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Common bean rust, Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV), Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), and Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) are devastating diseases of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Central America and the Caribbean. The development of dry bean cultivars with enhanced levels of genetic resistance to these and other diseases is an important goal of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and other dry bean breeding programs in Central America and the Caribbean. PR1572‐19 (Reg. no. GP‐308, PI 692976) and PR1572‐26 (Reg. no. GP‐307, PI 692975) are multiple virus‐ and rust‐resistant pinto bean germplasm lines adapted to the humid tropics that were developed and released cooperatively in 2019 by the UPR Agricultural Experiment Station, the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales, and the USDA–ARS. Both PR1572‐19 and PR1572‐26 possess the bgm‐1 gene for resistance to BGYMV, the I and bc‐3 loci that provide broad resistance to all strains of BCMV and BCMNV in the United States and the Caribbean, and the Ur‐3 and Ur‐11 loci that confer comprehensive resistance to all known races of the bean rust pathogen. PR1572‐26 also has the SW12 quantitative trait locus marker associated with resistance to BGYMV. PR1572‐19 and PR1572‐26 produced mean seed yields similar to the check cultivar 'Santa Fe' in trials conducted in Puerto Rico and mean seed yields comparable to the pinto cultivar 'La Paz' in the Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery conducted in Puerto Rico. Both lines should serve as useful sources of resistance to BGYMV, BCMV, BCMNV, and bean rust for common beans of the Durango race that includes the pinto and great northern market classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En pandemia, las audiencias, en la mayoría de los casos, han sido realizadas de manera virtual. Sin embargo, si bien ha habido buenos resultados, no es óbice preguntarse si éstas pueden llevarse a cabo con la misma efectividad que una presencial. En ese sentido, los autores han considerado analizar la legislación comparada y nacional sobre la audiencia de pruebas. Luego, se identifican los problemas de la audiencia de pruebas virtual; específicamente, el análisis se detiene en la psicología del testimonio y cómo su desarrollo puede ser influenciada por la virtualidad. Finalmente, se sugieren propuestas para la mejora del servicio de nuestra administración de justicia.

A homothallic Phytophthora sp. was recovered from asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) spears, storage roots, crowns, and stems in north-west and central Michigan in 2004 and 2005. Isolates (n = 131) produced ovoid, nonpapillate, noncaducous sporangia 45 μm long × 26 μm wide and amphigynous oospores of 25 to 30 μm diameter. Mycelial growth was optimum at 25°C with no growth at 5 and 30°C. All isolates were sensitive to 100 ppm mefenoxam. Pathogenicity studies confirmed the ability of the isolates to infect asparagus as well as cucurbits. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of 99 isolates revealed identical fingerprints, with 12 clearly resolved fragments present and no clearly resolved polymorphic fragments, suggesting a single clonal lineage. The internal transcribed spacer regions of representative isolates were homologous with a Phytophthora sp. isolated from diseased asparagus in France and a Phytophthora sp. from agave in Australia. Phylogenetic analysis supports the conclusion that the Phytophthora sp. isolated from asparagus in Michigan is a distinct species, and has been named Phytophthora asparagi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the use and effectiveness of glyburide for the treatment of gestational diabetes in several women in San Antonio, Texas. Effectiveness of insulin; Identification of thresholds for fasting plasma glucose and body mass index that would predict glyburide failure; Glyburide therapy.

