The complex polyploid genome architecture of sugarcane.

Sugarcane, the world's most harvested crop by tonnage, has shaped global history, trade and geopolitics, and is currently responsible for 80% of sugar production worldwide1. While traditional sugarcane breeding methods have effectively generated cultivars adapted to new environments and pathogens, sugar yield improvements have recently plateaued2. The cessation of yield gains may be due to limited genetic diversity within breeding populations, long breeding cycles and the complexity of its genome, the latter preventing breeders from taking advantage of the recent explosion of whole-genome sequencing that has benefited many other crops. Thus, modern sugarcane hybrids are the last remaining major crop without a reference-quality genome. Here we take a major step towards advancing sugarcane biotechnology by generating a polyploid reference genome for R570, a typical modern cultivar derived from interspecific hybridization between the domesticated species (Saccharum officinarum) and the wild species (Saccharum spontaneum). In contrast to the existing single haplotype ('monoploid') representation of R570, our 8.7 billion base assembly contains a complete representation of unique DNA sequences across the approximately 12 chromosome copies in this polyploid genome. Using this highly contiguous genome assembly, we filled a previously unsized gap within an R570 physical genetic map to describe the likely causal genes underlying the single-copy Bru1 brown rust resistance locus. This polyploid genome assembly with fine-grain descriptions of genome architecture and molecular targets for biotechnology will help accelerate molecular and transgenic breeding and adaptation of sugarcane to future environmental conditions.

First report of successful isolation of a HPR0-like variant of the infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) using cell culture.

ISAV is the causative agent of the infectious salmon anaemia (ISA), a disease listed by the OIE that has caused important economic losses to the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) industry. ISAV variants are identified as pathogenic or non-pathogenic based on the presence or absence of a deletion in the highly polymorphic region (HPR) of segment 6 (S6). HPRΔ variants (pathogenic) are the only forms of the virus known to grow in cell culture. This is the first report of a HPR0 variant isolated in cell culture. The isolate is, however, atypical as it shows a marker of virulent variants on another segment (S5), which has never been reported for any other HPR0 variants. The significance of this finding remains unclear until more in-depth work is carried out but does challenge current knowledge.

Isolation of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus from mummichog, stickleback, striped bass and brown trout in eastern Canada.

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) was isolated from mortalities occurring in populations of mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus, stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus, brown trout, Salmo trutta, and striped bass, Morone saxatilis, in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada. The isolated viral strains produced a cytopathic effect on the epithelioma papillosum cyprini cell line. Serum neutralization indicated the virus was VHSV and sequencing identified the rhabdovirus isolates as the North American strain of VHSV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolates are closely related and form a distinguishable subgroup of North American type VHSV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of VHSV in mummichog and striped bass.

Evaluation of an educational program for asthmatic children ages 4-8 and their parents.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of a number of asthma education programs for children 8-13 has shown improved self-management behaviors and decreased use of healthcare services. However, nearly 80% of children with asthma develop symptoms by age 5. MATERIALS & METHODS: We evaluated a program (Huff and Puff: The Children's Asthma Program) that addresses the developmental learning needs of children ages 4-8. This multicenter study employed a pre- and post-test design to evaluate the impact of the Program on cognitive, behavioral, and affective learning and medical care utilization. We report here data on 128 of the 130 children who completed the program and on the 125 households on which we have nonduplicated data. RESULTS: Statistically significant changes were observed in all categories of learning in those who completed the Program. Medical care utilization (including hospitalizations, days of hospitalization, emergency room visits and sick visits to the physician for "out-of-control" asthma) demonstrated statistically significant decreases. CONCLUSION: The Program was shown to be an effective educational intervention for children 4-8 years of age and their parents in this cohort (nonrandomized, noncontrolled study of volunteers). Future research should also explore ways to utilize and adapt the program for specific populations such as inner-city children and parents and non-English speaking groups.

[The transketolase activity in erythrocytes as a criterion for thiamine balance in the body]. / Aktivnost' transketolazy eritrotsitov kak pokazatel' obespechennesti organizma tiaminom

In deficiency of thiamin the transketolase activity was decreased in patients and in experimental animals. The data obtained showed the high sensitivity of transketolase from erythrocytes to hypovitaminosis B1. At the same time, in diseases, especially accompained by hypoxia (and also by avitaminosis B1), the transketolase activity was shown to be increased. The effect was observed in relation to an increase in amount of young erythrocytes, which contained more transketolase. In these cases it was reasonable to estimate not only the transketolase activity but also other characteristics of thiamin metabolism (content of the vitamin in food, urine and blood).