Worldwide forest surveys reveal forty-three new species in Phytophthora major Clade 2 with fundamental implications for the evolution and biogeography of the genus and global plant biosecurity.

During 25 surveys of global Phytophthora diversity, conducted between 1998 and 2020, 43 new species were detected in natural ecosystems and, occasionally, in nurseries and outplantings in Europe, Southeast and East Asia and the Americas. Based on a multigene phylogeny of nine nuclear and four mitochondrial gene regions they were assigned to five of the six known subclades, 2a-c, e and f, of Phytophthora major Clade 2 and the new subclade 2g. The evolutionary history of the Clade appears to have involved the pre-Gondwanan divergence of three extant subclades, 2c, 2e and 2f, all having disjunct natural distributions on separate continents and comprising species with a soilborne and aquatic lifestyle and, in addition, a few partially aerial species in Clade 2c; and the post-Gondwanan evolution of subclades 2a and 2g in Southeast/East Asia and 2b in South America, respectively, from their common ancestor. Species in Clade 2g are soilborne whereas Clade 2b comprises both soil-inhabiting and aerial species. Clade 2a has evolved further towards an aerial lifestyle comprising only species which are predominantly or partially airborne. Based on high nuclear heterozygosity levels ca. 38 % of the taxa in Clades 2a and 2b could be some form of hybrid, and the hybridity may be favoured by an A1/A2 breeding system and an aerial life style. Circumstantial evidence suggests the now 93 described species and informally designated taxa in Clade 2 result from both allopatric non-adaptive and sympatric adaptive radiations. They represent most morphological and physiological characters, breeding systems, lifestyles and forms of host specialism found across the Phytophthora clades as a whole, demonstrating the strong biological cohesiveness of the genus. The finding of 43 previously unknown species from a single Phytophthora clade highlight a critical lack of information on the scale of the unknown pathogen threats to forests and natural ecosystems, underlining the risk of basing plant biosecurity protocols mainly on lists of named organisms. More surveys in natural ecosystems of yet unsurveyed regions in Africa, Asia, Central and South America are needed to unveil the full diversity of the clade and the factors driving diversity, speciation and adaptation in Phytophthora. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Phytophthora amamensis T. Jung, K. Kageyama, H. Masuya & S. Uematsu, Phytophthora angustata T. Jung, L. Garcia, B. Mendieta-Araica, & Y. Balci, Phytophthora balkanensis I. Milenkovic, Z. Tomic, T. Jung & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora borneensis T. Jung, A. Durán, M. Tarigan & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora calidophila T. Jung, Y. Balci, L. Garcia & B. Mendieta-Araica, Phytophthora catenulata T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, N.M. Chi & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora celeris T. Jung, L. Oliveira, M. Tarigan & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora curvata T. Jung, A. Hieno, H. Masuya & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora distorta T. Jung, A. Durán, E. Sanfuentes von Stowasser & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora excentrica T. Jung, S. Uematsu, K. Kageyama & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora falcata T. Jung, K. Kageyama, S. Uematsu & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora fansipanensis T. Jung, N.M. Chi, T. Corcobado & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora frigidophila T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora furcata T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora inclinata N.M. Chi, T. Jung, M. Horta Jung & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora indonesiensis T. Jung, M. Tarigan, L. Oliveira & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora japonensis T. Jung, A. Hieno, H. Masuya & J.F. Webber, Phytophthora limosa T. Corcobado, T. Majek, M. Ferreira & T. Jung, Phytophthora macroglobulosa H.-C. Zeng, H.-H. Ho, F.-C. Zheng & T. Jung, Phytophthora montana T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora multipapillata T. Jung, M. Tarigan, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora multiplex T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora nimia T. Jung, H. Masuya, A. Hieno & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora oblonga T. Jung, S. Uematsu, K. Kageyama & C.M. Brasier, Phytophthora obovoidea T. Jung, Y. Balci, L. Garcia & B. Mendieta-Araica, Phytophthora obturata T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora penetrans T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora platani T. Jung, A. Pérez-Sierra, S.O. Cacciola & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora proliferata T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudocapensis T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudocitrophthora T. Jung, S.O. Cacciola, J. Bakonyi & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudofrigida T. Jung, A. Durán, M. Tarigan & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pseudoccultans T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora pyriformis T. Jung, Y. Balci, K.D. Boders & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora sumatera T. Jung, M. Tarigan, M. Junaid & A. Durán, Phytophthora transposita T. Jung, K. Kageyama, C.M. Brasier & H. Masuya, Phytophthora vacuola T. Jung, H. Masuya, K. Kageyama & J.F. Webber, Phytophthora valdiviana T. Jung, E. Sanfuentes von Stowasser, A. Durán & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora variepedicellata T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora vietnamensis T. Jung, N.M. Chi, I. Milenkovic & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora ×australasiatica T. Jung, N.M. Chi, M. Tarigan & M. Horta Jung, Phytophthora ×lusitanica T. Jung, M. Horta Jung, C. Maia & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora ×taiwanensis T. Jung, T.-T. Chang, H.-S. Fu & M. Horta Jung. Citation: Jung T, Milenkovic I, Balci Y, Janousek J, Kudlácek T, Nagy ZÁ, Baharuddin B, Bakonyi J, Broders KD, Cacciola SO, Chang T-T, Chi NM, Corcobado T, Cravador A, Dordevic B, Durán A, Ferreira M, Fu C-H, Garcia L, Hieno A, Ho H-H, Hong C, Junaid M, Kageyama K, Kuswinanti T, Maia C, Májek T, Masuya H, Magnano di San Lio G, Mendieta-Araica B, Nasri N, Oliveira LSS, Pane A, Pérez-Sierra A, Rosmana A, Sanfuentes von Stowasser E, Scanu B, Singh R, Stanivukovic Z, Tarigan M, Thu PQ, Tomic Z, Tomsovský M, Uematsu S, Webber JF, Zeng H-C, Zheng F-C, Brasier CM, Horta Jung M (2024). Worldwide forest surveys reveal forty-three new species in Phytophthora major Clade 2 with fundamental implications for the evolution and biogeography of the genus and global plant biosecurity. Studies in Mycology 107: 251-388. doi: 10.3114/sim.2024.107.04.

