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Molecular mapping of rust resistance genes was investigated in the doubled haploid (DH) population derived from a hybrid between a line DM5637*B8 and an Australian wheat variety H45. The DH population was grown at the University of Sydney's Plant Breeding Institute site at Cobbitty in 2006 and 2007. The Diversity Array Technology (DArT) approach was employed to genotype the population. Resistance genes Yr7, Sr36 and Lr13 mapped on chromosome 2B, while linked stem rust and leaf rust resistance genes Sr24 and Lr24 were placed on the long arm of chromosome 3D. Rust resistant loci Sr36, Lr13 and Yr7 were flanked by the marker loci wPt-0395 and wPt-0981. The rust resistance gene combination, Sr24/Lr24, was flanked by DArT markers wPt-7752 and wPt-8845 on chromosome 3D. QTL analysis for adult plant stripe rust responses indicated the involvement of chromosomes 2B, 3B, 4B and 5B. QTL on chromosome 4B (QYr.sun-4B) can be revealed as the second component of YrA. Two QTLs (QLr.sun-2B and QLr.sun-3D) detected on chromosomes 2B and 3D, controlling low leaf rust response, corresponded to genomic locations of seedling leaf rust resistance genes Lr13 and Lr24. DM/H45 population possessed low Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity, good YAN colour stability and sprouting tolerance. The lines of this population were identified having high levels of adult plant rust (APR) to rust diseases and having good end-use quality. Genetic associations of DArT markers with rust resistance genes Lr13, Sr36, Yr7 and Lr24/Sr24 would be useful to identify PCR-based markers for tracing these genes in diverse wheat germplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microvascular free tissue transfer is a popular option for reconstruction of the head and neck defects following tumor ablation. Many factors are involved in the achievement of a satisfactory outcome, namely, adequate selection of the donor flap and recipient vessels, proficient anastomosis technique and postoperative care including flap monitoring. Preferential use of end-to-side anastomosis to the internal jugular vein in head and neck reconstruction offers various advantages and has consistently yielded outstanding results., Purpose: Presented is a series of 200 consecutive cases at one institution over 1 year., Method: In our institution, the internal jugular vein (IJV) has had the first priority in the selection of a recipient vein in free-flap head and neck reconstruction. An end-to-side anastomosis with the internal jugular vein has several advantages., Results: We have devised a simple technique of marking the point of anastomosis with a needle prick at two points taking the diameter of pedicle vein to aid in identification of point of anastomosis., Conclusion: This method is very reliable to ascertain the suitable lie of the pedicle vein. The diameter of the lumen for anastomosis is maintained. We had a success rate of 100% with all the cases we applied this technique on., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India 2023.)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the healthcare industry. There have been limited studies assessing AI model efficacy and accuracy in urology. To our knowledge, there is a lack in research looking at one of the most common urological procedures: the vasectomy. Ten frequently asked questions regarding vasectomies were individually entered into three different AI sources (ChatGPT, Bard & Bing) using free interfaces available to consumers. The responses were critically analyzed by three urologists and graded on a scale of 1 to 4 for clarity, accuracy, and evidence-based information, with 1 being the best and 4 being the worst. ChatGPT had the best average rating per question at 1.367, followed by Bard at 2.167 and Bing at 1.800(p = 0.000083). ChatGPT was found to provide significantly more satisfactory answers than both Bard (p = 0.00005) and Bing (p = 0.03988). The difference between Bard and Bing however was found to be insignificant (p = 0.09651). Overall, our study shows that AI Chatbots may provide mostly accurate information on frequently asked questions regarding vasectomies and is a reasonable resource for patients interested in the procedure to use. ChatGPT is the most accurate and concise of the chatbots assessed., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Harnessing genetic diversity in major staple crops through the development of new breeding capabilities is essential to ensure food security 1 . Here we examined the genetic and phenotypic diversity of the A. E. Watkins landrace collection 2 of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), a major global cereal, by whole-genome re-sequencing of 827 Watkins landraces and 208 modern cultivars and in-depth field evaluation spanning a decade. We found that modern cultivars are derived from two of the seven ancestral groups of wheat and maintain very long-range haplotype integrity. The remaining five groups represent untapped genetic sources, providing access to landrace-specific alleles and haplotypes for breeding. Linkage disequilibrium-based haplotypes and association genetics analyses link Watkins genomes to the thousands of identified high-resolution quantitative trait loci and significant marker-trait associations. Using these structured germplasm, genotyping and informatics resources, we revealed many Watkins-unique beneficial haplotypes that can confer superior traits in modern wheat. Furthermore, we assessed the phenotypic effects of 44,338 Watkins-unique haplotypes, introgressed from 143 prioritized quantitative trait loci in the context of modern cultivars, bridging the gap between landrace diversity and current breeding. This study establishes a framework for systematically utilizing genetic diversity in crop improvement to achieve sustainable food security., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: This study aimed to assess the utility of real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for diagnosing chronic endometritis (CE) by targeting 11 prevalent pathogens and to compare the outcomes with conventional culture-based diagnosis., Study Design: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 500 patients with clinical conditions such as abnormal bleeding, in vitro fertilization failure, recurrent implantation failure, recurrent miscarriage, and recurrent pregnancy loss. The prevalence of 11 key pathogens associated with CE was evaluated in endometrial biopsy samples., Results: In our study, PCR identified 318 cases (63.6%) positive for at least one of the 11 investigated pathogens, while culture-based methods detected 115 cases (23%). Predominant pathogens detected by PCR included Enterococcus faecalis ( E. faecalis ) (19%), Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) (6.8%), Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) (9%), Mycoplasma hominis (5%), Mycoplasma genitalium (6.2%), Streptococcus agalactiae ( S. agalactiae ) (4.2%), Ureaplasma urealyticum (4%), nontuberculous Mycobacterium (5.2%), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (1.2%), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (0.6%), and Chlamydia trachomatis (2.4%). Standard culture methods identified E. faecalis (10.8%), S. aureus (6.2%), E. coli (3.8%), and S. agalactiae (2.2%)., Conclusion: The DICE panel proves itself as a swift, precise, and cost-effective diagnostic tool for detecting both culturable and nonculturable endometrial pathogens in CE. Demonstrating superiority, the Molecular method outshines microbial culture, ensuring accurate and sensitive detection of CE-associated pathogens, harmonizing seamlessly with histology and hysteroscopy findings., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Distinguishing between organ-confined disease and extraprostatic extension (EPE) is crucial for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer. EPE is associated with an increased risk of biochemical recurrence, positive surgical margins, and metastatic disease. An MRI-based EPE scoring system was developed by Mehralivand in 2019; however, it has not been adopted in the Urology community. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association of MRI-based EPE scoring with the pathologic EPE (pEPE) after radical prostatectomy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review on a prospectively collected database of male patients who underwent a prostate MRI with EPE scoring by a trained genitourinary radiologist and subsequent robotic radical prostatectomy at our institution from September 2020 to December 2022. The associations between MRI EPE (mEPE) score and the presence of EPE on surgical pathology (pEPE) were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 194 patients met inclusion criteria with a median age of 63 years and prostate specific antigen (PSA) 7 ng/mL. Among those with mEPE score 3, 96% had pEPE. Those patients with an mEPE score ≥2 had an increased risk of pEPE compared with those with mEPE score 0 (odds ratio 3.79; 95% confidence interval 1.28-11.3) Furthermore, those with an mEPE score 3 were significantly more likely to have pEPE compared with those with mEPE score 0, 1 and 2 independently. Conclusion: MRI EPE is a straightforward tool that strongly correlates with the presence of pEPE. If validated prospectively, this scoring system could assist in counseling patients regarding nerve-sparing approach.

