Dynamics of spatial and temporal population structure of Pyricularia oryzae in Taiwan.

Background: To gain a better understanding of how Pyricularia oryzae population shifts is important for selecting suitable resistance genes for rice breeding programs. However, the relationships between P. oryzae pathogenic dynamics, geographic distribution, rice varieties, and timeline are not well studied.

Identification of qBK2.1, a novel QTL controlling rice resistance against Fusarium fujikuroi.

Background: Bakanae disease caused by Fusarium fujikuroi is an increasing threat to rice production. The infected plants show symptoms such as elongation, slenderness, chlorosis, a large leaf angle, and even death. Bakanae disease is traditionally managed by seed treatment.

The Gene Confers Resistance against Brown Planthopper in Rice by Reducing the Production of Limonene.

Brown planthopper (BPH), a monophagous phloem feeder, consumes a large amount of photoassimilates in rice and causes wilting. A near-isogenic line ‘TNG71-Bph45’ was developed from the Oryza sativa japonica variety ‘Tainung 71 (TNG71) carrying a dominant BPH-resistance locus derived from Oryza nivara (IRGC 102165) near the centromere of chromosome 4. We compared the NIL (TNG71-Bph45) and the recurrent parent to explore how the Bph45 gene confers BPH resistance.

TEAD4 is a master regulator of high-risk nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The molecular basis underlying nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. Recent progress in transcriptional regulatory network analysis helps identify the master regulator (MR) proteins that transcriptionally define malignant tumor phenotypes. Here, we investigated transcription factor-target interactions and identified TEA domain transcription factor 4 (TEAD4) as an MR of high-risk NPC.

Uncovering the Genetic of Cadmium Accumulation in the Rice 3K Panel.

Because Cadmium (Cd) is harmful to humans, and most non-smokers are exposed to Cd mainly through rice consumption, low-Cd rice breeding is urgently needed. It might not be possible to apply variation created using gene editing technology to breeding directly, so it is important to explore genetic variation in this trait in a natural population. In this study, variation in 4 genes was identified among 3024 accessions from the International Rice Research Institute 3000 Rice Genome Project (IRRI 3K-RGP) and 71 other important varieties, and the relationships between the variants and plant Cd accumulation were validated with hydroponic and pot experiments.

Controlling the lodging risk of rice based on a plant height dynamic model.

Background: Rice is a key global food crop. Rice lodging causes a reduction in plant height and crop yield, and rice is prone to lodging in the late growth stage because of panicle initiation. We used two water irrigation modes and four fertilizer application intervals to investigate the relationship between lodging and various cultivation conditions over 2 years.

Insights into the genetic spatial structure of Nicaraguan weedy rice and control of its seed spread.

Background: The genetic backgrounds and occurrence patterns of weedy rice (WR, Oryza sativa) are highly diverse, and so are the challenges facing its control among countries. WR control is difficult because it is similar to cultivated rice and manual removal is one of the few options for control. Understanding the ecology of WR will aid efforts to break its life cycle and establish long-term management strategies under both irrigated and rainfed systems.

Assessment of Grain Harvest Moisture Content Using Machine Learning on Smartphone Images for Optimal Harvest Timing.

Grain moisture content (GMC) is a key indicator of the appropriate harvest period of rice. Conventional testing is time-consuming and laborious, thus not to be implemented over vast areas and to enable the estimation of future changes for revealing optimal harvesting. Images of single panicles were shot with smartphones and corrected using a spectral-geometric correction board.

Assessment of Rice Developmental Stage Using Time Series UAV Imagery for Variable Irrigation Management.

Rice is one of the three major crops in the world and is the major crop in Asia. Climate change and water resource shortages may result in decreases in rice yields and possible food shortage crises. In this study, water-saving farming management was tested, and IOT field water level monitoring was used to regulate water inflow automatically.

Transcriptome Analysis of Early Defenses in Rice against Fusarium fujikuroi.

Background: Bakanae is a seedborne disease caused by Fusarium fujikuroi. Rice seedlings emerging from infected seeds can show diverse symptoms such as elongated and slender stem and leaves, pale coloring, a large leaf angle, stunted growth and even death. Little is known about rice defense mechanisms at early stages of disease development.

Invasion and Colonization Pattern of in Rice.

Bakanae disease in rice can cause abnormal elongation of the stem and leaves, development of adventitious roots, a larger leaf angle, and even death. Little is known about the infection, colonization, and distribution of in rice plants across different growth stages. In this study, microscopic observation and quantitative real-time PCR were combined to investigate the pathogenesis of bakanae, using artificially inoculated seedlings of a susceptible rice cultivar, Zerawchanica karatals (ZK), a resistant cultivar, Tainung 67 (TNG67), naturally infected adult field plants (cultivars Kaohsiung 139, Taikeng 2, and Tainan 11), and an .

Genome-wide association mapping of gene loci affecting disease resistance in the rice-Fusarium fujikuroi pathosystem.

Background: Rice bakanae disease has emerged as a new threat to rice production. In recent years, an increase in the occurrence and severity of bakanae disease has been reported in several areas in Asia. Although bakanae disease affects rice yield and quality, little is known about the genetics of bakanae resistance in rice.

Phylogenetic origin and dispersal pattern of Taiwan weedy rice.

Background: Knowledge of the genetic diversity and spatial structure of Taiwan weedy red rice (WRR) populations, which adapted in a transplanting system, will facilitate the design of effective methods to control this weed by tracing its origins and dispersal patterns in a given region.

Results: Taiwan WRR is genetically most similar to Taiwan indica cultivars and landraces according to genetic distance. The inbreeding coefficient of the Taiwan WRR population is greater than 0.

A Statistical Procedure for Genome-Wide Detection of QTL Hotspots Using Public Databases with Application to Rice.

Genome-wide detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) hotspots underlying variation in many molecular and phenotypic traits has been a key step in various biological studies since the QTL hotspots are highly informative and can be linked to the genes for the quantitative traits. Several statistical methods have been proposed to detect QTL hotspots. These hotspot detection methods rely heavily on permutation tests performed on summarized QTL data or individual-level data (with genotypes and phenotypes) from the genetical genomics experiments.

Effect of safflower injection on endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosts in rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Objective: To explore the effects of safflower injection on prevention and treatment of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and clarify the function of the endoplasmic reticulum stress apoptosis pathway during the process.

Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomly grouped as normal control group, hypoxia-hypercapnia group and hypoxia+safflower group. The latter two groups were put in the cabin with oxygen concentration ranged from 9% to 11% and carbon dioxide concentration from 5% to 6%.

Influence of baseline and worsening renal function on efficacy of spironolactone in patients With severe heart failure: insights from RALES (Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study).

Objectives: This study investigated the influence of baseline and worsening renal function (WRF) on the efficacy of spironolactone in patients with severe heart failure (HF).

Background: Renal dysfunction or decline in renal function is a known predictor of adverse outcome in patients with HF, and treatment decisions are often on the basis of measures of renal function.

Methods: We used data from the RALES (Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study) in 1,658 patients with New York Heart Association functional class III or IV HF and an ejection fraction <35%.

[Relationship between interleukin-6 gene-572C/G polymorphism and chronic periodontitis].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene -572C/G polymorphism and the risk of chronic periodontitis disease.

Methods: IL-6-572C/G genotype polymorphism was examined in 93 patients with chronic periodontitis and 96 control subjects by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.

Results: IL-6-572GG genotype and G allele were more frequent in chronic periodontitis patients than that in control subjects (P<0.