Fluctuations in Number of Cercospora beticola Conidia in Relationship to Environment and Disease Severity in Sugar Beet

All content of Phytopathology is open access without restriction 12 months after publicationCercospora leaf spot, caused by Cercospora beticola, is the most damaging foliar disease of sugar beet in Minnesota (MN) and North Dakota (ND). Research was conducted to characterize the temporal progression of aerial concentration of C. beticola conidia in association with the environment and disease severity in sugar beet. In 2003 and 2004, volumetric spore traps were placed within inoculated sugar beet plots to determine daily dispersal of conidia at Breckenridge, MN, and St. Thomas, ND. Plots were rated weekly for disease severity. At both locations, conidia were first collected in early July 2003 and late June in 2004. Peaks of conidia per cubic meter of air were observed with maxima in late August 2003 and in early September 2004 at both locations. Peaks of airborne conidium concentration were significantly correlated with the average temperature of daily hours when relative humidity was greater than 87%. Weekly mean hourly conidia per cubic meter of air was significantly (P <0.01) associated with disease severity during both years and across locations. This study showed that C. beticola conidial numbers may be used to estimate potential disease severity that, with further research, could be incorporated in a disease forecasting model to rationalize Cercospora leaf spot management.Peer reviewe

A High Phase Advance Damped and Detuned Structure for the Main Linacs of Clic

The main accelerating structures for the CLIC are designed to operate at an average accelerating gradient of 100 MV/m. The accelerating frequency has been optimised to 11.994 GHz with a phase advance of 2{\pi}/3 of the main accelerating mode. The moderately damped and detuned structure (DDS) design is being studied as an alternative to the strongly damped WDS design. Both these designs are based on the nominal accelerating phase advance. Here we explore high phase advance (HPA) structures in which the group velocity of the rf fields is reduced compared to that of standard (2{\pi}/3) structures. The electrical breakdown strongly depends on the fundamental mode group velocity. Hence it is expected that electrical breakdown is less likely to occur in the HPA structures. We report on a study of both the fundamental and dipole modes in a CLIC_DDS_HPA structure, designed to operate at 5{\pi}/6 phase advance per cell. Higher order dipole modes in both the standard and HPA structures are also studied

Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in meat and meat products

Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are persistent organic pollutants that received considerable attention in recent years due to their high potential toxicity, wide distribution and extreme stability. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) mainly occur in the environment as a result of several human activities including combustion, incineration and many other industrial activities, whereas polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners were intentionally manufactured and widely used in various fields. Since dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are found in various environmental compartments (air, water, soil, sludge, sediment, food, feed, blood, animal and human tissues), humans could be exposed to them via inhalation, dermal contact or food ingestion. However, 90% of human exposure to dioxin is through food ingestion particularly foods from animals and foods that are rich in fat. In contrast, only low levels have been found in food items of plant origin. Exposure to dioxin compounds is associated with various adverse health problems. However, their toxicity varies dramatically according to the type of dioxin, species of exposed organism, as well as exposure frequency and duration. Dioxins are mainly determined by instrumental chromatographic methods such as GC-HRMS and GC–MS/MS. Many efforts have been made to remove, reduce and prevent these hazardous substances from the environment. However, the best method for reducing human exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds is controlling and minimizing their production. In this article, structures, sources, exposure, toxicity and analysis methods of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in meat and other foods were reviewed.Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are persistent organic pollutants that received considerable attention in recent years due to their high potential toxicity, wide distribution and extreme stability. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) mainly occur in the environment as a result of several human activities including combustion, incineration and many other industrial activities, whereas polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners were intentionally manufactured and widely used in various fields. Since dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are found in various environmental compartments (air, water, soil, sludge, sediment, food, feed, blood, animal and human tissues), humans could be exposed to them via inhalation, dermal contact or food ingestion. However, 90% of human exposure to dioxin is through food ingestion particularly foods from animals and foods that are rich in fat. In contrast, only low levels have been found in food items of plant origin. Exposure to dioxin compounds is associated with various adverse health problems. However, their toxicity varies dramatically according to the type of dioxin, species of exposed organism, as well as exposure frequency and duration. Dioxins are mainly determined by instrumental chromatographic methods such as GC-HRMS and GC–MS/MS. Many efforts have been made to remove, reduce and prevent these hazardous substances from the environment. However, the best method for reducing human exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds is controlling and minimizing their production. In this article, structures, sources, exposure, toxicity and analysis methods of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in meat and other foods were reviewed

