Population Dynamics of Aedes aegypti and Dengue as Influenced by Weather and Human Behavior in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Previous studies on the influence of weather on Aedes aegypti dynamics in Puerto Rico suggested that rainfall was a significant driver of immature mosquito populations and dengue incidence, but mostly in the drier areas of the island. We conducted a longitudinal study of Ae. aegypti in two neighborhoods of the metropolitan area of San Juan city, Puerto Rico where rainfall is more uniformly distributed throughout the year. We assessed the impacts of rainfall, temperature, and human activities on the temporal dynamics of adult Ae. aegypti and oviposition. Changes in adult mosquitoes were monitored with BG-Sentinel traps and oviposition activity with CDC enhanced ovitraps. Pupal surveys were conducted during the drier and wetter parts of the year in both neighborhoods to determine the contribution of humans and rains to mosquito production. Mosquito dynamics in each neighborhood was compared with dengue incidence in their respective municipalities during the study. Our results showed that: 1. Most pupae were produced in containers managed by people, which explains the prevalence of adult mosquitoes at times when rainfall was scant; 2. Water meters were documented for the first time as productive habitats for Ae. aegypti; 3. Even though Puerto Rico has a reliable supply of tap water and an active tire recycling program, water storage containers and discarded tires were important mosquito producers; 4. Peaks in mosquito density preceded maximum dengue incidence; and 5. Ae. aegypti dynamics were driven by weather and human activity and oviposition was significantly correlated with dengue incidence

High irradiance increases organogenesis in friable callus of Caustis blakei Kuk. (Cyperaceae)

Caustis blakei is an attractive cut foliage plant harvested from the wild in Australia and marketed under the name of koala fern. Previous attempts to propagate large numbers of this plant have been unsuccessful. The effect of four light irradiances on organogenesis from compact and friable callus of C. blakei was studied for 21 wk. Both callus types produced numerous primordial shoots but many failed to develop into green plantlets. However, significantly more primordial shoots and green plantlets developed on the friable callus than on the compact callus, and significantly more green plantlets were regenerated under the higher photon irradiances of 200 and 300 mumol m(-2) s(-1) than under the lower irradiances of 100 and 150 mumol m(-2) s(-1). The compact callus produced its maximum number of green plantlets early in the experiment (after 9 wk), while the friable callus continued to produce primordial shoots and green plantlets throughout the period of the experiment, and reached its maximum production of green plantlets at 21 wk under the irradiance of 300 mumol m(-2) s(-1). Organogenesis from friable callus under high irradiance (300 mumol m(-2) s(-1)) offers an efficient propagation method for C. blakei

Botrytis-Cinerea - a Causal Agent of Premature Flower Drop in Packaged Geraldton Waxflower

Botytis cinerea was isolated from Geraldton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum) flowers collected in Queensland and Western Australia. Isolates were shown to be pathogenic on the two flower selections used, 'Herb Morrow' and 'Alba'. Separation of the flower from the pedicel occurred for single cut flowers inoculated with the fungus. This observation supports the hypothesis that infection commonly contributes to premature flower drop in cut, packaged Geraldton waxflower

Alternaria alternata causes petal blight and flower drop in harvested Geraldton waxflower

Six isolates of Alternaria alternata were tested and shown to be pathogenic on detached flowers of Geraldton waxflower cv. Alba. The fungus caused petal blight and abscission of the pedicel from inoculated flowers. This finding strengthens the hypothesis that fungal infection of Geraldton waxflower flowers commonly leads to premature flower drop. Furthermore, it shows that, in addition to Botrytis cinerea, which has been shown previously to cause flower abscission, A. alternata can also cause flower abscission

Influence of fungal pathogens and environmental conditions on disease severity, flower fall and desiccation of harvested Geraldton waxflower - 1. Studies with model packages

Flowering sprigs of Geraldton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer cv. 'Alba') inoculated with Botrytis cinerea, Altemaria alternata or left uninoculated (control treatment) were kept in sealed plastic containers (model packages). Three relative humidity treatments (75, 90 or 100%) by 4 temperature treatments [5, 10, 20 or 5/20 degrees C (alternated daily)] were maintained. An additional treatment of ethylene absorbent (Purafil) sachets in the model packages was included. Disease severity, flower fall and desiccation were monitored over 22 days. Both disease severity and flower fall were reduced in treatments with no inoculum, at lower temperatures (5, 10 and 5/20 degrees C) and under reduced relative humidities (75 and 90%). However, desiccation was a problem at 75 and 90% relative humidity and at 20 and 5/20 degrees C. Ethylene scrubbing at 100% relative humidity did not significantly reduce disease severity or flower fall. Considered collectively, our results show that postharvest disease severity, flower fall and desiccation can be minimised by keeping waxflower at less than or equal to 10 degrees C and greater than or equal to 90% relative humidity

Alk (en) ylresorcinol concentrations in'Kensington Pride'mango peel and antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Two preformed alk(en)ylresorcinols, 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol and 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol, were identified in ‘Kensington Pride’ mango fruit peel. The alk(en)ylresorcinols had antifungal activity against C. gloeosporioides, as determined from thin layer chromatography bioassays. Soil-applied activators of plant defence (Acibenzolar at 150 mg L-1, and soluble potassium silicate at 200 and 1000 mg L-1) did not influence concentrations of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol or 5-n-pentadecyl¬resorcinol in mango peel when applied 2 months after fruit set and one month later. Concentrations of both alk(en)ylresorcinols were high 2 months after fruit set but levels declined by 50% within 1 month (2 months before commercial harvest) and did not change significantly from commercial harvest until eating-ripe

Effect of commercial fungicides and postharvest treatment with calcium on Botrytis cinerea of Geraldton waxflower

A range of commercial fungicides was tested in vitro for efficacy against Botrytis cinerea Pers. as part of a larger project investigating causes of postharvest flower fall in Geraldton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer.). Another part of the study examined the potential for control of fungal decay by postharvest treatment of flowering stems with calcium

Risk and efficacy in biomedical media representations of herbal medicine and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)

The objective of the research was to map the discourse about herbal medicine in Australia’s primary medical journal, the Medical Journal of Australia, over 4 decades. Manifest content analysis of 148 articles about herbal or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in journal articles from 1966 to 2008 was undertaken. Issues of risk dominated the discourse about herbal medicine in the journal (70%), with a focus on adverse events (42%) as the most significant risk of herbal and other complementary medicines. Toxicity (23%) and drug interactions (18%) were the most frequently mentioned specific risk items. Items that acknowledged efficacy (32%) outweighed those suggesting ineffectiveness (11%). Case reports, reviews, research articles, and letters all had risk frequencies of more than 70%. Review articles and research articles had a high rate of reference to both risk and benefit. Review articles were found to have greater reference to benefit than risk. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed