Identification of novel low M(r) glutenin subunits in the high quality bread wheat cv Salmone and their effects on gluten quality.

Southern-blot hybridization with a probe specific for genes encoding for low M(r) glutenin subunits showed that the high quality bread wheat cv Salmone contains two DNA fragments designated as SF720 and SF750. These fragments were found to occur on the chromosome-1B satellite, and to be associated with the presence of two strongly staining low M(r) glutenin subunits in the two-dimensional A-PAGE x SDS-PAGE pattern of cv Salmone. Comparison of 65 F(6) random lines derived from the cross between cv Salmone and the medium quality line FAP74809 revealed that the presence of fragments SF720 and SF750 had significant positive effects on several quality related parameters such as SDS sedimentation volume, Farinograph stability and Alveograph strength (W), tenacity (P) and elasticity (L). Additive effects of high M(r) glutenin subunits 1 and 7+9 on gluten quality were found as well. Fragments SF720 and SF750 were suggested to occur at a locus other than Glu-B3, as indicated by their relatively high frequency of recombination with the Gli-B1 locus.

[Comparative study of the evolution of inflammatory colitis treated with an elemental diet, glutamine and 5-ASA. An experimental study in rats]. / Estudo comparativo da evolução da colite inflamatória tratada com dieta elementar, glutamina e ácido 5-ASA. Estudo experimental em ratos.

The objective of the present investigation was to study the evolution of untreated inflammatory disease of the colon as compared to disease treated with an elemental diet plus glutamine, with 5-ASA and with a combination of the three. A total of 120 female Wistar-Tecpar rats aged 180 days and weighing on average 290 g were studied. Inflammatory disease of the colon was induced with 10% acetic acid and the animals were divided at random into four groups of 30 rats each. Group A, which received a standard diet and no type of treatment, was used as control. Group B received an elemental diet supplemented with glutamine. Group C received a standard diet and daily 5-ASA enemas, 15 mg/ml. Group D received an elemental diet supplemented with glutamine plus daily 5-ASA enemas. Ten animals were picked at random from each group and sacrificed on the 7th, 14th and 21st days of treatment after intravenous injection of Evans blue for visualization of the damaged areas. Changes in weight and the macroscopic aspects of the abdominal cavity and the colon were evaluated and the involved segment was resected for macroscopic and microscopic analysis. The highest weight loss occurred in group D animals on the 14th and 21st days. The number of complications was larger in group A animals, with intestinal perforation, peritonitis and death (P = 0.0053). Complications were of equal intensity in groups B and C and no complications were detected in group D. Macroscopic evaluation showed a lower frequency of ulcers on the 7th day in group B (P = 0.0113) and D (P = 0.0294). Group D animals showed a significantly reduced frequency of ulcers on the 14th day (P = 0.0140). Microscopic examination showed a better evolution in groups B (P = 0.0113) and D (P = 0.0294) on the 7th day and in group D on 14th day (P = 0.0105) compared to A. We conclude that the combination of an elemental diet containing glutamine and treatment with 5-ASA leads to more rapid healing of the colon lesions induced by 10% acetic acid in rats.

Long-term instability of fasting plasma glucose, a novel predictor of cardiovascular mortality in elderly patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: the Verona Diabetes Study.

BACKGROUND: We recently reported that long-term fasting plasma glucose (FPG) instability predicts all-cause mortality in elderly patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether glucose instability, as represented by the coefficient of variation of FPG concentrations (CV-FPG) measured during a 3-year period, can predict specific causes of death in the subsequent 5 years. METHODS AND RESULTS: Five hundred sixty-six elderly patients with NIDDM were followed up for 5 years to assess mortality and causes of death. All FPG determinations of the 3 years preceding the follow-up available in the clinical records were collected and analyzed. Patients were grouped in tertiles of mean FPG, CV-FPG, and the slope of FPG. These parameters of glucose control, as well as sex, age, duration of diabetes, insulin treatment, cigarette smoking, hypertension, and total cholesterol, were included in a multivariate analysis of mortality. During the follow-up, 63 men and 128 women died. Diabetes- and malignancy-related mortality were not independently associated with any parameter of glucose control, whereas cardiovascular-related mortality was independently associated with CV-FPG (P=.007) but not with the mean or the slope of FPG. In particular, the relative risk of cardiovascular mortality in subjects in tertile III versus tertile I of CV-FPG was 2.40 (95% CI, 1.28 to 4.53). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that FPG instability is a predictor of cardiovascular-related mortality in elderly patients with NIDDM and suggest that glucose stability might be a goal in the management of these patients.

