Conclusions:The present meta-analysis demonstrated favourable outcomes for uniportal VATS lobectomy in the treatment of lung cancer compared to the conventional multiportal approach. However, long-term follow-up data is still needed to further characterize the benefits of the uniportal approach.

We explored genetic influences on the perception of taste and smell stimuli. Adult twins rated the chemosensory aspects of water, sucrose, sodium chloride, citric acid, ethanol, quinine hydrochloride, phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), potassium chloride, calcium chloride, cinnamon, androstenone, Galaxolide™, cilantro, and basil. For most traits, individual differences were stable over time and some traits were heritable (h(2) from 0.41 to 0.71). Subjects were genotyped for 44 single nucleotide polymorphisms within and near genes related to taste and smell. The results of these association analyses confirmed previous genotype-phenotype results for PTC, quinine, and androstenone. New associations were detected for ratings of basil and a bitter taste receptor gene, TAS2R60, and between cilantro and variants in three genes (TRPA1, GNAT3, and TAS2R50). The flavor of ethanol was related to variation within an olfactory receptor gene (OR7D4) and a gene encoding a subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (SCNN1D). Our study demonstrates that person-to-person differences in the taste and smell perception of simple foods and drinks are partially accounted for by genetic variation within chemosensory pathways.

Resistance of sugarcane plants to smut is believed to be manifested by two mechanisms, (i) external resistance, governed by structural barrier of bud scale and/or chemical secretion from the bud, and (ii) internal resistance, regulated by interaction of plants and fungus within the plant tissue. Hot water treatments are routinely used to treat seed cane to eliminate a range of diseases including smut. It is believed that hot water treatment predisposes sugarcane plant to smut. This study was conducted to determine the resistance mechanisms of some important Australian parent clones, and their response to hot water treatment in relation to smut infection. Twenty-one clones, used regularly in the Australian sugarcane breeding program, were evaluated. Results showed that ~47% of clones had external and 33% had internal resistance mechanisms, indicating that parent clones selected for this study possessed diverse mechanism of resistance. There is a possibility some or all clones with internal resistance mechanisms could also possess external resistance mechanism. Except one highly susceptible clone (Q205) in one trial, none of the clones subject to hot water treatment became more susceptible to smut. Although some clones showed increased resistance after hot water treatment. These findings will benefit breeders in selecting parent materials in their crossing programs to develop smut-resistant cultivars.

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