. rufilabris. This study also demonstrates the power of using resistant hosts when assessing the risk of genetically modified plants on non-target organisms.

Intermediate-term results of a nonresectional dynamic repair technique in 662 patients with mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE: A nonresectional technique has been developed for repair of mitral leaflet prolapse causing mitral regurgitation. Polytetrafluoroethylene chordae are used for correction of edge misalignment of the prolapsed mitral leaflet. New chordal length is adjusted during progressive left ventricular inflation to systolic pressure. Annular sizing is determined dynamically after leaflet edge alignment is accomplished to produce an optimal zone of predefined leaflet apposition. The aim of this study was to document the 8- to 10-year durability of this nonresectional approach. METHODS: From 1983 through 2008, 1121 consecutive patients had mitral valve repair on one service. Of these, 662 had repair of mitral leaflet prolapse. From 1983 until 1998, standard quadratic leaflet resection/plication was used in 72 (11.1%) patients, similar but smaller resection in 93 (14.1%) patients, and then smaller resection and polytetrafluoroethylene chordae in 24 (3.7%) patients. All received Puig-Massana fully flexible rings (Shiley, Inc, Irvine, Calif). After 1998, no leaflet resections or valve replacements have been performed regardless of leaflet size in 566 consecutive patients. Of the 662 patients, the mean age was 62.6±14.1 years, and 424 (64.1%) patients were male. Coronary artery disease was present in 147 (22.2%) patients and 33 (5.0%) had prior coronary artery bypass. Leaflets corrected were as follows: anterior, 152 (23.0%) patients; posterior, 427 (64.5%); and both, 83 (12.5%) Common pathologic characteristics of prolapsing valves were as follows: myxomatous, 332 (50.2%) patients, degenerative, 83 (12.5%), ischemic, 31 (4.7%), and rheumatic, 29 (4.4%). RESULTS: Perioperative mortality was 2.9% (19/662) overall and 0.49% (2/414) for isolated repair. Freedom from reoperation at 10 years (Kaplan-Meier) was 90.1% and freedom from significant mitral regurgitation (echocardiography) was 93.9%. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that mitral regurgitation from mitral leaflet prolapse can be repaired in all cases by a nonresectional technique provided that accurate dynamic evaluation of chordal length and annular sizing is achieved. The intermediate-term results are durable.

Nonresectional repair of the barlow mitral valve: importance of dynamic annular evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The most extensive form of myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve causing severe mitral regurgitation is "Barlow disease." Surgical repair of this condition has been considered difficult because of the extent and magnitude of annular, leaflet, and chordal abnormalities and has usually involved partial resection of one or both mitral leaflets. METHODS: A surgical approach has been developed which does not involve leaflet resection. Instead, by means of precise dynamic annular sizing, a predetermined zone of leaflet apposition is achieved. The leaflets are positioned so that their large area is contained within the left ventricle. Normal annular, leaflet, and papillary muscle dynamic function is restored. RESULTS: This procedure was performed in 61 patients. The repair rate was 100%. The mean age was 57.6 +/- 12.7 years. They were 67.2% male. The preoperative anteroposterior annular dimension was 52.1 +/- 4.3 mm. The full, flexible complete ring size was 33.4 +/- 1.9 mm. There was no perioperative mortality. There was no systolic anterior leaflet motion. All patients were discharged with no or mild mitral regurgitation. At a follow-up interval of 1.2 +/- 2.1 years one patient had developed recurrent mitral regurgitation, secondary to marked remodeling to normal left ventricular function. CONCLUSIONS: Initial experience with a nonresectional approach for Barlow disease has produced good early results.

Histone H3.3 incorporation provides a unique and functionally essential telomeric chromatin in embryonic stem cells.

Little is known about the telomere chromatin dynamics of embryonic stem (ES) cell. Here, we demonstrate localization of histone H3.3 at interphase telomeres and enrichment of Ser31-phosphorylated H3.3 at metaphase telomeres in pluripotent mouse ES cells. Upon differentiation, telomeric H3.3S31P signal decreases, accompanied by increased association of heterochromatin repressive marks and decreased micrococcal nuclease sensitivity at the telomeres. H3.3 is recruited to the telomeres at late S/G2 phase, coinciding with telomere replication and processing. RNAi-depletion of H3.3 induces telomere-dysfunction phenotype, providing evidence for a role of H3.3 in the regulation of telomere chromatin integrity in ES cells. The distinctive changes in H3.3 distribution suggests the existence of a unique and functionally essential telomere chromatin in ES cells that undergoes dynamic differentiation-dependent remodeling during the process of differentiation.

Sequential transformation to pyramid two Bt genes in vegetable Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and its potential for control of diamondback moth larvae.

Vegetable Indian mustard (Brassica juncea cv. "Green Wave") plants that control Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth) (DBM) were produced by introduction of one or two Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes. A cry1Ac Bt gene associated with the nptII gene for kanamycin selection or a cry1C Bt gene with the hpt gene for hygromycin selection was introduced individually through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of seedling explants. A cry1C line was then transformed with the cry1Ac gene to produce pyramided cry1Ac + cry1C plants. Sixteen cry1C, five cry1Ac, and six cry1Ac + cry1C plants were produced. PCR and Southern analyses confirmed the presence of the cry1C, cry1Ac or pyramided cry1Ac + cry1C genes in the Indian mustard genome. ELISA analysis showed that production of Bt proteins varied greatly among individual transgenic plants, ranging from undetectable to over 1,000 ng Bt/mg total soluble protein. The levels of the Bt proteins were correlated with the effectiveness of control of diamondback moth (DBM) larvae. Insect bioassays indicated that both the cry1C and cry1Ac plants were toxic to susceptible DBM. The cry1C plants also controlled Cry1A-resistant DBM while cry1Ac plants controlled Cry1C-resistant DBM, and the pyramided cry1Ac + cry1C plants effectively controlled all three types of DBM. These Bt-transgenic plants could be used either for direct control of DBM and other lepidopteran insect pests or for tests of "dead-end" trap crops as protection of high value non-transgenic crucifer vegetables such as cabbage.