Yield gains of coffee plants from phosphorus fertilization may not be generalized for high density planting

Inconclusive responses of the adult coffee plant to phosphorus fertilization have been reported in the literature, especially when dealing with application of this nutrient in high density planting systems. Thus, this study was carried out for the purpose of assessing the response of adult coffee plants at high planting density in full production (in regard to yield and their biennial cycle/stability) to the addition of different sources and application rates of P in the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The experiment with coffee plants of the Catucaí Amarelo 6/30 variety was carried out over four growing seasons. Treatments were arranged in a full factorial design [(4 × 3) + 1] consisting of four P sources (monoammonium phosphate, simple superphosphate, natural reactive rock phosphate from Algeria (Djebel-Onk), and FH 550®), three P rates (100, 200, and 400 kg ha-1 year-1 of P2O5), and an additional treatment without application of the nutrient (0 kg ha-¹ year-¹). A randomized block experimental design was used with three replicates. The four seasons were evaluated as subplots in a split plot experiment. The P contents in soil and leaves increased with increased rates of P application. However, there was no effect from P application on the yield and its biennial cycle/stability regardless of the source used over the four seasons assessed.

Development and Implementation of an Expert System for Forecasting Fog on US Highway 30 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, HR-357, 1996

Several accidents, some involving fatalities, have occurred on U.S. Highway 30 near the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) Corn Sweeteners plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A contributing factor to many of these accidents has been the large amounts of water (vapor and liquid) emitted from multiple sources at ADM's facility located along the south side of the highway. Weather and road closure data acquired from IDOT have been used to develop a database of meteorological conditions preceding and accompanying closure of Highway 30 in Cedar Rapids. An expert system and a FORTRAN program were developed as aids in decision making with regard to closure of Highway 30 near the plant. The computer programs were used for testing, evaluation, and final deployment. Reports indicate the decision tools have been successfully implemented and were judged to be helpful in forecasting road closures and in reducing costs and personnel time in monitoring the roadway.

Unexpected Role for Connexin37 in Circulating FVIII and Coagulation

The gap junction protein connexin37 (Cx37) plays an important role in cell-cell communication in the vasculature. Cx37 is expressed in endothelial cells, platelets and megakaryocytes. We have recently shown that Cx37 limits thrombus propensity by permitting intercellular signaling between aggregating platelets. Here, we have performed high throughput phage display to identify potential binding partners for the regulatory intracellular C-terminus of Cx37 (Cx37CT). We retrieved 2 consensus binding motifs for Cx37CT: WHK...[K,R]XP... and FH-K...[K,R]XXP.... Sequence alignment against the NCBI protein database indicated 66% homology of one the selected peptides with FVIII B-domain. We performed cross-linking reactions using BS3 and confirmed that an 11-mer peptide of the FVIII B-domain sequence linked to recombinant Cx37CT. In vitro binding of this peptide to Cx37CT was also confirmed by surface plasmon resonance. The dissociation constant of FVIII B-domain peptides to Cx37CT was ~20 uM. Other peptide sequences, designed upstream or downstream of the FVIII B-domain sequence, showed very low or no affinity for Cx37CT. Finally, in vivo studies revealed that thrombin generation in platelet-poor plasma from Cx37-/- mice (endogenous thrombin potential: 634±11 nM min, mean±SEM) was increased compared to Cx37+/+ mice (427±12, P<0.001). Moreover, partial activated thromboplastin time (aPTT) was shorter in Cx37-/- (39.7±1.5 s) than in Cx37+/+ mice (45.9±1.8, P=0.03), whereas prothrombin time was comparable. The shorter aPTT in Cx37-/- mice correlated with higher circulating FVIII activity (46.0±0.7 vs. 53.5±2.7 s for Cx37+/+, P=0.03). Overall, our data show for the first time a functional interaction between FVIII and Cx37. This interaction may be relevant for the control of FVIII secretion and, thereby, in the regulation of levels of FVIII circulating in blood. In addition, these results may open new perspectives to improve the efficiency of recombinant FVIII manufacturing.

Family history of cancer and the risk of cancer: a network of case-control studies.

BACKGROUND: The risk of many cancers is higher in subjects with a family history (FH) of cancer at a concordant site. However, few studies investigated FH of cancer at discordant sites. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study is based on a network of Italian and Swiss case-control studies on 13 cancer sites conducted between 1991 and 2009, and including more than 12 000 cases and 11 000 controls. We collected information on history of any cancer in first degree relatives, and age at diagnosis. Odds ratios (ORs) for FH were calculated by multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for major confounding factors. RESULTS: All sites showed an excess risk in relation to FH of cancer at the same site. Increased risks were also found for oral and pharyngeal cancer and FH of laryngeal cancer (OR = 3.3), esophageal cancer and FH of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OR = 4.1), breast cancer and FH of colorectal cancer (OR = 1.5) and of hemolymphopoietic cancers (OR = 1.7), ovarian cancer and FH of breast cancer (OR = 2.3), and prostate cancer and FH of bladder cancer (OR = 3.4). For most cancer sites, the association with FH was stronger when the proband was affected at age <60 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our results point to several potential cancer syndromes that appear among close relatives and may indicate the presence of genetic factors influencing multiple cancer sites.