Adiabatic limit collapse and local interaction effects in non-linear active microrheology molecular simulations of two-dimensional fluids.

Nonlinear active microrheology molecular dynamics simulations of high-density two-dimensional fluids show that the presence of strong confining forces and an external pulling force induces a correlation between the velocity and position dynamics of the tracer particle. This correlation manifests in the form of an effective temperature and an effective mobility of the tracer particle, which is responsible for the breaking of the equilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem. This fact is shown by measuring the tracer particle's temperature and mobility directly from the first two moments of the velocity distribution of a tracer particle and by formulating a diffusion theory in which effective thermal and transport properties are decoupled from the velocity dynamics. Furthermore, the flexibility of the attractive and repulsive forces in the tested interaction potentials allowed us to relate the temperature and mobility behaviors to the nature of the interactions and the structure of the surrounding fluid as a function of the pulling force. These results provide a refreshing physical interpretation of the phenomena observed in non-linear active microrheology.

The frequency of change in five-point scale score with a Bayesian penalised likelihood PET reconstruction algorithm on interim FDG PET-CT and its potential implications for therapy decisions in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

AIM: To assess the effect of a Bayesian penalised likelihood (BPL) reconstruction algorithm on the five-point scale (5-PS) score, response categorisation, and potential implications for therapy decisions after interim 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) (iPET-CT) to guide treatment in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included new patients with HL undergoing iPET-CT from 2014-2019 after two cycles of doxorubicin (Adriamycin), bleomycin, vincristine, and dacarbazine (ABVD). Two reporters categorised response using the 5-PS and measured maximum standardised uptake values (SUVmax) of the most avid tumour residuum, mediastinal blood pool, and normal liver with ordered subset expected maximisation (OSEM) and BPL reconstructions. RESULTS: Eighty-one iPET-CT examinations were reviewed. Compared with OSEM, BPL increased the 5-PS score by a single score in 18/81 (22.2%) patients. The frequency of potential treatment intensification by changing a score of 3-4 was 13.6% (11/81) and represented 25% (11/44) of patients with a score of 3 on OSEM. All 11 patients remained in remission without a change in therapy (mean 63 months) except one who required second-line treatment for refractory disease. Median SUVmax of tumour residuum was significantly higher with BPL compared with OSEM (2.7 versus 2.4, p<<0.0001), whilst liver SUVmax was significantly lower for both reporters (up to 6.6%, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: BPL PET reconstruction increased the 5-PS score on iPET-CT in 22% of HL patients and can potentially result in unnecessary treatment escalation in over half of these patients.

