Plant stresses causing accumulation of reactive oxidative species (ROS) are scavenged by effective antioxidant defense systems. Therefore, the present study performed genome-wide identification of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) gene families in cultivated and wild soybeans, and 11 other legume species. We identified a total of 101 and 95 genes of SOD and GPX, respectively, across thirteen legume species. The highest numbers of SODs and GPXs were identified in cultivated (Glycine max) and wild (Glycine soja). A comparative phylogenetic study revealed highest homology among the SODs and GPXs of cultivated and wild soybeans relative to other legumes. The exon/intron structure, motif and synteny blocks were conserved in both soybean species. According to Ka/Ks, purifying the selection played the major evolutionary role in these gene families, and segmental duplication are major driving force for SODs and GPXs expansion. In addition, the qRT-PCR analysis of the G. max and G. soja SOD and GPX genes revealed significant differential expression of these genes in response to oxidative, drought and salinity stresses in root tissue. In conclusion, our study provides new insights for the evolution of SOD and GPX gene families in legumes, and provides resources for further functional characterization of these genes for multiple stresses.

No abstract

BCR-ABL kinase domain (KD) mutations, the most common cause of imatinib resistance, are infrequently detected in newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) patients. Recent studies indicate pre-existing mutations (PEMs) can be detected in a higher percentage of CML patients using CD34 + stem/progenitor cells, and these mutations may correlate with imatinib resistance. We investigated KD mutations in CD34 + stem cells from 100 CP-CML patients by multiplex ASO-PCR and sequencing ASO-PCR products at the time of diagnosis. PEMs were detected in 32/100 patients and included F311L, M351T, and T315I. After a median follow-up of 30 months (range 8-48), all patients with PEMs exhibited imatinib resistance. Of 68 patients without PEMs, 24 developed imatinib resistance. Mutations were detected in 21 of these patients by ASO-PCR and KD sequencing. All 32 patients with PEMs had the same mutations. In imatinib-resistant patients without PEMs, we detected F311L, M351T, Y253F, and T315I mutations. All imatinib-resistant patients without T315I and Y253F mutations responded to imatinib dose escalation. In conclusion, BCR-ABL PEMs can be detected in a substantial number of CP-CML patients when investigated using CD34 + stem/progenitor cells. These mutations are associated with imatinib resistance, and mutation testing using CD34 + cells may facilitate improved, patient-tailored treatment.

Summary We report a case of simultaneous malignant hyperthermia reactions occurring in two siblings during living donor liver transplantation. This report highlights the conflicting goals in the clinical management of liver transplantation and malignant hyperthermia, including the use of total intravenous anaesthesia and dantrolene in the face of the potential for drug‐induced hepatotoxicity in the remnant liver or transplanted liver graft, as well as cautious fluid management needed for liver transplantation balanced against the liberal fluid therapy required to prevent acute kidney injury associated with malignant hyperthermia. The logistical challenges of managing this emergency in two closely related patients are discussed, including rapid preparation of two vapour‐free anaesthesia machines, the need for availability of additional dantrolene and the requirement for additional personnel. Prompt recognition, immediate removal of the triggering agents and conversion to total intravenous anaesthesia helped to curtail the malignant hyperthermic reactions in our patients, both of whom made a full recovery.

Introduction Attitude toward participation in the research plays an important role in the quality of any research. Therefore, researchers aimed at construction and piloting of scale to measure attitude toward research participation for university students. Method and Results In Study I, an initial pool of items was generated on the basis of literature review, semi-structured interviews and expert opinions. After ensuring content validity and finalizing items with the help of experts, the scale was applied on a sample of 426 university students including both men (n = 114) and women (n = 312) with age range of 17–30. Exploratory factor analysis revealed the two factor structure was with 60.33% cumulative variance. The factors revealed were positive attitude and negative attitude toward research with alpha reliability of 0.84 for positive attitude while 0.76 for negative attitude. In Study II, confirmatory factor analysis revealed excellent model fit indices with two factor structure. Study III was meant to provide evidence of construct validity. Positive correlation showed exploration and curiosity with positive attitude toward research and negative correlation of exploration and curiosity with negative attitude toward research participation provided strong evidence for convergent validity. While non-significant correlation of attitude toward research with religiosity confirmed the divergent validity of the scale. Conclusion Findings of the study revealed that Attitude Toward Research Participation Scale is a valid and reliable measure. It can be used for university students to measure their attitude toward research.

Phytophthora root rot, caused by Phytophthora sojae (P. sojae), is one of the most devastating diseases limiting soybean production worldwide. microRNAs (miRNAs) play major roles in regulating plant defense against pathogens. To understand the roles of soybean miRNAs during P. sojae infection, we analyzed four small RNA libraries from two soybean germplasms before and after P. sojae isolate JS08-12 infection. The cultivar Nannong 10-1 was resistant to JS08-12, whereas the 06-070583 line was susceptible to JS08-12. In total, 528 known and 555 putative novel miRNAs in soybean were identified from 97 million reads; 74 known miRNAs and 75 novel miRNAs that might be specifically related to Nannong10-1 responses to P. sojae; and 55 known and 43 novel miRNAs expressed before and after infection in the susceptible line 06-070583. qRT-PCR provided similar miRNA expression patterns to those obtained by the small-RNA sequencing of the four libraries. Then, the potential target genes of these differentially expressed miRNA were predicted, which. encoded transcriptional factors, resistance proteins and transporters. Finally, we focused on the targets of the three legume-specific miRNAs (gma-miR1508, gma-miR1509, and gma-miR1510) and charted the miRNA–target interactions and networks based on the published degradome data.

