Novel phosphite and nutrient application to control Phytophthora cinnamomi disease

Systemic treatment of stems with injections of phosphite liquid and novel soluble capsule implants of phosphite, PHOSCAP® (phosphorous, potassium, iron, manganese, zinc, boron, copper, magnesium and molybdenum) and MEDICAP MD® (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, iron, manganese, and zinc), were applied to Banksia grandis and Eucalyptus marginata trees to control Phytophthora cinnamomi. Four weeks after treatment application, excised branches were under-bark inoculated with P. cinnamomi. In B. grandis, phosphite implants and liquid injections significantly reduced lesion length compared to the control, and MEDICAP MD® implants; however, there was no significant difference in lesion length between trees treated with phosphite implants and liquid injections and PHOSCAP implants. In E. marginata, phosphite implants and liquid injections significantly reduced lesion length compared to the control, PHOSCAP® and MEDICAP MD® implants. In B. grandis and E. marginata, PHOSCAP® and MEDICAP MD® implants reduced the average lesion length compared to the control; however, the interactions were not significant. Results show that both liquid phosphite injections and novel phosphite implants are effective at controlling lesion extension in B. grandis and E. marginata, caused by P. cinnamomi. Further work is required to determine if nutrient application reduces Phytophthora disease through improving plant health

Determination of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin in algal food supplements

For the analysis of blue–green algal food supplements for cylindrospermopsin (CYN), a C18 solid-phase extraction column and a polygraphitized carbon solid-phase extraction column in series was an effective procedure for the clean-up of extracts. Determination of CYN was by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet light detection. At extract spiking levels of CYN equivalent to 25–500 μg g−1, blue–green algal supplement recoveries were in the range 70–90%. CYN was not detected in ten samples of food supplements and one chocolate product, all containing blue–green algae. The limit of detection for the method was 16 μg g−1, and the limit of quantification was 52 μg g−1

Pathogenicity of Phytophthora multivora to Eucalyptus gomphocephala and E. marginata

Since the early 1990s there has been a significant decline of E. gomphocephala, and more recently E. marginata, in the tuart forest in tuart woodland in Yalgorup National Park SW Western Australia, although no satisfactory aetiology has been established to explain the decline. Characteristics of the canopy dieback and decline distribution are reminiscent of other forest declines known to involve Phytophthora soil pathogens and indicate that a Phytophthora species may be involved in the decline. In 2007 isolates of Phytophthora multivora, recently described by (1), were recovered from rhizosphere soil of declining or dead trees of Eucalyptus gomphocephala and E. marginata. For E. gomphocephala and E. marginata, the pathogenicity of P. multivora was tested: ex situ on seedlings using a soil infestation method; and in situ on stems using an under bark infestation method

What is the prevalence, and what are the clinical correlates, of insulin resistance in young people presenting for mental health care? A cross-sectional study

Objectives: To report the distribution and predictors of insulin resistance (IR) in young people presenting to primary care-based mental health services. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Headspace-linked clinics operated by the Brain and Mind Centre of the University of Sydney. Participants: 768 young people (66% female, mean age 19.7±3.5, range 12–30 years). Main outcome measures: IR was estimated using the updated homeostatic model assessment (HOMA2-IR). Height and weight were collected from direct measurement or self-report for body mass index (BMI). Results: For BMI, 20.6% of the cohort were overweight and 10.2% were obese. However,6.9 mmol/L). By contrast, 9.9% had a HOMA2-IR score \u3e2.0 (suggesting development of IR) and 11.7% (n=90) had a score between 1.5 and 2. Further, there was a positive correlation between BMI and HOMA2-IR (r=0.44, p Conclusions: Emerging IR is evident in a significant subgroup of young people presenting to primary care based mental health services. While the major modifiable risk factor is BMI, a large proportion of the variance is not accounted for by other demographic, clinical or treatment factors. Given the early emergence of IR, secondary prevention interventions may need to commence prior to the development of full-threshold or major mood or psychotic disorders

Phytophthora multivora sp. nov., a new species recovered from declining Eucalyptus, Banksia, Agonis and other plant species in Western Australia