Background: We examined the added value of serologic testing for estimating influenza virus infection incidence based on illness surveillance with molecular testing versus periodic serologic testing., Methods: Pregnant persons unvaccinated against influenza at <28 weeks gestation were enrolled before the 2017 and 2018 influenza seasons in Peru and Thailand. Blood specimens were collected at enrollment and ≤14 days postpartum for testing by hemagglutination inhibition assay for antibodies against influenza reference viruses. Seroconversion was defined as a ≥4-fold rise in antibody titers from enrollment to postpartum with the second specimen's titer of ≥40. Throughout pregnancy, participants responded to twice weekly surveillance contacts asking about influenza vaccination and influenza-like symptoms (ILS). A mid-turbinate swab was collected with each ILS episode for influenza real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR)., Results: Of 1,466 participants without evidence of influenza vaccination during pregnancy, 296 (20.2%) had evidence of influenza virus infections. Fifteen (5.1%) were detected by rRT-PCR only, 250 (84.4%) by serologic testing only, and 31 (10.5%) by both methods., Conclusions: Influenza virus infections during pregnancy occurred in 20% of cohort participants; >80% were not detected by a broad illness case definition coupled with rRT-PCR., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The ongoing coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic strained medical systems worldwide. We report on the impact on pediatric oncology care in Latin American (LATAM) during its first year., Method: Four cross-sectional surveys were electronically distributed among pediatric onco-hematologists in April/June/October 2020, and April/2021 through the Latin American Society of Pediatric Oncology (SLAOP) email list and St Jude Global regional partners., Results: Four hundred fifty-three pediatric onco-hematologists from 20 countries responded to the first survey, with subsequent surveys response rates above 85%. More than 95% of participants reported that treatment continued without interruption for new and active ongoing patients, though with disruptions in treatment availability. During the first three surveys, respondents reported suspensions of outpatient procedures (54.2%), a decrease in oncologic surgeries (43.6%), radiotherapy (28.4%), stem cell transplants (SCT) (69.3%), and surveillance consultations (81.2%). Logistic regression analysis showed that at the beginning of the first wave, participants from countries with healthcare expenditure below 7% were more likely to report a decrease in outpatient procedures (odds ratio [OR]: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.19-2.8), surgeries (OR: 3, 95% CI: 1.9-4.6) and radiotherapy (OR: 6, 95% CI: 3.5-10.4). Suspension of surveillance consultations was higher in countries with COVID-19 case fatality rates above 2% (OR: 3, 95% CI: 1.4-6.2) and SCT suspensions in countries with COVID-19 incidence rate above 100 cases per 100,000 (OR: 3.48, 95% CI: 1.6-7.45). Paradoxically, at the beginning of the second wave with COVID-19 cases rising exponentially, most participants reported improvements in cancer services availability., Conclusion: Our data show the medium-term collateral effects of the pandemic on pediatric oncology care in LATAM, which might help delineate oncology care delivery amid current and future challenges posed by the pandemic., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends case definitions for influenza surveillance that are also used in public health research, although their performance has not been assessed in many risk groups, including pregnant women in whom influenza may manifest differently. We evaluated the performance of symptom-based definitions to detect influenza in a cohort of pregnant women in India, Peru, and Thailand., Methods: In 2017 and 2018, we contacted 11 277 pregnant women twice weekly during the influenza season to identify illnesses with new or worsened cough, runny nose, sore throat, difficulty breathing, or myalgia and collected data on other symptoms and nasal swabs for influenza real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) testing. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, and negative-predictive value of each symptom predictor, WHO respiratory illness case definitions, and a de novo definition derived from results of multivariable modeling., Results: Of 5444 eligible illness episodes among 3965 participants, 310 (6%) were positive for influenza. In a multivariable model, measured fever ≥38°C (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 4.6 [3.1-6.8]), myalgia (3.0 [2.2-4.0]), cough (2.7 [1.9-3.9]), and chills (1.6 [1.1-2.4]) were independently associated with influenza illness. A definition based on these 4 (measured fever, cough, chills, or myalgia) was 95% sensitive and 27% specific. The WHO influenza-like illness (ILI) definition was 16% sensitive and 98% specific., Conclusions: The current WHO ILI case definition was highly specific but had low sensitivity. The intended use of case definitions should be considered when evaluating the tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity., (Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2020.)

Objectives: This publication reports on the EAO workshop group 1 summaries, discussions and consensus statements based on four systematic reviews evaluating the impact of timing of dental implant placement and loading., Materials and Methods: The first of the systematic reviews was on the influence of the timing of implant placement and loading in the biological outcomes of implant-supported fixed partial dentures. The second systematic review evaluated the influence of the timing of implant placement and loading on the aesthetic outcomes in single-tooth implants. The third systematic review was on the long-term outcomes of maxillary single-tooth implants in relation to timing protocols of implant placement and loading and the fourth on patient's perception of timing concepts in implant dentistry. The group evaluated these systematic reviews, provided comments and additions as required and agreed on the relevant consensus statements as well as on clinical and research recommendations., Results: Different timings of implant placement/loading presented with high implant survival rates. The systematic reviews evaluated from this working group provided a number of conclusions based on the available/current literature. However, the specific topic of timing is an area that further research is required in order to provide detailed guidelines for the different protocols to be employed., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction : We evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to influenza and influenza vaccination among pregnant women in three selected countries. Methods : During 2017, pregnant women seeking antenatal care at hospitals at participating sites were enrolled. We described characteristics and responses to KAP questions. We also evaluated predictors associated with influenza vaccination during pregnancy at sites with substantial influenza vaccine uptake by multivariable logistic regression. Results : Overall, 4,648 pregnant women completed the survey. There were substantial differences among the three survey populations; only 8% of the women in Nagpur had heard of influenza, compared to 90% in Lima and 96% in Bangkok ( p -value<0.01). Despite significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics in the three populations, most participants across sites who were aware of influenza prior to study enrollment believe they and their infants are at risk of influenza and related complications and believe influenza vaccination is safe and effective. Half of women in Lima had verified receipt of influenza vaccine compared to <5% in Bangkok and Nagpur ( p < .05). For further analysis conducted among women in Lima only, household income above the poverty line (aOR: 1.38; 95%CI: 1.01, 1.88), having 8+ antenatal visits, compared to 0-4 (aOR: 2.41; 95%CI: 1.39, 2.87, respectively), having 0 children, compared to 2+ (aOR: 1.96; 95%CIs: 1.23, 3.12), and vaccination recommended by a health-care provider (aOR: 8.25; 95%CI: 6.11, 11.14) were strongly associated with receipt of influenza vaccine during pregnancy. Conclusions : Our findings identify opportunities for targeted interventions to improve influenza vaccine uptake among pregnant women in these settings.

Background: Influenza vaccination during pregnancy prevents influenza among women and their infants but remains underused among pregnant women. We aimed to quantify the risk of antenatal influenza and examine its association with perinatal outcomes., Methods: We did a prospective cohort study in pregnant women in India, Peru, and Thailand. Before the 2017 and 2018 influenza seasons, we enrolled pregnant women aged 18 years or older with expected delivery dates 8 weeks or more after the season started. We contacted women twice weekly until the end of pregnancy to identify illnesses with symptoms of myalgia, cough, runny nose or nasal congestion, sore throat, or difficulty breathing and collected mid-turbinate nasal swabs from symptomatic women for influenza real-time RT-PCR testing. We assessed the association of antenatal influenza with preterm birth, late pregnancy loss (≥13 weeks gestation), small for gestational age (SGA), and birthweight of term singleton infants using Cox proportional hazards models or generalised linear models to adjust for potential confounders., Findings: Between March 13, 2017, and Aug 3, 2018, we enrolled 11 277 women with a median age of 26 years (IQR 23-31) and gestational age of 19 weeks (14-24). 1474 (13%) received influenza vaccines. 310 participants (3%) had influenza (270 [87%] influenza A and 40 [13%] influenza B). Influenza incidences weighted by the population of women of childbearing age in each study country were 88·7 per 10 000 pregnant woman-months (95% CI 68·6 to 114·8) during the 2017 season and 69·6 per 10 000 pregnant woman-months (53·8 to 90·2) during the 2018 season. Antenatal influenza was not associated with preterm birth (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1·4, 95% CI 0·9 to 2·0; p=0·096) or having an SGA infant (adjusted relative risk 1·0, 95% CI 0·8 to 1·3, p=0·97), but was associated with late pregnancy loss (aHR 10·7, 95% CI 4·3 to 27·0; p<0·0001) and reduction in mean birthweight of term, singleton infants (-55·3 g, 95% CI -109·3 to -1·4; p=0·0445)., Interpretation: Women had a 0·7-0·9% risk of influenza per month of pregnancy during the influenza season, and antenatal influenza was associated with increased risk for some adverse pregnancy outcomes. These findings support the added value of antenatal influenza vaccination to improve perinatal outcomes., Funding: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., Translations: For the Thai, Hindi, Marathi and Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The petrochemical industry and urban activities are widely recognized worldwide as a source of pollution to mangrove environments. They can supply pollutants such as trace elements that can modify the ecosystem structure and associated services, as well as human populations. Through geochemical data, multivariate statistical analysis and pollution indices such as the enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), adverse effect index (AEI) and the pollution load index (PLI), we evaluated the factors that control trace element distribution, punctual sources and determined the pollution level of sediments and their potential biological impact in the mangrove ecosystem of Isla del Carmen, Mexico. The factor and cluster analysis highlighted that the distribution of trace elements is influenced by the mineralogy, texture as well as urban derived sources. The pollution indices showed values in the punctual sources from the urban area of EF > 10, Igeo > 3, AEI > 3, PLI > 1 by Cu, Zn and Pb. Finally, the results revealed that mangroves from Isla del Carmen has a major influence from urban activities and natural sources rather than oil industry and also indicate a degraded environment as a result of anthropogenic activities that could have knock-on effect for human health if polluted marine organisms derived from the urban mangroves are consumed. CAPSULE ABSTRACT: Surface sediments show the influence of point sources on selected trace element concentrations correlated with human activities within the mangroves of Isla del Carmen, Mexico., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) studies suggest that antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) influences both virus acquisition and subsequent disease outcome. Technical issues with currently available assays, however, have limited the ability to comprehensively assess the impact of ADCC on transmission and disease progression. Commonly used ADCC assays use a target cell line, CEM.NKr-CCR5-Luc, that often does not support replication of relevant HIV-1 variants. Thus, the extent of ADCC responses against a large panel of HIV-1 strains often cannot be assessed using the currently available methods. We developed two new reporter cell-lines (MT4-CCR5-Luc and PM1-CCR5-Luc) to overcome these issues. MT4-CCR5-Luc cells are resistant, whereas PM1-CCR5-Luc cells are susceptible, to killing by a natural killer cell line, CD16 + KHYG-1, in the absence of antibody. Polyclonal HIVIG gave similar ADCC estimates against HIV-1 isolate, NL4-3, regardless of which of the three cell lines were used as the targets. In contrast to CEM.NKr-CCR5-Luc and PM1-CCR5-Luc, however, MT4-CCR5-Luc target cells produce significantly higher luciferase after exposure to various HIV-1 strains, including transmitted founder variants and viruses incorporating specific envelopes of interest. This higher luciferase expression does not yield spurious results because ADCC estimates are similar when killing is assessed by both reporter protein expression and flow cytometry. Furthermore, ADCC estimates derived from MT4-CCR5-Luc cells are not skewed by non-antibody contents present in human plasma. In aggregate, the MT4-CCR5-Luc cell line can be used to estimate monoclonal antibody or plasma-induced ADCC responses against a diverse range of HIV-1 envelopes relevant for transmission and disease progression studies., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The World Health Organization identifies pregnant women as at high-risk for severe influenza, but influenza vaccines are underutilized among pregnant women. Data on influenza burden during pregnancy are largely limited to high-income countries and data on the impact of influenza on birth and perinatal outcomes are scarce., Methods/design: This prospective, longitudinal cohort study of pregnant women in middle-income countries is designed to address three primary objectives: 1) to evaluate the effect of laboratory-confirmed influenza during pregnancy on pregnancy and perinatal outcomes; 2) to estimate the incidences of all-cause acute respiratory illness and laboratory-confirmed influenza during pregnancy; and 3) to examine the clinical spectrum of illness associated with influenza viruses. Through a multi-country network approach, three sites aim to enroll cohorts of 1500-3000 pregnant women just before local influenza seasons. Women aged ≥ 18 years with expected delivery dates ≥ 8 weeks after the start of the influenza season are eligible. Women are followed throughout pregnancy through twice weekly surveillance for influenza symptoms (≥ 1 of myalgia, cough, runny nose, sore throat, or difficulty breathing) and have mid-turbinate nasal swabs collected for influenza virus testing during illness episodes. Primary outcomes include relative risk of preterm birth and mean birth weight among term singleton infants of women with and without reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction-confirmed influenza during pregnancy. Gestational age is determined by ultrasound at < 28 weeks gestation and birth weight is measured by digital scales using standardized methods. Sites are primarily urban in Bangkok, Thailand; Lima, Peru; and Nagpur, India. All sites recruit from antenatal clinics at referral hospitals and conduct surveillance using telephone calls, messaging applications, or home visits. Nasal swabs are self-collected by participants in Thailand and by study staff in Peru and India. During the first year (2017), sites enrolled participants during March-May in Peru and May-July in India and Thailand; 4779 women were enrolled., Discussion: This study aims to generate evidence of the impact of influenza during pregnancy to inform decisions by Ministries of Health, healthcare providers, and pregnant women in middle-income countries about the value of influenza vaccination during pregnancy.

