ANATOMICAL STUDIES OF IN VITRO ORGANOGENESIS INDUCED IN LEAF-DERIVED EXPLANTS OF PASSIONFRUIT

With the aim of studying the organogenesis in vitro in Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg., the passionfruit, leaf-derived explants were cultured on media containing NAA or BAP and incubated either in continuous darkness or in light. The histological events leading to de novo organ formation were evaluated. Darkness induces rhizogenesis in the presence of NAA, whereas direct shoot regeneration is stimulated by light and BAP. This latter condition is recommended for passionfruit micropropagation as several adventitious shoot buds were formed from meristemoids of parenchymal origin.

Yellow and purple nutsedges survey in the southeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

A survey of 79 fields was conducted between December 1993 and January 1994, to determine the distribution and relative importance of species of the genus Cyperus, to justify developing management strategies in the southeastern of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Yellow and purple nutsedge were found in 43% and 9% respectively of the surveyed fields. Thirty eight per cent of the surveyed area showed a heavy infestation of yellow nutsedge, and in 90% of cases yellow nutsedge was invading fields cultivated with summer crops and associated with one or more of other seven perennial weeds, mainly bermudagrass.

Blue sticky traps are more efficient for the monitoring of Lygus rugulipennis (Heteroptera, Miridae) than yellow sticky traps

Selostus: Siniset liimapyydykset ovat keltaisia liimapyydyksiä tehokkaampia peltoluteen tarkkailussa

Characterization of Tomato yellow spot virus, a novel tomato-infecting begomovirus in Brazil

The objective of this work was the biological and molecular characterization of a begomovirus detected in São Joaquim de Bicas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, named TGV-[Bi2], by determining its host range, complete nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic relationships with other begomoviruses. Biological characterization consisted of a host range study using either sap inoculation or particle bombardment as inoculation methods. The yellow spot virus can infect plants in Solanaceae and Amaranthaceae, including economically importat crops as sweet pepper, and weeds as Datura stramonium and Nicotiana silvestris. For the molecular characterization, the full-length genome (DNA-A and DNA-B) was amplified, cloned and completely sequenced. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses indicated that TGV-[Bi2] constitutes a novel begomovirus species named Tomato yellow spot virus (ToYSV), closely related to Sida mottle virus (SiMoV).

Yellow fever vaccine induces integrated multilineage and polyfunctional immune responses.

Correlates of immune-mediated protection to most viral and cancer vaccines are still unknown. This impedes the development of novel vaccines to incurable diseases such as HIV and cancer. In this study, we have used functional genomics and polychromatic flow cytometry to define the signature of the immune response to the yellow fever (YF) vaccine 17D (YF17D) in a cohort of 40 volunteers followed for up to 1 yr after vaccination. We show that immunization with YF17D leads to an integrated immune response that includes several effector arms of innate immunity, including complement, the inflammasome, and interferons, as well as adaptive immunity as shown by an early T cell response followed by a brisk and variable B cell response. Development of these responses is preceded, as demonstrated in three independent vaccination trials and in a novel in vitro system of primary immune responses (modular immune in vitro construct [MIMIC] system), by the coordinated up-regulation of transcripts for specific transcription factors, including STAT1, IRF7, and ETS2, which are upstream of the different effector arms of the immune response. These results clearly show that the immune response to a strong vaccine is preceded by coordinated induction of master transcription factors that lead to the development of a broad, polyfunctional, and persistent immune response that integrates all effector cells of the immune system.

Immunogenicity and safety of yellow fever vaccination for 102 HIV-infected patients.

