Conserved synteny-based anchoring of the barley genome physical map.

Gene order is largely collinear in the small-grained cereals, a feature which has proved helpful in both marker development and positional cloning. The accuracy of a virtual gene order map ("genome zipper") for barley (Hordeum vulgare), developed by combining a genetic map of this species with a large number of gene locations obtained from the maps constructed in other grass species, was evaluated here both at the genome-wide level and at the fine scale in a representative segment of the genome. Comparing the whole genome "genome zipper" maps with a genetic map developed by using transcript-derived markers, yielded an accuracy of >94 %.

Distribution, functional impact, and origin mechanisms of copy number variation in the barley genome.

Background: There is growing evidence for the prevalence of copy number variation (CNV) and its role in phenotypic variation in many eukaryotic species. Here we use array comparative genomic hybridization to explore the extent of this type of structural variation in domesticated barley cultivars and wild barleys.

Results: A collection of 14 barley genotypes including eight cultivars and six wild barleys were used for comparative genomic hybridization.

Does social support really help to eat a low-fat diet? Main effects and gender differences of received social support within the Health Action Process Approach.

Background: Most theories of health-behavior change focus exclusively on individual self-regulation without taking social factors, such as social support, into account. This study's first aim was to systematically test the added value of received instrumental and emotional social support within the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) in the context of dietary change. In the social support literature, gender effects emerge with regard to the effectiveness of social support.

A common F13A1 intron 1 variant IVS1+12(A) is associated with mild FXIII deficiency in Caucasian population.

Mild factor XIII deficiency is an underdiagnosed coagulation disorder. Considering the large number of coding and non-coding polymorphisms identified in the F13A1 gene, there is a possibility that some of these might result in alterations of plasma FXIII levels and cause mild FXIII deficiency. Recently, a homozygous F13A1 gene intron 1 variant (IVS1+12C>A) was found in a patient with FXIII deficiency.

Testing phase-specific self-efficacy beliefs in the context of dietary behaviour change.

Background: Self-efficacy is an important predictor of health behaviour change. Within the health action process approach (HAPA; Schwarzer, 2008), motivational and volitional self-efficacy can be distinguished. Motivational self-efficacy is assumed to serve as predictor of intention formation whereas volitional self-efficacy should be relevant for behaviour change.

Genomics-based high-resolution mapping of the BaMMV/BaYMV resistance gene rym11 in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

Soil-borne barley yellow mosaic virus disease, caused by different strains of Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV), is one of the most important diseases of winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Europe and East Asia. The recessive resistance gene rym11 located in the centromeric region of chromosome 4HL is effective against all so far known strains of BaMMV and BaYMV in Germany.

Patterns of nucleotide asymmetries in plant and animal genomes.

Symmetry in biology provides many intriguing puzzles to the scientist's mind. Chargaff's second parity rule states a symmetric distribution of oligonucleotides within a single strand of double-stranded DNA. While this rule has been verified in a wide range of microbial genomes, it still awaits explanation.

OPTIMAS-DW: a comprehensive transcriptomics, metabolomics, ionomics, proteomics and phenomics data resource for maize.

Background: Maize is a major crop plant, grown for human and animal nutrition, as well as a renewable resource for bioenergy. When looking at the problems of limited fossil fuels, the growth of the world's population or the world's climate change, it is important to find ways to increase the yield and biomass of maize and to study how it reacts to specific abiotic and biotic stress situations. Within the OPTIMAS systems biology project maize plants were grown under a large set of controlled stress conditions, phenotypically characterised and plant material was harvested to analyse the effect of specific environmental conditions or developmental stages.

Systematic analysis of RBE and related quantities using a database of cell survival experiments with ion beam irradiation.

For tumor therapy with light ions and for experimental aspects in particle radiobiology the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) is an important quantity to describe the increased effectiveness of particle radiation. By establishing and analysing a database of ion and photon cell survival data, some remarkable properties of RBE-related quantities were observed. The database consists of 855 in vitro cell survival experiments after ion and photon irradiation.

Social support and quality of life among lung cancer patients: a systematic review.

Objective: This systematic review analyzed the relationships between social support and quality of life (QOL) indicators among lung cancer patients. In particular, the patterns of relationships between different social support facets and sources (received and perceived support from healthcare professionals, family, and friends) and QOL aspects (emotional, physical symptoms, functional, and social) as well as the global QOL index were investigated.

Methods: The review yielded 14 original studies (57% applying cross-sectional designs) analyzing data from a total of 2759 patients.

Maize source leaf adaptation to nitrogen deficiency affects not only nitrogen and carbon metabolism but also control of phosphate homeostasis.

Crop plant development is strongly dependent on the availability of nitrogen (N) in the soil and the efficiency of N utilization for biomass production and yield. However, knowledge about molecular responses to N deprivation derives mainly from the study of model species. In this article, the metabolic adaptation of source leaves to low N was analyzed in maize (Zea mays) seedlings by parallel measurements of transcriptome and metabolome profiling.

[Cardiac surgery in severe haemorrhagical diseases].

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common disorder in the developed countries. Invasive cardiological and cardiosurgical techniques are known therapies. Yet, patients with severe hereditary haemorrhagical diseases (haemophilia, rare deficiencies of coagulation factors) have an increased bleeding risk by the use of anticoagulants.

A putative role for amino acid permeases in sink-source communication of barley tissues uncovered by RNA-seq.

Background: The majority of nitrogen accumulating in cereal grains originates from proteins remobilised from vegetative organs. However, interactions between grain filling and remobilisation are poorly understood. We used transcriptome large-scale pyrosequencing of flag leaves, glumes and developing grains to identify cysteine peptidase and N transporter genes playing a role in remobilisation and accumulation of nitrogen in barley.

