bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pancreatic Islet Transplantation and Regeneration for Diabetes mellitus Treatment
Authors: Babarykin Dmitry , Nikolajeva Vizma , Eze Daina , Amerika Diana
Published: April 2009

Pancreatic Islet Transplantation and Regeneration for Diabetes mellitus Treatment

The incidence of diabetes mellitus due to different causes (heredity, unhealthy food, sedentary life style, etc.) is increasing both in Latvia and worldwide every year. In almost all cases insulin therapy must be administered. However, the latest modern technologies promote the development of new and alternative treatments of diabetes mellitus. One of them, the procedure of islet transplantation is comparatively simple and relatively non-invasive in contrast to whole pancreas transplantation. It is considered as a perspective strategy in the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes, when the insulin-producing beta cells have been destroyed and blood glucose level is above the normal range (hyperglycaemia). Successful outcome of clinical islet transplantation has been shown in several islet transplantation centres in Europe and elsewhere, particularly in the last seven years, using corticoid-free immunosuppression regimen. Islets are isolated by a collagenase-based digestion of donor pancreas with a "Ricordi" chamber, followed by a purification step in a Ficoll-based continuous density gradient. This review discusses the islet transplantation procedure and deals with the methods of islet isolation. Importance of islet preparations and engraftment quality, as well as clinical outcome and its indications also are described. The present status of islet regeneration including beta cells neogenesis and regeneration therapy strategies also are presented. The experience of Latvian scientists in islet transplantation procedure is briefly described.
Early results of CyberKnife radiosurgery for arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Colombo Federico , Cavedon Carlo , Casentini Leopoldo , Francescon Paolo , Causin Francesco , Pinna Vittore
Published: April 2009

Object

The authors describe a method that utilizes an image-guided robotic radiosurgical apparatus (the CyberKnife) for treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This procedure required the development of an original technique that allows a high degree of automation.

Methods

Angiographic images were imported into the treatment planning software by coregistering CT and 3D rotational angiography. The nidus contour was delineated using the contouring tools of the treatment planning system. Functional MR imaging was employed for contouring critical cortical regions, such as the motor cortex and language areas. Once the radiation dose to be delivered to the target volume and dose constraints to critical structures were prescribed, the inverse treatment planning function determined the optimal treatment plan.

Results

A series of 279 patients with cerebral AVMs underwent CyberKnife radiosurgery. One transitory adverse effect of the radiation procedure was observed. Eight bleeding occurrences were noted before complete AVM obliteration. Of the 102 patients with follow-up > 36 months, 80 underwent angiographic evaluation. In this group, 65 patients (81.2%) showed complete angiographic obliteration of their AVM. In 8 more patients, complete angiographic obliteration was demonstrated by MR angiography only.

Conclusions

This is the first report describing a technique developed for CyberKnife radiosurgery of cerebral AVMs. The use of different imaging modalities for automatic delineation of the target and critical structures combined with the employment of the inverse treatment planning capability is the crucial point of the procedure. The procedure proved to be safe and efficient.
The departmental chair in Western medicine: tale of the first and foremost
Authors: Manjila Sunil , Rengachary Setti , Xavier Andrew R. , Guthikonda Murali
Published: April 2009

The use of the term “chair” in medical literature probably started in the Late Middle Ages with the Italian anatomist Mondino de Liuzzi. History reveals the term's origin at Bologna, one of the oldest degree-granting universities in Europe. Nobody has been shown in documented literature before Mondino to have reached the level of chair, the zenith of hierarchy in Western scholastic medicine. Mondino is remembered for his preparation of the Anathomia, a compendium for medical scholars, and his description of several anatomical structures and their functions, especially from a forensic perspective. Starting out as a demonstrator displaying various anatomical structures to medical students, Mondino worked his way up to becoming the first documented chair in medical history, and indeed physically occupying the chair. Marking an epoch in academia with his revised method of medical teaching and creative interaction with surgical colleagues, he carved a niche for himself and his department with his illustrious chairmanship. The authors revisit the history of the “chair” as a title and position in the medieval anatomical period and discuss the career of the first and foremost in the documented medical literature.
Pattern Recognition and Pathway Analysis with Genetic Algorithms in Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolomics
Authors: Zou Wei , Tolstikov Vladimir
Published: April 2009

