Criteria for efficient prevention of dissemination and successful eradication of Erwinia amylovora (the cause of fire blight) in Aragon, Spain

Erwinia amylovora was detected on pome fruits in the Aragon region (North-Eastern Spain), in a ca. 5 km radius area located in the mid Jalon river (mid Ebro Valley) in the province of Zaragoza, during 2000-2003. Eight years have now passed since this pathogen was last detected, without new infections being reported in the same area. The bases for surveys and rapid eradication performed have been analyzed in detail to understand the reasons for the success in removing fireblight. The results demonstrate that intensive surveillance, risk assessment, plant analyses using accurate identification methods, and, especially, rapid total or selective eradication of infected trees in the plots have been very effective in preventing the generalized spread of fireblight and in delaying economic losses associated with this disease. Eradication and compensation to growers, estimated to cost approx. (sic) 467,000, were clearly counterbalanced by the economic value of apple and pear production in the 2000-2003 period (approx. (sic) 368 million). Fire blight risk-assessment, using the MARYBLYT system, showed that climatic conditions in the studied area were favourable to infections during the analyzed period (1997-2006). Molecular characterization of E. amylovora strains had revealed their homogeneity, suggesting that these fire blight episodes could have been caused by just one inoculum source, supporting the hypothesis that there was a unique introduction of E. amylovora in the studied area. Spatial spread of E. amylovora to trees was analyzed within six orchards, indicating an aggregated distribution model. This Spanish experience demonstrates the success of scientifically-based prevention methods that lead to the deployment of a fast and strict containment strategy, useful for other Mediterranean areas

Criteria for efficient prevention of dissemination and successful eradication of Erwinia amylovora (the cause of fire blight) in Aragon, Spain

Erwinia amylovora was detected on pome fruits in the Aragon region (North-Eastern Spain), in a ca. 5 km radius area located in the mid Jalon river (mid Ebro Valley) in the province of Zaragoza, during 2000-2003. Eight years have now passed since this pathogen was last detected, without new infections being reported in the same area. The bases for surveys and rapid eradication performed have been analyzed in detail to understand the reasons for the success in removing fireblight. The results demonstrate that intensive surveillance, risk assessment, plant analyses using accurate identification methods, and, especially, rapid total or selective eradication of infected trees in the plots have been very effective in preventing the generalized spread of fireblight and in delaying economic losses associated with this disease. Eradication and compensation to growers, estimated to cost approx. (sic) 467,000, were clearly counterbalanced by the economic value of apple and pear production in the 2000-2003 period (approx. (sic) 368 million). Fire blight risk-assessment, using the MARYBLYT system, showed that climatic conditions in the studied area were favourable to infections during the analyzed period (1997-2006). Molecular characterization of E. amylovora strains had revealed their homogeneity, suggesting that these fire blight episodes could have been caused by just one inoculum source, supporting the hypothesis that there was a unique introduction of E. amylovora in the studied area. Spatial spread of E. amylovora to trees was analyzed within six orchards, indicating an aggregated distribution model. This Spanish experience demonstrates the success of scientifically-based prevention methods that lead to the deployment of a fast and strict containment strategy, useful for other Mediterranean areas

GOING DEEPER INTO MODERN AND FOSSIL CROCODILIAN TOOTH MICROANATOMY: WHAT CAN BE INFERRED OF PALAEOENVIRONMENT AND TAPHONOMY FROM HISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSES?

Teeth provide information about the evolutionary pathway of an organism, its biology and habitat. This is the case even of fossilized teeth, since they have perdurable biomineralized structures, as biological apatite. The material that has been selected for this study comprises teeth from modern crocodilian individuals and extinct Cretaceous crocodylomorphs from Lo Hueco site. Microanatomy, histochemistry and crystallographic nature of enamel, dentine and cementum have been characterized by Polarized Light Microscopy, SEM-EDS, Confocal Raman Spectroscopy and SR-µXRD. A focus has been made on dentine lamination. In the fossil sample short-period incremental lines show alternate presence of dentinal tubules that has not been described previously either in living or fossil archosaur. This could be related to influence of environmental circadian rhythms in the abundance, size and/or activity of cells depositing dentine in the day-night cycle. Regarding histochemical and crystallographic compositions, the major and mostly unique phase is HA, but in the case of fossil teeth, a secondary phase identified as hematite appears locally between discontinuities of the material. Incremental lines would not be related to variation in chemical composition and furthermore do not present different HA crystallographic nature (different directions of HA or different crystallite sizes) either. Only small intensity oscillations are observed in the fossil sample by SR-µXRD which are compatible with the alternating abundance of dentinal tubules. Crystallinity differences between modern and fossil material, as crystallite size and presence of CO32- groups could be explained by postdepositional processes.

Primera detección de Lonsdalea quercina subsp. populi en chopo en España

Lonsdalea quercina (ex Brenneria quercina) subsp. populi es una bacteria recientemente identificada en Hungría y China como una nueva subespecie causante del chancro de la corteza del chopo. Los árboles afectados presentan chancros longitudinales en el tronco, de los que fluyen abundantes exudados espumosos de color blanco y exudados acuosos oscuros que tiñen la corteza. Los chopos afectados muestran un debilitamiento generalizado. En España se han localizado choperas con síntomas similares y se ha identificado L. quercina subsp. populi como el agente causal de los mismos. En este trabajo se presenta la primera detección de esta bacteria en España y se describen los métodos de diagnóstico e identificación utilizados. Esta nueva bacteriosis podría tener un impacto económico importante, siendo necesario evaluar las pérdidas causadas y realizar nuevas prospecciones para determinar su distribución en el país

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline