Identification of the causal agent of pistachio dieback in Australia

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comSymptoms associated with pistachio dieback in Australia include decline (little or no current season growth), xylem staining in shoots two or more years old, trunk μ and limb lesions (often covered by black, superficial fungal growth), excessive exudation of resin, dieback and death of the tree. Bacteria belonging to the genus Xanthomonas have been suggested as the causal agent. To confirm the constant association between these bacteria and the disease syndrome, the absence of other pathogens and the identity of the pathogen, we performed a series of isolations and pathogenicity tests. The only microorganism consistently isolated from diseased tissue was a bacterium that produced yellow, mucoid colonies and displayed morphological and cultural characteristics typical of the genus Xanthomonas. Database comparisons of the fatty acid and whole-cell protein profiles of five representative pistachio isolates indicated that they all belonged to X. translucens, but it was not possible to allocate the isolates to pathovar. Pathogenicity tests on cereals and grasses supported this identification. However, Koch’s postulates have been only partially fulfilled because not all symptoms associated with pistachio dieback were reproduced on inoculated twoyear- old pistachio trees. While discolouration was observed, dieback, excessive resinous exudate and trunk and limb lesions were not produced; expression of these symptoms may be delayed, and long-term monitoring of a small number of inoculated trees is in progress.E. Facelli, C. Taylor, E. Scott, M. Fegan, G. Huys, R. D. Noble, J. Swings and M. Sedgle

Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Requiring Parotidectomy

Objective Evaluate characteristics and risk factors for patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Study Design Retrospective case series. Setting Tertiary care center. Patients and Methods Chart review of patients with cSCC undergoing a parotidectomy (2003-2012). Results Of 218 patients identified, 49% presented with a new primary lesion (n = 107) and 51% with a recurrence (n = 111). Parotid lymph nodes were positive in 52% of patients; 81% had a concurrent neck dissection, and 28% had cervical lymph node metastases. In 18% of patients, both parotid and cervical nodes were positive, while 44% were both parotid and cervical node negative; 33% had positive parotid and negative cervical nodes, and only 5% had negative parotid and positive cervical nodes. The overall 2- and 5-year survival rates were 0.71 and 0.58. Overall 5-year survival was lower for patients presenting with recurrent (0.49) versus new primary disease (0.69; P = .04). In addition, decreased overall 5-year survival rates were associated with cervical lymph node involvement (0.47 vs. 0.62; P = .01). There was no difference in overall survival when stratified by parotid lymph node involvement (P = .85), margin status (P = .67), perineural invasion (P = .42), facial nerve sacrifice (P = .92), or type of parotid operation performed (P = .51). Conclusions In this study, cervical, but not parotid, lymph node involvement was associated with poor outcomes in patients with advanced cSCC requiring a parotidectomy. In patients without evidence of cervical or parotid lymph node involvement, a neck dissection may be spared, given there is a 5% chance of occult disease

Follow-up strategies in head and neck cancer other than upper aerodigestive tract squamous cell carcinoma

<p>Post-therapy follow-up for patients with head and neck cancer other than upper aerodigestive tract squamous cell carcinoma should meet several objectives: to detect both local, regional or distant recurrences, to evaluate acute and long-term treatment-related side effects, to guide the rehabilitation process, and to provide psychosocial support when needed. To our knowledge, there are no published reports in the literature dedicated to the follow-up of patients with these tumours. A comprehensive literature search for post-treatment follow-up strategies spanning from 1980 to 2012 was performed on several databases. This review focuses on malignant salivary gland tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, and sinonasal adenocarcinomas. Given the varying biological behavior and treatment-related factors and based on the literature, different recommendations are made on the follow-up of patients with the above-mentioned tumors.</p>

Metastases to the Head and Neck: An Overview

This paper provides a review of the more common tumors to metastasize to 12 anatomic subsites of the head and neck, exclusive of cervical lymph nodes. Emphasis is placed on clinical rather than subclinical metastases discovered at autopsy

The aspartic acid metabolic pathway, an exciting and essential pathway in plants.

Aspartate is the common precursor of the essential amino acids lysine, threonine, methionine and isoleucine in higher plants. In addition, aspartate may also be converted to asparagine, in a potentially competing reaction. The latest information on the properties of the enzymes involved in the pathways and the genes that encode them is described. An understanding of the overall regulatory control of the flux through the pathways is undisputedly of great interest, since the nutritive value of all cereal and legume crops is reduced due to low concentrations of at least one of the aspartate-derived amino acids. We have reviewed the recent literature and discussed in this paper possible methods by which the concentrations of the limiting amino acids may be increased in the seeds