Introduction: Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a severe cardiovascular malformation (CVM) associated with fetal growth abnormalities. Genetic and environmental factors have been identified that contribute to pathogenesis, but the role of the placenta is unknown. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the placenta in HLHS with and without growth abnormalities., Methods: HLHS term singleton births were identified from a larger cohort when placenta tissue was available. Clinical data were collected from maternal and neonatal medical records, including anthropometrics and placental pathology reports. Placental tissues from cases and controls were analyzed to assess parenchymal morphology, vascular architecture and leptin signaling., Results: HLHS cases (n = 16) and gestational age-matched controls (n = 18) were analyzed. Among cases, the average birth weight was 2993 g, including 31% that were small for gestational age. When compared with controls, gross pathology of HLHS cases demonstrated significantly reduced placental weight and increased fibrin deposition, while micropathology showed increased syncytial nuclear aggregates, decreased terminal villi, reduced vasculature and increased leptin expression in syncytiotrophoblast and endothelial cells., Discussion: Placentas from pregnancies complicated by fetal HLHS are characterized by abnormal parenchymal morphology, suggesting immature structure may be due to vascular abnormalities. Increased leptin expression may indicate an attempt to compensate for these vascular abnormalities. Further investigation into the regulation of angiogenesis in the fetus and placenta may elucidate the causes of HLHS and associated growth abnormalities in some cases., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sex and recombination are central processes in life generating genetic diversity. Organisms that rely on asexual propagation risk extinction due to the loss of genetic diversity and the inability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The fungus-growing ant species Mycocepurus smithii was thought to be obligately asexual because only parthenogenetic populations have been collected from widely separated geographic localities. Nonetheless, M. smithii is ecologically successful, with the most extensive distribution and the highest population densities of any fungus-growing ant. Here we report that M. smithii actually consists of a mosaic of asexual and sexual populations that are nonrandomly distributed geographically. The sexual populations cluster along the Rio Amazonas and the Rio Negro and appear to be the source of independently evolved and widely distributed asexual lineages, or clones. Either apomixis or automixis with central fusion and low recombination rates is inferred to be the cytogenetic mechanism underlying parthenogenesis in M. smithii. Males appear to be entirely absent from asexual populations, but their existence in sexual populations is indicated by the presence of sperm in the reproductive tracts of queens. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus suggests that M. smithii is monophyletic, rendering a hybrid origin of asexuality unlikely. Instead, a mitochondrial phylogeny of sexual and asexual populations suggests multiple independent origins of asexual reproduction, and a divergence-dating analysis indicates that M. smithii evolved 0.5-1.65 million years ago. Understanding the evolutionary origin and maintenance of asexual reproduction in this species contributes to a general understanding of the adaptive significance of sex.