Insights into the adsorption of CO2 generated from synthetic urban wastewater treatment on olive pomace biochar.

In this investigation, a sustainable and low-cost method to capture CO2 generated from the treatment of urban wastewater was evaluated. We studied the adsorption of CO2 on olive pomace biochar. The experiments of degradation of synthetic wastewater mimicking effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with an initial Total Organic Carbon (TOC) concentration of 10 mg L-1 were conducted by using the UV-C/H2O2 process in the absence or presence of biochar. The biochar was placed in a fixed bed column through which air from the UV reactor was circulated. First, the effects of different parameters such as H2O2 initial concentration and pH on wastewater mineralization efficiency were determined. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was 87% in 2 h under optimal degradation conditions. The maximal concentration of CO2(gas) in air, in a closed system (air volume: 7.3 10-4 m3), after 11 h was 12,500 µmol mol-1 in the absence of biochar and only 150 µmol mol-1 when 10 g biochar were used. The results proved that by combining biochar with oxidative degradation of organic compounds, it is possible to mineralize organic compounds and reduce the requisite CO2 emissions by about 99%. The experimental equilibrium results were fit well with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms models concluding that CO2 adsorption on biochar followed both chemisorption and physisorption and both monolayer and multi-layer CO2 adsorption could occur. The total desorption of CO2 from biochar was reached in 120 min by simultaneously increasing the temperature to 150 °C and introducing a purge N2(gas).

Association between telemedicine use and diabetes risk factor assessment and control in a primary care network.

PURPOSE: Our study examined whether telemedicine use in primary care is associated with risk factor assessment and control for patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This was a retrospective, 1:1 propensity score matched cohort study conducted in a primary care network between February 2020 and December 2020. Participants included patients with diabetes mellitus, ages 18 to 75. Exposure of interest was any telemedicine visit. We determined whether hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were assessed for each patient. For each risk factor, we also determined whether the risk factor was controlled when they were assessed (i.e., last HbA1c < 8.0%, BP < 130/80 mmHg, LDL-C < 100 mg/dL). RESULTS: After 1:1 propensity score matching, we identified 1,824 patients with diabetes during the study period. Telemedicine use was associated with a lower proportion of patients with all three risk factors assessed (162/912 [18%], versus 408/912 [45%], p < 0.001). However, when individual risk factors were assessed, telemedicine use did not impact risk factor control. When compared with patients with in-person visit only, the odds ratio (OR) for HbA1c < 8% was 1.04 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.46, p = 0.23) for patients with any telemedicine visit. Similarly, the OR for BP < 130/80 mmHg was 1.08 (95% CI 0.85-1.36 p = 0.53), and the OR for LDL-C < 100 mg/dL was 1.14 (95% CI 0.76-1.72, p = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine use was associated with gaps in risk factor assessment for patients with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, but had limited impact on whether risk factors were controlled.

Death of guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) leukocytes induced by in vivo exposure to temephos and spinosad.

Temephos and spinosad are pesticides used for control of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika. However, the inadequate use of these substances has affected the health of non-target organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare, the effects of temephos and spinosad on leukocyte viability and death, using guppy fish (Poecilia reticulate) as a model organism. Guppies were exposed to temephos (10 mg/L) and spinosad (0.5 mg/L) for 7, 14, and 21 days. Afterwards, they were placed in pesticide-free fish tanks (7, 35, and 70 days) for recovery. The results showed that exposure to temephos caused leukocyte death, even at 35 days of recovery. Contrarily, the exposure to spinosad did not cause leukocyte death. This research show, for the first time, that a single dose of temephos causes apoptosis up to 56 days post-exposition, indicating that this pesticide induces chronic effects on immune response cells.