A new Phytophthora species, isolated from rhizosphere soil of declining or dead trees of Eucalyptus gomphocephala, E. marginata, Agonis flexuosa, and another 13 plant species, and from fine roots of E. marginata and collar lesions of Banksia attenuata in Western Australia, is described as Phytophthora multivora sp. nov. It is homothallic and produces semipapillate sporangia, smooth-walled oogonia containing thick-walled oospores, and paragynous antheridia. Although morphologically similar to P. citricola, phylogenetic analyses of the ITS and cox1 gene regions demonstrate that P. multivora is unique. Phytophthora multivora is pathogenic to bark and cambium of E. gomphocephala and E. marginata and is believed to be involved in the decline syndrome of both eucalypt species within the tuart woodland in south-west Western Australia

A dedicated haem lyase is required for the maturation of a novel bacterial cytochrome c with unconventional covalent haem binding

In bacterial c-type cytochromes, the haem cofactor is covalently attached via two cysteine residues organized in a haem c-binding motif. Here, a novel octa-haem c protein, MccA, is described that contains only seven conventional haem c-binding motifs (CXXCH), in addition to several single cysteine residues and a conserved CH signature. Mass spectrometric analysis of purified MccA from Wolinella succinogenes suggests that two of the single cysteine residues are actually part of an unprecedented CX15CH sequence involved in haem c binding. Spectroscopic characterization of MccA identified an unusual high-potential haem c with a red-shifted absorption maximum, not unlike that of certain eukaryotic cytochromes c that exceptionally bind haem via only one thioether bridge. A haem lyase gene was found to be specifically required for the maturation of MccA in W. succinogenes. Equivalent haem lyase-encoding genes belonging to either the bacterial cytochrome c biogenesis system I or II are present in the vicinity of every known mccA gene suggesting a dedicated cytochrome c maturation pathway. The results necessitate reconsideration of computer-based prediction of putative haem c-binding motifs in bacterial proteomes

To Head or to Heed? Beyond the Surface of Selective Action Inhibition: A Review

To head rather than heed to temptations is easier said than done. Since tempting actions are often contextually inappropriate, selective suppression is invoked to inhibit such actions. Thus far, laboratory tasks have not been very successful in highlighting these processes. We suggest that this is for three reasons. First, it is important to dissociate between an early susceptibility to making stimulus-driven impulsive but erroneous actions, and the subsequent selective suppression of these impulses that facilitates the selection of the correct action. Second, studies have focused on mean or median reaction times (RT), which conceals the temporal dynamics of action control. Third, studies have focused on group means, while considering individual differences as a source of error variance. Here, we present an overview of recent behavioral and imaging studies that overcame these limitations by analyzing RT distributions. As will become clear, this approach has revealed variations in inhibitory control over impulsive actions as a function of task instructions, conflict probability, and between-trial adjustments (following conflict or following an error trial) that are hidden if mean RTs are analyzed. Next, we discuss a selection of behavioral as well as imaging studies to illustrate that individual differences are meaningful and help understand selective suppression during action selection within samples of young and healthy individuals, but also within clinical samples of patients diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or Parkinson's disease

Mycotoxin production from fungi isolated from grapes

Aims: In order to assess the potential for producing mycotoxins, fungi were isolated from wine producing grapes. Methods and Results: The isolates were identified and Penicillium expansum, the most well recognized mycotoxin producer, was analysed for mycotoxin production by TLC. Many of the strains produced patulin and/or citrinin, often depending on whether they were grown on a grape or yeast extract sucrose media. Conclusions: Citrinin was produced by all strains grown in the yeast extract sucrose medium, but only one strain (from 51) was able to produce this compound in grape juice medium. Patulin was produced in the yeast extract medium by 20 strains and in grape juice medium by 33 strains. Significance and Impact of the Study: The presence of mycotoxins in wine producing grapes is discussed. Grapes contamination with patulin seems not to contribute to wine contamination, and no ochratoxin producing fungi was identified.The British Council, Conselho de Reitores das Universidades Portuguesas (CRUP) - Windsor Programme - grant no 29/00