Reduced vision throughout early childhood is typically due to errors of refraction. Objective: To compare refractive status in children (age 5 to 15 years) checked with subjective refraction under cycloplegia versus post mydiatric test (PMT). Methods: Comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in pediatric ophthalmic clinic of College of ophthalmology and Allied vision sciences /Mayo hospital Lahore including 120 non-pathological eyes of 60 subjects. Individuals with nystagmus and deviation of eyes were excluded. Power of SE (P1) was taken as proposed number of glasses to be dispensed. After three days PMT was done and prescription of glasses with BCVA (P2) was noted and prescribed. At PMT (P2-P1) was noted and evaluated. All data entered and analyzed by using SPSS-23. P-value equal or less than 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Among 120 eyes (n=120), the distribution of myopia was 57.5% and hyperopia was 42%.  The mean age of 60 individuals (female: 35% and male: 65%) was 9.47 ± 2.50 years. Among 120 eyes (n=120), the distribution of myopia was 57.5% (n = 69 eyes) and hyperopia was 42% (n = 51 eyes). Interclass correlation: Two-way mixed effects model where people effects are random and measures effects are fixed. a. The estimator is the same, whether the interaction effect is present or not. b. Type C intraclass correlation coefficients using a consistency definition. The between-measure variance is excluded from the denominator variance. c. This estimate is computed assuming the interaction effect is absent, because it is not estimable otherwise.

5115 Introduction: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous lymphoid disorder with many genetic abnormalities of which fusion oncogenes (FGs) are very common with a known role in leukemogenesis (Harrison & Foroni, 2002). Although prognostic significance of FGs is well characterized in pediatric ALL, the role of FGs in adult ALL is not well established (Moorman et al., 2007). Methods: We studied the frequency and association of five most common FGs namely BCR-ABL, MLL-AF4, ETV6-RUNX11, E2A-PBX1 and SIL-TAL1 with disease biology and treatment outcome in adult ALL. FGs were studied at diagnosis in 104 adult ALL patients using RT-PCR (Van-Dongen et al, 1999) and Interphase FISH. Results: FGs were found in 78. 8% (82/104) subjects (Table 1). Overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) were 26. 17 and 11. 147 months, respectively (Figures 1–2). Patients with MLL-AF4 (12. 19%) showed an elevated total leukocyte count (TLC), prominent organomegaly, frequent central nervous system (CNS) involvement, and a poor clinical outcome (OS=8. 8 months). SIL-TAL1 (35. 36%) was associated with lymphadenopathy, frequent organomegaly, low platelets count and poor survival. Patients with BCR-ABL (20. 3%) had high TLC (p-value <0. 001), splenomegaly (p-value <0. 001), low platelets count (p-value <0. 001), poor outcome (OS=9. 3 & RFS=6. 3 months) and 10% less chances of CR as compared to BCR-ABL negative cases. ETV6-RUNX1 (4. 8 %) was mostly associated with low TLC, less common organomegaly, high CR rates and higher OS (30. 2 months), but their long term survival negatively affected by late relapses. Patients with TCF3-PBX1 (16. 3%) were associated with younger age (10/17, 59%), lower TLC (14/17, 82%), platelet count higher than 50×109/l (12/17, 71%), less common hepatomegaly (2/17, 12%), less common splenomegaly (3/17, 18%), early CR (11/17, 65%) but high relapse rate (13/17, 76. 1%) and shorter OS (11. 6 months). Conclusions & Discussion: High relapse rates and shorter OS despite favorable prognosis manifested by clinical features and high early CR rates in TCF3-PBX1 highlights the need for their identification at presentation and intensified treatment protocols to manage high relapse rate (Foa et al., 2003). Association of SIL-TAL1 with lymphadenopathy can help in better identification of this adult ALL subgroup at low resource centers. We found much higher frequency of TCF3-PBX1 and lower frequency of ETV6-RUNX1 than previously reported (Van Dongen et al, 1999). Although MLL-AF4 positive ALL is rarely observed in adult ALL, its frequency was 9. 7% in our adult ALL patients, which added to overall poor outcome of adult ALL in our population. Characterization of TCF3-PBX1 as poor prognostic molecular entity in our adult ALL population, low frequency of favorably prognostic ETV6-RUNX1, high frequency of poor prognostic MLL-AF4 and TCF3-PBX1 reflects ethnic and geographic differences in the biology and treatment of adult ALL (Burmeister et al., 2010). Therefore, it identifies the need for molecular testing in routine clinical settings at diagnosis and its implication in molecular prognostication and differential treatment. It also indicates the need for in-depth molecular analysis using advanced techniques and their implication in understanding the leukemogenesis and clinical management of adult ALL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.