Attending the diabetes center is associated with increased 5-year survival probability of diabetic patients: the Verona Diabetes Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to compare the survival of patients attending diabetes centers with that of patients exclusively consulting family physicians. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The study was carried out in the frame of the Verona Diabetes Study, a population-based survey of known diabetes prevalence with a subsequent 5-year mortality follow-up. A cohort of 7,488 diabetic patients were identified on 31 December 1986 from three different sources: a drug consumption database, family physicians, and diabetes centers (one for children and one for adults). As of 31 December 1986, 3,288 patients in the entire cohort exclusively consulted their own family physicians, while 4,200 patients also had periodic examinations at the diabetes centers. The life status of the diabetic cohort was ascertained on 31 December 1991. RESULTS: Compared with the nondiabetic population, diabetic patients seen only by family physicians had a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.62 (95% CI 1.51-1.74), while patients attending both family physicians and diabetes centers showed an SMR of 1.44 (1.34-1.54), the difference being statistically significant (P = 0.017). The 5-year survival probability, estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, was 0.76 (0.75-0.78) in patients seen only by family physicians and 0.81 (0.80-0.82) in patients attending the diabetes centers. Multivariate analysis by Cox regression model showed that attending the diabetes centers was an independent predictor of survival even after adjusting for sex, age, and therapy of diabetes. The relative risk of 5-year all-cause mortality amounted to 0.83 (0.75-0.92) in patients also attending the diabetes centers with respect to patients consulting only family physicians (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data on patients' survival indicate that diabetes centers play a crucial role in diabetes care. As a corollary, an integration between primary-care physicians and diabetes centers is strongly recommended.

The Verona diabetes study: a population-based survey on known diabetes mellitus prevalence and 5-year all-cause mortality.

This population-based survey aimed to determine the prevalence of known diabetes mellitus on 31 December 1986, and to assess all-cause mortality in the subsequent 5 years (1987-1991) in Verona, Italy. In the study of prevalence, 5996 patients were identified by three independent sources: family physicians, diabetes clinics, and drug prescriptions for diabetes. Mortality was assessed by matching all death certificates of Verona in 1987-1991 with the diabetic cohort. Overall diabetes prevalence was 2.61% (95% confidence interval 2.56-2.67). Prevalence of insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was 0.069% (0.059-0.078) and 2.49% (2.43-2.54), respectively. Diabetes prevalence sharply increased after age 35 years up to age 75-79, and finally declined. Prevalence was higher in men up to age 69 years, in women after age 75 years. Of the diabetic cohort 1260 patients (592 men, 668 women) died by 31 December 1991, yielding an overall standardized mortality ratio of 1.46 (CI 1.38-1.54). Even though the differences narrowed with age, mortality rates in the diabetic cohort were higher than in the non-diabetic population at all ages. Women aged 65-74 years showed observed/expected ratio higher than men (2.27, CI 1.92-2.66, vs 1.50, CI 1.30-1.72), while in other age groups the sex-related differences were not significant. Pharmacological treatment of diabetes was associated with an excess mortality, while treatment with diet alone showed an apparent protective effect on mortality (observed/expected ratio 0.73, CI 0.58-0.92).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cultivar identification in T. aestivum using highly polymorphic RFLP probes.

Two probes, specific for HMW-glutenins and γ-gliadins have been used to identify 50 common wheat Italian cultivars, most of which are closely related, and four common wheat cultivars originating outside Italy. The probes revealed complex polymorphic patterns; three probe/enzyme combinations had the necessary sensitivity for the identification of all 54 cultivars. As already shown for potato and barley, the use of four-cutter restriction enzymes and polyacrylamide gels proved particularly useful for detecting polymorphism.

rRNA probing of chromosomal DNA of epidemic and sporadic isolates of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kottbus from northern and southern Italy.

Fifty-two strains of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kottbus, identified at the Centres of Enterobacteriaceae of Northern and Southern Italy, were investigated by molecular genetic methods. Thirteen isolates were recovered during two food-poisoning outbreaks that occurred in May 1987 in Lombardy. The rDNA gene restriction patterns, obtained by probing endonuclease cleaved chromosomal DNA with photobiotin labeled Escherichia coli rRNA, revealed some heterogeneity among strains isolated from Southern Italy, whereas Northern Italy isolates exhibited virtually identical banding patterns.

Cuticular wax of wheat : The effects of chromosomal deficiencies on the biosynthesis of wax components.

n-Alkanes, esters, aldehydes, free alcohols, ß-diketones and hydroxy-ß-diketones were found to be the lipid components of the cuticular waxes of common wheat Chinese Spring (Triticum aestivum L.). The ditelosomic lines 7A-L and 7D-S showed a dramatic decrease in the amount of ß-diketones and hydroxy ß-diketones which are reduced to traces. The homologue composition within each class of compounds has also been determined for all three of the lines of wheat. The effects of chromosomal deficiencies have been demonstrated. Chromatographic techniques and mass spectrometry have been used for the separation and identification of the substances which compose the waxes. This study has provided further evidence of the role of genes situated on well defined chromosomes in determining the nature of classes of compounds composing wax and governing the homologous composition within each class of substances.