Developing genetic resources for pre-breeding in Brassica oleracea L.: an overview of the UK perspective

Peter G Walley,Graham R Teakle,Jonathan D Moore,Charlotte J Allender,Vicky Buchanan-Wollaston,David AC Pink,Guy C Barker 한국식물생명공학회 2012 식물생명공학회지 Vol.39 No.1

The vegetable brassicas are an important crop worldwide and are of significant commercial value. In order to ensure our targets for food security are met it is important that these crops are continually improved to increase sustainability of production, increase nutritional quality and reduce waste. Development of resistances against both biotic and abiotic stress are recognised as being key. Plant breeding plays a vital role in addressing these issues through the development of new and improved varieties. This continued improvement is becoming evermore dependent on our ability to identify and introgress beneficial alleles from ‘exotic’ germplasm into elite breeding material. Increasingly, more diverse germplasm such as those found in genebanks is being screened for benificial allelic variation, however, plant breeders often find it difficult to make use of such material due to the time required to remove undesirable characteristics from progeny due to linkage drag. This article describes how we have attempted to overcome this and develop resources that make the diversity available within the Brassica oleracea genepool more accessible.

Inhibitor of MYC identified in a Kröhnke pyridine library

Hart, Jonathan R.,Garner, Amanda L.,Yu, Jing,Ito, Yoshihiro,Sun, Minghao,Ueno, Lynn,Rhee, Jin-Kyu,Baksh, Michael M.,Stefan, Eduard,Hartl, Markus,Bister, Klaus,Vogt, Peter K.,Janda, Kim D. National Academy of Sciences 2014 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF Vol.111 No.34

<P>In a fluorescence polarization screen for the MYC–MAX interaction, we have identified a novel small-molecule inhibitor of MYC, KJ-Pyr-9, from a Kröhnke pyridine library. The <I>K</I><SUB>d</SUB> of KJ-Pyr-9 for MYC in vitro is 6.5 ± 1.0 nM, as determined by backscattering interferometry; KJ-Pyr-9 also interferes with MYC–MAX complex formation in the cell, as shown in a protein fragment complementation assay. KJ-Pyr-9 specifically inhibits MYC-induced oncogenic transformation in cell culture; it has no or only weak effects on the oncogenic activity of several unrelated oncoproteins. KJ-Pyr-9 preferentially interferes with the proliferation of MYC-overexpressing human and avian cells and specifically reduces the MYC-driven transcriptional signature. In vivo, KJ-Pyr-9 effectively blocks the growth of a xenotransplant of MYC-amplified human cancer cells.</P>

Developing genetic resources for pre-breeding in Brassica oleracea L.: an overview of the UK perspective

Walley, Peter G.,Teakle, Graham R.,Moore, Jonathan D.,Allender, Charlotte J.,Pink, David A.C.,Buchanan-Wollaston, Vicky,Barker, Guy C. The Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology 2012 식물생명공학회지 Vol.39 No.1

The vegetable brassicas are an important crop worldwide and are of significant commercial value. In order to ensure our targets for food security are met it is important that these crops are continually improved to increase sustainability of production, increase nutritional quality and reduce waste. Development of resistances against both biotic and abiotic stress are recognised as being key. Plant breeding plays a vital role in addressing these issues through the development of new and improved varieties. This continued improvement is becoming evermore dependent on our ability to identify and introgress beneficial alleles from 'exotic' germplasm into elite breeding material. Increasingly, more diverse germplasm such as those found in genebanks is being screened for benificial allelic variation, however, plant breeders often find it difficult to make use of such material due to the time required to remove undesirable characteristics from progeny due to linkage drag. This article describes how we have attempted to overcome this and develop resources that make the diversity available within the $Brassica$ $oleracea$ genepool more accessible.

Electronic Toll Collection System and Travel Demand: A Field Experiment of Toll Facilities in New York City

심형석,Jonathan R. Peters 연세대학교(미래캠퍼스) 빈곤문제국제개발연구원 2011 地域發展硏究 Vol.20 No.1

We investigate, in this study, the effect of the E-ZPass, Electronic Toll Collection System for the Northeastern United States highway toll plazas, on travel demand as it relates to the use of these toll facilities. We perform a comparison study of travel demand between E-ZPass users as a treatment group and non-users (cash customers) as a control group. For the appropriate comparison study, we use a survey of the users of ten toll facilities in New York City, and design a field experiment based on a travel demand model, as proposed by Peters, Shim and Kress (2011). We then explore the sources of bias inherent in the comparison study. We find that the estimated differences of travel demand between E-ZPass users and non-users are biased due to model misspecification, and sampling selection. After controlling for all possible sources of bias, E-ZPass use is shown to have no statistically significant effect on travel demand.

