Postharvest diseases of mangoes in Fiji

Despite considerable research globally on postharvest diseases of mango, virtually no work has been done to determine the occurrence of these diseases and their causal agents in Fiji. This study is the first major field and market survey of postharvest diseases of mango in Fiji. For the field survey, fruits from five local mango cultivars were harvested at each of five locations. Fruits from five imported cultivars were also harvested from one location in Nadi. For the market survey, vendors were selected at five municipal markets for fruit collection, along with ten roadside stalls. For field and market surveys, fruits were incubated at 23°C and assessed for postharvest disease (incidence and severity of body rots and stem end rots) when ripe. Isolations were made from disease lesions and fungal cultures were identified using multilocus sequence typing. High incidences of body and stem end rots were recorded across all surveys. In the field survey of local cultivars, ?Salusalu? fruits were found to have the lowest severity of body rot and stem end rot on average, while for imported cultivars, ?Nam Doc Mai? had the lowest average severity of these diseases. The market survey showed that ?Salusalu? had a lower incidence of anthracnose on the body of fruit compared to all other cultivars, although it did have a surprisingly high incidence of stem end rot at some localities. Fungal isolates from anthracnose lesions in the field and market surveys were identified as Colletotrichum asianum, C. simmondsii and C. fructicola. C. asianum was the predominant species associated with anthracnose symptoms, accounting for 97% of isolations. Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Neofusicoccum parvum were the predominant species found in association with mango stem end rot symptoms. Other species isolated from mango stem end rot in lesser numbers included L. brasiliensis, N. umdonicola and N. kwambonambiense. All of these fungi represent new reports for Fiji

Cleaning and Cleanliness Measurement of Additive Manufactured Parts

No abstract availabl

Association of the tumour necrosis factor alpha -308 but not the interleukin 10 -627 promoter polymorphism with genetic susceptibility to primary sclerosing cholangitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown aetiology. Abnormalities in immune regulation and genetic associations suggest that PSC is an immune mediated disease. Several polymorphisms within the tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) promoter genes have been described which influence expression of these cytokines. This study examines the possible association between polymorphisms at the −308 and −627 positions in the TNF-α and IL-10 promoter genes, respectively, and susceptibility to PSC. METHODS TNF-α −308 genotypes were studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 160 PSC patients from Norway and the UK compared with 145 ethnically matched controls. IL-10 −627 genotypes were studied by PCR in 90 PSC patients compared with 84 ethnically matched controls. RESULTS A total of 16% of Norwegian PSC patients and 12% of British PSC patients were homozygous for the TNF2 allele compared with 3% and 6% of respective controls. The TNF2 allele was present in 60% of PSC patients versus 30% of controls (ORcombined data=3.2 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.8–4.5); pcorr=10−5). The association between the TNF2 allele and susceptibility to PSC was independent of the presence of concurrent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the PSC patients; 61% of PSC patients without IBD had TNF2 compared with 30% of controls (ORcombined data=3.2 (95% CI 1.2–9.0); pcorr=0.006 ). There was no difference in the −627 IL-10 polymorphism distributions between patients and controls in either population. The increase in TNF2 allele in PSC patients only occurs in the presence of DRB1*0301 (DR3) and B8. In the combined population data, DRB1*0301 showed a stronger association with susceptibility to PSC than both the TNF2 and B8 alleles (ORcombined data=3.8, pcorr=10−6 v ORcombined data=3.2, pcorr=10−5 vORcombined data =3.41, pcorr=10−4, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study identified a significant association between possession of the TNF2 allele, a G→A substitution at position −308 in the TNF-α promoter, and susceptibility to PSC. This association was secondary to the association of PSC with the A1-B8-DRB1*0301-DQA1*0501-DQB1*0201 haplotype. No association was found between the IL-10 −627 promoter polymorphism and PSC

Geochemical Logging in the Cajon Pass Drill Hole and Its Application to a New, Oxide, Igneous Rock Classification Scheme

A new elemental oxide classification scheme for crystalline rocks is developed and applied to geochemical well logs from the Cajon Pass drill hole. This classification scheme takes advantage of measurements of elements taken by a geochemical logging tool string. It uses K_2O versus SiO_2/Al_2O_3 to distinguish between granites, granodiorites, tonalites, syenites, monzonites, diorites, and gabbros. Oxide measurements from cores are used to calibrate the elemental abundances determined from the well logs. From these logs, a detailed lithologic column of the core is generated. The lithologic column derived from the well log classification scheme is compared with a lithologic column constructed from core samples and well cuttings. In the upper 1295 m of the well, agreement between the two columns is good. Discrepancies occur from 1295 to 2073 m and are believed to be caused by the occurrence of rock types not distinguished by the classification scheme and/or the occurrence of secondary minerals. Despite these discrepancies, the well log-based classification scheme helps to distinguish changes in rock type and shows potential as an aid to the construction of lithologic columns in boreholes of crystalline rocks

Continued need for non-human primate neuroscience research.

