Multi-trait evolution of farmer varieties of bread wheat after cultivation in contrasting organic farming systems in Europe.

Because of the lack of varieties for organic agriculture, associations of organic farmers in several European countries have begun cultivating landraces and historic varieties, effectively practicing in situ conservation of agricultural biodiversity. To promote agrobiodiversity conservation, a special list for "conservation varieties" was implemented in 2008 by the EU because for any exchange and marketing of seeds in the EU, a variety must be registered in an official catalog. Our study aimed at improving knowledge on the phenotypic diversity and evolution of such varieties when cultivated on organic farms in Europe, in order to better define their specific characteristics and the implications for the registration process. We assessed multi-trait phenotypic evolution in eight European landraces and historic varieties of bread wheat and in two pureline variety checks, each grown by eight organic farmers over 2 years and then evaluated in a common garden experiment at an organic research farm. Measurements on each farmer's version of each variety included several standard evaluation criteria for assessing distinctness, uniformity and stability for variety registration. Significant phenotypic differentiation was found among farmers' versions of each variety. Some varieties showed considerable variation among versions while others showed fewer phenotypic changes, even in comparison to the two checks. Although farmers' variety would not satisfy uniformity or stability criteria as defined in the catalog evaluation requirements, each variety remained distinct when assessed using multivariate analysis. The amount of differentiation may be related to the initial genetic diversity within landraces and historic varieties.

Mtss1 regulates epidermal growth factor signaling in head and neck squamous carcinoma cells.

Mtss1 is located within chromosomal region 8q23-24, which is one of the three most commonly amplified regions in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Mtss1 is lost in metastatic cells, but confusingly is commonly overexpressed in primary tumors. Here we address possible reasons why Mtss1 is positively selected for in primary tumors. We find that Mtss1 enhances the localization of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor to the plasma membrane, prolonging EGF signaling and resulting in enhanced proliferation in HNSCC. Depletion of Mtss1 results in decreased EGF receptor levels and decreased phosphorylation of Erk1/2 and Akt. However, when cells are at high density and adherent to each other, analogous to conditions in a solid tumor, Mtss1 does not confer any growth advantage, either in basal conditions or following EGF stimulation. This could indicate why Mtss1 might be lost in metastases, but preserved in early primary tumors. This is supported by an organotypic assay showing that Mtss1-expressing cells display a less proliferative more epithelial-like morphology on top of a collagen matrix. Furthermore, xenograft tumors expressing Mtss1 initially grow more rapidly, but later show less proliferation and more differentiation. Mtss1 positively modulates EGF signaling at low cell densities to promote proliferation and, therefore, may be beneficial for the early stages of primary HNSCC tumor growth. However, at high cell densities, Mtss1 impacts negatively on EGF signaling and this suggests why it inhibits metastasis.

Signs of glaucoma in rhesus monkeys from a restricted gene pool.

PURPOSE: To investigate the distribution of intraocular pressure (IOP) and cup properties in a colony of rhesus monkeys that has had no outside genetic input since 1938 (approximately 12 generations). This sample of sequestered monkeys is significantly larger than any previously reported. Comparisons are made with a sample of random-source monkeys to develop population estimates defining the limits of normalcy. METHODS: The IOP and cup/disc ratio estimates were collected from 701 eyes of 354 adult rhesus monkeys from the closed colony on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico. Results for IOP were compared with the normal rhesus IOP population distribution function calculated from an earlier sample of genetically heterogeneous rhesus. RESULTS: The mean +/- standard deviation IOP in the Cayo Santiago monkeys (15.8+/-3 mmHg) related well to the calculated "normal" rhesus distribution (14.5+/-2 mmHg) below and around the mean IOP only. Above the mean rhesus IOP, the samples from the Cayo monkeys were strongly skewed: 129 eyes had IOP more than two standard deviations above the normal mean IOP, and 54 eyes had IOP more than three standard deviations above the normal mean IOP. Cup/disc ratio estimations tended to cluster as higher values in the higher IOP quartiles. Some eyes with IOP below the mean had cup/disc ratios > 0.5. Values for IOP that were more than two standard deviations above the mean and cup/disc ratios > 0.4 were not uniformly distributed across social groupings, although incidence of high IOP was more than 25% in one group. CONCLUSION: After 12 generations with the same genetic pool, expression of ocular hypertension and large optic disc cups is high but not uniform.

Caesarean sections in cattle attended by a practice in Cheshire.

The results of 77 caesarean sections in cattle carried out in a seven-person practice over a period of 16 months are described and evaluated. The standardisation of the surgical technique, the speed of decision making in dealing with dystocia, and the education of the farmers contributed to the 84 per cent calf survival rate, and post surgical complications were few. There was only one fatality in a dam.