A robust and complete workflow for metabolic profiling and data mining was described in detail. Three independent and complementary analytical techniques for metabolic profiling were applied: hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC–LC–ESI–MS), reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP–LC–ESI–MS), and gas chromatography (GC–TOF–MS) all coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). Unsupervised methods, such as principle component analysis (PCA) and clustering, and supervised methods, such as classification and PCA-DA (discriminatory analysis) were used for data mining. Genetic Algorithms (GA), a multivariate approach, was probed for selection of the smallest subsets of potentially discriminative predictors. From thousands of peaks found in total, small subsets selected by GA were considered as highly potential predictors allowing discrimination among groups. It was found that small groups of potential top predictors selected with PCA-DA and GA are different and unique. Annotated GC–TOF–MS data generated identified feature metabolites. Metabolites putatively detected with LC–ESI–MS profiling require further elemental composition assignment with accurate mass measurement by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and structure elucidation by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). GA was also used to generate correlated networks for pathway analysis. Several case studies, comprising groups of plant samples bearing different genotypes and groups of samples of human origin, namely patients and healthy volunteers’ urine samples, demonstrated that such a workflow combining comprehensive metabolic profiling and advanced data mining techniques provides a powerful approach for pattern recognition and biomarker discovery
Hypoxia-induced Abrogation of Contact-dependent Inhibition of Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblast Proliferation
Authors: NONOMURA YOSHINORI , MIZOGUCHI FUMITAKA , SUZUKI AKIKO , NANKI TOSHIHIRO , KATO HIROYUKI , MIYASAKA NOBUYUKI , KOHSAKA HITOSHI
Published: April 2009

Objective.

Uncontrolled proliferation of synovial fibroblasts is characteristic of the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Since synovial tissues in the rheumatoid joints are hypoxic, we investigated how hypoxia affects RA synovial fibroblast (RASF) proliferation.

Methods.

RASF were cultured at 2000 cells (low density culture) or at 5000 cells (high density, growth-inhibitory confluent culture) per microtiter well under hypoxic (10%, 3%, or 1% O2) or normoxic (21% O2) conditions. Some RASF were treated with recombinant human interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-neutralizing antibodies, anti-N-cadherin-blocking antibodies, or MG132. 3H-labeled thymidine incorporation was quantified to assess their proliferation. Total RNA and cell lysates were prepared for real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses.

Results.

Hypoxia exerted no effect on proliferation of RASF cultured at low density. At high density, it abrogated contact-dependent growth inhibition of RASF, but not of human dermal fibroblasts. Addition of anti-TNF-α antibodies or IL-1ra did not affect the results. Upregulated expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1 was observed in the cells cultured at high density under normoxic conditions, but not under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia decreased N-cadherin expression on RASF. Addition of anti-N-cadherin-blocking antibodies mimicked the effects of hypoxic culture; it promoted proliferation of RASF cultured at high density under normoxic conditions. This antibody treatment also downmodulated p27Kip1 expression.

Conclusion.

Hypoxia downregulates N-cadherin expression on RASF, and thus prevents p27Kip1 upregulation for their contact inhibition. It is likely that hypoxia in rheumatoid synovial tissues contributes to rheumatoid pathology by augmenting proliferation of synovial fibroblasts.
Mannose-Binding Lectin Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Disease Activity and Physical Disability in Untreated, Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide-Positive Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: JACOBSEN SØREN , GARRED PETER , MADSEN HANS OLE , HEEGAARD NIELS H.H. , HETLAND MERETE LUND , STENGAARD-PEDERSEN KRISTIAN , JUNKER PETER , LOTTENBURGER TINE , ELLINGSEN TORKEL , ANDERSEN LIS SMEDEGAARD , HANSEN IB , SKJØDT HENRIK , PEDERSEN JENS KRISTIAN , LAURIDSEN ULRIK BIRK , SVENDSEN ANDERS J. , TARP ULRIK , PØDENPHANT JAN , LINDEGAARD HANNE , VESTERGAARD AAGE , ØSTERGAARD MIKKEL , HØRSLEV-PETERSEN KIM
Published: April 2009

Objective.

To study the association between polymorphisms in the mannose-binding lectin gene (MBL2)and disease activity, physical disability, and joint erosions in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods.

Patients with early RA (n = 158) not previously treated with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, participating in a treatment trial (CIMESTRA study) were examined at inclusion forMBL2pooled structural genotypes (O/O, A/O, A/A), regulatoryMBL2promoter polymorphism in position −221 (XX, XY, YY), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 antibodies (anti-CCP2), disease activity by Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28 score), physical disability by Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, and erosive changes in hands and feet (Sharp-van der Heijde score).

Results.

Eight patients were homozygousMBL2defective (O/O), 101 belonged to an intermediate group, and 49 wereMBL2high producers (YA/YA). Anti-CCP was present in 93 patients (59%). High scores of disease activity, C-reactive protein-based DAS28 (p = 0.02), and physical disability by HAQ (p = 0.01) were associated with highMBL2expression genotypes in a gene-dose dependent way, but only in anti-CCP-positive patients. At this early stage of the disease there was no association with erosion score from radiographs.

Conclusion.

The results point to a synovitis-enhancing effect of MBL in anti-CCP-positive RA, whereas such an effect was not demonstrated for joint erosions.
Comparison of Threshold Cutpoints and Continuous Measures of Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies in Predicting Future Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: CHIBNIK LORI B. , MANDL LISA A. , COSTENBADER KAREN H. , SCHUR PETER H. , KARLSON ELIZABETH W.
Published: April 2009

Objective.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies are strongly associated with increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).While the anti-CCP level is commonly dichotomized for clinical use, the best threshold for and utility of the titer as a continuous variable to predict development of RA are uncertain.

Methods.

Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II longitudinal cohorts, we examined the sensitivity, specificity, and hazard of RA at various thresholds of the anti-CCP. Incident RA was confirmed using the Connective Tissue Disease Screening Questionnaire and medical record review in 93 women from among 62,437 participants with blood samples. Three controls per case were randomly chosen, matching on cohort, age, and menopausal status. Stored plasma was tested for anti-CCP antibodies with the second-generation Diastat™ ELISA. Five threshold values were assessed for sensitivity, specificity, and time to diagnosis of RA. Hazard of RA was assessed with conditional logistic regression models adjusting for smoking and reproductive factors.

Results.

Using the suggested threshold of > 5 U/ml for anti-CCP positivity, specificity was 100%, but sensitivity was only 28%. A threshold of > 2 U/ml had a higher sensitivity (51%), and similar specificity (80%), with an odds ratio of 11.2 (95% confidence interval 4.7–26.9) for RA. Anti-CCP level as an ordinal variable was strongly associated with time to RA onset, with higher values predicting shorter time to RA onset.

Conclusion.

A lower threshold for anti-CCP positivity was more sensitive in predicting RA development. Higher ranges of the level were informative in predicting time to RA onset.
Outcome and Predictor Relationships in Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Evidence Concerning the Continuum versus Discrete Disorder Hypothesis
Authors: WOLFE FREDERICK , MICHAUD KALEB
Published: April 2009

Objective.

To compare outcome-predictor relationships in fibromyalgia (FM) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to provide information regarding the competing hypotheses that FM is a continuum or a discrete disorder.

Methods.

We studied 3 outcome variables (work disability, opioid use, depression) and 12 clinical predictor variables in 2,046 patients with FM and 20,374 with RA. We determined whether outcome-predictor relationships were stronger in FM or RA by measuring the areas under the receiver-operating curves. We used fractional polynomial logistic regression to create graphic models for the outcome-predictor relationships.

Results.

All measures of status and outcome were more abnormal in FM than in RA. Depression was reported in 33.4% of patients with FM compared with 15.1% of those with RA. The predictor-outcome relationship was significantly stronger in RA in 28 of the 36 tests, and not different in the remainder. The relationship between outcome and predictor variables was generally similar in patients with FM and RA. However, unmodeled depression that was not explained by study variables was noted in FM.

Conclusion.

Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that FM is the end of a severity continuum, but that additional psychological factors are an integral part of the syndrome.
Estrategias divergentes de industrialización abierta para una edificación pretenciosamente sostenible
Authors: Salas J. , Oteiza I.
Published: April 2009

El trabajo analiza las principales tendencias y singularidades de los procesos de industrialización de la edificación vigentes en países desarrollados, entre los que emergen como logotipos de éxito empresarial: Toyota en Japón e IKEA en Suecia. Se muestran algunas estrategias diversificadas con pocos rasgos comunes en la práctica, aunque con coincidencias en aspectos teóricos, entre ellos, tres paradigmas que se perfilan más como declaraciones de intenciones que como realidades practicas: la puesta en práctica de procesos de cuestionamiento y revisión de lo realizado hasta el presente (…re-thinking…); apuesta por la industrialización abierta y ligera en contraposición a la cerrada y pesada (…open and light…off site…) y empeño en utilizar soluciones a base de ‘trozos o partes complejos ’ (… pre-packaging…). El trabajo es una reflexión sobre bases bibliográficas actualizadas que han permitido diseccionar algunas tendencias vigentes en geografías y circunstancias muy diversas, entre las que no se evidencian vínculos comunes, salvo la unánime aspiración a una difusa idea de sostenibilidad. El trabajo finaliza con una serie de reflexiones y conclusiones de los autores, desde una óptica orientada hacia el aquí y ahora, fundadas en un minucioso estudio analítico del estado del arte del tema en el tiempo transcurrido del presente siglo.
Los edificios de paneles más altos de España
Authors: Del Águila A. , Gómez I. , Borsetti M. , Hernando S. , Fernández C.
Published: April 2009

Este artículo describe el proceso constructivo de un conjunto de 484 viviendas realizadas con paneles prefabricados portantes de hormigón. Dicho conjunto edificatorio, de 20 plantas de altura, se compone de diversos bloques que integran además, locales comerciales, oficinas, trasteros, 4 plantas de garaje e instalaciones comunes. El principal interés de este edificio consiste en haber alcanzado veinte plantas sobre rasante y 4 más de sótano con el sistema constructivo de paneles prefabricados de hormigón INDAGSA; el cual dispone de un Documento de Idoneidad Técnica emitido por el IETcc, con el número DIT 452. Las obras de INDAGSA son conocidas por ser precisas, ordenadas y limpias; debido a estas características, se pudieron establecer visitas no sólo para doctorandos de la ETSAM, sino para estudiantes de la Cátedra de sistemas industrializados y prefabricados. A través de la descripción del sistema constructivo, podremos mostrar una perspectiva global de las posibilidades de los sistemas de paneles prefabricados de hormigón y las capacidades evolutivas de éstos.
Measurement of Human Serum IgD Levels
Authors: Overed‐Sayer Catherine L. , Mosedale David E. , Goodall Margaret , Grainger David J.
Published: April 2009