In March of 2004, stratified ginseng seeds from commercial Wisconsin gardens were planted in sterilized silica sand in a research greenhouse at Michigan State University. Following emergence, seedlings exhibiting wilting, damping off, and black stem lesions were observed. In the laboratory, symptomatic seedlings were rinsed with distilled water. Tissue samples were excised and embedded in water agar amended with ampicillin (100 mg/liter) and incubated at 25°C. In addition to the isolation of Phytophthora cactorum, a known pathogen of ginseng, P. citricola, (five isolates) also was identified from single-zoospore cultures based on morphology (2). One-week-old, dilute V8 agar cultures were used to obtain single zoospores. Cultures were flooded with 20 ml of sterilized distilled water chilled to 10°C and incubated at 25°C for 25 min to induce zoospore release. Zoospore suspensions were spread onto water agar plates, and after 24 h at 25°C, single germinating zoospores were selected at random and transferred to benomyl, ampicillin, rifampicin, and pentachloronitrobenzene (BARP)-amended V8 agar plates. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region 1 and 2 of the rDNA was also used to distinguish P. citricola from P. cactorum. A representative sequence for the isolates of P. citricola (NCBI Accession No. FJ217388) matched (100% similarity) a P. citricola isolate deposited in GenBank (Accession No. DQ486661). To screen P. citricola for in vitro response to mefenoxam, agar plugs (7-mm diameter) from 1-week-old V8 agar cultures incubated at 25°C under fluorescent lighting were placed in the center of each of two V8 agar plates amended with 0 and 100 ppm of mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold EC, 48% a.i., suspended in sterile distilled water and added to V8 agar cooled to 49°C). The plates were incubated at 25°C for 3 days under fluorescent lighting. Isolates were assigned a mefenoxam sensitivity rating based on the percentage of radial mycelial growth on the amended V8 agar when compared with the unamended control. Each of the five isolates was scored as mefenoxam resistant with growth on 100-ppm plates >30% of the controls. Koch's postulates were conducted for the isolates of P. citricola recovered from ginseng seedlings to confirm pathogenicity. Previously, P. citricola was reported as nonpathogenic to ginseng (1). Three-week-old, healthy ginseng seedlings were planted into 89- × 64-mm pots filled with autoclaved medium-particle vermiculite and maintained in the greenhouse under 63% shade cloth with temperatures between 18 and 26°C. Pots were arranged in a completely randomized block design with eight seedlings per isolate as replicates and watered as needed. A 2-ml inoculum suspension (approximately 10 4 zoospores) was injected into the potting medium at the stem base of each seedling. All of the isolates were pathogenic to ginseng seedlings with 60% of inoculated seedlings per isolate exhibiting wilting, damping off, and blackened stems within 3 weeks after inoculation. P. citricola was reisolated from all inoculated plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. citricola pathogenic on ginseng. References: (1) T. W. Darmono et al. Plant Dis. 75:610, 1991. (2) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Page 96 in: Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. 1996.

Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora sojae are destructive plant pathogens. P. sojae has a narrow host range, whereas P. ramorum has a wide host range. A global proteomics comparison of the vegetative (mycelium) and infective (germinating cyst) life stages of P. sojae and P. ramorum was conducted to identify candidate proteins involved in host range, early infection, and vegetative growth. Sixty-two candidates for early infection, 26 candidates for vegetative growth, and numerous proteins that may be involved in defining host specificity were identified. In addition, common life stage proteomic trends between the organisms were observed. In mycelia, proteins involved in transport and metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, and other small molecules were up-regulated. In the germinating cysts, up-regulated proteins associated with lipid transport and metabolism, cytoskeleton, and protein synthesis were observed. It appears that the germinating cyst catabolizes lipid reserves through the beta-oxidation pathway to drive the extensive protein synthesis necessary to produce the germ tube and initiate infection. Once inside the host, the pathogen switches to vegetative growth in which energy is derived from glycolysis and utilized for synthesis of amino acids and other molecules that assist survival in the plant tissue.

