SummaryFaba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a globally important nitrogen‐fixing legume, which is widely grown in a diverse range of environments. In this work, we mine and validate a set of 845 SNPs from the aligned transcriptomes of two contrasting inbred lines. Each V. faba SNP is assigned by BLAST analysis to a single Medicago orthologue. This set of syntenically anchored polymorphisms were then validated as individual KASP assays, classified according to their informativeness and performance on a panel of 37 inbred lines, and the best performing 757 markers used to genotype six mapping populations. The six resulting linkage maps were merged into a single consensus map on which 687 SNPs were placed on six linkage groups, each presumed to correspond to one of the six V. faba chromosomes. This sequence‐based consensus map was used to explore synteny with the most closely related crop species, lentil and the most closely related fully sequenced genome, Medicago. Large tracts of uninterrupted colinearity were found between faba bean and Medicago, making it relatively straightforward to predict gene content and order in mapped genetic interval. As a demonstration of this, we mapped a flower colour gene to a 2‐cM interval of Vf chromosome 2 which was highly colinear with Mt3. The obvious candidate gene from 78 gene models in the collinear Medicago chromosome segment was the previously characterized MtWD40‐1 gene controlling anthocyanin production in Medicago and resequencing of the Vf orthologue showed a putative causative deletion of the entire 5′ end of the gene.

The identification of a serum marker to assist in the diagnosis of cerebral injury after cardiac surgery is potentially useful. S100 protein is an early marker of cerebral damage. It is released after cardiac surgery performed under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Its level is correlated with the duration of CPB, deep circulatory arrest and aortic cross-clamping. Increased levels of S100 protein are correlated with the age of the patient and the number of microemboli, especially during aortic cannulation. Perioperative cerebral complications such as stroke, delayed awakening and confusion are associated with increased levels of S100 protein directly after bypass and from 15 to 48 h after it. In addition, increased levels of S100 protein are related to neuropsychological dysfunction after cardiac surgery. S100 protein has early and late release patterns after CPB; the early pattern may be due to sub-clinical brain injury. The late release pattern may be due to perioperative cerebral complications. Patients undergoing intracardiac operations combined with coronary artery bypass surgery are more susceptible to brain injury and have higher levels of S100 after CPB. Furthermore, adults and children undergoing deep circulatory arrest are more susceptible to brain injury, in terms of higher S100 protein release after CPB. Serum S100 protein levels are reduced after using arterial line filtration and covalent-bonded heparin to coat the inner surface of the CPB circuit.

In parts of Central Europe, such as Germany, climate change will lead to increasing area utilization for winter types of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) with improved tolerance to drought and freezing. Here, we present the first genome‐wide association analysis focusing on drought and freezing stress in a set of 189 German winter faba bean lines. We assessed proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugars, water content, membrane stability, and chlorophyll content in leaves of juvenile plants, with and without drought stress. To describe freezing tolerance under growth chamber conditions, we monitored the freezing symptoms of juvenile plants, such as loss of color and turgidity, freezing survival, and regrowth after freezing—achieving medium to high repeatabilities (0.43 < h2 < 0.93). With 175 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays and 1147 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) assays, a total of 1322 (mostly mapped) DNA markers were utilized. We detected a total of 21 putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) for six of the traits, each explaining 6 to 15% of the phenotypic variance. Several phenotypically promising inbred lines were identified. The present results will greatly improve the prospects for including winter faba bean into German crop rotations in the near future.

Background:Preclinical and clinical data suggest the possibility of neurotoxicity following exposure of young children to general anesthetics with subsequent behavioral disturbances. The aim of the study was to determine the overall effect of repeated general anesthesia on behavior and emotions of young children aged 1½-5 years old, compared to healthy children.Materials and Methods:Thirty-five children underwent repeated anesthesia and surgery were matched with the same number of healthy children who attended vaccination clinic, as a control group. Both groups were administered the child behavior checklist (CBCL) 1½-5 years and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) oriented scale. Behavior data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire.Results:The CBCL score revealed that children with repeated anesthesia were at risk to become anxious or depressed (relative risk [RR]; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 11 [1.5-80.7]), to have sleep (RR; 95% CI = 4.5 [1.1-19.4]), and attention problems (RR; 95% CI = 8 [1.1-60.6]). There was no difference in the risk between the two groups regarding emotionally reactive, somatic complaints, withdrawn problems, aggressive behavior, internalizing or externalizing problems. On DSM scale, children with repeated anesthesia were at risk to develop anxiety problems (RR; 95% CI = 3.7 [1.1-12.0]), and attention deficit/hyperactivity problems (RR; 95% CI = 3 [1.1-8.4]). There was no difference in the risk between the two groups regarding affective, pervasive developmental and oppositional defiant problems.Conclusion:Young children who undergone repeated surgical procedures under general anesthesia were at risk for subsequent behavioral and emotional disturbances. Proper perioperative pain management, social support, and avoidance of unpleasant surgical experiences could minimize these untoward consequences.