Genetic Components Derived Parameters and Heterosis in Okra under Saudi Arabia Conditions.

Four parental genotypes of okra were crossed in complete diallel design to study the direction and extent of relative heterosis and heterobeltiosis for yield and its associated traits for utilization of existing genetic diversity to develop heterotic F1 hybrids in okra. The additive genetic component (D) was significant in all studied traits except average pod weight. Nonadditive (H1 and H2) components were found to be significant in all studied traits. However, the values of the dominant effect (H1) were smaller than the D components for no. of nodes/plant, no. of pods/plant, weight of medium pods, weight of large pods, and total fresh pod yield. The maximum significant MP heterosis in the desirable direction (149.9%) was recorded for the weight of large pods/plot. The maximum significant heterobeltiosis in the desirable direction (120.1%) was recorded for the weight of small pods/plot followed by total fresh pod yield (107.4%), the weight of large pods/plot (104.9%), weight of medium pods/plot (92.1%), average pod weight (51.8%), number of pods/plant (38.4%), and plant height (34.3%). It could be concluded that plant height, average pod weight, and the number of branches could be considered for the development of elite hybrids (heterosis breeding) or inbred lines (pure line selection) in succeeding generations. Therefore, these parameters can be considered for selecting genotypes to improve the pod yield of okra. The superior crosses identified through heterosis analysis were Egyptian Balady × Line 4.1.18 (30.8 ton/ha), Line 4.1.18 × Egyptian Balady (29.8 ton/ha), Dwarf Green Long Pod × Line 4.1.18 (28.3 ton/ha), and Egyptian Balady × Dwarf Green Long Pod (27.6 ton/ha) as these crosses had high performance as well as significant and higher estimates of heterobeltiosis for fruit yield per plant and yield attributing other characters.

Rapgef2, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rap1 small GTPases, plays a crucial role in adherence junction (AJ) formation in radial glial cells through ERK-mediated upregulation of the AJ-constituent protein expression.

Rapgef2 and Rapgef6 define a subfamily of guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rap1, characterized by possession of the Ras/Rap-associating domains and implicated in the etiology of schizophrenia. We previously found that dorsal telencephalon-specific Rapgef2 conditional knockout mice exhibits severe defects in formation of apical surface adherence junctions (AJs) and localization of radial glial cells (RGCs). In this study, we analyze the underlying molecular mechanism by using primary cultures of RGCs established from the developing cerebral cortex. The results show that Rapgef2-deficient RGCs exhibit a decreased ability of neurosphere formation, morphological changes represented by regression of radial glial (RG) fibers and reduced expression of AJ-constituent proteins such as N-cadherin, zonula occludens-1, E-cadherin and ß-catenin. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Rapgef2 or Rap1A inhibits the AJ protein expression and RG fiber formation while overexpression of Rapgef2, Rapgef6, Rap1AG12V or Rap1BG12V in Rapgef2-deficient RGCs restores them. Furthermore, Rapgef2-deficient RGCs exhibit a reduction in phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) leading to downregulation of the expression of c-jun, which is implicated in the AJ protein expression. These results indicate a crucial role of the Rapgef2-Rap1A-ERK-c-jun pathway in regulation of the AJ formation in RGCs.

Patient profile and outcome of pilomatrixoma in district general hospital in United kingdom.

INTRODUCTION: A pilomatrixoma is a benign appendage tumour related to hair cells matrix. Most of the literature review about pilomatrixoma is in the form of case reports with fewer cohort studies. The objective of this cohort is to study the variable demographic characteristics, presentation and histopathology of this condition among a larger group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who had excision of pilomatrixoma between February 1998 and August 2011 in a District General Hospital in UK. RESULTS: The study included 67 patients with histopathologically diagnosed pilomatrixoma. The mean age was 32 years. Male to Female ratio was 35:32. The average diameter of the lesion at presentation was 13 mm (range: 2-30 mm). 66 of 67 (98.5%) patients presented with solitary lesion, while 1 patient (1.5%) had two lesions. CONCLUSION: Pilomatrixoma is not an uncommon benign lesion. It is more common in the maxillofacial area.