This unit describes an ELISA for the quantitative measurement of IgD levels in human serum. The ELISA is highly specific and sensitive, with a minimum detectable concentration of 30 pg/ml and more than 10,000‐fold specificity for IgD over all other human immunoglobulins. Linear dilution characteristics enable measurement of IgD concentrations ranging over 5 orders of magnitude. These factors are vital for the IgD assay, since IgD makes up only a small proportion of the total immunoglobulins present in normal sera, and IgD serum concentrations are known to vary widely between individuals. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 85:2.9B.1‐2.9B.7. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Isolation of Murine and Human Immunoglobulin M and Murine Immunoglobulin D
Authors: Andrew Sarah M. , Titus Julie A. , Amin Ashok , Coico Richard
Published: April 2009

This unit describes two classical protocols for the purification of IgM—dialysis of ascites fluid, tissue culture medium, or bioreactor supernatants against distilled water to precipitate pure IgM, and ammonium sulfate precipitation. Both protocols can be followed by size‐exclusion chromatography to obtain a highly purified product. Recently, an affinity method for purification of IgM has been developed using mannan‐binding protein, and is described here. The third approach presented is a one‐step IgD purification method, designed specifically for murine derived samples, that uses Sepharose coupled to lectin derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia‐1. This represents a simple, rapid, and gentle, approach to isolating this highly labile immunoglobulin from IgD‐containing ascites or hybridoma sources. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 85:2.9.1‐2.9.8. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Vaccination of Mice with Baculovirus‐Infected Insect Cells Expressing Antigenic Proteins
Authors: Jordan Kimberly R. , Crawford Fran , Kappler John W. , Slansky Jill E.
Published: April 2009

Methods to induce antigen‐specific immune responses in mice using insect cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses are described in this unit. Although this vaccine strategy has been used to generate both antibody and T cell responses, it has been more thoroughly characterized for the peptide‐specific cytotoxic T cell responses. Nonspecific responses to the vaccine vehicle are controlled for by vaccinating with insect cells infected with baculoviruses encoding irrelevant antigens or no antigen. The baculovirus‐infected insect cells alone are an effective immune adjuvant to elicit antigen‐specific T cells. Overall, immune responses generated using this approach are similar to those generated by more conventional vaccine strategies. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 85:2.15.1‐2.15.23. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Isolation of Whole Mononuclear Cells from Peripheral Blood and Cord Blood
Authors: Fuss Ivan J. , Kanof Marjorie E. , Smith Phillip D. , Zola Heddy
Published: April 2009

Peripheral blood is the primary source of lymphoid cells for investigation of the human immune system. Its use is facilitated by Ficoll‐Hypaque density gradient centrifugation—a simple and rapid method of purifying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) that takes advantage of the density differences between mononuclear cells and other elements found in the blood sample. Thus, cells are distributed in the solution in layers based on the differences in their density/size. Additional purification methods can be employed as the mononuclear cell sample can be purified from monocytes by adherence or by exposure to L‐leucine methyl ester; these methods are described for both procedures. Cord blood and peripheral blood from infants contain immature cells, including nucleated red cells, which can result in significant contamination of the mononuclear cell layer, and removal of these cells requires additional steps that are described. The isolation procedures presented here can also be applied to cell populations derived from tissues. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 85:7.1.1‐7.1.8. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Allylboration of Carbonyl Compounds
Authors: Lachance Hugo , Hall Dennis G.
Published: April 2009

Allylic boron compounds have gained a prominent status in organic synthesis for their ability to add with high stereoselectivity to carbonyl compounds such as aldehydes, making them a methodology of choice for the preparation of acetate and propionate units found in several classes of natural products. This remarkable reaction process was discovered in 1964, only to become popular in the 1980s. Using either the dialkylborane or boronate reagents, both the thermal uncatalyzed reaction and the more recent acid‐catalyzed procedures can provide homoallylic alcohol products in high enantioselectivity. The wide of range of possibilities for substitution on the reagent's allylic unit has led to the development of numerous reagents, and the residual alkene unit in the products confers to allylboration chemistry a unique versatility. This chapter presents an exhaustive survey of the useful reagents and their associated carbonyl substrates employed in organic synthesis. The mechanisms and parameters of the reaction are discussed, along with an overview of the different preparative methods for allylic boron reagents. The scope and limitations of these reagents in enantioselective additions, doubly diastereoselective additions, tandem reactions, and other variants is emphasized in the context of applications in natural product synthesis. The literature is covered through early 2006.
Wheat
Authors: Khurana Paramjit , Chauhan Harsh , Desai Shreenivas A.
Published: April 2009