Cement Augmentation of Vertebral Compression Fractures May Be Safely Considered in the Very Elderly

Anoop R. Galivanche,Courtney Toombs,Murillo Adrados,Wyatt B. David,Rohil Malpani,Comron Saifi,Peter G. Whang,Jonathan N. Grauer,Arya G. Varthi 대한척추신경외과학회 2021 Neurospine Vol.18 No.1

Objective: The objective of the current study was to perform a retrospective review of a national database to assess the safety of cement augmentation for vertebral compression fractures in geriatric populations in varying age categories. Methods: The 2005–2016 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases were queried to identify patients undergoing kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty in the following age categories: 60–69, 70–79, 80–89, and 90+ years old. Demographic variables, comorbidity status, procedure type, provider specialty, inpatient/outpatient status, number of procedure levels, and periprocedure complications were compared between age categories using chi-square analysis. Multivariate logistic regressions controlling for patient and procedural variables were then performed to assess the relative periprocedure risks of adverse outcomes of patients in the different age categories relative to those who were 60–69 years old. Results: For the 60–69, 70–79, 80–89, and 90+ years old cohorts, 486, 822, 937, and 215 patients were identified, respectively. After controlling for patient and procedural variables, 30-day any adverse events, serious adverse events, reoperation, readmission, and mortality were not different for the respective age categories. Cases in the 80- to 89-year-old cohort were at increased risk of minor adverse events compared to cases in the 60- to 69-year-old cohort. Conclusion: As the population ages, cement augmentation is being considered as a treatment for vertebral compression fractures in increasingly older patients. These results suggest that even the very elderly may be appropriately considered for these procedures (level of evidence: 3).

Saline-Coupled Bipolar Sealing in Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty

Atul F. Kamath,Daniel C. Austin,Peter B. Derman,R. Carter Clement,Jonathan P. Garino,Gwo-Chin Lee 대한정형외과학회 2014 Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery Vol.6 No.3

Background: The efficacy of saline-coupled bipolar sealing devices in joint arthroplasty is uncertain, and the utility in simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not been reported. Methods: This study compares the use of bipolar sealing and conventional electrocautery in 71 consecutive patients. The experimental and control groups were matched for age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, and preoperative hemoglobin. Variables of interest included blood loss, transfusion requirements, and operative characteristics. Results: In comparison to patients treated with conventional electrocautery, those treated with the bipolar sealer were 35% less likely to require transfusion. The median number of transfusions per case was also significantly lower in the experimental group. Hemoglobin change, total blood loss, and length of stay were not significantly different between the groups. The experimental group had longer operative times. Conclusions: Bipolar sealing shows promise as a blood loss reduction tool in simultaneous bilateral TKA. The marginal savings attributed to reduced transfusion rates with use of the bipolar sealer did not exceed the additional per-case expense of using the device. The decision to use the device with the goal of less blood loss must come with the additional expense associated with its use.

Blood Transfusion Rates as a Primary Outcome Measure: The Use of Predetermined Triggers and Display of Clinical Indications in Providing Accurate Comparative Transfusion Rates: In Reply

Atul F. Kamath,Daniel C. Austin,Peter B. Derman,R. Carter Clement,Jonathan P. Garino,Gwo-Chin Lee 대한정형외과학회 2017 Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery Vol.9 No.1

We thank the readers for their letter to the editor, and for interest in our manuscript published in 2014. Issues surrounding blood management continue to be an important part of the global care of total joint arthroplasty patients as we move into 2017. In addition to our group’s multiple studies on the use of bipolar sealing devices in joint arthroplasty, 1,2) we continue to examine our blood management and transfusion practices. We now routinely employ the use of tranexamic acid, which has further allowed a reduction in transfusion requirements. This may account for some of the differences between contemporary rates of transfusion, and historical rates presented before the routine use of tranexamic acid. We thank the readers for inquiring about the transfusion reduction rates as presented in our manuscript. The absolute reduction in transfusion rate was 83% to 55%, a difference of 28% points. The relative reduction as a percentage of the original transfusion rate of 83% would be approximately 35%. In a simpler comparison, for example, if the transfusion rate was reduced from 10% to 5%, we would have stated that there was an absolute reduction of 5% but a 50% reduction from the baseline rate (5%/10% = 0.5). In our manuscript, we acknowledge some of the limitations discussed by the readers’ letter to the editor. This study was not a prospective randomized controlled trial, and therefore issues of blinding and randomization do not apply. Rather, our study has important applications for real-world transfusion scenarios based on clinical scenario and patient comorbid conditions. We thank the readers for sharing their own data and algorithm for management, which, like our practice, involves careful evaluation of “comorbidity and cardiorespiratory risk, ongoing blood loss, and symptoms related to anaemia.” Likewise, confounders of age and dilutional anaemia are important considerations in any study of blood management, but are not controlled for in our clinical practice review. Again, we thank the readers for their letter to the editor, as well as their own institutional efforts to examine transfusion thresholds, understand adjunctive tools in blood management, and further the perioperative care of total joint patients.

Radiation testing of low cost, commercial off the shelf microcontroller board

Fried, Tomas,Di Buono, Antonio,Cheneler, David,Cockbain, Neil,Dodds, Jonathan M.,Green, Peter R.,Lennox, Barry,Taylor, C. James,Monk, Stephen D. Korean Nuclear Society 2021 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.53 No.10

The impact of gamma radiation on a commercial off the shelf microcontroller board has been investigated. Three different tests have been performed to ascertain the radiation tolerance of the device from a nuclear decommissioning deployment perspective. The first test analyses the effect of radiation on the output voltage of the on-board voltage regulator during irradiation. The second test evaluated the effect of gamma radiation on the voltage characteristics of analogue and digital inputs and outputs. The final test analyses the functionality of the microcontroller when using an external, shielded voltage regulator instead of the on-board voltage regulator. The results suggest that a series of latch-ups occurs in the microcontroller during irradiation, causing increased current drain which can damage the voltage regulator if it does not have short-circuit protection. The analogue to digital conversion functionality appears to be more sensitive to gamma radiation than digital and analogue output functionality. Using an external, shielded voltage regulator can prove beneficial when used for certain applications. The collected data suggests that detaching the voltage regulator can extend the lifespan of the platform up to approximately 350 Gy.