Considering Respiratory Tract Infections and Antimicrobial Sensitivity: An Exploratory Analysis

This study was conducted to observe the sensitivity and resistance of status of antibiotics for respiratory tract infection (RTI). Throat swab culture and sensitivity report of 383 patients revealed sensitivity profiles were observed with amoxycillin (7.9%), penicillin (33.7%), ampicillin (36.6%), co-trimoxazole (46.5%), azithromycin (53.5%), erythromycin (57.4%), cephalexin (69.3%), gentamycin (78.2%), ciprofloxacin (80.2%), cephradine (81.2%), ceftazidime (93.1%), ceftriaxone (93.1%). Sensitivity to cefuroxime was reported 93.1% cases. Resistance was found with amoxycillin (90.1%), ampicillin (64.1%), penicillin (61.4%), co-trimoxazole (43.6%), erythromycin (39.6%), and azithromycin (34.7%). Cefuroxime demonstrates high level of sensitivity than other antibiotics and supports its consideration with patients with upper RTI

Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and some plant pathogens on the growth and nodulation of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Effects of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were studied on lentil plants inoculated with Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and Meloidogyne incognita. Plant growth, chlorophyll, carotenoid contents, nitrate reductase (NR) activity and nodulation of lentil both in the presence and absence of Rhizobium sp. were examined in a pot test. Inoculation of plants with A. alternata / F. oxysporum f. sp. lentis / X. axonopodis pv. phaseoli / P. syringae pv. syringae or M. incognita caused a significant reduction in plant growth, number of pods per plant, chlorophyll, carotenoids and NR activity over uninoculated control. Inoculation of plants with Rhizobium sp. with or without pathogen increased plant growth and number of pods per plant, chlorophyll, carotenoids and NR activity. When plants were grown without Rhizobium, a foliar spray of plants with 10 ml solution of 0.1 mg ml–1of ZnO NPs per plant caused a significant increase in plant growth and number of pods, chlorophyll, carotenoid contents and NR activity in both inoculated and uninoculated plants. Spray of ZnO NPs to plants inoculated with Rhizobium sp. caused non significant increase in plant growth, number of pods per plant, chlorophyll, carotenoid contents and NR activity when plants were either uninoculated or inoculated with pathogens. Numbers of nodules per root system were high in plants treated with Rhizobium sp. but foliar spray of ZnO NPs had adverse effect on nodulation. Inoculation of plants with test pathogens also reduced nodulation. Spray of ZnO NPs to plants reduced galling, nematode multiplication, wilt, blight and leaf spot disease severity indices

Implications for the practice of a patient expectation and satisfaction survey, at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: To study the expectations and satisfaction of patients visiting Family Practice Clinics, at the Aga Khan University Hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: A cross sectional survey of 316 patients was carried out. A questionnaire, based on the study objectives was developed and administered. The participating patient signed a consent form, after assurance of confidentiality was provided. Data on the demographic profile of the patients was collected.Results: The mean age was 33.81 years, with 105 (33.2%) women, and 211 (66.8%) men. The majority were married, with education above intermediate level and were in private or government service or were housewives. The median for the patient waiting time was 30 minutes, against an expectation of 12.69 minutes. Reading newspaper, watching television, reading magazine, reading Quran and listening to music were quoted as ways to lessen the burden of waiting to see a physician. The average consultation time with the physician was 13.89 minutes, against an expectation of 16.37 minutes. Patient expectation in terms of listening by the doctor with patience, explanation of the diagnosis and treatment, prescription of medicines, ordering of investigations and specialist referral has been documented. Objections to the presence of medical student, nursing student, resident doctor, nurse and an observer, in the consultation room have also been documented. Reasons quoted for the objection include issues of privacy/confidentiality, lack of justification, discomfort, and interference with the consultation process. The expected average cost for doctor’s consultation was Pakistani Rs. 124, while 196 (61.8%) of the respondents were satisfied with the consultation based on Rs. 70. Conclusion: We have collected important information to improve the services offered at our Family Practice clinics (JPMA 53:122;2003)

Search for a Signal on QCD Critical Point in Central Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

We discuss that the QCD critical point could appear in central collisions in percolation cluster. We suggest using the nuclear transparency effect and the one of the light nuclear production to identify the critical point.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (QM2008), Jaipur, India, February 4-10, 200