Advancements in molecular marker technologies and their applications in diversity studies

Crop improvement is a continuous effort, since some 10,000 years ago when primitive man made the transitionfrom hunting and foraging to domestication and crop cultivation. Since then, man-made interventions havechanged the entire scenario of crop evolution, by means of genetic alterations of plants and animals made tosatisfy man’s needs. The process of domestication has led to dramatic changes in their appearance, quality andproductivity that have contributed substantially to global food security. The tremendous decline in cultivableland, freshwater, and increasing risk of biotic and abiotic stress demand immediate attention on cropimprovement to cope with the higher demand of *40% of the food by 2020. Therefore, plant genetic variationplays a key role in plant breeding for its improvement. Most of the genetic variations useful for cropimprovement have been deposited and maintained in seed gene banks across the world; they need to be broughtinto the mainstream of breeding lines. Recent advances and progress made in molecular markers have beensubstantial tools for deeper insights of genetics, and greatly complemented breeding strategies. Integration of thenext-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies with precise phenotyping, association mapping, proteome andmetabolome studies has increased the chances of finding candidate genes and their allelic variants controlling atrait of interest. Further, these functional markers (FMMs), genotype-by-sequencing and association mappingmethodologies have opened new avenues for identification of novel genetic resources (lines) that can facilitateaccelerated crop breeding programs for increased yield, high nutritional quality, and tolerance to a variety ofabiotic and biotic stresses. The details of popular molecular markers, advancement in the technologies andstrategies for crop diversity studies and their application in crop breeding programs are presented here.

A clinical study of neurological manifestations in HIV positive patients in a tertiary care hospital of Telangana, India

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a global pandemic, India has second largest burden of HIV illness. Nervous system is most frequent and serious target of HIV infection. Aim: The main aim of our study was to evaluate the occurrence of various neurological manifestations in HIV positive patients and to correlate them with CD4 count at the time of presentation. Materials and methods: This prospective study was carried out for a period of 2 years from January 2014 to December 2016 in the Department of Neurology, Gandhi Hospital, Hyderabad, India. Those patients, who satisfied the inclusion criteria (>18 year of age; HIV positive; any gender) were included in our study. Patients who were HIV positive but having non neurological medical conditions were excluded. Those with various neurological symptoms were subjected to thorough neurological examination, whenever indicated neuroimaging, CSF analysis, NCS, Toxoplasma serology were done. CD4 count was done in all patients. KameraSateesh Kumar, VeenaNarisetty, P. Chandra Shekar, Changala Praveen, AlluriNeeraja. A clinical study of neurological manifestations in HIV positive patients in a tertiary care hospital of Telangana, India. IAIM, 2018; 5(1): 42-49. Page 43 Results: Our study enrolled a total of 1011 HIV positive patients, out of them 354(35%) patients had neurological manifestations. Among them, 239 (67.51%) were male and115 (32.48%) were female. We analyzed patients presented with various neurological symptoms, 187(52%) patients presented with parasthesias. CD4 count was done to all patients. Out of 354 patients, 188 (39.4%) patients had low CD4 count (<200μL). NCS was abnormal in 182 (51.4%) patients. Axonal sensory neuropathy was the most common abnormality found in 82 (45.0%) patients. The most common neurological manifestation was peripheral neuropathy, seen in 166 (46.8%) patients. Conclusion: HIV infection can affect all levels of the neuronal axis. Neurological manifestations are common in 4th decade of life and males affect more than females. Peripheral neuropathy was the most common neurological manifestation and Tuberculosis was the prominent infectious etiology. Neurological manifestations are seen with low CD4 count and there is a significant correlation between them hence can be stated that, these are the manifestations of the late stage of the disease.

To study the spectrum of peripheral neuropathy in chronic kidney disease patients

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a major public health problem in developed and developing countries, leading to decreased quality of life across the globe. Aim: The clinical and electrophysiological features of peripheral neuropathy in patients with chronic renal failure. The correlation of various biochemical and hematological parameters to that of uremic peripheral neuropathy. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective cross sectional study in 50 Patients admitted with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease. Results: 50 CKD male patients were 30 (60%), female patients were 20 (40%). Among 20 females, 13 (65%) patients had ENMG evidence of polyneuropathy. Polyneuropathy was evident in 78%. Twenty one patients (42%) had clinical symptoms suggestive of polyneuropathy. In 8 patients (16%), it was only detected electrophysiologically. Motor conductions of the tibial, peroneal, median and ulnar nerves showed significant abnormalities in distal motor latency, compound motor action potential (CMAP) amplitude CV among the studied group. In patients with neuropathy there is predominant decrease in CMAP amplitudes with relatively decreased conduction velocity, and prolonged distal latency. Significant abnormalities were found in the peak latency, sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude and conduction velocity (CV) of the sural, median, ulnar nerves. In patients with neuropathy SNAP amplitudes were decreased significantly with relatively decreased conduction velocity. F wave parameters of peroneal, tibial nerves were abnormal in 30 (60%), and of P. Chandra Shekar, Veena Narisetti, K .Sateesh Kumar, CH. Praveen. To study the spectrum of peripheral neuropathy in chronic kidney disease patients. IAIM, 2017; 4(11): 90-98. Page 91 median 17 (34%), ulnar 16 (32%). We have observed that lower limb involvement is more common compared to upper limb. Sural nerve involvement is seen in all patients with electrophysiological evidence of neuropathy. Conclusion: It can be concluded that axonopathic nature of polyneuropathy with predominant decrease in CMAP and SNAP was confirmed.

Insufficiency Fractures Related to Low-Dose Adefovir Dipivoxil Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis B

We present a case of a 53-year-old woman who developed multifocal insufficiency fractures associated with adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) induced osteomalacia, including recurring metatarsal insufficiency fractures and a subtrochanteric femoral insufficiency fracture requiring surgical fixation. She had received low-dose ADV treatment for 59 months for chronic hepatitis B viral infection at the time of presentation with subtrochanteric fracture. Imaging evidence of multifocal insufficiency fractures and metabolic disease on background of hypophosphatemia is attributed to hypophosphatemic osteomalacia from adefovir-induced renal proximal tubular dysfunction. Radiologists and clinicians should be aware of the possibility of insufficiency fractures in patients receiving ADV therapy to avoid delayed diagnosis and progression of high-risk proximal femoral fractures.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in Qatar

The main aim of this study was to report and discuss epidemiological, etiological, type of treatment and data on survival of the patients with each mode of treatment using available data for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] who have been diagnosed at Hamad Medical Corporation during the period March 2004-December 2010 inclusive. Retrospective analysis of 150 patient's data had been done, including demographic, epidemiological, etiological disease status assessment with child Pugh criteria, modes of treatment and treatment related outcome. Patient's various characteristics such as demographic, epidemiological, and other clinical characteristics were summarized using an appropriate descriptive statistics. Univariate Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis was performed to estimate overall and group wise survival at different time points. Furthermore, the log-rank test was applied to determine any statistical difference in survival among various subgroups. In addition, the multivariate Cox regression method was used to assess the significant effects of various prognostic factors on outcome survival time. The mean age of the studied HCC patients was 58.8 years [31-87years] with a male: female ratio of 3:1 [76% Male 24% Female]. There were 48 [32%] Qatari and 102 [62%] non- Qatari patients. The underlying etiology HCV was the most common [45%] similar to Western European countries, HBV in [27%], alcoholic liver disease only in 6 [4%], Child-Pugh assessment was A in [33%], B in [37%] and C in [30%], nearly half of the patients [53%] were in advanced stage and had palliative treatment, the other half had chemoembolization in [17%], systemic therapy sorafenib in [13%], surgery [liver resection or transplantation] in [12%] and local ablation in [5%]. HCC is more common in males [ratio M: F 3:1]. HCV is the most common underlying cause, similar to the pattern in western European countries. The survivals in our patient were comparable to other studies reported in the literature. Patients who had chemoembolization had the longest median survival [Median = 27 months, 95% CI [20.27- 33.72]. Majority of cases [53%] were diagnosed at advanced stage. To improve the outcome of treatment of HCC patients, the number of early and very early stage diagnosis should be increased by improving the implementation and effectiveness of the strategic screening program

Argonaute-2-null embryonic stem cells are retarded in self-renewal and differentiation.

RNA interference (RNAi) pathways regulate self-renewal and differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Argonaute 2 (Ago2) is a vital component of RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and the only Ago protein with slicer activity. We generated Ago2-deficient ES cells by conditional gene targeting. Ago2-deficient ES cells are defective in the small-RNA-mediated gene silencing and are significantly compromised in biogenesis of mature microRNA. The self-renewal rate of Ago2-deficient ES cells is affected due to failure of silencing of Cdkn1a by EScell- specific microRNAs (miRNA) in the absence of Ago2. Interestingly, unlike Dicer- and Dgcr8-deficient ES cells, they differentiate to all three germ layers both in vivo and in vitro. However, early differentiation of Ago2-deficient ES cells is delayed by 2–4 days as indicated by persistence of higher levels of self-renewal/ pluripotency markers during differentiation. Further, appearance of morphological and differentiation markers is also delayed during the differentiation. In this study we show that Ago2 is essential for normal self-renewal and differentiation. Also, our data suggest that self-renewal and differentiation of ES cells are regulated by both siRNA and miRNA pathways.

Association between islet xenograft rejection mediated by activated macrophages and upregulated chemokines / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Objective Our previous study has shown that porcine antigen-primed and CD4 + T cells activated macrophages are capable of the ecognition and rejection of porcine xenografts but not mouse allografts, and therefore suggested the involvement of signaling between the graft and macrophages in this specific graft recognition and destruction. Methods NOD-SCID mice were transplanted with fetal pig pancreatic fragment (FPP) before adoptive transfer with exogenous macrophages isolated from rejecting FPP xenografts of BALB/c recipient mice. The exogenous macrophages were tracked by Ly5.1 surface antigen or via CSFE staining. Gene expression of CCR2 and CCR5 and their chemokines in transplanted FPP xenografts was evaluated by real-time PCR. Results After the adoptive transfer, recently transplanted but not established FPP xenografts were rejected by exogenous activated macrophages. In the meantime, greater level of chemokine gene expression was detected in recently-transplanted compared with the established xenografts. Furthermore, expression of both CCR2 and CCR5 genes was enhanced significantly in activated macrophages when compared with non-activated macrophages. Conclusion Upregulated chemokines were associated with macrophage recruitment and destruction of islet xenografts.