Wheat is one of the important cereal crops and staple food for over 35% of the global population. Genetic engineering is a power tool to introduce new genes and traits, overcoming many barriers of conventional breeding such as sexual incompatibility and species barrier between organisms. Genetically modified crops are gaining tremendous importance and coverage over the last few years. However, wheat is still lagging behind due to many reasons such as its hexaploid nature and a large genome size and complete or partial transgene silencing. Nevertheless, considerable progress has been made to produce wheat transgenics for different agronomic traits such as abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, yield and quality improvement, and functional genomics analysis. This article summarizes the development of wheat transformation technology and its application for engineering major agronomic traits and in functional genomics.
Oat
Authors: Kelley Rowena Y. , Sakhanokho Hamidou F.
Published: April 2009

Progress in oat biotechnology has been traditionally hampered by several factors, including the recalcitrance of most elite oat cultivars to regeneration via somatic embryogenesis, the scarcity of research funds, and the complex and large oat genome size. However, recent advances in oat tissue culture and transformation systems have laid the groundwork for the improvement of elite oat cultivars through biotechnology. In addition,Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation has been achieved in many monocots, such as rice, and this technique can be applied to oat, allowing for genetic engineering of even more elite cultivars. Oat linkage maps have been developed, but application of genomics and marker‐assisted selection tools for oat improvement has been limited. However, results gathered through comparative genomics can be a valuable tool in oat biotechnology by using rice, for example, whose entire genome has been recently sequenced as a model cereal plant.
Sunflower
Authors: Lu Guihua , Hoeft Eric
Published: April 2009

There are two primary types of cultivated sunflower: oilseed sunflower and confectionary sunflower. Oilseed sunflower is one of the most important oilseed crops in the world and is the preferred source of oil for domestic consumption and cooking worldwide. Confectionary sunflower produces large seeds with low oil content and used in baking and snack applications. Sunflower oil has been used in biodiesel and sunflower can produce high quality rubber. The various usages of sunflower products in food, feed, and industry are stimulating the development of sunflower molecular breeding in combination with conventional and transgenic breeding methods. This chapter describes the history of sunflower, summarizes the achievements of conventional and transgenic breeding, and discusses the impact of new technologies on sunflower product development. Molecular breeding and transgenic approaches can be synergistic in product development. The great potential of sunflower industrial use will likely to advance sunflower biotechnology to a bright new era and foster the development of “industrial sunflower ” with enhanced oils for biofuel in the seeds and enhanced latex content in leaves and stems for rubber manufacture.
Peanut
Authors: Chenault Kelly D. , Ozias‐Akins Peggy , Gallo Maria , Srivastava Pratibha
Published: April 2009

Peanut is the fifth most important oilseed grown in the world, serving as an important oil and food source for millions of people. As a significant source of proteins, vitamins, and minerals, peanut is used for human and animal consumption as well as in soaps, detergents, and cosmetics. Peanut production is hindered by environmental and biological stresses that have been and continue to be the focus of numerous peanut breeding programs over time. Other issues of concern to researchers as well as peanut processors and consumers are those of peanut freshness, peanut allergies, and the health benefits or drawbacks of peanut products. This chapter discusses the origin and history of the peanut, progress toward improving the crop through traditional breeding, and the role of transgenic breeding in future peanut germplasm improvement.
Sesame
Authors: Carlsson Anders S. , Chanana Nidhi P. , Gudu Samuel , Suh Mi Chung , Were Beatrice Ang’iyo
Published: April 2009

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is one of the oldest crops in the world and is a valuable source of vegetable oil. It has one of the highest oil content (up to 60%) among oil crops and one of the most stable oils due to the presence of a number of antioxidants. A major part of the sesame production is found in developing countries with the largest areas in India, Myanmar, China, Sudan, Nigeria, and Uganda. In comparison with soybean, rapeseed, or sunflower, sesame is a minor oil crop in the world and one of the reasons is insufficient breeding. Crop development programs for sesame, either small or nonexistent, have only involved conventional breeding, and little progress has been made during the past years. Various diseases and insect pests cause considerable damage and reduce the yield. Indeterminate flowering and dehiscent capsules are also important factors limiting sesame production. A revitalization of sesame research using modern plant breeding technologies can greatly improve the crop. Over the past 10 years, genetic engineering has greatly influenced the development of most of the predominant crops in the world. A biotechnological approach could definitely play an important role in genetic amelioration of sesame.
Pea
Authors: McPhee Kevin E.
Published: April 2009

Development of gene technology methods for plants has allowed novel genes to be introduced, where natural variation is lacking, irrespective of hybridization barriers. Pea, an important agricultural crop worldwide, lacks certain genes for disease resistance and would benefit from introduction of novel resistance traits. In addition to its role in agricultural production, pea plays a vital dietary role in developing countries and could serve as a valuable vehicle to provide enhanced nutrition to malnourished populations. Gene technology in pea was first studied in the late 1980s and viable protocols for gene introduction and selection of transformed plants were established in the early 1990s. Although other methods have been tested,Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated methods for gene introduction are preferred. Several examples of successful transformation have been reported and the introduction of the α‐amylase gene from common bean for resistance toBruchus pisorum, the pea seed weevil, has potential to overcome the adverse effects of this agronomically important pest. Consideration of regulatory hurdles and intellectual property rights are crucial to the successful implementation of gene technology and has hindered the use of Bruchid‐resistant peas. Application of gene technology has its greatest potential in basic studies of gene function. Gene complementation experiments allow the function of candidate genes to be verified and characterized. Overall, gene technology is a very powerful tool and is expected to have a significant impact on crop improvement and genomic evaluation of all crop plants.
Faba Bean
Authors: Link Wolfgang , Hanafy Moemen , Malenica Nenad , Jelenić Srećko , Jacobsen Hans‐Jörg
Published: April 2009