Positive frequency-dependent selection should theoretically lead to monomorphic warning coloration. Instead, numerous examples of polymorphic warning signals exist. Biases - for example, in human perception - hinder our appreciation and research of understanding warning signal diversity. We propose strategies to counter such biases and objectively move our field forward., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests No interests are declared by the authors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With recent climatic changes, the reduced access to solar radiation has become an emerging threat to chickpeas' drought tolerance capacity under rainfed conditions. This study was conducted to assess, and understand the effects of reduced light intensity and quality on plant morphology, root development, and identifying resistant sources from a Sonali/PBA Slasher mapping population. We evaluated 180 genotypes, including recombinant inbred lines (RILs), parents, and commercial checks, using a split-block design with natural and low light treatments. Low light conditions, created by covering one of the two benches inside two growth chambers with a mosquito net, reduced natural light availability by approximately 70%. Light measurements encompassed photosynthetic photon flux density, as well as red, and far-red light readings taken at various stages of the experiment. The data, collected from plumule emergence to anthesis initiation, encompassed various indices relevant to root, shoot, and carbon gain (biomass). Statistical analysis examined variance, treatment effects, heritability, correlations, and principal components (PCs). Results demonstrated significant reductions in root biomass, shoot biomass, root/shoot ratio, and plant total dry biomass under suboptimal light conditions by 52.8%, 28.2%, 36.3%, and 38.4%, respectively. Plants also exhibited delayed progress, taking 9.2% longer to produce their first floral buds, and 19.2% longer to commence anthesis, accompanied by a 33.4% increase in internodal lengths. A significant genotype-by-environment interaction highlighted differing genotypic responses, particularly in traits with high heritability (> 77.0%), such as days to anthesis, days to first floral bud, plant height, and nodes per plant. These traits showed significant associations with drought tolerance indicators, like root, shoot, and plant total dry biomass. Genetic diversity, as depicted in a genotype-by-trait biplot, revealed contributions to PC1 and PC2 coefficients, allowing discrimination of low-light-tolerant RILs, such as 1_52, 1_73, 1_64, 1_245, 1_103, 1_248, and 1_269, with valuable variations in traits of interest. These RILs could be used to breed desirable chickpea cultivars for sustainable production under water-limited conditions. This study concludes that low light stress disrupts the balance between root and shoot morphology, diverting photosynthates to vegetative structures at the expense of root development. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of biomass partitioning under limited-light conditions, and inform breeding strategies for improved drought tolerance in chickpeas., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Naveed, Bansal and Kaiser.)

A seedling susceptible Australian common wheat cultivar Sentinel showed resistance to stripe rust under field conditions. A Sentinel/Nyabing3 (Nyb3)-derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was phenotyped. A DArTseq marker-based linkage map of the Sentinel/Nyb3 RIL population was used to determine the chromosomal location of the adult plant stripe rust resistance possessed by Sentinel. Three consistent quantitative trait loci (QTL); QYr.sun-1BL , QYr.sun-2AS and QYr.sun-3BS were detected, and they on an average explained 18%, 15.6% and 10.6% of the variation in stripe rust response, respectively. All three QTL were contributed by Sentinel. QYr.sun-1B corresponded to the previously characterized gene Yr29 . Sentinel expressed resistance at the four-leaf stage at 21 ± 2 °C in the greenhouse. Monogenic segregation among the RIL population was observed when screened at the four-leaf stage at 21 ± 2 °C in the greenhouse, and the underlying resistance locus was temporarily named YrSen . QYr.sun-3BS peaked on YrSen . QYr.sun-2AS was mendelized by generating and phenotyping a mongenically sgregating F 6 RIL population, and it was temporarily designated YrSen2 . RILs carrying Yr29 , YrSen and YrSen2 in combination exhibited responses like the parent Sentinel. Based on a comparison of the genomic locations and resistance expression with stripe rust resistance genes previously located in their respective chromosomes, QYr.sun-2AS ( YrSen2 ) and QYr.sun-3BS ( YrSen ) were concluded to represent new loci.