Social and cognitive predictors of fruit and vegetable intake among adolescents: the context of changes in body weight.

Two studies investigated differences in the relationships between adolescents' fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) and the predictors specified in the Health Action Process Approach and Social-Cognitive Theory. Retrospective (Study 1; N = 502) and prospective (Study 2; N = 668) designs were applied. Among adolescents with overweight/obesity, intention was cross-sectionally associated with FVI (Study 1); no social or cognitive predictors explained FVI at 14-month follow-up (Study 2).

454 Transcriptome sequencing suggests a role for two-component signalling in cellularization and differentiation of barley endosperm transfer cells.

Background: Cell specification and differentiation in the endosperm of cereals starts at the maternal-filial boundary and generates the endosperm transfer cells (ETCs). Besides the importance in assimilate transfer, ETCs are proposed to play an essential role in the regulation of endosperm differentiation by affecting development of proximate endosperm tissues. We attempted to identify signalling elements involved in early endosperm differentiation by using a combination of laser-assisted microdissection and 454 transcriptome sequencing.

Selfish supernumerary chromosome reveals its origin as a mosaic of host genome and organellar sequences.

Supernumerary B chromosomes are optional additions to the basic set of A chromosomes, and occur in all eukaryotic groups. They differ from the basic complement in morphology, pairing behavior, and inheritance and are not required for normal growth and development. The current view is that B chromosomes are parasitic elements comparable to selfish DNA, like transposons.

IDPredictor: predict database links in biomedical database.

Knowledge found in biomedical databases, in particular in Web information systems, is a major bioinformatics resource. In general, this biological knowledge is worldwide represented in a network of databases. These data is spread among thousands of databases, which overlap in content, but differ substantially with respect to content detail, interface, formats and data structure.

Associations between received social support and positive and negative affect: evidence for age differences from a daily-diary study.

Recent evidence suggests negative associations between received social support and emotional well-being. So far, these studies mainly focused on younger adults. Quantity and quality of social support changes with age; therefore, this study investigated whether there are age differences regarding the association between received social support and positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA).

Attitudes towards transplantation and medication among 121 heart, lung, liver and kidney recipients and their spouses.

Questions Under Study: A transplant represents a decisive event for patients and their caregivers. This article deals with the attitudes patients and their spouses have towards the transplantation.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 121 patients and their spouses were surveyed by questionnaire after a heart, lung, liver or kidney transplant.

Comparing different boosters of planning interventions on changes in fat consumption in overweight and obese individuals: a randomized controlled trial.

Single planning interventions have been found to promote short-term dietary change. Repeated planning interventions may foster long-term effects on behavior change. It remains unknown whether there is a critical number of boosters to establish long-term maintenance of behavioral changes.

Mapping of RBE-weighted doses between HIMAC- and LEM-Based treatment planning systems for carbon ion therapy.

Purpose: A method was developed to convert clinically prescribed RBE (Relative Biological Effectiveness)-weighted doses from the approach used at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator (HIMAC) at the National Institute of Radiological Science, Chiba, Japan, to the LEM (Local Effect Model)-based TReatment planning for Particles (TRiP98) approach used in the pilot project at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum, Darmstadt, and the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT).

Methods And Materials: The proposed conversion method is based on a simulation of the fixed spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) depth dose profiles as used for the irradiation at HIMAC by LEM/TRiP98 and a recalculation of the resulting RBE-weighted dose distribution. We present data according to the clinical studies conducted at GSI in the past decade (LEM I), as well as data used in current studies (refined LEM version: LEM IV).

Empowerment beliefs and intention to uptake cervical cancer screening: three psychosocial mediating mechanisms.

Three studies tested if the associations between women's empowerment beliefs and intentions to attend cervical cancer screening could be explained by mediating psychological mechanisms: control-related beliefs, well being-related beliefs, and beliefs and evaluations referring to social functioning. Data were collected from January to March 2011 in the rural and urban areas across regions of Poland. Study 1 (N = 386) indicated that women with strong empowerment harbored stronger self-efficacy and beliefs that screening participation would make them feel in control of their own health and body.

[Von Willebrand disease type 1 and pregnancy].

The von Willebrand-Jürgens syndrome (VWJS) type 1 is a common hereditary bleeding disorder with a bleeding tendency located especially in the mucous membranes. Women suffering from VWJS type 1 show menorrhagia and prolonged postoperative bleedings. During pregnancy the clinical presentation varies by the increase of the von Willebrand factors.

Predicting intentions and adherence behavior in the context of organ transplantation: gender differences of provided social support.

Objectives: Medication non-adherence is a common problem in organ transplantation patients with severe consequences for the patients' health. This study aimed at examining the determinants of intention formation and adherence behavior based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Moreover, to account for the role of patients' partners, provided social support by partners was included.

Systems analysis of a maize leaf developmental gradient redefines the current C4 model and provides candidates for regulation.

We systematically analyzed a developmental gradient of the third maize (Zea mays) leaf from the point of emergence into the light to the tip in 10 continuous leaf slices to study organ development and physiological and biochemical functions. Transcriptome analysis, oxygen sensitivity of photosynthesis, and photosynthetic rate measurements showed that the maize leaf undergoes a sink-to-source transition without an intermediate phase of C(3) photosynthesis or operation of a photorespiratory carbon pump. Metabolome and transcriptome analysis, chlorophyll and protein measurements, as well as dry weight determination, showed continuous gradients for all analyzed items.