Vicia fabaL. is an old world grain legume, combine harvested for food and feed in Europe, North and East Africa, Asia, and in the northwest of South America. It is an annual, diploid plant (x= 6), with a large genome (1C ∼ 13 pg of DNA), large seeds (0.3 up to >2 g per seed), and a protein content of about 30%. Being a small agricultural species, a relatively large producer in Europe is the United Kingdom with more than 150000 ha. On the global scale, China is the largest producer (39% of global area of 2.6 million hectares). Important fungal diseases areBotrytis fabae,Ascochyta fabae, andUromyces viciae‐fabae. Important pests areAphis fabaeandBruchus rufimanus. Broomrape (Orobanche crenata) is an important parasitic weed in the Mediterranean basin and the Nile valley. Traditional breeding is hampered by the partial allogamous, entomophilous reproduction, with degrees of outcrossing between 20% and 75%, depending on the actual genotype and the environment. The faba bean cannot be crossed with related species, and it is known as recalcitrant crop as toin vitrotechnologies.Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation ofVicia fabaresulted in regeneration of first transgenic plants carrying the aspartate kinse III fromE. coliand the 2S‐albumin 8 from sunflower. In addition to the optimization of the regeneration protocol, knowledge gained from the model legumesMedicago truncatulaandLotus japonicusshould enable further progress inVicia fababreeding.
Pigeonpea
Authors: Sharma Kiran K. , Bhatnagar‐Mathur P. , Saxena Kul Bhushan , Sreelatha Gopinath , Rao Daggu M.
Published: April 2009

Pigeonpea is one of the major grain legumes grown in the tropics and subtropics of the world that forms a significant component of the diet due to its high protein content. Most of the differences in potential and realized yields in pigeonpea have been attributed to several biotic and abiotic constraints; besides the low productivity potential of marginal lands, where this crop is commonly grown. Of the various constraints limiting pigeonpea production, insect pests cause substantial damages. Conventional breeding efforts in pigeonpea crop improvement have been successful in producing improved seed quality and reduction of crop maturity duration. Nevertheless, genetic improvement of pigeonpea has been restricted due to the nonavailability of better genetic resources and strong sexual barriers between the cultivated and wild species. The recent developments in plant genetic engineering have provided immense potential in overcoming some of these constraints, thereby, offering opportunities for its successful integration with conventional crop improvement strategies. This chapter describes the pigeonpea crop, various constraints to its productivity, recent developments in its breeding, and emerging transgenic innovations that could play a significant role in the improvement of pigeonpea crop. We also highlight the current status of pigeonpea transgenics and related biosafety and IPR issues for the successful application of this technology in the near future.
Alfalfa
Authors: Tesfaye Mesfin , Samac Deborah A. , Lamb JoAnn F.S.
Published: April 2009

The genusMedicagocomprises more than 60 annual and perennial species, and alfalfa (Medicago sativaL. andM. falcataL.) has a long history of cultivation around the world. Alfalfa is a perennial forage legume that is widely cultivated for animal fodder, but alfalfa plants also contribute to sustainable agriculture because they can fix nitrogen in symbiosis with the soil bacteria called rhizobia. In this chapter, we report recent advances in the genetic engineering of forage improvement on alfalfa for various traits of agricultural and industrial importance. The commercialization of Roundup Ready® transgenic alfalfa in the United States has paved the way for production of additional biotech‐derived traits in alfalfa.
Apple
Authors: Malnoy Mickael A. , Korban Schuyler , Boresjza‐Wysocka Ewa , Aldwinckle Herb C.
Published: April 2009

The first report of transformed apple plants in 1989 raised expectations for new apple cultivars that would be better tasting, healthier, and easier to grow. Although, many different traits have now been introduced successfully into apple, no transformed cultivars have yet made it to commercial production. Most early reports on transformed apple described “proof of concept” experiments involving the development of regeneration protocols, and the choice of appropriate promoters and selectable markers. More recently, the focus has moved onto functional testing of traits of potential commercial interest. These traits can be grouped into two categories: horticultural production traits and fruit‐focused traits. Production traits of interest include bacterial, fungal and pest resistance, dwarfing, propagation, stress resistance, precocity, storage life, and self‐fertility. Examples of fruit‐focused traits include novel health properties, flavor, reduced browning, color, and reduced allergenicity. This review will consider reports of characters introduced into apple that are useful to growers and consumers, and looks toward future trends, targets, and challenges.
Peach
Authors: Scorza Ralph , Petri Cesar
Published: April 2009