Key Message: Sr65 in chromosome 1A of Indian wheat landrace Hango-2 is a potentially useful all-stage resistance gene that currently protects wheat from stem rust in Australia, India, Africa and Europe. Stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), threatened global wheat production with the appearance of widely virulent races that included TTKSK and TTRTF. Indian landrace Hango-2 showed resistance to Pgt races in India and Australia. Screening of a Hango-2/Avocet 'S' (AvS) recombinant inbred line population identified two stem rust resistance genes, a novel gene (temporarily named as SrH2) from Hango-2 and Sr26 from AvS. A mapping population segregating for SrH2 alone was developed from two recombinant lines. SrH2 was mapped on the short arm of chromosome 1A, where it was flanked by KASP markers KASP_7944 (proximal) and KASP_12147 (distal). SrH2 was delimited to an interval of 1.8-2.3 Mb on chromosome arm 1AS. The failure to detect candidate genes through MutRenSeq and comparative genomic analysis with the pan-genome dataset indicated the necessity to generate a Hango-2 specific assembly for detecting the gene sequence linked with SrH2 resistance. MutRenSeq however enabled identification of SrH2-linked KASP marker sunCS_265. Markers KASP_12147 and sunCS_265 showed 92% and 85% polymorphism among an Australian cereal cultivar diversity panel and can be used for marker-assisted selection of SrH2 in breeding programs. The effectiveness of SrH2 against Pgt races from Europe, Africa, India, and Australia makes it a valuable resource for breeding stem rust-resistant wheat cultivars. Since no wheat-derived gene was previously located in chromosome arm 1AS, SrH2 represents a new locus and named as SR65., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), poses a threat to global wheat production. Deployment of widely effective resistance genes underpins management of this ongoing threat. This study focused on the mapping of stripe rust resistance gene YR63 from a Portuguese hexaploid wheat landrace AUS27955 of the Watkins Collection., Results: YR63 exhibits resistance to a broad spectrum of Pst races from Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and South America. It was mapped to the short arm of chromosome 7B, between two single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers sunCS_YR63 and sunCS_67, positioned at 0.8 and 3.7 Mb, respectively, in the Chinese Spring genome assembly v2.1. We characterised YR63 locus using an integrated approach engaging targeted genotyping-by-sequencing (tGBS), mutagenesis, resistance gene enrichment and sequencing (MutRenSeq), RNA sequencing (RNASeq) and comparative genomic analysis with tetraploid (Zavitan and Svevo) and hexaploid (Chinese Spring) wheat genome references and 10+ hexaploid wheat genomes. YR63 is positioned at a hot spot enriched with multiple nucleotide-binding and leucine rich repeat (NLR) and kinase domain encoding genes, known widely for defence against pests and diseases in plants and animals. Detection of YR63 within these gene clusters is not possible through short-read sequencing due to high homology between members. However, using the sequence of a NLR member we were successful in detecting a closely linked SNP marker for YR63 and validated on a panel of Australian bread wheat, durum and triticale cultivars., Conclusions: This study highlights YR63 as a valuable source for resistance against Pst in Australia and elsewhere. The closely linked SNP marker will facilitate rapid introgression of YR63 into elite cultivars through marker-assisted selection. The bottleneck of this study reinforces the necessity for a long-read sequencing such as PacBio or Oxford Nanopore based techniques for accurate detection of the underlying resistance gene when it is part of a large gene cluster., (© 2023. Crown.)

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst ), is among the major threats to global wheat production. The common wheat landraces AUS27506 and AUS27894 displayed stripe rust resistance against several commercially prevailing Pst pathotypes. These genotypes were crossed with a stripe-rust-susceptible landrace AUS27229 to understand the inheritance of resistance and to determine the genomic location(s) of underlying gene(s). F 3 generations of crosses AUS27506/AUS27229 and AUS27894/AUS27229 showed monogenic segregation for stripe rust resistance under greenhouse conditions. The absence of segregation for stripe rust response among the AUS27506/AUS27894-derived F 3 population suggested that both genotypes carry the same gene. The stripe rust resistance gene carried by AUS27506 and AUS27894 was tentatively named YrAW4 . A bulked segregant analysis placed YrAW4 in the long arm of chromosome 2B. The AUS27506/AUS27229 F 3 population was enhanced to develop an F 6 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population for detailed mapping of chromosome 2BL. DArT-based SSR, STS and SNP markers were employed to enrich the 2BL map. DArT-based STS markers sun481 and SNP marker IWB12294 flanked YrAW4 proximally (1.8 cM) and distally (1.2 cM), respectively. Deletion mapping placed sun481 in the deletion bin 2BL-5. All stripe rust resistance genes, previously located on chromosome 2BL, neither express an infection type like YrAW4 , nor are they mapped in the deletion bin 2BL-5. Hence, YrAW4 represented a new locus and was formally named Yr72 . The usefulness of the markers IWB12294 and sun481 in marker-assisted selection was demonstrated by the amplification of alleles that are different to that linked with Yr72 in 19 common wheat and two durum wheat cultivars.

Background Menarche is an important event in a female's reproductive health. However, the age at menarche is variable and has implications on the future health of the girl. The purpose of this study was to estimate the mean age at menarche of North Indian adolescent girls and its association with the Tanner stage and to study the trend of menarcheal age in India in the 21st century. Materials & methods A longitudinal descriptive study was conducted on 470 healthy girls aged nine to 16 years in expectant menarche (Tanner stage II). They were followed for six months to check for the attainment of menarche. Those who achieved menarche were grouped in Group I and the rest in Group II. The data were analyzed using the independent t-test. Results Menarche was achieved by 263 girls in the six-month follow-up period. The mean (SD) age of menarche was 13.13 (1.23) years. Group I girls were mostly in Tanner stage IV and above. Group II girls had a mean (SD) age of 11.53 (1.1) years and were mostly in Tanner stage III or below. The estimated decline in the age of menarche in the 21st century was about 0.41 years per decade. Conclusion The girls who achieved menarche had a significantly higher age and Tanner stage of sexual maturity than girls who did not achieve menarche in the study period. Tanner stage is a better measure to estimate the pubertal onset than age. The studies on the age of menarche in the current century reveal that the declining trend in the menarcheal age is continuing in India., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Bajpai et al.)

