Biology of Wet Bubble disease of cultivated mushrooms

The study examined the physical and biotic factors which affect the host-parasite relationship between the necrotrophic fungus Mycogone perniciosa (Magnus) and its host Aqaricus bisporus (Lange) Sing, in vivo and in vitro and the relevance of these factors to the conditions under which A.bisporus is commercially cultivated. The effect of environmental variables on growth of M.perniciosa varied depending on its developmental stage. Mycelial growth in vitro on media developed specifically for this work was optimum at 25°C, pH 4.1 and C : N ratio 55 : 1. Growth of the fungus occurred on media containing Na-carboxymethylcellulose. sucrose, chitin or galactomannan. The environmental conditions found to be optimum for M.perniciosa in vitro closely paralleled the conditions under which A.bisporus is cultivated commercially. Germination trials showed that verticillate conidia geminate most readily at 18°C. chlamydospores at 25°C. Relative proportions and overall production of the two types of M.perniciosa spores was also temperature dependant. Conidia were air dispersed. M.perniciosa exhibits biotrophic tendencies in the presence of A.bisporus. Saprophytic ability of M.perniciosa appeared greater in the absence than in the presence of the host, with a high susceptibility to fungistasis in composts and casing. Inoculation tests in vitro and in vivo identified a range of fungi as being potential hosts of M.perniciosa. A structural study was made of infected host tissue. M.perniciosa appeared to cause highly localised host cell wall breakdown. The hypothesis that enzymic degradation of host cell walls is an important part of disease development was confirmed by ultrastructural observations and by the assay of wall hydrolase enzymes. The development of infected tissue appeared to be dependant on toxins and growth promoting substances originating from both the host and the pathogen. Disease development was also dependant on antibiosis resulting from other organisms colonising the compost and casing layers. Attempts were made to control M.perniciosa in cropping beds using such antagonistic bacteria. Isolates showing most potential were Pseudomonas bacteria of species group 3 (P.Fluorescens complex). Disease control was expressed as both (i) a reduction in the development of infected sporophore tissue, and (ii) an increase in the yield of healthy sporophores in the presence of the pathogen. Correlation between antagonism of M.perniciosa in vitro and disease control was greatest in the former case. The level of disease control achieved by inoculating antagonistic bacteria to A.bisporus casing heavily infected with M.perniciosa was significant but was highly variable

Melon Cultivation in Sand and Hardwood Sawdust

The growth and productivity of melons, cultivar 'Polidor', were assessed in 2, 4 and 8 litres of sand and hardwood sawdust irrigated to excess with a complete nutrient solution. The plants were grown in a glasshouse set at day/ night temperatures of lS'C/15'C with venting at 26'C. Mean total stem and leaf dry matter after the lmits were harvested were not significantly different between treatments. Mean limit yield (number and weight) was not affected l7y substrate volume but was significantly (P<O.Ol) higher from plants grown in sand. Similarly, mean harvest date for the first lmit was significantly (P<O.Ol) earlier from plants grown in sand compared with sawdus

Лексикографическое описание эмоционально-оценочного аспекта русской и польской фразеологии

The present work investigates the pragmatic aspect of meaning based on Russian and Polish phraseology with positive and negative emotional evaluation. Such kind of investigation helps to resolve various problems with lexicographical marks and create a new improved system of expressive marks. The authors think that the emotional evaluation can be defined with quite objective characteristics. It is offered the new type of classification based on GLT (lexical-thematic groups).The present work investigates the pragmatic aspect of meaning based on Russian and Polish phraseology with positive and negative emotional evaluation. Such kind of investigation helps to resolve various problems with lexicographical marks and create a new improved system of expressive marks. The authors think that the emotional evaluation can be defined with quite objective characteristics. It is offered the new type of classification based on GLT (lexical-thematic groups)

