Genome-Wide Association Study and Genomic Selection for Proteinogenic Methionine in Soybean Seeds.

Soybean [] seeds have an amino acid profile that provides excellent viability as a food and feed protein source. However, low concentrations of an essential amino acid, methionine, limit the nutritional utility of soybean protein. The objectives of this study were to identify genomic associations and evaluate the potential for genomic selection (GS) for methionine content in soybean seeds.

Identification of fungi associated with soybeans and effective seed disinfection treatments.

Sprouts can be a vehicle for the transmission of several pathogens capable of causing human illness, and the potential source of contamination is seed used for sprouting. The limited information about seed-borne pathogens as well as their incidence on soybean seeds for soybean sprout industry led the objectives of this study that were to identify seed-borne pathogens on commercial sprout soybean seeds and to evaluate different decontamination treatments on disinfection effectiveness and sprout quality. Seeds of "MFS-561," a sprout soybean cultivar, from three production regions were used in this study.

Association of human beta-defensin-2 serum levels and sepsis in preterm neonates*.

Objectives: To determine human beta-defensin-2 levels in term and preterm neonates at birth and to evaluate its impact on sepsis.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Single tertiary care hospital.

Fernene triterpenoids from the lichen Pyxine berteriana.

Two new fernene triterpenoids, fern-9(11)-en-3,19-dione (1) and 3beta-acetoxyfern-9(11)-en-19-one (2), together with the known 3beta-acetoxyfern-9(11)-en-19beta-ol (3) and lichexanthone (4), have been isolated from the acetone extract of the lichen Pyxine berteriana. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of IR, extensive 1D and 2D NMR, and MS analyses. Although several fern-9(11)-enes have been isolated from lichens, compounds 1 and 2 are the first examples of naturally occurring fernene triterpenoids with a carbonyl function at C-19.