During 2006, spears, roots, and crowns of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) exhibiting brown necrotic lesions with water soaking were collected from several sites across Peru (Ica, Lima, and Trujillo). Small infected tissue sections were washed thoroughly with tap and sterile distilled water and transferred to corn meal agar plates (CMA) amended with PARP (100 ppm of pimaricin, 100 ppm of ampicillin, 30 ppm of rifampicin, and 100 ppm of pentachloronitrobenzene) and incubated for five days at 25°C. Hyphal tips were subcultured from actively expanding mycelium. Sporangia produced on CMA were papillate and averaged 38 μm long × 29 μm wide. Chlamydospores were terminal or intercalary and averaged 35 μm in diameter. Isolates incubated in the dark for more than 3 weeks did not produce oospores in single culture. Mating with Phytophthora capsici tester isolates CBS 121656 = A1 and CBS 121657 = A2 indicate that all five isolates were A2. For pathogenicity tests, inoculum was generated by incubating 300 g of autoclaved wheat seeds with four agar plugs (7 mm) of expanding mycelium in polyethylene bags for 1 month at 25°C. Nine-week-old asparagus plants (UC151 F1) were transferred into pots containing autoclaved substrate (1 part sand, 1 part potting soil, and 1 part peat). Inoculum was added as 1 g of inoculum per kilogram of substrate. Plants were maintained in the greenhouse at 23°C and watered daily. Decline symptoms as well as root and spear rot were observed after 7 days and a Phytophthora sp. was reisolated from infected tissue. No symptoms were observed on asparagus plants inoculated with sterile inoculum. DNA was isolated from two representative isolates, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified with ITS4 and ITS6 primers and sequenced. ITS sequence was submitted for a BLAST search in the NCBI database, showing Phytophthora nicotianae strain UQ848 Accession No AF266776 as the closest match with 99% sequence similarity (1). The consensus ITS sequence was deposited in NCBI (Accession No. EU433396). These results, together with the morphological characteristics, indicate that the Phytophthora sp. isolated from asparagus in Peru is P. nicotianae (Breda de Haan) (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. nicotianae infecting asparagus and represents a new threat for asparagus growers in Peru. Control methods such as moderate watering and metalaxyl application are being applied to reduce Phytophthora outbreaks. References: (1) D. E. Cooke et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 30:17, 2000. (2) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society. St Paul, MN, 1996.

Background: Vitamin A supplementation reduces child mortality. It is estimated that 500 million vitamin A capsules are distributed annually. Policy recommendations have assumed that the supplementation programs offer a proven technology at a relatively low cost of around US$0.10 per capsule., Objectives: To review data on costs of vitamin A supplementation to analyze the key factors that determine program costs, and to attempt to model these costs as a function of per capita income figures., Methods: Using data from detailed cost studies in seven countries, this study generated comparable cost categories for analysis, and then used the correlation between national incomes and wage rates to postulate a simple model where costs of vitamin A supplementation are regressed on per capita incomes., Results: Costs vary substantially by country and depend principally on the cost of labor, which is highly correlated with per capita income. Two other factors driving costs are whether the program is implemented in conjunction with other health programs, such as National Immunization Days (which lowers costs), and coverage in rural areas (which increases costs). Labor accounts for 70% of total costs, both for paid staff and for volunteers, while the capsules account for less than 5%. Marketing, training, and administration account for the remaining 25%., Conclusions: Total costs are lowest (roughly US$0.50 per capsule) in Africa, where wages and incomes are lowest, US$1 in developing countries in Asia, and US$1.50 in Latin America. Overall, this study derives a much higher global estimate of costs of around US$1 per capsule.

This article discusses the issue of assent of school-age bilingual children to participate in a research study. The article reviews cognitive, cultural, and linguistic factors influencing verbal and nonverbal concept formation in bilingual children. At the applied level, the focus of the article is on methodological considerations in using this information to obtain assent from a child who is bilingual and speaks English as a second language. Recommendations for the assessment of the child's language dominance, language proficiency, and the development of the assent form are provided. Language diversity and its potential effects on the assent process need to be formally acknowledged and appropriately addressed.