BACKGROUND: Yellow fever vaccine (17DV) has been investigated incompletely in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, and adequate immunogenicity and safety are of concern in this population. METHODS: In the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, we identified 102 patients who received 17DV while they were HIV infected. We analyzed neutralization titers (NTs) after 17DV administration using the plaque reduction neutralization test. NTs of 1:>or=10 were defined as reactive, and those of 1:<10 were defined as nonreactive, which was considered to be nonprotective. The results were compared with data for HIV-uninfected individuals. Serious adverse events were defined as hospitalization or death within 6 weeks after receipt of 17DV. RESULTS: At the time of 17DV administration, the median CD4 cell count was 537 cells/mm(3) (range, 11-1730 cells/mm(3)), and the HIV RNA level was undetectable in 41 of 102 HIV-infected patients. During the first year after vaccination, fewer HIV-infected patients (65 [83%] of 78; P = .01) than HIV-uninfected patients revealed reactive NTs, and their NTs were significantly lower (P < .001) than in HIV-uninfected individuals. Eleven patients with initially reactive NTs lost these reactive NTs <or= 5 years after vaccination. Higher NTs during the first year after vaccination were associated with undetectable HIV RNA levels, increasing CD4 cell count, and female sex. We found no serious adverse events after 17DV administration among HIV-infected patients. CONCLUSION: Compared with HIV-uninfected individuals, HIV-infected patients respond to 17DV with lower reactive NTs, more often demonstrate nonprotective NTs, and may experience a more rapid decline in NTs during follow-up. Vaccination with 17DV appears to be safe in HIV-infected individuals who have high CD4 cell counts, although rate of serious adverse events of up to 3% cannot be excluded.

1012-007 Yellow River Headwaters Final Report

The Yellow River Headwaters Watershed (YRHW) drains 26,730 acres of rural land within Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties. While portions of the river have been designated as a High Quality Resource by the State of Iowa, other portions appear on the State's 303(d) List of Impaired Waters due to excessive nutrients, sediment and other water quality issues. The Winneshiek SWCD was fortunate enough to secure WSPF/WPF funds for FY2009 to begin addressing many of the sources of the identified problems, especially along the all-to-critical stream corridor. Initial landowner I producer interest has exceeded expectations and several key BMPs have been installed within the identified critical areas. Yet due to the current budget constraints in the WSPF/WPF programs, we currently have greater landowner I producer interest than we do funds, which is why the District is applying for WIRB funding, to provide supplemental incentives to continue the installation of needed Grade Stabilization Structures, Terraces and Manure Management Systems in identified critical areas. Other funding, currently available to the District, will cover the remaining portions of the project's budget, including staff and our outreach efforts.

07008-002 Yellow River Watershed Improvement Project Final Report

Two sections of the Yellow River have been named to the State of Iowa’s 303d list of impaired waters. The listing reflects streams with pollution problems linked to habitat alterations, in addition to those with potential disease causing bacteria, viruses and parasites. This fact, combined with local knowledge of water quality problems, shows the need for land treatment practices and habitat improvement measures. This project would target the Yellow River watershed, which totals approximately 49,800 acres. Areas that drain directly into the Yellow River mainstream will be targeted. Individually, these areas are too small to be considered sub-watersheds. This project will assess the drainage areas for active gullies and prioritize grade stabilization structures based upon severity and impact on the fishery. Funding would be utilized to target high priority grade stabilization structure sites and provide cost-share for those projects. A prerequisite for cost-share allocation is 75% of the land contributing to the drainage area must have some form of treatment in place. The Allamakee SWCD has received an EPA Region 7 Grant toward grade stabilization structures in the same area. Landowners have indicated that 75% cost-share is necessary to implement practices. To meet this request, the EPA funding would be used at a 15% cost-share rate if matched with 60% cost-share from WIRB funding. If matched with Federal EQIP funds, 25% of funds obtained from WIRB would be used. If other funds were depleted, WIRB funds would be utilized for the entire 75% cost-share.

