鳥取県におけるアズキ (Vigna angularis) 栽培-雑草-野生種複合集団の収集とモニタリング

Tottori Prefecture was visited twice during 2002 at the flowering time and seed maturity of wild azuki (Vigna angularis var. nipponensis) in order to record population variation and obtain samples for population genetic analysis. Maps showing characteristics of populations sampled are provided (Fig. 1-11). The characteristics of wild azuki populations sampled are given (Table 1). The characteristics of each population is influenced by a range of different factors that include vegetation cutting, weeding, time of seed maturity, seeds moved by animals and in soil as a result of construction projects. Farmer\u27s practices suggest gene introgression occurs from wild to cultivated azuki as cultivated azuki seed size is reported to decrease over time. Data and leaf samples from over 300 individuals in 29 wild populations in addition to cultivated azuki were obtained (Supplementary table). A relationship between seed weight, growth habit and seed color was observed (Fig. 12). Semi-erect wild azuki is thought to be the result of outcrossing between wild and cultivated azuki and erect small black-seeded wild individuals might represent escaped old cultivars. The materials collected will be subjected to microsatellite analysis and results combined with field data to enable the population dynamics of the azuki bean complex in Tottori Prefecture to be determined

The effect of probiotics and zinc supplementation on the immune response to oral rotavirus vaccine: A randomized, factorial design, placebo-controlled study among Indian infants.

BACKGROUND: Strategies are needed to improve oral rotavirus vaccine (RV), which provides suboptimal protection in developing countries. Probiotics and zinc supplementation could improve RV immunogenicity by altering the intestinal microbiota and immune function. METHODS: Infants 5weeks old living in urban Vellore, India were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a 4-arm factorial design to assess the effects of daily zinc (5mg), probiotic (1010Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) or placebo on the immunogenicity of two doses of RV (Rotarix®, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals) given at 6 and 10weeks of age. Infants were eligible for participation if healthy, available for the study duration and without prior receipt of RV or oral poliovirus vaccine other than the birth dose. The primary outcome was seroconversion to rotavirus at 14weeks of age based on detection of VP6-specific IgA at ?20U/ml in previously seronegative infants or a fourfold rise in concentration. RESULTS: The study took place during July 2012 to February 2013. 620 infants were randomized equally between study arms and 551 (88.9%) completed per protocol. Seroconversion was recorded in 54/137 (39.4%), 42/136 (30.9%), 40/143 (28.0%), and 37/135 (27.4%) infants receiving (1) probiotic and zinc, (2) probiotic and placebo, (3) placebo and zinc, (4) two placebos. Seroconversion showed a modest improvement among infants receiving probiotic (difference between groups 1, 2 and 3, 4 was 7.5% (97.5% Confidence Interval (CI): -1.4%, 16.2%), p=0.066) but not zinc (difference between groups 1, 3 and 2, 4 was 4.4% (97.5% CI: -4.4%, 13.2%), p=0.272). 16 serious adverse events were recorded, none related to study interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc or probiotic supplementation did not significantly improve the low immunogenicity of rotavirus vaccine given to infants in a poor urban community in India. A modest effect of combined supplementation deserves further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in India (CTRI/2012/05/002677)

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Not AvailableSensitive techniques of molecular biology, such as identification of differentially expressed genes, transcriptional profiling etc., require a high quality RNA in suitable quantities. Isolation of good quality RNA fro1n banana pulp and peel tissues is troublesome and challenging owing to rich phenolic compounds and polysaccharides that coprecipitate with nucleic acids. Interaction of phenols with nucleic acids leads to oxidation and degradation of RN A making it unsuitable for downstream processes. We have developed a protocol to isolate good quality RNA from banana fruit pulp and peel tissues This involves two precipitation steps with sodium acetate with I 00 per cent ethanol and reducing the precipitation time which led to the reduction in loss of RNA and risk of degradation. The protocol developed is simple, fast and can extract 81.85 and 40.54 μgig of pulp and peel tissues, respectively. The absorbance ranged from I. 9-2.0 at the ratio of260/280 indicating very high quality of RNA suitable for molecular analyses. RNA purity was confirmed through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) by using J3-1,3 glucanase primer pair. The clear banding pattern obtained in RT-PCR analysis revealed that RNA isolated through this protocol could be used for further downstrea1n processes.ICAR, ICAR-NRC

Probing intermetallic coupling in dinuclear N-heterocyclic carbene ruthenium(II) complexes

A series of bimetallic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ruthenium(II) complexes were synthesized, which comprise two [RuCl₂(cymene)(NHC)] units that are interlinked via the NHC nitrogens by alkyl chains of different length. Electrochemical characterization revealed two mutually dependent oxidation processes for the complex with a methylene linker, indicating moderate intramolecular electronic coupling of the two metal centers (class II system). The degree of coupling decreases rapidly upon increasing the number of CH₂ units in the linker and provides essentially decoupled class I species when propylene or butylene linkers are used. Electrochemical analyses combined with structural investigations suggest a through-bond electronic coupling. Replacement of the alkyl linker with a p-phenylene group afforded cyclometalated complexes, which were considerably less stable. The electronic coupling in the methylene-linked complex and the relatively robust NHC–ruthenium bond may provide access to species that are switchable on the molecular scale