This chapter reviews the application of biotechnology for peach (Prunus persica) breeding. These techniques provide a different approach for obtaining or/and improving peach commercial cultivars or rootstocks. Achievements and the state of art in this specie are described. Furthermore, the future in the application of genetic transformation in peach is widely discussed.
Papaya
Authors: Gonsalves Dennis , Suzuki Jon Y. , Tripathi Savarni , Ferreira Stephen A.
Published: April 2009

Papaya (Carica papayaL.) is currently the fastest growing tropical fruit crop in the world. It is a tree‐like, herbaceous, short‐lived perennial plant 3–8 m in height native to tropical America. It is cultivated on farms as well as backyard gardens worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions within 32 degrees latitude north and south of the equator. Fruits can be harvested as early as 9 months after sowing and are anywhere from 255 g to 6 kg, depending on the variety. Papaya is grown largely for its nutritious fresh fruit which contains relatively high amounts of vitamins A, C, and E as well as calcium, potassium, and iron, but also for by‐products such as papain, a proteinase found in the latex of unripe fruit used to tenderize meat and in pharmaceutical industries. Transgenic varieties “Rainbow” and “SunUp” were developed in Hawaii to be resistant to papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), the most devastating disease threatening papaya production worldwide. Development and commercialization of the transgenic papaya in Hawaii serves as a model for successful biotechnology application to specialty crop improvement. Advances in transformation and development of transgenic papaya and the prospects of commercialization in various countries are also discussed.
Avocado
Authors: Litz Richard E.
Published: April 2009

The avocadoPersea americanaMill. (Lauraceae) originated in Central America, and three horticultural races are recognized: the Mexican, the Antillean, and the Guatemalan. Classical breeding has still had relatively little impact on cultivar development because of the long generation period and equally long time for evaluating the progeny from controlled crosses. There is an urgent need for improved scion and rootstock cultivars. The major goals of scion breeding include a replacement for the complex Mexicana × Guatemalan selection “Hass” and extension of shelf life of fruit of Antillean cultivars; whereas, Phytophthora root rot‐resistant rootstocks are needed. “Hass” has been transformed with the antifungal defensin genepdf1.2and Antillean avocado has been transformed with the genesamase(S‐adenosylmethionine hydrolase) in order to block ethylene biosynthesis and ripening.
Passionfruit
Authors: Zerbini F. Murilo , Otoni Wagner Campos , Vieira Maria Lúcia Carneiro
Published: April 2009

The genusPassifloracomprises a large number of plant species that grow as perennial or semiperennial vines, possess large flowers, and are cross‐pollinated. The plant can also be vegetatively propagated by cuttings or grafting. Yellow passionfruit (P. edulisf.flavicarpa) is the most widely planted species. Passionfruit is a crop of relatively recent commercial cultivation, displaying a high degree of genetic variability that can be easily exploited by conventional breeding. The development of cultivars has three main objectives: yield, fruit quality, and disease resistance. Of these, disease resistance has been the least successful and is the one for which biotechnology holds the greatest promises. The most likely short‐term development in terms of passionfruit transgenics is woodiness‐resistant plants. The results obtained so far are promising and indicate that resistance to passionfruit woodiness can be accomplished by expression of virus‐derived genomic fragments. Other desirable products would be plants with uniform fruit maturity, or self‐compatible. However, the biochemical pathways that control fruit setting and maturity, as well as self‐incompatibility in yellow passionfruit, are likely to involve a large number of genes and have not yet been dissected, and therefore such transgenic plants are not likely to be produced in the near future.
Persimmon (Kaki)
Authors: Tetsumura Takuya , Giordani Edgardo , Tao Ryutaro
Published: April 2009

Persimmon (Diospyros kakiL.), its common name ‘kaki’, has been grown in many countries and produces a highly nutritional fruit. Rapid breeding progress through conventional cross‐breeding is difficult because kaki is a polyploid and has a long juvenile period. Some transgenic kaki, which are insect‐ and disease‐resistant and salt‐tolerant, have been produced usingAgrobacterium.
Tomato
Authors: Fatima Tahira , Mattoo Autar K. , Rivera‐Domínguez Marisela , Troncoso‐Rojas Rosalba , Tiznado‐Hernández Martín‐Ernesto , Handa Avtar K.
Published: April 2009