Anamnèse familiale: utile ou futile. [Family history: useful or futile?]

Family history (FH) represents an important tool in clinical practice that allows assessing an increased risk to develop certain diseases as it captures genetic and environmental factors within a family. FH was shown to be important for several conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases as it allows identifying subjects who can potentially benefit from specific diagnostic and therapeutic measures. We also show that FH remains an important tool even in this period of recent progress in molecular genetics and that it is probably underused in the clinical setting.

Ancient dispersal of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon rainforest

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause of several additional case clusters at localities outside of the tropical and subtropical climate zones where the species normally occurs. In every case, the causative agent belongs to a previously rare genotype of C. gattii called AFLP6/VGII, but the origin of the outbreak clades remains enigmatic. Here we used phylogenetic and recombination analyses, based on AFLP and multiple MLST datasets, and coalescence gene genealogy to demonstrate that these outbreaks have arisen from a highly-recombining C. gattii population in the native rainforest of Northern Brazil. Thus the modern virulent C. gattii AFLP6/VGII outbreak lineages derived from mating events in South America and then dispersed to temperate regions where they cause serious infections in humans and animals.

Recurrent TET2 mutations in peripheral T-cell lymphomas correlate with TFH-like features and adverse clinical parameters.

Inactivating mutations of the Ten-Eleven Translocation 2 (TET2) gene were first identified in myeloid malignancies and more recently in peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs). In the present study, we investigated the presence of TET2 coding sequence mutations and their clinical relevance in a large cohort of 190 PTCL patients. TET2 mutations were identified in 40 of 86 (47%) cases of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and in 22 of 58 (38%) cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), but were absent in all other PTCL entities, with the exception of 2 of 10 cases of enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma. Among PTCL-NOS, a heterogeneous group of lymphoma-comprising cases likely to derive from Th follicular (T(FH)) cells similarly to AITL, TET2 mutations were more frequent when PTCL-NOS expressed T(FH) markers and/or had features reminiscent of AITL (58% vs 24%, P = .01). In the AITL and PTCL-NOS subgroups, TET2 mutations were associated with advanced-stage disease, thrombocytopenia, high International Prognostic Index scores, and a shorter progression-free survival.

Environmental and T cell-intrinsic factors limit the expansion of neonatal follicular T helper cells but may be circumvented by specific adjuvants.

Follicular Th (T(FH)) cells have emerged as a new Th subset providing help to B cells and supporting their differentiation into long-lived plasma cells or memory B cells. Their differentiation had not yet been investigated following neonatal immunization, which elicits delayed and limited germinal center (GC) responses. We demonstrate that neonatal immunization induces CXCR5(high)PD-1(high) CD4(+) T(FH) cells that exhibit T(FH) features (including Batf, Bcl6, c-Maf, ICOS, and IL-21 expression) and are able to migrate into the GCs. However, neonatal T(FH) cells fail to expand and to acquire a full-blown GC T(FH) phenotype, as reflected by a higher ratio of GC T(FH)/non-GC CD4(+) T cells in immunized adults than neonates (3.8 × 10(-3) versus 2.2 × 10(-3), p = 0.01). Following the adoptive transfer of naive adult OT-II CD4(+) T cells, OT-II T(FH) cells expand in the vaccine-draining lymph nodes of immunized adult but not infant recipients, whereas naive 2-wk-old CD4(+) OT-II cells failed to expand in adult hosts, reflecting the influence of both environmental and T cell-intrinsic factors. Postponing immunization to later in life increases the number of T(FH) cells in a stepwise manner, in direct correlation with the numbers of GC B cells and plasma cells elicited. Remarkably, adjuvantation with CpG oligonucleotides markedly increased GC T(FH) and GC B cell neonatal responses, up to adult levels. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that the T(FH) cell development limits early life GC responses and that adjuvants/delivery systems supporting T(FH) differentiation may restore adultlike early life GC B cell responses.

