Mapping QTL main and interaction influences on milling quality in elite US rice germplasm.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) head-rice yield (HR) is a key export and domestic quality trait whose genetic control is poorly understood. With the goal of identifying genomic regions influencing HR, quantitative-trait-locus (QTL) mapping was carried out for quality-related traits in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from crosses of common parent Cypress, a high-HR US japonica cultivar, with RT0034, a low-HR indica line (129 RILs) and LaGrue, a low-HR japonica cultivar (298 RILs), grown in two US locations in 2005-2007. Early heading increased HR in the Louisiana (LA) but not the Arkansas (AR) location. Fitting QTL-mapping models to separate QTL main and QTL × environment interaction (QEI) effects and identify epistatic interactions revealed six main-effect HR QTLs in the two crosses, at four of which Cypress contributed the increasing allele. Multi-QTL models accounted for 0.36 of genetic and 0.21 of genetic × environment interaction of HR in MY1, and corresponding proportions of 0.25 and 0.37 in MY2. The greater HR advantage of Cypress in LA than in AR corresponded to a genomewide pattern of opposition of HR-increasing QTL effects by AR-specific effects, suggesting a selection strategy for improving this cultivar for AR. Treating year-location combinations as independent environments resulted in underestimation of QEI effects, evidently owing to lower variation among years within location than between location. Identification of robust HR QTLs in elite long-grain germplasm is suggested to require more detailed attention to the interaction of plant and grain development parameters with environmental conditions than has been given to date.

[Current concepts of patient safety: rapid response system]. / Aktuelle Konzepte der Patientensicherheit : Das "Rapid-response"-System.

The "100,000 lives campaign" initiated a wide-spread implementation of rapid response teams in the United States. A standardized rapid response system (RRS) is designed to reduce the preventable mortality of hospitalized patients who frequently have progressive signs of physiological deterioration minutes to hours before cardiac arrest. The implementation and maturation of a team-based RRS has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of "COR zero" calls and, in some studies, the in-hospital mortality rate. An alternative model to rapid response teams has been recently proposed which is based on defined clinical triggers to initiate a "rapid response escalation". This clinical triggers program overcomes the classic limitations of a team-based system, such as the overuse of resources and the fragmentation of patient care. The present review outlines the basic RRS concept with a focus on the debate related to the "perfect" patient safety system, namely the validity of a distinct rapid response teams approach versus a trigger-based escalation modality. The implementation of a standardized RRS should also be considered in German hospitals with the aim of improving patient safety and reducing preventable in-hospital mortality.

Comparison of physical and chemical properties of medium-grain rice cultivars grown in California and Arkansas.

The physical attributes, chemical composition, and physicochemical properties of 2 medium-grain rice cultivars from Arkansas (Bengal, Medark) and from California (M202, M204) were compared when grown in their respective locations and grown together in Arkansas to better understand the impacts of heredity and environment on medium-grain rice quality. Variations existed in grain dimensions, particularly length distribution, among cultivars and between crop years. When grown separately, the Arkansas cultivars tended to have higher protein and lipid contents but lower amylose contents than the California cultivars. M204 contained a significantly higher apparent amylose content (21.0%) compared with the other 3 cultivars (14.3% to 16.4%). The Arkansas rice cultivars exhibited higher pasting and gelatinization temperatures and produced harder gels and less sticky cooked rice. However, when the 4 cultivars were grown together in Arkansas, differences in protein and amylose contents, gelatinization and pasting properties, and cooked rice texture decreased. This study demonstrated that genetics, location, and crop year all contributed to variations in rice chemical and physical characteristics.

[Biplane angiographic volumetry of the right and left heart ventricle with optical image pairing]. / Biplane angiographische Volumetrie der rechten und linken Herzkammer mit optimaler Bildpaarung.

Compared to single plane angiographic systems, biplane systems offer the possibility of a merged evaluation of the two x-ray projections. A computer program was developed that allows the assessment of enddiastolic and endsystolic volumes and frame-by-frame analysis of the left and right ventricle based on representing the biplane angiograms as optimal paired images. Optimal pairing means the magnifications are fitted, resulting in identical scales for objects located in the isocenter of the gantry; furthermore the images are rotated such that paired epipolar lines in both planes represent the same cross section of a centered object. The improved border tracing is proved by comparing the vertical extents from the lateral and frontal projection of the right ventricle. The standard deviation of the differences were significantly (p < 0.01) reduced as compared to the generally used unpaired evaluation.

Centrotemporal spikes in families with rolandic epilepsy: linkage to chromosome 15q14.

OBJECTIVE: To localize a gene predisposing to benign epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS). BACKGROUND: BECTS, or rolandic epilepsy, is the most prevalent idiopathic epilepsy syndrome in childhood. Functional relevant defects in the alpha 4 subunit of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) have been demonstrated in autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy, which, like BECTS, is an idiopathic partial epilepsy. METHODS: A DNA linkage study was conducted screening all chromosomal regions known to harbor neuronal nicotinic AChR subunit genes. Twenty-two nuclear families with BECTS were analyzed. RESULTS: In an "affected-only" study, best p values and lod scores were reached between D15S165 and D15S1010 on chromosome 15q14. In multipoint nonparametric linkage analysis a nominal p value of 0.000494 was calculated by GENEHUNTER. Best parametric results were obtained under an autosomal recessive model with heterogeneity (multipoint lod score 3.56 with 70% of families linked to the locus). These markers are localized in direct vicinity to the alpha 7 subunit gene of the AChR. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence for linkage of BECTS to a region on chromosome 15q14. Either the alpha 7 AChR subunit gene or a closely linked gene are implicated in pedigrees with BECTS. The disorder is genetically heterogeneous. Surprisingly, the same chromosomal area has been reported to be linked to the phenotype in families with an auditory neurophysiologic deficit as well as in families with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, another idiopathic but generalized epilepsy syndrome.

Quantitative analysis of structure and function of the cardiovascular system by roentgen-video-computer techniques.

A survey of the evolution of roentgen-video-computer techniques is given which was initiated by the development of videodensitometry by Wood and his associates. Following fundamental studies of the usefulness and limitations of x-ray equipment for quantitative measurements and the applicability of the Lambert-Beers law to x-ray absorption, videodensitometry has been used experimentally and clinically for various circulatory studies and has proved to be particularly valuable for the quantitation of aortic, pulmonic, and mitral valvular regurgitation. The second offspring of these techniques, so-called videometry, uses dimensional measurements from single and biplane angiocardiograms for the assessment of size, shape, and contraction pattern of the heart chambers. Volumes of the right and left ventricles can be determined clinically with a standard error of estimate below 10%. On the basis of these studies, normal values have been derived for all age groups, and they depict geometric changes of the growing heart. Cardiac index and ejection fractions proved to be age-independent biologic constants. Finally, methods for complete digital processing of video-image sequences in an off-line and real-time mode are described which allow digital image storage and documentation, dynamic background subtraction for contrast enhancement, and intravenous angiocardiography, in addition to functional imaging by parameter extraction from a matrix of pixel densitograms. Wall thickness and motion determinations, regional flow distribution measurements, and various image-composition techniques are also feasible.