Targeted exome-based genotype by sequencing (t-GBS), a sequencing technology that tags SNPs and haplotypes in gene-rich regions was used in previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for sodicity tolerance in bread wheat. Thirty-nine novel SNPs including 18 haplotypes for yield and yield-components were identified. The present study aimed at developing SNP-derived markers by precisely locating new SNPs on ~180 bp allelic sequence of t-GBS, marker validation, and SNP functional characterization based on its exonic location. We identified unknown locations of significant SNPs/haplotypes by aligning allelic sequences on to IWGSC RefSeqv1.0 on respective chromosomes. Eighteen out of the target 39 SNP locations fulfilled the criteria for producing PCR markers, among which only eight produced polymorphic signals. These eight markers associated with yield, plants m -2 , heads m -2 , and harvest index, including a pleiotropic marker for yield, harvest index, and grains/head were validated for its amplification efficiency and phenotypic effects in focused identification germplasm strategy (FIGS) wheat set and a doubled haploid (DH) population (Scepter/IG107116). The phenotypic variation explained by these markers are in the range of 4.1-37.6 in the FIGS population. High throughput PCR-based genotyping using new markers and association with phenotypes in FIGS wheat set and DH population validated the effect of functional SNP on closely associated genes-calcineurin B-like- and dirigent protein, basic helix-loop-helix (BHLH-), plant homeodomain (PHD-) and helix-turn-helix myeloblastosis (HTH myb) type -transcription factor. Further, genome-wide SNP annotation using SnpEff tool confirmed that these SNPs are in gene regulatory regions (upstream, 3'-UTR, and intron) modifying gene expression and protein-coding. This integrated approach of marker design for t-GBS alleles, SNP functional annotation, and high-throughput genotyping of functional SNP offers translation solutions across crops and complex traits in crop improvement programs., Competing Interests: The Authors did not report any conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Plant Direct published by American Society of Plant Biologists and the Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Situation awareness (SA) training is a vital part of healthcare training, and opportunities to provide SA training to healthcare workers are limited in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to analyze undergraduate medical and nursing students' perception of their understanding of SA through an interprofessional obstetric neonatal emergency simulation workshop (ONE-Sim) and subsequently evaluate their perceived changes in SA understanding using the Endsley model ( Hum Factors 1995;37(1):32-64)., Methods: Feedback on SA before and after the workshop was collected through questionnaire-based surveys. Thematic analysis was performed, with themes emerging from an inductive analysis followed by a deductive analysis using the Endsley model., Results: The themes emerging from the inductive analysis included environmental awareness, evolving knowledge, skill development, and applicability to practice. These aligned with the 3 levels of SA in the Endsley model in the deductive analysis suggesting that participants transformed their perception, comprehension, and projection of SA after the workshop., Conclusion: Simulation-based education enhanced SA perception in obstetric and neonatal emergencies for medical and nursing students in a low- and middle-income country, and the Endsley model is a feasible framework to measure learner perceived changes in SA understanding through simulation-based education., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Society for Simulation in Healthcare.)

Background One or more of the following five amenities is lacking in slum communities: durable housing, sufficient living area, access to clean water, access to improved sanitation facilities, and secure tenure. This study aimed to identify the gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in the urban slums of Lucknow. Methodology A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among families residing in the urban slums of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India for 18 months starting from April 2020. Results A total of 747 heads of families were interviewed and their families were surveyed. The proportion of kaccha slums was 37.25% and of pakka slums was 62.74%. About 98.3% of families residing in kaccha slums used indiscriminate throwing as a method of solid waste disposal. About 96.5% of families residing in kaccha slums practiced open-field defecation while those residing in pakka slums used a toilet within the premises. Kaccha slum dwellers were practicing open-field defecation 12.8 times more than pakka slum dwellers. This study showed that sanitary conditions in kaccha slums were mainly responsible for the overall burden of excreta disposal, solid waste disposal, and access to water supply for drinking and other household purposes. Conclusions Water supply and housing conditions such as dampness, floor, and the non-availability of electricity are the primary predictors of the preference for open-field defecation among slum dwellers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Gupta et al.)

Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

The Ug99-effective stem rust resistance gene Sr48 was mapped to chromosome 2A based on its repulsion linkage with Yr1 in an Arina/Forno recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Attempts to identify markers closely linked to Sr48 using available genomic resources were futile. This study used an Arina/Cezanne F 5:7 RIL population to identify markers closely linked with Sr48 . Using the Arina/Cezanne DArTseq map, Sr48 was mapped on the short arm of chromosome 2D and it co-segregated with 12 markers. These DArTseq marker sequences were used for BlastN search to identify corresponding wheat chromosome survey sequence (CSS) contigs, and PCR-based markers were developed. Two simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, sun590 and sun592 , and two Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) markers were derived from the contig 2DS_5324961 that mapped distal to Sr48 . Molecular cytogenetic analysis using sequential fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) identified a terminal translocation of chromosome 2A in chromosome 2DL of Forno. This translocation would have led to the formation of a quadrivalent involving chromosomes 2A and 2D in the Arina/Forno population, which would have exhibited pseudo-linkage between Sr48 and Yr1 in chromosome 2AL. Polymorphism of the closet marker sunKASP_239 among a set of 178 wheat genotypes suggested that this marker can be used for marker-assisted selection of Sr48 .