Neuroscience research in non-human primates (NHPs) has delivered fundamental knowledge about human brain function as well as some valuable therapies that have improved the lives of human patients with a variety of brain disorders. Research using NHPs, although it is facing serious challenges, continues to complement studies in human volunteers and patients, and will continue to be needed as the burdens of mental health problems and neurodegenerative diseases increase. At the same time, research into the 3Rs is helping to ameliorate the harms experienced by NHPs in experimental procedures, allowing the effective combination of optimal welfare conditions for the NHPs and high quality research

A missense mutation (c.184C>T) in ovine CLN6 causes neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in Merino sheep whereas affected South Hampshire sheep have reduced levels of CLN6 mRNA

AbstractThe neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs, Batten disease) are a group of fatal recessively inherited neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals characterised by common clinical signs and pathology. These include blindness, ataxia, dementia, behavioural changes, seizures, brain and retinal atrophy and accumulation of fluorescent lysosome derived organelles in most cells. A number of different variants have been suggested and seven different causative genes identified in humans (CLN1, CLN2, CLN3, CLN5, CLN6, CLN8 and CTSD). Animal models have played a central role in the investigation of this group of diseases and are extremely valuable for developing a better understanding of the disease mechanisms and possible therapeutic approaches. Ovine models include flocks of affected New Zealand South Hampshires and Borderdales and Australian Merinos. The ovine CLN6 gene has been sequenced in a representative selection of these sheep. These investigations unveiled the mutation responsible for the disease in Merino sheep (c.184C>T; p.Arg62Cys) and three common ovine allelic variants (c.56A>G, c.822G>A and c.933_934insCT). Linkage analysis established that CLN6 is the gene most likely to cause NCL in affected South Hampshire sheep, which do not have the c.184C>T mutation but show reduced expression of CLN6 mRNA in a range of tissues as determined by real-time PCR. Lack of linkage precludes CLN6 as a candidate for NCL in Borderdale sheep

The pathogenic diversity and host range of Colletotrichum spp. causing pepper spot and anthracnose of lychee (Litchi chinensis) in Australia

Lychee pepper spot, a field disease affecting lychee fruit skin, pedicels and petioles, is caused by Colletotrichum siamense, a fungal pathogen within the gloeosporioides species complex. Members of Colletotrichum from the gloeosporioides species complex and occasionally those from the acutatum species complex also cause postharvest anthracnose of lychee. Pepper spot was first described in Australia many years after anthracnose on lychee was first described, giving rise to the hypothesis that a novel species or strain within the gloeosporioides species complex causes pepper spot. In the present study, 19 isolates of Colletotrichum spp., collected from pepper spot and anthracnose symptoms on lychee fruit, representing 13 different genotypes across five species, were inoculated onto lychee fruit in the field or on detached fruit in the laboratory, to understand more about their pathogenic diversity. We found that symptoms were specific to genotype of the pathogen, as three genetically similar isolates of C. siamense consistently caused pepper spot and anthracnose, whilst other isolates caused anthracnose only. Cross-inoculation studies on detached fruit of lychee, banana, avocado and mango also provided some evidence of host specialization in isolates of C. siamense infecting lychee in Australia. Our experiments provided further evidence that detached fruit assays cannot be used as a reliable proxy for field inoculation studies. This research confirms that C. siamense is a causal agent of both lychee pepper spot and lychee anthracnose in Australia, and Colletotrichum alienum and Colletotrichum queenslandicum are reported as causal agents of anthracnose of lychee for the first time

Agri-Environmental Policy at the Crossroads: Guideposts on a Changing Landscape

Agri-environmental policy is at a crossroads. Over the past 20 years, a wide range of policies addressing the environmental implications of agricultural production have been implemented at the Federal level. Those policies have played an important role in reducing soil erosion, protecting and restoring wetlands, and creating wildlife habitat. However, emerging agri-environmental issues, evolution of farm income support policies, and limits imposed by trade agreements may point toward a rethinking of agri-environmental policy. This report identifies the types of policy tools available and the design features that have improved the effectiveness of current programs. It provides an indepth analysis of one policy tool that may be an important component of a future policy package-agri-environmental payments. The analysis focuses on issues and tradeoffs that policymakers would face in designing a program of agri-environmental payments.conservation programs, environmental policy, agricultural policy, policy instruments, agricultural program design, soil erosion, nitrogen runoff, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Rasch analysis of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (hads) for use in motor neurone disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is commonly used to assess symptoms of anxiety and depression in motor neurone disease (MND). The measure has never been specifically validated for use within this population, despite questions raised about the scale's validity. This study seeks to analyse the construct validity of the HADS in MND by fitting its data to the Rasch model.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The scale was administered to 298 patients with MND. Scale assessment included model fit, differential item functioning (DIF), unidimensionality, local dependency and category threshold analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rasch analyses were carried out on the HADS total score as well as depression and anxiety subscales (HADS-T, D and A respectively). After removing one item from both of the seven item scales, it was possible to produce modified HADS-A and HADS-D scales which fit the Rasch model. An 11-item higher-order HADS-T total scale was found to fit the Rasch model following the removal of one further item.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that a modified HADS-A and HADS-D are unidimensional, free of DIF and have good fit to the Rasch model in this population. As such they are suitable for use in MND clinics or research. The use of the modified HADS-T as a higher-order measure of psychological distress was supported by our data. Revised cut-off points are given for the modified HADS-A and HADS-D subscales.</p