Tomato is one of the most consumed and widely grown vegetable crops in the world. It is a popular vegetable/fruit and an important source of vitamins and minerals in human diet. One medium‐sized tomato provides 57% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, 25% RDA of vitamin A, and 8% RDA of iron, yet with only 35 calories. Tomatoes are also rich in an antioxidant called lycopene, a carotenoid that has been found to protect cells from oxidants that have been linked to cancer. Tomato is a member of the dicot familySolanaceae, which contains well‐known plant species such as potato, tobacco, eggplant, and pepper. The fruit of tomato is classified as a climacteric fruit, in which onset of ripening is accompanied by an increase in both respiration and ethylene production. Conventional plant breeding has had a significant impact on improving tomato breeding for fruit quality and resistance to important diseases. However, this progress has been confounded by the following: the time‐consuming process of making crosses and backcrosses; difficulty in combating the evolution of new virulent pathogens or breakdown of resistance; saturation of the genetic pools available for improvement; time required, 10 to 15 years, to release a new tomato variety. Besides, traditional breeding methods used may not impart the desired characteristics. Genetic engineering or “recombinant‐DNA technology” is now a highly promising avenue for transplanting genetic characteristics of one species into another. This technology is based on identifying the molecular unit(s) responsible for the desired agronomic trait and then isolating and determining the structure and organization of such a unit or units. The unit can then be engineered to transform and modify any existing variety of a crop plant. This technology provides a continuum between plant breeding‐based varietal development and manipulation of beneficial genes by genetic engineering to develop transgenics. This chapter summarizes some of the major studies conducted thus far to manipulate ripening, fruit texture, flavor, and nutritional quality of tomato fruit using the transgenic approach.
Carrot
Authors: McCormick Nina L. , Rodoni Brendan , Taylor Paul , Ford Rebecca
Published: April 2009

The development of embryolike structures from aseptically cultured carrot cells was first demonstrated almost 50 years ago, and from these cultured cells entire plantlets were regenerated. Thisin vitroculture of carrot cells has become increasingly important for the production of transgenic plant lines where naturally available elite backgrounds are unavailable. Optimizing theAgrobacterium–plant interaction is considered to be the most important aspect for the development of an efficientAgrobacterium‐mediated transformation protocol, together with the subsequent recovery of whole transgenic plants. The introduction of foreign DNA into plant cells has been widely applied for the genetic manipulation of carrot phenotypes and the development of cultivars with traits of commercial interest.
Cucurbits
Authors: Tricoli David M. , Staub Jack E. , Kabelka Eileen A. , Wang Yi‐Hong , Quemada Hector D.
Published: April 2009

There are five cultivated species of the genusCucurbita: C. pepo,C. moschata,C. maxima,C. argyrosperma, andC. ficifolia.Cucurbitais one of the most morphologically variable genera in the plant kingdom. Breeding ofCucurbitahas played a key role in the variety and productivity of cultivars available to growers and consumers today. In addition to traditional plant breeding methods of transferring virus‐resistance alleles from wild to cultivated species ofCucurbita, scientists have developed and commercialized genetically engineered virus resistance inC. pepo. The center of origin forCucumisspecies is likely Africa for the wild species, but initial sites of domestication forC. meloare likely in the Middle East. On the other hand,C. sativusmay have originated in Africa, China, India, or in the Near East with domestication occurring later throughout Europe. Melon and cucumber's improved varieties have thus far been derived through traditional breeding, which has accomplished a wide range of improvements, including yield and disease resistance. Watermelon was thought to have originated in southern Africa. Most cultivated or edible watermelons belong to the speciesCitrullus lanatus. Over the past century, conventional breeding has tremendously improved earliness, plant architecture, fruit yield, quality, diversity, disease resistance, and shipping quality.
Alliums
Authors: Eady Colin C. , Hunger Sarah A.
Published: April 2009

This chapter is concerned with the genetic manipulation of crop Allium species. Section 1 starts by briefly covering aspects of crop Allium history, industry, and flavor characteristics. The section ends on cultivation and breeding of Alliums, which leads into a justification for the use of genetic modification technologies for these crops. Section 2 covers herbicide‐resistant, disease‐resistant, and insect‐resistant traits and techniques such as RNA interference and targeted expression that are currently under investigation in crop Alliums through the use of genetic modification technology. The section finishes with a comprehensive overview of the current techniques available for the genetic modification of Allium species. Section 3 outlines the future prospects for the use of genetic modification of crop Alliums.
Asparagus
Authors: Dan Yinghui , Veilleux Richard E.
Published: April 2009

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is an economically important vegetable crop in over 17 countries. The important breeding targets for asparagus include herbicide tolerance, insect and disease resistance, and increase of nutritional compounds such as flavonoid rutin that may reduce serum cholesterol and anticarcinogens such as protodioscin that inhibits cancer cell growth and decreases cholesterol in plasma and liver to improve its human health benefit. In this article, we review the current status of botanical, economical and genomic aspects, breeding program, and genetic transformation in asparagus, which provides useful information of a genomic model for Asparagales functional genomics and its application to the economic trait development.
Pines
Authors: Tang Wei , Newton Ronald J.
Published: April 2009

Transgenic plants play an important role in plant productivity and in a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses including drought, low/high temperatures, high salinity, and oxidative stress. Changes in gene expression patterns ultimately influence biochemical, cellular, developmental, and physiological activities. Transgenic pine is critical in improving wood production and in forest biotechnology. In this chapter, we overview the transgenic pine and its application in forest biotechnology, in forest industry, and in environmental improvement with emphasis on the history, origin, and distribution of Loblolly pine (Pinus taedaL.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestrisL.), and Monterey pine (Pinus radiataD. Don).