SELECTION AND BASIS FOR 2,4-D (2,4-Dicholorphenoxyacetic acid) TOLERANCE IN RED CLOVER (\u3cem\u3eTrifolium pratense\u3c/em\u3e)

A red clover (Trifolium pratense) population (UK), from a cross between the cultivar Kenland and a 2,4-D tolerant population (Florida), was recurrently selected for 2,4-D tolerance with evaluations after the 6th, 7th, and 8th selection cycles. All UK populations were more 2,4-D tolerant than Kenland. The 2,4-D tolerance following the 6th selection cycle was similar to the Florida population and tolerance was increased following 7 and 8 cycles of selection by removing plants showing 2,4-D injury and doubling the rate of 2,4-D used for selection. Yield and forage quality were evaluated in UK and Kenland. Forage quality measurements included acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and crude protein (CP). The UK population had improved yield and NDF. The potential role of 2,4-D uptake, translocation, and metabolism in the red clover tolerance to the herbicide was evaluated by following behavior of 14C 2,4-D in UK and Kenland 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours after treatment. Plants were partitioned into the treated leaf, untreated shoot, and roots. There was less parent 2,4-D and more 2,4-D metabolites in all sections of UK at all sample times, indicating that enhanced 2,4-D metabolism in UK is likely the basis for tolerance in this population

A plant macrofossil identification tool for south-west Victoria

The ‘Seeds of South-Western Victoria’ database is presented here. The database is a digital collection of seed information that can be searched based on a range of seed morphological characters. Additionally it provides colour photographs of seeds and ecological detail of the plant species. It aims to facilitate plant macrofossil studies in Australia by aiding the identification of unknown sub-fossil seed material. It contains descriptions of 156 commonly occurring species of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, but design allows for continual addition of species from this region and elsewhere. The application of the database system to plant macrofossil identification, from both surface and fossil samples allows, for the first time, comparability of fossil assemblages and modern vegetation at a resolution of relevance to ecologists and conservationists. The taxonomic refinement of the pollen data provided by the macrofossils adds to a better understanding of recent vegetation dynamics and management, demonstrating the applicability of the technique to palaeoenvironmental analyses. A current application is to better understand the past environments and activities of Indigenous people on the Mt Eccles lava flow and assist in landscape restoration for potential World Heritage listing

Early life programming as a target for prevention of child and adolescent mental disorders

This paper concerns future policy development and programs of research for the prevention of mental disorders based on research emerging from fetal and early life programming. The current review offers an overview of findings on pregnancy exposures such as maternal mental health, lifestyle factors, and potential teratogenic and neurotoxic exposures on child outcomes. Outcomes of interest are common child and adolescent mental disorders including hyperactive, behavioral and emotional disorders. This literature suggests that the preconception and perinatal periods offer important opportunities for the prevention of deleterious fetal exposures. As such, the perinatal period is a critical period where future mental health prevention efforts should be focused and prevention models developed. Interventions grounded in evidence-based recommendations for the perinatal period could take the form of public health, universal and more targeted interventions. If successful, such interventions are likely to have lifelong effects on (mental) health

Modulation of Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity in Human Cytomegalovirus Infection: The Role of Endogenous Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex and a Viral Class I Homolog

Natural killer (NK) cells have been implicated in early immune responses against certain viruses, including cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV causes downregulation of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression in infected cells; however, it has been proposed that a class I MHC homolog encoded by CMV, UL18, may act as a surrogate ligand to prevent NK cell lysis of CMV-infected cells. In this study, we examined the role of UL18 in NK cell recognition and lysis using fibroblasts infected with either wild-type or UL18 knockout CMV virus, and by using cell lines transfected with the UL18 gene. In both systems, the expression of UL18 resulted in the enhanced killing of target cells. We also show that the enhanced killing is due to both UL18-dependent and -independent mechanisms, and that the killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIRs) and CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptors for MHC class I do not play a role in affecting susceptibility of CMV-infected fibroblasts to NK cell–mediated cytotoxicity

Correlation and reliability of the Zone-Quick Phenol Red Thread Tear Test to dry eye symptoms

Purpose: In the past, optometry has relied on such tests as the Schirmer Test to diagnose dry eye syndrome. New methods such as the Zone-Quick Phenol Red Thread Test (PRTT) have been developed to identify dry eye patients. This project is designed to test the correlation of the PRTT to dry eye symptoms as well as test/retest reliability. Methods: Of 120 randomly chosen young, pathology free optometry students, 54 test subjects (108 eyes) were placed into either a control group or a symptomatic group based upon their responses to a detailed dry eye questionnaire. Both eyes were tested according to PRTT protocol, resulting in a wet thread length measurement in mm. Measurements of less than 10 mm were considered a dry result, while lengths 20 nun or greater were considered normal. Results: A statistically significant difference (p=0.003) in mean wet thread length was found between the two groups. Based on mean wet thread lengths, all 27 subjects in the control group were classified as normal by the PRTT, while only 2 of 27 subjects in the symptomatic group were correctly classified as \u27dry. Intra-trial and inter-trial correlation testing was variable, ranging from r=0.19 to r=0.76. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the PRTT may be inadequate as a diagnostic test for dry eye syndrome in the normal population. Statistical analysis revealed poor repeatability between trials and inconsistent correlation between eyes. The gold standard for accurate diagnosis of dry eye syndrome remains a detailed questionnaire combined with extensive case history

The AROC annual report: the state of rehabilitation in New Zealand in 2015

This is the fourth comprehensive annual report describing discharge episodes from subacute inpatient rehabilitation programs provided by New Zealand facilities that are members of the Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC). The inaugural report was published in 2013 and described the 2012 data; this fourth instalment describes the 2015 data. This report is the first to use the version 4 AN-SNAP classification (to be implemented in Australia in July 2016). For more information about AN-SNAP classification please refer to the AROC website: http://ahsri.uow.edu.au/aroc This report also introduces an extended times series analysis, looking at change in various rehabilitation measures over the most recent five years. The provision of rehabilitation in New Zealand continues to grow in volume, with 2015 seeing a 1.4% real increase in inpatient episodes of rehabilitation provided. The majority of that volume growth is coming from the reconditioning and orthopaedic fractures impairment groups

Improving Medication Safety in an Independent Community Pharmacy

Medication errors are often times thought of as a patient receiving a medication that belongs to another patient, but many to do not understand the other areas that are constituted as “medication errors” are much broader. These errors include, but are not limited to, patient receiving the incorrect medication, improper dosing (too large or too small), wrong drug dispensed, incorrect methods of administration, mislabeling, and etc. Medication errors are such an important issue in the United State because it is the most medicated society in history