A global marker database for Phytophthora infestans

A marker database was compiled for isolates of the potato and tomato late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, originating from 41 locations which include 31 countries plus 10 regions within Mexico. Presently, the database contains information on 1,776 isolates for one or more of the following markers: restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) fingerprint consisting of 23 bands; mating type; dilocus allozyme genotype; mitochondrial DNA haplotype; sensitivity to the fungicide metalaxyl; and virulence. In the database, 305 entries have unique RFLP fingerprints and 258 entries have unique multilocus genotypes based on RFLP fingerprint, dilocus allozyme genotype, and mating type. A nomenclature is described for naming multilocus genotypes based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) two-letter country code and a unique number, Forty-two previously published multilocus genotypes are represented in the database with references to publications. As a result of compilation of the database, seven new genotypes were identified and named. Cluster analysis of genotypes from clonally propagated populations worldwide generally confirmed a previously published classification of old and new genotypes. Genotypes from geographically distant countries were frequently clustered, and several old and new genotypes were found in two or more distant countries. The cluster analysis also demonstrated that A2 genotypes from Argentina differed from all others. The database is available via the Internet, and thus can serve as a resource for Phytophthora workers worldwide.

The burden of mental disorders: a comparison of methods between the Australian burden of disease studies and the Global Burden of Disease study

The national and Victorian burden of disease studies in Australia set out to examine critically the methods used in the Global Burden of Disease study to estimate the burden of mental disorders. The main differences include the use of a different set of disability weights allowing estimates in greater detail by level of severity, adjustments for comorbidity between mental disorders, a greater number of menta I disorders measured, and model ling of substance use disorders, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder as chronic conditions. Uniform age-weighting in the Australian studies produces considerably lower estimates of the burden due to mental disorders in comparison with age-weighted disability-adjusted life years. A lack of follow-up data on people with mental disorders who are identified in cross-sectional surveys poses the greatest challenge in determining the burden of mental disorders more accurately.

Local-global processing in early-onset schizophrenia: Evidence for an impairment in shifting the spatial scale of attention

In this study we report the results of two experiments on visual attention conducted with patients with early-onset schizophrenia. These experiments investigated the effect of irrelevant spatial-scale information upon the processing of relevant spatial-scale information, and the ability to shift the spatial scale of attention, across consecutive trials, between different levels of the hierarchical stimulus. Twelve patients with early-onset schizophrenia and matched controls performed local-global tasks under: (1) directed attention conditions with a consistency manipulation and (2) divided-attention conditions. In the directed-attention paradigm, the early-onset patients exhibited the normal patterns of global advantage and interference, and were not unduly affected by the consistency manipulation. Under divided-attention conditions, however, the early-onset patients exhibited a local-processing deficit. The source of this local processing deficit lay in the prolonged reaction time to local targets, when these had been preceded by a global target, but not when preceded by a local target. These findings suggest an impaired ability to shift the spatial scale of attention from a global to a local spatial scale in early-onset schizophrenia. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Global trajectories of the long-term decline of coral reef ecosystems

Degradation of coral reef ecosystems began centuries ago, but there is no global summary of the magnitude of change. We compiled records, extending back thousands of years, of the status and trends of seven major guilds of carnivores, herbivores, and architectural species from 14 regions. Large animals declined before small animals and architectural species, and Atlantic reefs declined before reefs in the Red Sea and Australia, but the trajectories of decline were markedly similar worldwide. All reefs were substantially degraded long before outbreaks of coral disease and bleaching. Regardless of these new threats, reefs will not survive without immediate protection from human exploitation over large spatial scales.

Reshaping the global agricultural landscape: perspectives from Brazil

This article highlights the main changes observed in Brazilian agriculture and analyzes the connections of the observed changes in global agriculture. My approach to the analysis focuses the main drivers of changes, where institutions play a central role. Three driving forces are are considered: first, the effects of global demand for food, fiber, and energy; second, the sustainability debate; and third, the bio-energy paradigm. Each driver presents both local as well as global effects. The article does not emphasize the impact changes in Brazil had on the global agricultural landscape but argues that the impacts run from local and global changes, which cannot be discussed separately.

Slant or occlusion: global factors resolve stereoscopic ambiguity in sets of horizontal lines

Perceived slant was measured for horizontal lines aligned on one side and of varying lengths whose length disparity was either a constant linear amount for all lines (consistent with uniocular occlusion) or proportional to line length (consistent with global slant). Although the disparity of any line was ambiguous with respect to these two possibilities, slant of individual lines did not occur in the former case, but a subjective contour in depth was reported along the alignment. For proportional disparity of the set, global slant was seen. Adding a constant length to each line on the invalid eye for occlusion resulted in multiple slants. Smooth uniocular variations in alignment shape elicited subjective contours slanting or curving in depth. Global context can disambiguate the depth status of individual disparate lines. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intra- and extracellular osmotic regulation in the hololimnetic Caridea and Anomura: a phylogenetic perspective on the conquest of fresh water by the decapod Crustacea

We investigate extra- and intracellular osmoregulatory capability in two species of hololimnetic Caridea and Anomura: Macrobrachium brasiliense, a palaemonid shrimp, and Aegla franca, an aeglid anomuran, both restricted to continental waters. We also appraise the sharing of physiological characteristics by the hololimnetic Decapoda, and their origins and role in the conquest of fresh water. Both species survive salinity exposure well. While overall hyperosmoregulatory capability is weak in A. franca and moderate in M. brasiliense, both species strongly hyporegulate hemolymph [Cl(-)] but not osmolality. Muscle total free amino acids (FAA) increase slowly but markedly in response to the rapid rise in hemolymph osmolality consequent to hyperosmotic challenge: 3.5-fold in A. franca and 1.9-fold in M. brasiliense. Glycine, taurine, arginine, alanine and proline constitute a parts per thousand 85% of muscle FAA pools in fresh water; taurine, arginine, alanine each contribute a parts per thousand 22% in A. franca, while glycine predominates (70%) in M. brasiliense. These FAA also show the greatest increases on salinity challenge. Muscle FAA titers correlate strongly (R = 0.82) with hemolymph osmolalities across the main decapod sub/infraorders, revealing that marine species with high hemolymph osmolalities achieve isosmoticity of the intra- and extracellular fluids partly through elevated intracellular FAA concentrations; freshwater species show low hemolymph osmolalities and exhibit reduced intracellular FAA titers, consistent with isosmoticity at a far lower external osmolality. Given the decapod phylogeny adopted here and their multiple, independent invasions of fresh water, particularly by the Caridea and Anomura, our findings suggest that homoplastic strategies underlie osmotic and ionic homeostasis in the extant freshwater Decapoda.

Global solutions for abstract neutral differential equations

We study the existence of global solutions for a class of abstract neutral differential equation defined on the whole real axis. Some concrete applications related to ordinary and partial differential equations are considered. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global solutions for abstract impulsive differential equations

In this paper, we study the existence of solutions on the whole of R for a class of impulsive abstract differential equations. An application to partial differential equations is presented. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.