48 Radioterapia chłoniaków narządu wzroku

Celem pracy jest przedstawienie wyników leczenia chłoniaków narządów wzroku ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem radioterapii.Materiał stanowiło 41 chorych (21 kobiet, 20 mężczyzn, w wieku 2,5–87 lat), z chłoniakiem złośliwym oczodołu lub aparatu ochronnego oka. Poza pełną oceną okulistyczną, morfologią z ręcznym rozmazem wykonano biopsję aspiracyjną cienkoigłową (BAC) i badania aspiratu: cytologiczne, immunocytochemiczne, genetyczno-molekularne, cytometrze przepływowym, ewentualnie badania histopatologiczne.Przy podejrzeniu o naciekanie oczodołu: USG RTG KT, z ewentualną równoczesną BAC lub MRI. U wszystkich RTG klatki piersiowej, USG jamy brzuszne, konsultację hematologiczną lub pediatryczną, przy podejrzeniu procesu uogólnionego – mielogram.WynikiU 18/41 chorych rozpoznano zmiany miejscowe: 16 – leczono tylko napromienianiem 20–40 G/T, 2 z naciekiem w powiece dolnej operacyjne + miejscowo Miyomycynę w kroplach. U 23 chorych z uogólnionym chłoniakiem zastosowano chemioterapię, w tym u 12 dodatkowo gammaterapię, a u jednego usunięcie operacyjne guza powieki z następowym napromienianiem.Uzyskanie bardzo dobrych efektów po radioterapii w przypadku form łagodnych chłoniaka i zlokalizowanych w oczodole lub aparacie ochronnym oka sugeruje stosowanie tej formy leczenia bez chemioterapii jako mniej obciążającej i równie skutecznej

The Elderly-Nutrient Rich Food Score Is Associated With Biochemical Markers of Nutritional Status in European Older Adults

Background: In order to prevent age-related degenerative diseases in the aging population, their diets should be nutrient dense. For this purpose, the Elderly-Nutrient rich food (E-NRF7.3) score has been developed to assess nutrient density of diets by capturing dietary reference values for older adults. To demonstrate its practical importance such score should be validated against markers of nutritional status and health. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the association between the E-NRF7.3 score and markers of nutritional status and inflammation. Design: This study was carried out in a sample of the NU-AGE study including 242 Dutch and 210 Polish men and women, aged 65\u201379 years. Dietary intake was assessed by means of 7-day food records and structured questionnaires collected data on supplement use, lifestyle, and socio-economic information. Baseline measurements included anthropometrics, physical and cognitive function tests, and a fasting venipuncture. E-NRF7.3 scores were calculated to estimate nutrient density of foods and the diet. Associations between the E-NRF7.3 scores and micronutrient status of vitamin D, folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and c-reactive protein (CRP) were examined using linear regression analysis while adjusting for confounders. Results: Each one unit increase in E-NRF7.3 score was associated with a 2.2% increase in serum folate in Dutch and 1.6% increase in Polish participants in the fully adjusted models (both p &lt; 0.01). Each one unit increase in E-NRF7.3 was significantly associated with a 1.5% decrease in homocysteine levels in Dutch participants (p &lt; 0.01), whereas, a 0.9% increase in vitamin B12 levels was observed in Polish participants only (p &lt; 0.01). Higher E-NRF7.3 scores were not associated with vitamin D or CRP levels. Adjustment for potential confounders did not substantially alter these results. Discussion: The E-NRF7.3 was developed to reflect dietary intake of relevant nutrients for older adults. Its association with markers of nutritional status could be confirmed for folate (both populations), vitamin B12 (Poland only), and homocysteine (the Netherlands only). There was no association with vitamin D and CRP. To further demonstrate its validity and practical implication, future studies should include a wider range of nutritional status makers, health outcomes, and inflammation markers

Step-edge-induced resistance anisotropy in quasi-free-standing bilayer chemical vapor deposition graphene on SiC

Cataloged from PDF version of article.The transport properties of quasi-free-standing (QFS) bilayer graphene on SiC depend on a range of scattering mechanisms. Most of them are isotropic in nature. However, the SiC substrate morphology marked by a distinctive pattern of the terraces gives rise to an anisotropy in graphene's sheet resistance, which may be considered an additional scattering mechanism. At a technological level, the growth-preceding in situ etching of the SiC surface promotes step bunching which results in macro steps similar to 10 nm in height. In this report, we study the qualitative and quantitative effects of SiC steps edges on the resistance of epitaxial graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition. We experimentally determine the value of step edge resistivity in hydrogen-intercalated QFS-bilayer graphene to be similar to 190 Omega mu m for step height h(S) = 10 nm and provide proof that it cannot originate from mechanical deformation of graphene but is likely to arise from lowered carrier concentration in the step area. Our results are confronted with the previously reported values of the step edge resistivity in monolayer graphene over SiC atomic steps. In our analysis, we focus on large-scale, statistical properties to foster the scalable technology of industrial graphene for electronics and sensor applications. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC

Zmiany histopatologiczne w biopsji mięśnia u 31 chorych z mutacjami w genie kodującym kalpainę 3

Background and purpose At present, more than 20 different forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs) are known (at least 7 autosomal dominant and 14 autosomal recessive). Although these different forms show some typical phenotypic characteristics, the existing clinical overlap makes their differential diagnosis difficult. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2 (LGMD2A) is the most prevalent LGMD in many European as well as Brazilian communities and is caused by mutations in the gene CAPN3. Laboratory testing, such as calpain immunohistochemistry and Western-blot analysis, is not totally reliable, since up to 20% of molecularly confirmed LGMD2A show normal content of calpain 3 and a third of LGMD2A biopsies have normal calpain 3 proteolytic activity in the muscle. Thus, genetic testing is considered as the only reliable diagnostic criterion in LGMD2A. Material and methods In an attempt to find a correlation between genotype and muscle pathology in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2A we performed histopathological investigation of a group of 31 patients subdivided according to the type of pathologic CAPN3 gene mutation. Results In all biopsies typical features of muscular dystrophy such as fiber necrosis and regeneration, variation in fiber size and fibrosis were noted. Lobulated fibers were often encountered in the muscle biopsies of LGMD2A patients. Such fibers were more frequent in patients with 550delA mutation. Conclusions These findings may be helpful in establishing diagnostic strategies in LGMD.Wstęp i cel pracy Dotychczas opisano ponad 20 różnych form dystrofii obręczowo-kończynowej (limb girdle muscular dystrophy – LGMD) (co najmniej 7 rodzajów o dziedziczeniu autosomalnym dominującym oraz 14 o dziedziczeniu autosomalnym recesywnym). Pomimo że część z tych chorób można różnicować na podstawie obrazu klinicznego, diagnostykę utrudnia często podobieństwo objawów. Dystrofia obręczowo–kończynowa typu 2A (limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2 – LGMD2A), najczęstsza dystrofia mięśniowa w wielu społecznościach (np. w Europie i Brazylii), spowodowana jest przez mutacje w genie kalpainy 3 (CAPN3). Badanie immunohisto-chemiczne kalpainy czy też metodą Western blot nie są wystarczające do ustalenia właściwego rozpoznania (w odpowiednio 1/3 i 20% potwierdzonych genetycznie LGMD2A badania te wypadają prawidłowo). Podstawę rozpoznania tej miopatii stanowi badanie genetyczne. Materiał i metody W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badania zależności między genotypem a analizą histopatologiczną biopsji mięśnia u 31 chorych na LGMD2A. Chorzy podzieleni zostali na grupy według wyników badania genetycznego genu CAPN3 odpowiedzialnego za tę chorobę. Wyniki We wszystkich badanych biopsjach stwierdzano typowe zmiany dystroficzne, takie jak obecność włókien martwiczych i regenerujących, zróżnicowaną wielkość włókien oraz włóknienie. Włókna o nierównomiernym rozkładzie barwień na enzymy oddechowe (lobulated fibers) były często obserwowane w biopsjach chorych z LGMD2A. Tego typu włókna szczególnie często występowały u chorych z mutacją 550delA. Wnioski Wyniki pracy wnoszą nowe informacje ułatwiające diagnostykę LGMD

Une occupation de la fin du Dernier Maximum Glaciaire dans les Pyrénées : le Magdalénien inférieur de la grotte des Scilles (Lespugue, Haute-Garonne)

