Mutations within the miR172 target site of wheat AP2 homoeologs regulate lodicule size and rachis internode length.

Closed fertilization in flowers, or cleistogamy, reduces the risk of fungal infection in Triticeae crops. In barley (Hordeum vulgare), cleistogamy is determined by a single recessive gene, cly1, which results from a single nucleotide polymorphism within the microRNA172 target site of the Apetala2 (AP2) transcription factor gene. The recessive cly1 allele negatively regulates the development of lodicules, keeping florets closed at anthesis. However, cleistogamy is not evident in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars. This study aimed at identifying mutations in wheat AP2 orthologs by ethyl methane sulfonate-induced mutagenesis and high-resolution melt analysis. Although flowers of AP2 mutants induced in the A and D genomes opened at anthesis, their lodicule size was significantly smaller, especially in the direction of depth, than that of wild-type plants. One of the mutants that carried a nucleotide replacement in AP2 from the D genome produced a compact spike caused by a substantial decrease in rachis internode length, analogous to the barley dense spike. Cleistogamous hexaploid wheat might be generated by combining effective mutant alleles of AP2-homoeologous genes.

Short term clinical outcomes of accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy in inoperable non-small cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate short term clinical outcomes of accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy (AHR T) regarding locoregional response (LRR), symptoms relief and acute toxicities in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The radical treatment for inoperable NSCLC is intolerable for some patients. An alternative RT regime should be considered for them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inoperable NSCLC patients who could not tolerate radical treatment were treated with AHRT (45 Gy in 15 fractions over three weeks) by using the 3-dimensional conformal (RT) technique. The LRR was assessed by chest computed tomography (CT) performed before and 6 weeks after RT. Relief of symptoms such as cough, dyspnoea and chest pain was evaluated during RT and 6 and 12 weeks after RT, compared with the status before RT. Treatment-related acute toxicities such as dysphagia and radiation dermatitis were observed during and 6 and 12 weeks after RT. RESULTS: Total 65 patients (seven patients of stage II and fifty-eight patients of stage III) were included. Partial response was seen in 70.8% of patients, and stable disease was seen in 29.2% while there was neither complete response nor progressive disease after RT. Statistically significant associations were found between tumour response vs. pre-treatment tumour size and tumour response vs. performance status of the patients. Satisfactory symptom relief was found after RT, but severe acute dysphagia and radiation dermatitis (more than grade 3) were not observed. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory LRR, symptom relief and acute toxicities were achieved by this regime. Long term studies are recommended to evaluate late toxicities and survival outcome further. TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: TCTR20200110001.

Recent trends in bacterial decontamination of food products by hurdle technology: A synergistic approach using thermal and non-thermal processing techniques.

Researchers are continuously discovering varied technologies for microbial control to ensure worldwide food safety from farm-to-fork. The microbial load and virulence of spoilage causing microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, virus, and protozoa, determines the extent of microbial contamination in a food product. Certain pathogenic microbes can cause food poisoning and foodborne diseases, and adversely affect consumers' health. To erade such food safety-related problems, various traditional and novel food processing methods have been adopted for decades. However, some decontamination techniques bring undesirable changes in food products by affecting their organoleptic and nutritional properties. Combining various thermal and non-thermal food processing methods is an effective way to impart a synergistic effect against food spoilage microorganisms and can be used as an alternative way to combat certain limitations of food processing technologies. The combination of different techniques as hurdles put the microorganisms in a hostile environment and disturbs the homeostasis of microorganisms in food temporarily or permanently. Optimization and globalization of these hurdle combinations is an emerging field in the food processing sector. This review gives an overview of recent inventions in hurdle technology for bacterial decontamination, combining different thermal and non-thermal processing techniques in various food products.