Circulation of a Meaban-like virus in yellow-legged gulls and seabird ticks in the western Mediterranean Basin

In recent years, a number of zoonotic flaviviruses have emerged worldwide, and wild birds serve as their major reservoirs. Epidemiological surveys of bird populations at various geographical scales can clarify key aspects of the eco-epidemiology of these viruses. In this study, we aimed at exploring the presence of flaviviruses in the western Mediterranean by sampling breeding populations of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), a widely distributed, anthropophilic, and abundant seabird species. For 3 years, we sampled eggs from 19 breeding colonies in Spain, France, Algeria, and Tunisia. First, ELISAs were used to determine if the eggs contained antibodies against flaviviruses. Second, neutralization assays were used to identify the specific flaviviruses present. Finally, for colonies in which ELISA-positive eggs had been found, chick serum samples and potential vectors, culicid mosquitoes and soft ticks (Ornithodoros maritimus), were collected and analyzed using serology and PCR, respectively. The prevalence of flavivirus-specific antibodies in eggs was highly spatially heterogeneous. In northeastern Spain, on the Medes Islands and in the nearby village of L'Escala, 56% of eggs had antibodies against the flavivirus envelope protein, but were negative for neutralizing antibodies against three common flaviviruses: West Nile, Usutu, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. Furthermore, little evidence of past flavivirus exposure was obtained for the other colonies. A subset of the Ornithodoros ticks from Medes screened for flaviviral RNA tested positive for a virus whose NS5 gene was 95% similar to that of Meaban virus, a flavivirus previously isolated from ticks of Larus argentatus in western France. All ELISA-positive samples subsequently tested positive for Meaban virus neutralizing antibodies. This study shows that gulls in the western Mediterranean Basin are exposed to a tick-borne Meaban-like virus, which underscores the need of exploring the spatial and temporal distribution of this flavivirus as well as its potential pathogenicity for animals and humans.

05011-055 Yellow River Watershed Improvement Project Final Report

An overall effort has been initiated to improve the quality of the Yellow River in Northeast Iowa by reducing the amount of sediment and bacteria entering the stream. Funding for this project will be utilized to improve stream quality to the level of fully supporting game fish such as brown, rainbow and brook trout, walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass. The Yellow River has the potential to be one of the top trout streams, not only in Iowa, but in the entire Upper Midwest. This project will greatly enhance recreational activities such as fishing, canoeing and inner tubing and will greatly increase tourism dollars to the state. The project will specifically address two sources of impairment: stream bank erosion and coliform bacteria from both livestock and inadequate human septic systems.

Watermelon transformation with Zucchini yellow mosaic virus coat protein gene and comparison with parental cultivar

The objective of this work was to transfer Zucchini yellow mosaic virus coat protein (ZYMV-CP) and neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II) genes to the watermelon 'Crimson Sweet'(CS) genome, and to compare the transgenic progenies T1 and T2 with the nontransformed parental cultivar for morphological, pomological, growth and yield characteristics. The ZYMV-CP gene was transferred by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The presence of the gene in transgenic T0, T1 and T2 plants was determined by polymerase chain reaction, and the results were confirmed by Southern blot. Two experiments were performed, one in the winter-spring and the other in the summer-autumn. In both experiments, the hypocotyl length of transgenic seedlings was significantly higher than that of nontransgenic parental ones. In the second experiment, the differences between transgenic and nontransgenic individuals were significant concerning fruit rind thickness, flesh firmness, fruit peduncle length, size of pistil scar, and a* values for fruit stripe or flesh color. Transferring ZYMV-CP gene to CS genome affected only a few characteristics from the 80 evaluated ones. The changes in rind thickness, flesh firmness and flesh color a* values are favorable, while the increase in the size of pistil scar is undesirable. The transgenic watermelon line having ZYMV-CP gene and the parental cultivar CS are very similar.

Sensitivity of yellow passion fruit to ultraviolet-B radiation

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of UV-B radiation on the vegetative growth and on the gas exchange characteristics of passion fruit plants (Passiflora edulis) grown in greenhouse. The average unweighted UV-B radiation near the apex of the plants was 8 W m-2 for the UV-B treatment (high UV-B), and 0.8 W m-2 for the control plants (low UV-B). Plants were irradiated with UV-B for 7 hours per day, centered on solar noon, during 16 days. High UV-B radiation resulted in lower shoot dry matter accumulation per plant. The content of UV-B absorbing compounds and anthocyanins was increased in the plants exposed to high UV-B radiation, when compared with the control. UV-B radiation did not affect stomatal conductance or transpiration rate, but reduced photosynthesis and instantaneous water-use efficiency, and increased intercellular CO2 concentration. The accumulation of UV-B-absorbing compounds and anthocyanins did not effectively shield plants from supplementary UV-B radiation, since the growth and photosynthetic processes were significantly reduced.