In the fall of 2005, processing carrot fields in Mason, Newaygo, and Oceana counties, Michigan, were surveyed for Phytophthora spp. Carrot roots were sampled from areas of fields that exhibited patches of chlorotic, blighted, or wilted foliage. Dark brown, firm, water-soaked lesions occurred near the middle and crown areas of diseased carrot roots. In the advanced stages of disease, carrot root tissue readily collapsed and a soft rot developed while petioles turned black. The internal portions of the diseased carrot roots were brown and rubbery. Roots with these symptoms are not suitable for processing. Carrot roots were washed with tap water and the tissue excised from the edge of developing lesions and plated aseptically onto BARP-amended (25 ppm of benomyl, 100 ppm of ampicillin, 30 ppm of rifampicin, and 100 ppm of pentachloronitrobenzene) regular V8 juice agar. Plates were incubated at 23 to 25°C for 7 days. Phytophthora sp. was isolated from carrot root samples from all surveyed areas. Ten representative single-sporangium isolates cultured on dilute V8 juice agar were examined for morphological characteristics. The homothallic Phytophthora sp. isolates produced papillate, obpyriform, caducous sporangia (35.0 to 45.2 × 26.2 to 33.2 μm) with 1 to 3 μm long pedicels, plerotic oospores (27.0 to 32.0 μm in diameter) with paragynous antheridia, and primarily terminally produced chlamydospores that were 30.0 to 40.0 μm in diameter. Radial growth on V8 juice agar was observed at temperatures between 10 and 30°C with optimum growth at 25°C and no growth at 5 and 35°C. Pathogenicity of the 10 isolates was tested by inoculating three of each wounded and nonwounded carrot roots with a 7-mm mycelial plug from the edge of actively growing 5-day-old cultures. Inoculated carrot roots were incubated for 7 days in a moist chamber at 23 to 25°C. Symptoms developed 3 to 7 days after inoculation, with non-wounded roots exhibiting firm, dark brown, water-soaked lesions and wounded roots exhibiting soft rot with dark brown margins. The Phytophthora sp. was always isolated from the inoculated roots. Controls remained healthy and no pathogen was isolated from these roots. On the basis of the morphological and physiological characteristics, the Phytophthora sp. isolated was identified as Phytophthora cactorum ((Lebert & Cohn) J. Schrot.) (2). Identity of these isolates was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcriber spacers (ITS). Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) profiles for 37 isolates were >83% similar, which is expected for conspecific isolates. The ITS sequences from six representative isolates were identical and shared 100% homology to P. cactorum (GenBank Accession No. AF266772) isolated from Rubus idaeus (1). The consensus ITS sequence was deposited in NCBI (Accession No. EF052680). P. cactorum was reported in New York on field and stored carrot roots in 1952 (3), but to our knowledge, this is the first report in Michigan. Finding of P. cactorum on carrot roots represents a new and significant threat to the Michigan processing carrot industry, which ranks fourth in the United States. References: (1) D. E. L. Cooke et al. Fungal Gen. Biol. 30:17, 2000. (2) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Phytophthora Disease Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN, 1996. (3) W. E. Rader. N Y State (Cornell) Agr. Exp. Stn. Bull. 889:5, 1952.

The genus Phytophthora belongs to the oomycetes and is composed of plant pathogens. Currently, there are no strategies to mutate specific genes for members of this genus. Whole genome sequences are available or being prepared for Phytophthora sojae, P. ramorum, P. infestans, and P. capsici and the development of molecular biological techniques for functional genomics is encouraged. This article describes the adaptation of the reverse-genetic strategy of targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING) to isolate gene-specific mutants in Phytophthora spp. A genomic library of 2,400 ethylnitrosourea (ENU) mutants of P. sojae was created and screened for induced point mutations in the genes encoding a necrosisinducing protein (PsojNIP) and a Phytophthora-specific phospholipase D (PsPXTM-PLD). Mutations were detected in single individuals and included silent, missense, and nonsense changes. Homozygous mutant isolates carrying a potentially deleterious missense mutation in PsojNIP and a premature stop codon in PsPXTM-PLD were identified. No phenotypic effect has yet been found for the homozygous mutant of PsojNIP. For those of PsPXTM-PLD, a reduction in growth rate and an appressed mycelial growth was observed. This demonstrates the feasibility of target-selected gene disruption for Phytophthora spp. and adds an important tool for functional genomic investigation.

While genome sequencing is becoming ever more routine, genome annotation remains a challenging process. Identification of the coding sequences within the genomic milieu presents a tremendous challenge, especially for eukaryotes with their complex gene architectures. Here, we present a method to assist the annotation process through the use of proteomic data and bioinformatics. Mass spectra of digested protein preparations of the organism of interest were acquired and searched against a protein database created by a six-frame translation of the genome. The identified peptides were mapped back to the genome, compared to the current annotation, and then categorized as supporting or extending the current genome annotation. We named the classified peptides Expressed Peptide Tags (EPTs). The well-annotated bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris was used as a control for the method and showed a high degree of correlation between EPT mapping and the current annotation, with 86% of the EPTs confirming existing gene calls and less than 1% of the EPTs expanding on the current annotation. The eukaryotic plant pathogens Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora sojae, whose genomes have been recently sequenced and are much less well-annotated, were also subjected to this method. A series of algorithmic steps were taken to increase the confidence of EPT identification for these organisms, including generation of smaller subdatabases to be searched against, and definition of EPT criteria that accommodates the more complex eukaryotic gene architecture. As expected, the analysis of the Phytophthora species showed less correlation between EPT mapping and their current annotation. While approximately 76% of Phytophthora EPTs supported the current annotation, a portion of them (7.7% and 12.9% for P. ramorum and P. sojae, respectively) suggested modification to current gene calls or identified novel genes that were missed by the current genome annotation of these organisms.

