Evaluasi Lahan Kualitatif dan Kuantitatif Tanaman Kopi Robusta di Kelompok Tani Bina Karya, Kabupaten Pesawaran

Kopi Robusta (Coffea canephora) merupakan salah satu tanaman Perkebunan yang dibudidayakan oleh petani di Kabupaten Pesawaran. Budidaya tanaman kopi Robusta dinilai sangat menguntungkan. Untuk itu diperlukan pengetahuan mengenai evaluasi lahan baik secara fisik (kualitatif) maupun ekonomi (kuantitatif). Penelitian dilakukan pada lahan pertanaman kopi robusta di Desa Pesawaran Indah Kecamatan Padang Cermin Kabupaten Pesawaran pada bulan Juni 2012. Analisis tanah dilakukan di Laboratorium Jurusan Ilmu Tanah Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Lampung. Penelitian dilaksanakan dengan metode survey dengan pendekatan evaluasi lahan secara paralel. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa lahan pertanaman kopi Robusta di Desa Pesawaran Indah Kecamatan Padang Cermin Pesawaran berdasarkan potensi fisik lingkungan menurut kriteria Djaenuddin dkk. (2003), masuk ke dalam kelas kesesuaian lahan cukup sesuai dengan faktor pembatas suhu (S2 tc), dan secara finansial layak untuk dilanjutkan dengan nilai NPV sebesar Rp 240.966.516,50, Net B/C sebesar 1,89, IRR sebesar 31 %, dan BEP (titik impas) akan dicapai pada tahun ke-10, bulan ke-10, hari ke-21

Adaptive changes in HIV-1 subtype C proteins during early infection are driven by changes in HLA-associated immune pressure

It is unresolved whether recently transmitted human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) have genetic features that specifically favour their transmissibility. To identify potential "transmission signatures", we compared 20 full-length HIV-1 subtype C genomes from primary infections, with 66 sampled from ethnically and geographically matched individuals with chronic infections. Controlling for recombination and phylogenetic relatedness, we identified 39 sites at which amino acid frequency spectra differed significantly between groups. These sites were predominantly located within Env, Pol and Gag (14/39, 9/39 and 6/39 respectively) and were significantly clustered (33/39) within known immunoreactive peptides. Within 6 months of infection, we detected reversion-to-consensus mutations at 14 sites and potential CTL escape mutations at seven. Here we provide evidence that frequent reversion mutations probably allows the virus to recover replicative fitness which, together with immune escape driven by the HLA alleles of the new hosts, differentiate sequences from chronic infections from those sampled shortly after transmission

Diversity of Francisella Species in Environmental Samples from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

We determined whether Francisella spp. are present in water, sediment, and soil from an active tularemia natural focus on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, during a multiyear outbreak of pneumonic tularemia. Environmental samples were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting Francisella species 16S rRNA gene and succinate dehydrogenase A (sdhA) sequences; evidence of the agent of tularemia was sought by amplification of Francisella tularensis-specific sequences for the insertion element ISFTu2, 17-kDa protein gene tul4, and the 43-kDa outer membrane protein gene fopA. Evidence of F. tularensis subsp. tularensis, the causative agent of the human infections in this outbreak, was not detected from environmental samples despite its active transmission among ticks and animals in the sampling site. Francisella philomiragia was frequently detected from a brackish-water pond using Francisella species PCR targets, and subsequently F. philomiragia was isolated from an individual brackish-water sample. Distinct Francisella sp. sequences that are closely related to F. tularensis and Francisella novicida were detected from samples collected from the brackish-water pond. We conclude that diverse Francisella spp. are present in the environment where human cases of pneumonic tularemia occur

Transmission of HIV-1 CTL escape variants provides HLA - mismatched recipients with a survival advantage.

One of the most important genetic factors known to affect the rate of disease progression in HIV-infected individuals is the genotype at the Class I Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) locus, which determines the HIV peptides targeted by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs). Individuals with HLA-B*57 or B*5801 alleles, for example, target functionally important parts of the Gag protein. Mutants that escape these CTL responses may have lower fitness than the wild-type and can be associated with slower disease progression. Transmission of the escape variant to individuals without these HLA alleles is associated with rapid reversion to wild-type. However, the question of whether infection with an escape mutant offers an advantage to newly infected hosts has not been addressed. Here we investigate the relationship between the genotypes of transmitted viruses and prognostic markers of disease progression and show that infection with HLA-B*57/B*5801 escape mutants is associated with lower viral load and higher CD4+ counts

Raccoons and Skunks as Sentinels for Enzootic Tularemia

We analyzed sera from diverse mammals of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, for evidence of Francisella tularensis exposure. Skunks and raccoons were frequently seroreactive, whereas white-footed mice, cottontail rabbits, deer, rats, and dogs were not. Tularemia surveillance may be facilitated by focusing on skunks and raccoons

Extensive purifying selection acting on synonymous sites in HIV-1 Group M sequences

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