Physical and chemical characterization of yellow mangosteen fruits

The work had as objective the physico-chemical characterization of yellow mangosteen fruits. Six samples of 25 fruits were harvested in yellow mangosteen plants of the Active Germoplasm Bank of São Paulo State University and characterized by evaluation of length and width, weight, percentage and number of seeds per fruit, peel and pulp percentage, soluble solid (SS), titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C and SS/TA rate. Yellow mangosteen fruit is an intermediate vitamin C source with an average content 120.33 mg/100g of fresh fruit and has good technological quality.

Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) y los áfidos en los arrozales levantinos: una prospección

Se ha llevado a cabo una prospección de las poblaciones emigrantes de áfidos alados en el área de La Albufera de Valencia, zona donde se da el «enrojat» del arroz, enfermedad causada por una raza del Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, y se discute aquí el potencial presumible de las distintas especies como vectores de la enfermedad. Se muestrearon dos áreas con diferente incidencia de la enfermedad, obteniéndose 30 especies, de las que ocho están descritas como vectores de tales virus. Fueron mayores las capturas en las áreas donde se cultivaba el arroz por plantel y transplante con incidencia marcada de la enfermedad, que en otras de menor incidencia. La aparente homogeneidad de la zona hace difícil comprender la razón de tales diferencias. Entre los vectores conocidos de BYDV, sólo Rhopalosiphon padi L. y Hyaiopterus pruni (L) Geof. aparecieron al principio de la estación, cuando tiene lugar la infección, con poblaciones considerables. E1 primero es el vector conocido de la enfermedad. El segundo, es de las pocas especies que tiene niveles similares de captura en ambas áreas. Ninguno de los otros áfidos vectores capturados como alados parece verdaderamente importante para la transmisión a pleno campo por lo tardío de su llegada a los campos o por razones de su ciclo vital. Se ha intentado estudiar el potencial de Hyalopterus pruni, pulgón muy abundante en los carrizos como transmisor a corta distancia a partir de estas plantas. No se han obtenido resultados positivos ni a partir de la planta, ni a partir de áfidos alimentados en arroz o avena infectadas previamente con la enfermedad.

Long-lasting stem cell-like memory CD8+ T cells with a naïve-like profile upon yellow fever vaccination.

Efficient and persisting immune memory is essential for long-term protection from infectious and malignant diseases. The yellow fever (YF) vaccine is a live attenuated virus that mediates lifelong protection, with recent studies showing that the CD8(+) T cell response is particularly robust. Yet, limited data exist regarding the long-term CD8(+) T cell response, with no studies beyond 5 years after vaccination. We investigated 41 vaccinees, spanning 0.27 to 35 years after vaccination. YF-specific CD8(+) T cells were readily detected in almost all donors (38 of 41), with frequencies decreasing with time. As previously described, effector cells dominated the response early after vaccination. We detected a population of naïve-like YF-specific CD8(+) T cells that was stably maintained for more than 25 years and was capable of self-renewal ex vivo. In-depth analyses of markers and genome-wide mRNA profiling showed that naïve-like YF-specific CD8(+) T cells in vaccinees (i) were distinct from genuine naïve cells in unvaccinated donors, (ii) resembled the recently described stem cell-like memory subset (Tscm), and (iii) among all differentiated subsets, had profiles closest to naïve cells. Our findings reveal that CD8(+) Tscm are efficiently induced by a vaccine in humans, persist for decades, and preserve a naïveness-like profile. These data support YF vaccination as an optimal mechanistic model for the study of long-lasting memory CD8(+) T cells in humans.