International audienceThe excavations by R. and S. Saint-Périer at the Grotte des Scilles (Lespugue, Haute-Garonne, France) in 1923-1924 yielded archaeological material attributed to the Magdalenian. The re-examination of this old collection now allows a more precise characterization of it, in light of recent research on this period. This article presents the different artefact types found (lithic and osseous tools, faunal remains, personal ornaments, portable art items and one sandstone lamp) in order to consider all activities documented at the site. Particular attention is given to typological and technological data, the analyses of which point to a Lower Magdalenian chronological attribution. A SMA 14C date shows that occupation took place around 16,000 years BP (19,400 years cal BP) at the Grotte des Scilles. The identification, for the first time, of a Lower Magdalenian presence in the Pyrenees raises new questions concerning Magdalenian occupation at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum in southwestern France and northern Spain.Les fouilles menées par R. et S. Saint-Périer dans les années 1920 à la grotte des Scilles (Lespugue, Haute-Garonne) ont livré un ensemble de vestiges attribués au Magdalénien. L'étude de cette collection ancienne offre désormais la possibilité de préciser cette caractérisation à la lumière de travaux récents sur cette période. La présentation des différentes catégories de vestiges (industries lithique et osseuse, faune, parure, art mobilier et lampe) permet d'appréhender l'ensemble des registres d'activités documentés sur le site. En particulier, cet article présente les éléments typo-technologiques qui fournissent des arguments pour rattacher l'occupation de cette cavité au Magdalénien inférieur. Une date 14C par SMA situe cette période autour de 16 000 BP (19 400 cal BP) à la grotte des Scilles. La mise en évidence de ce premier jalon pyrénéen conduit ensuite les auteurs à discuter du peuplement magdalénien à la fin du dernier maximum glaciaire dans le sud-ouest de la France et le nord de l'Espagne

An intuitionistic approach to scoring DNA sequences against transcription factor binding site motifs

Background: Transcription factors (TFs) control transcription by binding to specific regions of DNA called transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). The identification of TFBSs is a crucial problem in computational biology and includes the subtask of predicting the location of known TFBS motifs in a given DNA sequence. It has previously been shown that, when scoring matches to known TFBS motifs, interdependencies between positions within a motif should be taken into account. However, this remains a challenging task owing to the fact that sequences similar to those of known TFBSs can occur by chance with a relatively high frequency. Here we present a new method for matching sequences to TFBS motifs based on intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFS) theory, an approach that has been shown to be particularly appropriate for tackling problems that embody a high degree of uncertainty. Results: We propose SCintuit, a new scoring method for measuring sequence-motif affinity based on IFS theory. Unlike existing methods that consider dependencies between positions, SCintuit is designed to prevent overestimation of less conserved positions of TFBSs. For a given pair of bases, SCintuit is computed not only as a function of their combined probability of occurrence, but also taking into account the individual importance of each single base at its corresponding position. We used SCintuit to identify known TFBSs in DNA sequences. Our method provides excellent results when dealing with both synthetic and real data, outperforming the sensitivity and the specificity of two existing methods in all the experiments we performed. Conclusions: The results show that SCintuit improves the prediction quality for TFs of the existing approaches without compromising sensitivity. In addition, we show how SCintuit can be successfully applied to real research problems. In this study the reliability of the IFS theory for motif discovery tasks is proven

Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke single- and poly-infections in cattle: an abattoir study of prevalence and production impacts in England and Wales

This study aims at investigating the occurrence, risk factors and production impacts on beef carcassparameters of three of the most important cattle helminth infections in England and Wales. Abomasa, reticulorumens and livers from healthy cattle were collected and examined post-mortem quarterly over a one year period in an abattoir in South-West England. Specific viscera from 974 cattle were collected,examined and scored for Ostertagia spp., adult rumen fluke and liver fluke lesions/presence. A total of89%, 25% and 29% of the carcasses had lesions/presence of Ostertagia spp., rumen fluke and liver fluke, respectively, and 39% had presence of helminth co-infection. Animal demographic and carcass parameters associated with helminth infections were investigated using multi level multinomial and multilevel linear mixed models respectively. After adjusting for other factors, significant differences in the distribution of helminth infections were observed among cattle by type of breed, animal category (cow, heifer, steer and young bull), age, season and concurrent helminth infections. Compared to carcasses free of helminths, carcasses presenting solely Ostertagia Spp. lesions or adult rumen fluke had significantly lower cold carcass weight (coef.: −30.58 [−50.92;−10.24] and −50.34 [−88.50;−12.18]) and fat cover-age (coef.: −3.28 [−5.56;−1.00] and −5.49 [−10.28;−0.69]) and carcasses presenting solely liver flukelesions had significantly lower conformation grade (coef.: −3.65 [−6.98;−0.32]). Presence of helminth poly-infections was negatively associated with cold carcass weight