SummaryBroadening the genetic base of crops is crucial for developing varieties to respond to global agricultural challenges such as climate change. Here, we analysed a diverse panel of 371 domesticated lines of the model crop barley to explore the genetics of crop adaptation. We first collected exome sequence data and phenotypes of key life history traits from contrasting multi‐environment common garden trials. Then we applied refined statistical methods, including some based on exomic haplotype states, for genotype‐by‐environment (G×E) modelling. Sub‐populations defined from exomic profiles were coincident with barley's biology, geography and history, and explained a high proportion of trial phenotypic variance. Clear G×E interactions indicated adaptation profiles that varied for landraces and cultivars. Exploration of circadian clock‐related genes, associated with the environmentally adaptive days to heading trait (crucial for the crop's spread from the Fertile Crescent), illustrated complexities in G×E effect directions, and the importance of latitudinally based genic context in the expression of large‐effect alleles. Our analysis supports a gene‐level scientific understanding of crop adaption and leads to practical opportunities for crop improvement, allowing the prioritisation of genomic regions and particular sets of lines for breeding efforts seeking to cope with climate change and other stresses.

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Objective: Infants with cholestatic jaundice were evaluated retrospectively in terms of etiologies, diagnostic methods, laboratory findings, treatment procedures and long-term prognosis. Patients and Methods: The study consisted of 70 children (52.8% male, 47.1% female) with cholestasis ranging in age from 15 days to 8 months (mean age, 60±26 days). Patients were divided into three groups according to the diagnosis: (i) patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia, (ii) patients with intrahepatic biliary hypoplasia, and (iii) patients with hepatocellular disease. Their clinical parameters were evaluated. Results: In the group with extrahepatic biliary atresia the onset of jaundice was significantly earlier and the presence of acholic stool and total bilirubin levels were remarkably higher than in the groups with intrahepatic biliary hypoplasia or hepatocellular disease. Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and alkaline phosphotase (ALP) levels were found to be significantly higher in the groups with extrahepatic biliary atresia and intrahepatic biliary hypoplasia than the group with hepatocellular disease (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). The contribution of technetium-99m (99mTc) scintigraphy to the diagnosis was significantly higher in the group with extrahepatic biliary atresia than the groups with intrahepatic biliary hypoplasia and hepatocellular disease (p<0.002). Conclusion: It was found that cholestasis, acholic stool and elevated GGT are better markers for extrahepatic biliary atresia than for intrahepatic biliary hypoplasia or hepatocellular disease in infants. The contribution of scintigraphy to the diagnosis was found to be higher in the group with extrahepatic biliary atresia than in the other groups.

Lentil is the sixth most important pulse crop terms of production in the world, but the number of available and mapped SSR markers are limited. To develop SSR markers in lentil, four genomic libraries for (CA)n, (GA)n, (AAC)n and (ATG)n repeats were constructed. A total of 360 SSR primers were designed and validated using 15 Turkish lentil cultivars and genotypes. The most polymorphic repeat motifs were GA and CT, with a mean number of alleles per locus of 7.80 and 6.55, respectively. Seventy‐eight SSR primers amplified a total of 400 polymorphic alleles, whereas 71 SSR primers produced markers within the expected size range. For 78 polymorphic SSR primers, the average number of alleles per locus was 5.1 and PIC value ranged from 0.07 to 0.89, with an average of 0.58. A linkage map was constructed using 92 individual F2 plants derived from a cross between Karacadağ × Silvan, with 47 SSR markers. The SSR markers developed in this study could be used for germplasm classification and identification and mapping of QTL in lentil.

Objective:To assess the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children under 18 years of age in the northwest region of Turkey during 2013-2015.Methods:All newly diagnosed T1DM cases were recorded prospectively during 2013-2015. Total, as well as gender and age group specific (0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-17 age) mean incidences per 100,000 per year were calculated.Results:There were 1,773 patients diagnosed during 2013-2015 (588 cases in 2013, 592 cases in 2014, 593 cases in 2015). Of these, 862 (48.6%) were girls and 911 (51.4%) were boys. The mean age at diagnosis was 9.2±4.2 years and it was not significantly different between girls (9.0±4.1 years) and boys (9.4±4.4 years) (p=0.052). The crude mean incidence was 8.99/100.000 confidence interval (CI) (95% CI: 8.58-9.42). Although mean incidence was similar between boys [8.98/100.000 (CI: 8.40 to 9.58)] and girls [9.01/100.000 (CI: 8.42 to 9.63)], there was male predominance in all groups except for 5-9 year age group. The standardized mean incidence was 9.02/100.000 according to the World Health Organization standard population. The mean incidence for the 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-17 age groups was 6.13, 11.68, 11.7 and 5.04/100.000 respectively. The incidence of T1DM was similar over the course of three years (p=0.95). A significant increase in the proportion of cases diagnosed was observed in the autumn-winter seasons.Conclusion:The northwest region of Turkey experienced an intermediate incidence of T1DM over the period of the study.