Rust diseases are among the major constraints for wheat production worldwide due to the emergence and spread of highly destructive races of Puccinia . The most common approach to minimize yield losses due to rust is to use cultivars that are genetically resistant. Modern wheat cultivars, landraces, and wild relatives can contain undiscovered resistance genes, which typically encode kinase or nucleotide-binding site leucine rich repeat (NLR) domain containing receptor proteins. Recent research has shown that these genes can provide either resistance in all growth stages (all-stage resistance; ASR) or specially in later growth stages (adult-plant resistance; APR). ASR genes are pathogen and race-specific, meaning can function against selected races of the Puccinia fungus due to the necessity to recognize specific avirulence molecules in the pathogen. APR genes are either pathogen-specific or multipathogen resistant but often race-nonspecific. Prediction of resistance genes through rust infection screening alone remains complex when more than one resistance gene is present. However, breakthroughs during the past half century such as the single-nucleotide polymorphism-based genotyping techniques and resistance gene isolation strategies like mutagenesis, resistance gene enrichment, and sequencing (MutRenSeq), mutagenesis and chromosome sequencing (MutChromSeq), and association genetics combined with RenSeq (AgRenSeq) enables rapid transfer of resistance from source to modern cultivars. There is a strong need for combining multiple genes for better efficacy and longer-lasting resistance. Hence, techniques like gene cassette creation speeds up the gene combination process, but their widespread adoption and commercial use is limited due to their transgenic nature., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Modern head and neck surgery is characterized by its emphasis on three important objectives of reconstructive and rehabilitative procedures-cosmesis, function and coverage of vital structures. Reconstruction with free flaps is a necessity when the defects become too large for more simple reconstruction options such as skin grafting and local flaps. The medial sural artery perforator flap (MSAPF) is a thin flap with a long pedicle. It has tremendous potential for applications in small-to-moderate soft tissue defects. Furthermore, chimeric MSAPF includes a skin paddle and a separated piece of medial gastrocnemius muscle, allows more freedom for flap insetting especially in 3-D reconstruction., Purpose: The aim was to study the assessment of feasibility of MSAPF for head and neck reconstruction., Method: Prospective case study from January 2019 to December 2019 was carried out in oral cancer patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, buccal mucosa and floor of the mouth which was reconstructed using MSAPF after oncologic resection., Results: We reconstructed 20 patients using MSAPF. It was designed according to the size and site of the defect. Donor site was primarily closed in all cases. Great results were obtained. Out of 20 MSAP, 19 flaps survived. Flap failed in one case due to venous thrombosis. The thickness of the flap ranged from 4-9 mm, pedicle length ranged from 8-13mm, number of perforators ranged from 1-2, arterial diameter ranged from 1.5-2 mm and venous diameter ranged from 1-3mm., Conclusion: MSAPF is a good alternative for head and neck reconstruction with the advantages of thin and pliable skin, a long and reliable vascular pedicle, straightforward intramuscular dissection, the possibility of chimeric flap design and minimal donor site morbidity., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Objective: The clinical grading system for varicoceles is subjective and dependent on clinician experience. Color Doppler ultrasound (US) has not been standardized in the diagnosis of varicoceles. We aimed to determine if US measurement of varicocele could be predictive of World Health Organization (WHO) varicocele grade., Methods: Men who presented for either scrotal pain or infertility to a tertiary men's health clinic underwent physical examination, and varicoceles were graded following WHO criteria (0=subclinical, 1, 2, 3). US was used to measure largest venous diameter in the pampiniform plexus bilaterally at rest and during Valsalva maneuver. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was used to determine if resting diameter, diameter during Valsalva, or change in diameter between at rest and during Valsalva provided the highest sensitivity and specificity for determining clinical grade. Threshold values for diameter were determined from these receiver operator characteristic curves., Results: A total of 102 men (50 with clinical varicocele and 52 with subclinical varicocele) were included. Diameter at rest was the best ultrasonographic discriminator between subclinical and clinical varicoceles (area under the curve [AUC]=0.67) with a diameter threshold of 3.0 mm (sensitivity 79%, specificity 42%). Diameter during Valsalva had the greatest AUC for determining clinical Grades 1 versus 2 (AUC=0.57) with diameter threshold of 5.7 mm (sensitivity 71%, specificity 33%). For differentiating between Grades 2 and 3, diameter at rest had the greatest AUC of 0.65 with a threshold of 3.6 mm (sensitivity 71%, specificity 58%)., Conclusion: Our results corroborate other studies that have shown a weak correlation between US and clinical grading. The use of diameter during Valsalva was less predictive than diameter at rest and was only clinically significant in differentiating between Grade 1 and 2 varicocele. A standardized method for determining clinically relevant varicoceles on US would allow for improved patient counseling and clinical decision-making., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 Editorial Office of Asian Journal of Urology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

In this work, a simple rectangular milling technique was demonstrated to prepare needle shape atom probe tomography (APT) specimens from Al alloys by focused-ion-beam (FIB) milling using Ga + ions at room temperature. Ga has high miscibility in Al owing to which electropolishing technique is preferred over Ga + ion FIB instruments for the fabrication of APT specimens. Although, site specific sample preparation is not possible by the electropolishing technique. This led to the motivation to demonstrate a new rectangular milling technique using Ga + FIB instrument that resulted a significant reduction of Ga + ion impregnation into the specimens. This is attributed to the reduction of milling time (<30 s at 30 kV acceleration voltage) and the use of lower currents (<0.3 nA) compared to the conventional annular milling method. The yield of specimens during field evaporation in APT was also significantly increased from around 8 million ions to more than 86 million ions due to the avoidance of Ga + ion embrittlement. Therefore, the currently demonstrated rectangular milling technique can be used to prepare APT specimens from Al-alloys and obtained accurate compositions of matrix, phases, and hetero-phase interfaces with Ga < 0.1 at%. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Feasibility of using Ga + ions for the preparation of needle shaped specimens at room temperature from aluminum alloys. Demonstration of using a rectangular milling technique instead of annular milling technique that led to a significant reduction in impregnation of Ga + ions into the specimen needles. Due to very low Ga + ion damage, the yield of the APT data increased by 10-12 times., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: We transitioned our obstetric neonatal emergency simulation (ONE-Sim) workshops to an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we evaluated key learning acquired by undergraduate medical and nursing students attending the online ONE-Sim workshops from a low- and middle-income country (LMIC)., Methods: Student perception of online workshops was collected using electronic questionnaires. Data was analysed using thematic analysis by employing the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework., Results: One hundred sixty medical and nursing students who attended the online ONE-Sim workshops completed the questionnaires. There was evidence in the data to support all three aspects of the CoI framework-social, cognitive and teacher presence., Conclusions: The use of the CoI framework helped to describe key learning from online interprofessional simulation workshops conducted for a LMIC., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Several techniques have been described for placement of inflatable penile prostheses (IPP) reservoirs, with variable satisfaction. Standard placement in the Space of Retzius can present with several complications and may be technically difficult in patients with a violated space. Concerns with ectopic reservoir placement have included reservoir herniation and lack of reservoir concealability., Aim: To present a novel technique to achieve reservoir concealment with decreased postoperative complications as an alternative to standard approaches of ectopic reservoir placement., Methods: We describe our novel low submuscular reservoir (LSM) placement with transfascial fixation (TFF) for inflatable penile prostheses., Outcomes: Patient satisfaction with reservoir concealment, complication rate or need for additional surgeries., Results: A total of 31 cases successfully underwent our technique. The low submuscular placement with TFF of the IPP reservoir offers an optimal approach for reservoir placement with a high degree of patient satisfaction with significant ease of placement compared to alternative methods., Clinical Implications: Penile prosthetic surgeons should be familiar with several techniques for concealment of reservoir as an option to improve patient satisfaction., Strengths and Limitations: Given the small sample size of patients who have undergone this novel technique, current literature regarding the topic is limited., Conclusion: Low submuscular reservoir placement with transfascial fixation for IPPs is a technically feasible approach that can be employed to achieve patient satisfaction and decrease the risk of reservoir herniation. Khoei A, Racik N, Bansal U, et al. The Low Submuscular Reservoir Placement With Transfascial Fixation for Inflatable Penile Prostheses. J Sex Med 2022;19:1309-1312., (Copyright © 2022 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Key Message: Adult plant stem rust resistance locus, QSrGH.cs-2AL, was identified in durum wheat Glossy Huguenot and mendelised as Sr63. Markers closely linked with Sr63 were developed. An F 3 population from a Glossy Huguenot (GH)/Bansi cross used in a previous Australian study was advanced to F 6 for molecular mapping of adult plant stem rust resistance. Maturity differences among F 6 lines confounded assessments of stem rust response. GH was crossed with a stem rust susceptible F 6 recombinant inbred line (RIL), GHB14 (M14), with similar maturity and an F 6:7 population was developed through single seed descent method. F 7 and F 8 RILs were tested along with the parents at different locations. The F 6 individual plants and both parents were genotyped using the 90 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) wheat array. Stem rust resistance QTL on the long arms of chromosomes 1B (QSrGH.cs-1BL) and 2A (QSrGH.cs-2AL) were detected. QSrGH.cs-1BL and QSrGH.cs-2AL were both contributed by GH and explained 22% and 18% adult plant stem rust response variation, respectively, among GH/M14 RIL population. RILs carrying combinations of these QTL reduced more than 14% stem rust severity compared to those that possessed QSrGH.cs-1BL and QSrGH.cs-2AL individually. QSrGH.cs1BL was demonstrated to be the same as Sr58/Lr46/Yr29/Pm39 through marker genotyping. Lines lacking QSrGH.cs-1BL were used to Mendelise QSrGH.cs-2AL. Based on genomic locations of previously catalogued stem rust resistance genes and the QSrGH.cs-2AL map, it appeared to represent a new APR locus and was permanently named Sr63. SNP markers associated with Sr63 were converted to kompetetive allele-specific PCR (KASP) assays and were validated on a set of durum cultivars., (© 2022. Crown.)

