Determination of appropriate growth medium for production of sclerotia in Pleurotus tuber-regium

This study determined appropriate growth medium for production of sclerotia in Pleurotus tuber-regium. Due to climate change and other anthropogenic activities, such as forest depletion, sclerotia sourcing form the wild is tending towards extinction. An alternative production of sclerotia is therefore imperative. This research was conducted in the Mushroom Farm of the University of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. Fresh and Composted sawdust were used for the cultivation of Pleurotus tuber-regium to determine a better substrate medium for sclerotia production. The composted sawdust was left to decompose for two weeks while the fresh sawdust was used without decomposition. Mycelia ramification and sclerotia production were observed in the course of the research. Full mycelia ramification for composted substrate took more days (26 days from inoculation of substrate with mushroom spawn) compared with fresh sawdust (25 days from inoculation of substrate with mushroom spawn). However, there was no significant difference for mycelia ramification between the substrates. Sclerotia production took shorter days on composted substrate (47 days from inoculation of substrate with mushroom spawn)and significantly different (P≤0.05) from production on the fresh sawdust (49 days from inoculation of substrate with mushroom spawn).Fresh weight of sclerotia for the composted sawdust weighed 21.6± 5.6 grams while the fresh weight of sclerotia for the fresh sawdust weighed 15.6±3.9 grams; dry weight of sclerotia for the composted sawdust was 11.6±4.5 grams while that of the fresh sawdust was 8.2±3.0 grams. Composted sawdust is recommended for the cultivation of Pleurotus tuber-regium for production of sclerotia.Keywords: Pleurotus tuber-regium, Sclerotia sustainability, Fresh sawdust, Composted sawdus

Inelastic electron backscattering in a generic helical edge channel

We evaluate the low-temperature conductance of a weakly interacting one-dimensional helical liquid without axial spin symmetry. The lack of that symmetry allows for inelastic backscattering of a single electron, accompanied by forward-scattering of another. This joint effect of weak interactions and potential scattering off impurities results in a temperature-dependent deviation from the quantized conductance, $\delta G \propto T^4$. In addition, $\delta G$ is sensitive to the position of the Fermi level. We determine numerically the parameters entering our generic model for the Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang Hamiltonian of a HgTe/CdTe quantum well in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling.Comment: 4+ pages, 3 figures, published versio

Persistent akathisia masquerading as agitated depression after use of ziprasidone in the treatment of bipolar depression

There has been increasing recognition that the second-generation antipsychotic drugs can produce extrapyramidal side effects. This case reports the development of severe akathisia in a patient being treated with ziprasidone for bipolar depression. The case illustrates that this symptom can be easily mistaken for worsening agitated depression. Akathisia may produce considerable distress and elevate suicide risk. Such symptoms may persist for weeks and be refractory to discontinuation of the offending agent or to pharmacological interventions commonly used to mitigate this reaction

Liposarcoma: Molecular Genetics and Therapeutics

Sarcomas are a group of heterogeneous tumours with varying genetic basis. Cytogenetic abnormalities range from distinct genomic rearrangements such as pathognomonic translocation events and common chromosomal amplification or loss, to more complex rearrangements involving multiple chromosomes. The different subtypes of liposarcoma are spread across this spectrum and constitute an interesting tumour type for molecular review. This paper will outline molecular pathogenesis of the three main subtypes of liposarcoma: well-differentiated/dedifferentiated, myxoid/round cell, and pleomorphic liposarcoma. Both the molecular basis and future avenues for therapeutic intervention will be discussed

Feral Swine Disease Surveillance – National Targets and Pilot Projects

The National Feral Swine Damage Management Program (NFSP) in collaboration with the National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP) and USDA APHIS Veterinary Services works to identify the diseases of national concern in feral swine. The current national disease surveillance program includes classical swine fever (CSF), swine brucellosis (SB), and pseudorabies (PRV). CSF is a foreign animal disease and feral swine samples collected and tested serve as part of Veterinary Services surveillance stream for this pathogen. Both SB and PRV have been eradicated from U.S. commercial swine operations; however, as they are endemic diseases in feral swine populations, monitoring of feral swine for SB and PRV is deemed important to inform the swine industry as well as other livestock entities of the potential risk of reintroduction. Wildlife Services routinely removes feral swine and collects serum (approximately 2,800 samples annually) to conduct serologic tests on these three diseases. Sampling is distributed over both space and time and is currently undertaken in 37 states of the U.S. with counties being ranked high, medium, and low priority based upon risk factors. In addition to the diseases of national concern, the NFSP supports a number of pilot projects to address disease issues that arise at a local level. In close collaboration with Wildlife Services field personnel and others on the ground, the NFSP is able to quickly and robustly identify and sample for additional pathogens of zoonotic, domestic livestock, or companion animal concern. These projects are often multi-agency collaborative efforts and include diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease

The Use of Blended Data to Improve Public Assistance Programs: Results from a Partnership between the U.S. Census Bureau, USDA, and State Program Agencies

The Census Bureau is partnering with state public assistance agencies to acquire program participation data and estimate new statistics that deepen a state’s understanding of program participants and improve outreach efforts to those who are eligible but do not participate. In collaboration with the Economic Research Service and the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture, the Census Bureau obtains individual-level program participation administrative records (AR) data for three state programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The Census Bureau constructs a unique data set for each state program by linking the AR data to survey response data for the same individuals. These linked data enable the Census Bureau to model which survey respondents are eligible for program participation and also to observe which eligible individuals participate in the program. The Census Bureau then estimates eligibility and participation rates by a variety of demographic and economic characteristics and by county. The individual-level data also enable the Census Bureau to construct a statistical profile of eligible individuals and families that do not participate to assist state agencies with their outreach programs. All statistical results provided back to state agencies in table reports and data visualizations are reviewed to insure that individual identities are protected and not disclosed. This paper will present results for several state programs that have partnered the Census Bureau

Mass casualty events: what to do as the dust settles?

Care during mass casualty events (MCE) has improved during the last 15 years. Military and civilian collaboration has led to partnerships which augment the response to MCE. Much has been written about strategies to deliver care during an MCE, but there is little about how to transition back to normal operations after an event. A panel discussion entitled The Day(s) After: Lessons Learned from Trauma Team Management in the Aftermath of an Unexpected Mass Casualty Event at the 76th Annual American Association for the Surgery of Trauma meeting on September 13, 2017 brought together a cadre of military and civilian surgeons with experience in MCEs. The events described were the First Battle of Mogadishu (1993), the Second Battle of Fallujah (2004), the Bagram Detention Center Rocket Attack (2014), the Boston Marathon Bombing (2013), the Asiana Flight 214 Plane Crash (2013), the Baltimore Riots (2015), and the Orlando Pulse Night Club Shooting (2016). This article focuses on the lessons learned from military and civilian surgeons in the days after MCEs

Staphylococcus aureus Colonization: Modulation of Host Immune Response and Impact on Human Vaccine Design

In apparent contrast to its invasive potential Staphylococcus aureus colonizes the anterior nares of 20–80% of the human population. The relationship between host and microbe appears particularly individualized and colonization status seems somehow predetermined. After decolonization, persistent carriers often become re-colonized with their prior S. aureus strain, whereas non-carriers resist experimental colonization. Efforts to identify factors facilitating colonization have thus far largely focused on the microorganism rather than on the human host. The host responds to S. aureus nasal colonization via local expression of anti-microbial peptides, lipids, and cytokines. Interplay with the co-existing microbiota also influences colonization and immune regulation. Transient or persistent S. aureus colonization induces specific systemic immune responses. Humoral responses are the most studied of these and little is known of cellular responses induced by colonization. Intriguingly, colonized patients who develop bacteremia may have a lower S. aureus-attributable mortality than their non-colonized counterparts. This could imply a staphylococcal-specific immune “priming” or immunomodulation occurring as a consequence of colonization and impacting on the outcome of infection. This has yet to be fully explored. An effective vaccine remains elusive. Anti-S. aureus vaccine strategies may need to drive both humoral and cellular immune responses to confer efficient protection. Understanding the influence of colonization on adaptive response is essential to intelligent vaccine design, and may determine the efficacy of vaccine-mediated immunity. Clinical trials should consider colonization status and the resulting impact of this on individual patient responses. We urgently need an increased appreciation of colonization and its modulation of host immunity

A Natural Plasmid Uniquely Encodes Two Biosynthetic Pathways Creating a Potent Anti-MRSA Antibiotic

Background Understanding how complex antibiotics are synthesised by their producer bacteria is essential for creation of new families of bioactive compounds. Thiomarinols, produced by marine bacteria belonging to the genus Pseudoalteromonas, are hybrids of two independently active species: the pseudomonic acid mixture, mupirocin, which is used clinically against MRSA, and the pyrrothine core of holomycin. Methodology/Principal Findings High throughput DNA sequencing of the complete genome of the producer bacterium revealed a novel 97 kb plasmid, pTML1, consisting almost entirely of two distinct gene clusters. Targeted gene knockouts confirmed the role of these clusters in biosynthesis of the two separate components, pseudomonic acid and the pyrrothine, and identified a putative amide synthetase that joins them together. Feeding mupirocin to a mutant unable to make the endogenous pseudomonic acid created a novel hybrid with the pyrrothine via “mutasynthesis” that allows inhibition of mupirocin-resistant isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, the mupirocin target. A mutant defective in pyrrothine biosynthesis was also able to incorporate alternative amine substrates. Conclusions/Significance Plasmid pTML1 provides a paradigm for combining independent antibiotic biosynthetic pathways or using mutasynthesis to develop a new family of hybrid derivatives that may extend the effective use of mupirocin against MRSA