Prevalence and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

AIMS: We aimed to assess the prevalence and management of clinical familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 4778 patients with ACS from a multi-centre cohort study in Switzerland. Based on personal and familial history of premature cardiovascular disease and LDL-cholesterol levels, two validated algorithms for diagnosis of clinical FH were used: the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network algorithm to assess possible (score 3-5 points) or probable/definite FH (>5 points), and the Simon Broome Register algorithm to assess possible FH. At the time of hospitalization for ACS, 1.6% had probable/definite FH [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-2.0%, n = 78] and 17.8% possible FH (95% CI 16.8-18.9%, n = 852), respectively, according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic algorithm. The Simon Broome algorithm identified 5.4% (95% CI 4.8-6.1%, n = 259) patients with possible FH. Among 1451 young patients with premature ACS, the Dutch Lipid Clinic algorithm identified 70 (4.8%, 95% CI 3.8-6.1%) patients with probable/definite FH, and 684 (47.1%, 95% CI 44.6-49.7%) patients had possible FH. Excluding patients with secondary causes of dyslipidaemia such as alcohol consumption, acute renal failure, or hyperglycaemia did not change prevalence. One year after ACS, among 69 survivors with probable/definite FH and available follow-up information, 64.7% were using high-dose statins, 69.0% had decreased LDL-cholesterol from at least 50, and 4.6% had LDL-cholesterol ≤1.8 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: A phenotypic diagnosis of possible FH is common in patients hospitalized with ACS, particularly among those with premature ACS. Optimizing long-term lipid treatment of patients with FH after ACS is required.

Determinação de heparina fracionada em preparações farmacêuticas utilizando turbidimetria

A turbidimetric method has been used for quantification of fractionated heparin (FH) in pharmaceutical dosage. The UV detection at two wavelengths (290 and 500 nm) showed a significant increase in sensitivity of the method, specificity, and linearity to range 5.0-50.0 µg mL-1 and 50.0-200.0 µg mL-1, respectively (r < 0.99). At both wavelengths, the method was precise (inter-assay CV < 5.0%, and intra-assay CV < 3.0%), accurate (maximum deviation of ± 12%), and robust to the parameters evaluated. Turbidimetry proved to be easy, inexpensive and relatively fast. The results obtained attest to the reliability of the method.

In vitro toxin production by Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis

Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis (teleomorph: Nectria haematococca f. sp. piperis), causal agent of root rot and stem blight on black pepper (Piper nigrum), produces secondary metabolites with toxigenic properties, capable of inducing vein discoloration in detached leaves and wilting in transpiring microcuttings. Production of F. solani f. sp. piperis (Fsp) toxic metabolites reached a peak after 25 days of static incubation on potato sucrose broth at 25 ºC under illumination. Changes in the pH of the culture filtrate did not alter the effect of toxic metabolites. However, when the pH was changed before the medium had been autoclaved, a more intense biological response was observed, with an optimum at pH 6.0. Isolates that produced red pigments in liquid cultures were more efficient in producing biologically active culture filtrates than those which produced pink coloured or clear filtrates suggesting that these pigments could be related to toxigenic activity. Detached leaves of seven black pepper cultivars and Piper betle showed symptoms of vein discoloration after immersion in autoclaved and non-autoclaved Fsp culture filtrates indicating the thermostable nature of these toxic metabolites.

Métodos de preservação e crescimento de Xanthomonas campestris pv. viticola em meio de cultura variando temperatura, pH e concentração de NaCl

A bactéria fitopatogênica Xanthomonas campestris pv. viticola (Xcv) causa o cancro bacteriano da videira (Vitis vinifera), que ocasiona grandes prejuízos à viticultura no Brasil. Os métodos de dessecação em papel de filtro (DPF), repicagens periódicas (RP), água destilada esterilizada (ADE) e folhas herborizadas (FH) foram utilizados para preservar duas estirpes de Xcv durante 12 meses. As variáveis viabilidade e patogenicidade foram avaliadas mensalmente e estimadas pela obtenção de crescimento bacteriano e área abaixo da curva de incidência da doença (AACID). Tanto o método de DPF como o de ADE propiciaram viabilidade constante de 100% durante 11 meses e os maiores valores de AACID. No método de RP não houve crescimento das estirpes já aos 30 dias, enquanto que, em FH, Xcv foi isolada até cinco meses. o crescimento das estirpes de Xcv em meio de cultura líquido variando temperatura (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40 e 45 °C), pH (5,0; 5,5; 6,0; 6,5; 7,0; 7,5; 8,0; 8,5 e 9,0) e concentração de NaCl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 e 7%) foi avaliado em fotocolorímetro. O crescimento de Xcv foi observado no intervalo de 5 até 35 °C, enquanto que o crescimento ótimo ocorreu de 27 a 29 °C. A Xcv não cresceu a zero e 40 °C. O pH ótimo para o crescimento desta bactéria foi 7,5. O crescimento de Xcv decresceu a partir de 3,0% de NaCl, com concentração letal de 6,0%.