Key Message: New genomic regions for high accumulation of 10 minerals were identified. The 1B:1R and 2NS translocations enhanced concentrations of four and two minerals, respectively, in addition to disease resistance. Puccinia species, the causal agents of rust diseases of wheat, have the potential to cause total crop failures due their high evolutionary ability to acquire virulence for resistance genes deployed in commercial cultivars. Hence, the discovery of genetically diverse sources of rust resistance is essential. On the other hand, biofortification of wheat for essential nutrients, such as zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), is also an objective in wheat improvement programs to tackle micronutrient deficiency. The development of rust-resistant and nutrient-concentrated wheat cultivars would be important for sustainable production and the fight against malnutrition. The HarvestPlus association mapping panel (HPAMP) that included nutrient-dense sources from diverse genetic backgrounds was genotyped using a 90 K Infinium SNP array and 13 markers linked with rust resistance genes. The HPAMP was used for genome-wide association mapping to identify genomic regions underpinning rust resistance and mineral accumulation. Twelve QTL for rust resistance and 53 for concentrations of 10 minerals were identified. Comparison of results from this study with the published QTL information revealed the detection of already known and some putatively new genes/QTL underpinning stripe rust and leaf rust resistance in this panel. Thirty-six new QTL for mineral concentration were identified on 17 chromosomes. Accessions carrying the 1B:1R translocation accumulated higher concentrations of Zn, Fe, Copper (Cu) and sulphur (S). The 2NS segment showed enhanced accumulation of grain Fe and Cu. Fifteen rust-resistant and biofortified accessions were identified for use as donor sources in breeding programs., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In the pandemic of COVID-19, it is crucial to consider the hygiene of the edible and nonedible things as it could be dangerous for our health to consume infected things. Furthermore, everything cannot be boiled before eating as it can destroy fruits and essential minerals and proteins. So, there is a dire need for a smart device that could sanitize edible items. The Germicidal Ultraviolet C (UVC) has proved the capabilities of destroying viruses and pathogens found on the surface of any objects. Although, a few minutes exposure to the UVC can destroy or inactivate the viruses and the pathogens, few doses of UVC light may damage the proteins of edible items and can affect the fruits and vegetables. To this end, we have proposed a novel design of a device that is employed with Artificial Intelligence along with UVC to auto detect the edible items and act accordingly. This causes limited UVC doses to be applied on different items as detected by proposed model according to their permissible limit. Additionally, the device is employed with a smart architecture which leads to consistent distribution of UVC light on the complete surface of the edible items. This results in saving the health as well as nutrition of edible items., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kumar, Bansal, Alroobaea, Baqasah and Hedabou.)

Aiming to increase the shelf life of food, researchers are moving toward new methodologies to maintain the quality of food as food grains are susceptible to spoilage due to precipitation, humidity, temperature, and a variety of other influences. As a result, efficient food spoilage tracking schemes are required to sustain food quality levels. We have designed a prototype to track food quality and to manage storage systems at home. Initially, we have employed a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model to detect the type of fruit and veggies. Then the proposed system monitors the gas emission level, humidity level, and temperature of fruits and veggies by using sensors and actuators to check the food spoilage level. This would additionally control the environment and avoid food spoilage wherever possible. Additionally, the food spoilage level is informed to the customer by an alert message sent to their registered mobile numbers based on the freshness and condition of the food. The model employed proved to have an accuracy rate of 95%. Finally, the experiment is successful in increasing the shelf life of some categories of food by 2 days., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Sonwani, Bansal, Alroobaea, Baqasah and Hedabou.)