In the spring of 2004, a Phytophthora sp. was isolated from asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) spears, roots, and dormant crowns from several fields in Oceana and Ingham counties in Michigan. Symptomatic spears were often curved, had water-soaked lesions slightly above or below the soil line or were shriveled at the site of infection or both. Infected storage roots had water-soaked lesions but were not soft at the lesion site. Infected crowns had fewer roots than healthy crowns. In the laboratory, plant tissues were rinsed in tap water and blotted dry. Sections from the edge of lesions were placed aseptically onto BARP (25 ppm of benomyl, 100 ppm of ampicillin, 30 ppm of rifampicin, and 100 ppm of pentachloroni-trobenzene) amended unclarified V8 juice agar and incubated at 25°C for up to 7 days. Phytophthora sp. isolates recovered from the infected material produced ovoid, nonpapillate, noncaducous sporangia and amphigy-nous oospores on isolation media. Single-sporangium cultures made for each isolate were stored long term in sterile 2-ml microcentrifuge tubes containing two 7-mm mycelial plugs, two sterile hemp seeds, and 1 ml of sterile distilled water. Sporangia produced on dilute V8 juice agar averaged 45 μm long × 26 μm wide and oospores were 25 to 30 μm in diameter. Chlamydospores were not observed. Five detached 'Jersey Knight' spears were inoculated with a 7-mm mycelial plug from the edge of actively growing 5-day-old cultures and incubated at 23 to 25°C for 5 to 7 days in a moist chamber. After 3 days, water-soaked lesions and shriveling and curving of the spears were visible on all inoculated spears. The pathogen was always reisolated from the lesion edge. No symptoms were observed when spears were inoculated with sterile V8 juice agar plugs. DNA was extracted from representative isolates, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified with ITS6 and ITS4 primers and sequenced. A BLAST search of the NCBI database with the ITS sequence revealed Phytophthora sp. UQ2141, Accession No. AF266795, as the closest match with 99% sequence similarity. These results, coupled with the morphological characteristics of the isolates, indicate that the Phytophthora sp. isolated from asparagus in Michigan is among the constituents of Phytophthora spp. included in the P. megasperma clade 6 (2), whose taxa are currently being reevaluated. Although a Phytophthora sp. has been described previously on asparagus (1,3), this is the first report, to our knowledge, of a Phytophthora sp. on asparagus in Michigan. The occurrence of excessive rainfall in the spring of 2004 is likely responsible for widespread disease and considerable yield losses in production fields. References: (1) P. A. Ark and J. T. Barrett. Phytopathology 28:754, 1938. (2) D. E. L. Cooke et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 30:17, 2000. (3) V. Vujanovic et al. Plant Dis. 87:447, 2003.

Iodine deficiency has been a public health problem in most Latin American countries. Massive programs of salt iodization have achieved great progress toward its elimination but no consistent monitoring has been applied. We used the ThyroMobil model to visit 163 sites in 13 countries and assess randomly selected schoolchildren of both genders 6-12 years of age. The median urinary iodine concentration (8208 samples) varied from 72 to 540 microg/L. One national median was below the recommended range of 100-200 microg/L; five were 100-200 microg/L, and seven were higher than 200 microg/L, including three greter than 300 microg/L. Urinary iodine concentration correlated with the iodine content of salt in all countries. Median values of thyroid volume were within the normal range for age in all countries, but the goiter prevalence varied markedly from 3.1% to 25.0% because of scatter. The median iodine content of salt from local markets (2734 samples) varied from 5.9 parts per million (ppm) to 78 ppm and was greater than 15 ppm in 83.1% of all samples. Only seven countries had higher than 15 ppm iodine in 80% of the samples, and only three had greater than 15 ppm in at least 90%. Iodized salt was available at retail level in all countries but its median iodine content was within the recommended range (20-40 ppm) in only five. This study, the first to apply a standardized assessment strategy to recent iodine nutrition in Latin America, documents a remarkable success in the elimination of iodine deficiency by iodized salt in all but 1 of the 13 countries. Some iodine excess occurs, but side effects have not been reported so far, and two countries have already decreased their legal levels of salt iodization and improved the quality control of iodized salt, in part because of our results. The present work should be followed by regular monitoring of iodine nutrition and thyroid function, especially in the countries presently exposed to iodine excess.

In Bolivia, few data are available to guide empiric therapy for bloody diarrhea. A study was conducted between December 1994 and April 1995 to identify organisms causing bloody diarrhea in Bolivian children. Rectal swabs from children <5 years old with bloody diarrhea were examined for Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter organisms; fecal specimens were examined for Entamoeba histolytica. A bacterial pathogen was identified in specimens from 55 patients (41%). Shigella organisms were found in 39 specimens (29%); 37 isolates (95%) were resistant to ampicillin, 35 (90%) to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and 24 (62%) to chloramphenicol, but all were susceptible to nalidixic acid. Only 1 of 133 stool specimens contained E. histolytica trophozoites. Multidrug-resistant Shigella species are a frequent cause of bloody diarrhea in Bolivian children; E. histolytica is uncommon. Clinical predictors described in this study may help identify patients most likely to have Shigella infection. Laboratory surveillance is essential to monitor antimicrobial resistance and guide empiric treatment.