Aim: Latitudinal gradients in life-history traits are apparent in many taxa and are expected to be strong for ectotherms that have temperature-driven constraints on performance and fitness. The strength of these gradients, however, should also be affected by diet. Because diet type (carnivory, omnivory, herbivory) influences accessibility to nutrition and assimilation efficiency, we aim to study how diet affects latitudinal gradients in lifetime reproductive output and the underlying life-history traits in ectotherms., Location: Global., Time Period: Recent., Major Taxa Studied: Lizards (Reptilia, Squamata, Sauria)., Methods: We used empirical (352 species) and phylogenetically imputed data (563 species) to analyse the interactive effects of latitude and diet on life-history traits (longevity, age at maturity, reproductive life span, hatchling mass, clutch/brood size, clutch/brood frequency, female mass) and lifetime reproductive output of lizards., Results: Lifetime reproductive output does not significantly differ in lizards across diet types, and only carnivores exhibit a small increase at higher latitudes. Diet type, however, influences latitudinal patterns of individual life-history traits. Carnivores exhibit a shift towards 'slower-paced' life histories at higher latitudes for most traits (increased longevity, age at maturity, reproductive life span, and decreased clutch frequency). By contrast, herbivores either display 'faster-paced' life histories (reduction in reproductive life span, hatchling mass, female mass) or no change (clutch frequency, clutch size, age at maturity) at higher latitudes. Omnivores exhibit intermediate and muted latitudinal patterns., Main Conclusions: We suggest that the nutritional challenges of herbivory, compounded by thermal constraints at higher latitudes, may explain differences in life-history characteristics of herbivorous ectotherms. Intermediate patterns exhibited by omnivores highlight how flexibility in diet can buffer environmental challenges at higher latitudes. Our results indicate that lizards with different diet types display various trends in their life histories across latitudes, which eventually balance out to result in similar reproductive outputs throughout their lifetime, with little benefits to carnivory., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The deployment of combinations of resistance genes in future wheat cultivars can save yield losses caused by the stripe rust pathogen ( Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ; Pst). This relies on the availability and identification of genetically diverse sources of resistance. A Tunisian landrace Aus26670 displayed high level of stripe rust resistance against Australian Pst pathotypes. This landrace was crossed with a susceptible line Avocet 'S' (AvS) to generate 123 F 7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). The Aus26670/AvS RIL population was evaluated against three Pst pathotypes individually in greenhouse and against mixture of Pst pathotypes under field conditions for three consecutive years. Genetic analysis of the seedling stripe rust response variation data indicated the presence of an all-stage resistance (ASR) gene, and it was named YrAW12 . This gene is effective against Australian Pst pathotypes 110 E143A + and 134 E16A + Yr17 + Yr27 + and is ineffective against the pathotype 239 E237A-Yr17 + Yr33 + . The RIL population was genotyped using the targeted genotyping-by-sequencing (tGBS) assay. YrAW12 was mapped in the 754.9-763.9 Mb region of the physical map of Chinese Spring and was concluded to be previously identified stripe rust resistance gene Yr72 . QTL analysis suggested the involvement of four genomic regions which were named: QYr.sun-1BL/Yr29 , QYr.sun-5AL, QYr.sun-5BL and QYr.sun-6DS , in controlling stripe rust resistance in Aus26670. Comparison of genomic regions detected in this study with previously reported QTL indicated the uniqueness of QYr.sun-5AL (654.5 Mb) and QYr.sun-6DS (1.4 Mb). Detailed mapping of these genomic regions will lead to permanent designation of these loci., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-021-01248-7., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no competing interests., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2021.)

Key Message: An adult plant stripe rust resistance gene Yr75 was located on the long arm of chromosome 7A. Fine mapping of the region identified markers closely linked with Yr75. Australian wheat cultivar Axe produced resistant to moderately resistant stripe rust responses under field conditions and was exhibiting seedling responses varying from 33C to 3+ under greenhouse conditions. Experiments covering tests at different growth stages (2nd, 3rd and 4th leaf stages) demonstrated the clear expression of resistance at the 4th leaf stage under controlled-environment greenhouse conditions. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was developed from the Axe/Nyabing-3 (Nyb) cross. Genetic analysis of Axe/Nyb RIL population in the greenhouse at the 4th leaf stage showed monogenic inheritance of stripe rust resistance. Selective genotyping using the iSelect 90 K Infinium SNP genotyping array was performed, and the resistance locus was mapped to the long arm of chromosome 7A and named Yr75. The Axe/Nyb RIL population was genotyped using a targeted genotype-by-sequencing assay, and the resistance-linked SNPs were converted into kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers. These markers were tested on the entire Axe/Nyb RIL population, and markers sunKASP&#95;430 and sunKASP&#95;427 showed close association with Yr75 in the Axe/Nyb RIL population. A high-resolution mapping family of 1032 F 2 plants from the Axe/Nyb cross was developed and genotyped with sunKASP&#95;430 and sunKASP&#95;427, and these markers flanked Yr75 at 0.3 cM and 0.4 cM, respectively. These markers cover 1.24 Mb of the physical map of Chinese Spring, and this information will be useful for map-based cloning of Yr75.

Stripe rust and leaf rust are among the most devastating diseases of wheat, limiting its production globally. Wheat wild relatives harbour genetic diversity for new genes and alleles for all major wheat diseases. However, the use of this genetic variation from wild progenitor and non-progenitor species has been limited in the breeding programs. Reasons include limited recombination of donor and recipient genomes and the lack of tertiary gene pool markers. Here, we describe the development of a SNP based marker from the flow-sorted and sequenced Aegilops umbellulata chromosome 5U which can be used for marker assisted selection of four pair of alien leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes. Lr57-Yr40&#95;CAPS16 marker was reported earlier to be linked with alien leaf and stripe rust resistance genes introgressed on wheat chromosome 5DS. Due to its dominant nature and laborious to work with, a new SNP-based KASP marker, XTa5DS-2754099&#95;kasp23, was developed from the same CAPS marker contig. XTa5DS-2754099&#95;kasp23 was tested in Aegilops umbellulata, Ae. geniculata, Ae. peregrina and Ae. caudata derived alien introgression lines, which harbour four pairs of linked leaf and stripe rust genes; Lr76-Yr70, Lr57-Yr40, LrP- YrP, LrAc-YrAc, respectively. This KASP marker was found to be effective for the selection of the aforesaid four pairs of leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes. Further, we tested and validated XTa5DS-2754099&#95;kasp23 on commercial varieties and advanced breeding lines from four countries (India, Egypt, Australia and UK) including hexaploid and durum wheat. Our results provide evidence that KASP marker, XTa5DS-2754099&#95;kasp23 can be used in marker-assisted selection of the four pairs of rust resistance alien genes in wheat breeding programmes., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The pathogen Uromyces viciae-fabae causes rust (a fungal disease) on faba bean ( Vicia faba ). This disease limits faba bean production in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia. The development of resistant cultivars to U. viciae-fabae is the optimal solution for sustainable disease management. However, unknown virulence in Australian U. viciae-fabae populations has confounded resistance breeding. This study examined differences in virulence among Australian U. viciae-fabae isolates collected from various locations and established a differential set of faba bean genotypes. Ten rust isolates were collected from the major faba bean growing regions in Australia and single spore cultures produced. These cultures were subsequently used for assessing virulence on 40 diverse faba bean genotypes. Based on the host-pathogen interactions, 12 putative host genotypes were identified as a differential set. A nomenclature system was subsequently developed using the binary pathotype naming system. Based upon host-pathogen interactions, nine virulence patterns were detected, and the isolates were named using the new nomenclature. We report characterization and naming of U. viciae-fabae pathotypes using differential genotypes in Australia. This differential set will help identify and track the evolution of new virulence in pathogen population and will assist pyramiding of rust resistance genes.

We conducted this online survey to assess the parental perspectives on remote learning, the associated stress, and school reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 2694 responses, 2032 (75.4%) parents perceived remote learning to be stressful for the child and 1902 (70.6%) for the family. The mean (SD) duration of remote learning was 3.2 (2.1) hours/day and 5.3 (1.0) days/week. Parents from 1637 (61.7%) families reported headaches and eye strain in children. Starting regular school was not acceptable to 1946 (72.2%) parents.

Justification: With the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant school closure, children all over the country are undergoing a lot of educational, psychosocial, and physical problems. There is an urgent and deep felt need to offer scientific and concrete guidance for these concerns and support children in their educational development during these testing times., Objective: To review the guidelines and recommendations given by various international agencies and formulate guidelines in the Indian context on (a) how and when to reopen the schools; (b) ways and means of remote learning; and (c) to identify the contents of curriculum that need restructuring in context of the current situation., Process: Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) formed a task force of pediatricians, educationists and technological experts who connected through various video and social platforms. They gathered and exchanged information and thoughts. The writing committee drafted the guidelines and got approval of all the members of the task force., Recommendations: Schools can be reopened only when the local epidemiological parameters are favorable, the administration is equipped with adequate infrastructure and health care facilities, and the stakeholders (teachers, students, parents, and support staff) are prepared for the new normal. In the meanwhile, remote learning (media-based and /or otherwise) should reach to the last student to maintain uninterrupted education. The curriculum needs to be revised, with focus on revision and core contents. Informal learning of psychosocial empowerment and daily living skills should be encouraged rather than stressful formal learning.

Key Message: A stripe rust resistance QTL in durum wheat maps near the bread wheat Yr80 locus with the latter reduced to 15 candidate genes. Some wheat adult plant resistance (APR) genes provide partial resistance in the later stages of plant development to rust diseases and are an important component in protecting wheat crops from these fungal pathogens. These genes provide protection in both bread wheat and durum wheat. Here, we have mapped APR to wheat stripe rust, caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, in a cross between durum cultivars Stewart and Bansi. Two resistance QTLs derived from the Stewart parent were identified in multi-generational field trials. One QTL is located on chromosome 1BL and maps to the previously identified Yr29/Lr46/Sr58/Pm39 multi-pathogen APR locus. The second locus, located on chromosome 3BL, maps near the recently described bread wheat APR gene, Yr80. Fine mapping in durum and bread wheat families shows that the durum 3BL locus and Yr80 are closely located, with the later APR gene reduced to 15 candidate genes present in the Chinese Spring genome sequence. Distorted segregation of the durum 3BL region was observed with the Stewart locus preferentially transmitted through pollen when compared with the equivalent Bansi region.

When individuals breed more than once, parents are faced with the choice of whether to re-mate with their old partner or divorce and select a new mate. Evolutionary theory predicts that, following successful reproduction with a given partner, that partner should be retained for future reproduction. However, recent work in a polygamous bird, has instead indicated that successful parents divorced more often than failed breeders (Halimubieke et al. in Ecol Evol 9:10734-10745, 2019), because one parent can benefit by mating with a new partner and reproducing shortly after divorce. Here we investigate whether successful breeding predicts divorce using data from 14 well-monitored populations of plovers (Charadrius spp.). We show that successful nesting leads to divorce, whereas nest failure leads to retention of the mate for follow-up breeding. Plovers that divorced their partners and simultaneously deserted their broods produced more offspring within a season than parents that retained their mate. Our work provides a counterpoint to theoretical expectations that divorce is triggered by low reproductive success, and supports adaptive explanations of divorce as a strategy to improve individual reproductive success. In addition, we show that temperature may modulate these costs and benefits, and contribute to dynamic variation in patterns of divorce across plover breeding systems.

We utilized 2300 wheat accessions including worldwide landraces, cultivars and primary synthetic-derived germplasm with three Australian cultivars: Annuello, Yitpi and Correll, to investigate field-based resistance to leaf (Lr) rust, stem (Sr) rust and stripe (Yr) rust diseases across a range of Australian wheat agri-production zones. Generally, the resistance in the modern Australian cultivars, synthetic derivatives, South and North American materials outperformed other geographical subpopulations. Different environments for each trait showed significant correlations, with average r values of 0.53, 0.23 and 0.66 for Lr, Sr and Yr, respectively. Single-trait genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed several environment-specific and multi-environment quantitative trait loci (QTL). Multi-trait GWAS confirmed a cluster of Yr QTL on chromosome 3B within a 4.4-cM region. Linkage disequilibrium and comparative mapping showed that at least three Yr QTL exist within the 3B cluster including the durable rust resistance gene Yr30. An Sr/Lr QTL on chromosome 3D was found mainly in the synthetic-derived germplasm from Annuello background which is known to carry the Agropyron elongatum 3D translocation involving the Sr24/Lr24 resistance locus. Interestingly, estimating the SNP effects using a BayesR method showed that the correlation among the highest 1% of QTL effects across environments (excluding GWAS QTL) had significant correlations, with average r values of 0.26, 0.16 and 0.55 for Lr, Sr and Yr, respectively. These results indicate the importance of small effect QTL in achieving durable rust resistance which can be captured using genomic selection.

Wild wheat species Aegilops peregrina (U p U p S p S p ), harbours resistance to various diseases including leaf rust and stripe rust. Inheritance studies in a recombinant inbred line population of wheat-Ae. peregrina introgression line IL pau16061 revealed the transfer of a single major dominant gene conditioning all stage resistance, herein temporarily designated as LrAp. Genomic in situ hybridisation of IL pau16061, resistant and susceptible RILs with U- and S-genome DNA probes confirmed that the introgression with leaf rust resistance is from the U p genome of Ae. peregrina. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation using chromosome specific probes identified U p genome introgression to be on the long arm of wheat chromosome 6B. To genetically map LrAp, bulked segregant analysis was combined with resistance gene enrichment sequencing (MapRenSeq). Five nucleotide binding leucine-rich repeat contigs distinguished resistant and susceptible bulks and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers from these contigs co-segregated with LrAp. All five RenSeq NB&#95;ARC contigs showed identity with the long arm of wheat chromosome 6B confirming the introgression on 6BL which we propose is a compensating translocation from Ae. peregrina chromosome 6U p L due to homoeology between the alien and wheat chromosomes. The SNP markers developed in this study will aid in cloning and marker assisted gene pyramiding of LrAp.