Ex vivo treatment with fucoidan of mononuclear cells from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.

COVID-19 is a worldwide health emergency, therapy for this disease is based on antiviral drugs and immunomodulators, however, there is no treatment to effectively reduce the COVID-19 mortality rate. Fucoidan is a polysaccharide obtained from marine brown algae, with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-enhancing properties, thus, fucoidan may be used as an alternative treatment (complementary to prescribed medical therapy) for the recovery of COVID-19.  This work aimed to determine the effects of ex-vivo treatment with fucoidan on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, necrosis, and senescence, besides functional parameters of calcium flux and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from SARS-CoV-2 infected, recovered and healthy subjects. Data suggest that fucoidan does not exert cytotoxicity or senescence, however, it induces the increment of intracellular calcium flux. Additionally, fucoidan promotes recovery of ΔΨm in PBMCs from COVID-19 recovered females. Data suggest that fucoidan could ameliorate the immune response in COVID-19 patients.

Extensive morphological and behavioural diversity among fourteen new and seven described species in Phytophthora Clade 10 and its evolutionary implications.

During extensive surveys of global Phytophthora diversity 14 new species detected in natural ecosystems in Chile, Indonesia, USA (Louisiana), Sweden, Ukraine and Vietnam were assigned to Phytophthora major Clade 10 based on a multigene phylogeny of nine nuclear and three mitochondrial gene regions. Clade 10 now comprises three subclades. Subclades 10a and 10b contain species with nonpapillate sporangia, a range of breeding systems and a mainly soil- and waterborne lifestyle. These include the previously described P. afrocarpa, P. gallica and P. intercalaris and eight of the new species: P. ludoviciana, P. procera, P. pseudogallica, P. scandinavica, P. subarctica, P. tenuimura, P. tonkinensis and P. ukrainensis. In contrast, all species in Subclade 10c have papillate sporangia and are self-fertile (or homothallic) with an aerial lifestyle including the known P. boehmeriae, P. gondwanensis, P. kernoviae and P. morindae and the new species P. celebensis, P. chilensis, P. javanensis, P. multiglobulosa, P. pseudochilensis and P. pseudokernoviae. All new Phytophthora species differed from each other and from related species by their unique combinations of morphological characters, breeding systems, cardinal temperatures and growth rates. The biogeography and evolutionary history of Clade 10 are discussed. We propose that the three subclades originated via the early divergence of pre-Gondwanan ancestors > 175 Mya into water- and soilborne and aerially dispersed lineages and subsequently underwent multiple allopatric and sympatric radiations during their global spread. Citation: Jung T, Milenkovic I, Corcobado T, et al. 2022. Extensive morphological and behavioural diversity among fourteen new and seven described species in Phytophthora Clade 10 and its evolutionary implications. Persoonia 49: 1-57. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2022.49.01.

Resistance profile and molecular characterization of pyrethroid resistance in a Rhipicephalus microplus strain from Colombia.

Intensive use of chemical acaricides for the control of cattle ticks (Rhipicephalus microplus) has led to the development of multiple acaricide resistance in Colombia. The present study aimed to characterize, using toxicological bioassays and molecular biology techniques, the resistance profile of a tick strain isolated from the Arauca state, Northeast Colombia. Commercial acaricides were used in adult immersion tests to determine its in vitro efficacies. Deltamethrin showed very low activity (4-7.3%), a mixture of cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos had intermediate efficacy (64-75.2%), and ethion presented the highest activity (88.5-100%). A colony (Arauquita strain) was established and larval immersion tests confirmed high resistance level to deltamethrin (241-fold) and susceptibility to ivermectin. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction-high resolution melt technique was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the para-sodium channel gene. All of the genotyped individuals were mutant, presenting one (n = 7), two (n = 7) or three (n = 9) SNPs previously associated with pyrethroid resistance. Sequencing revealed a novel mutation (F712L), that was found for the first time in R. microplus ticks from South America. This is the first description of mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance in R. microplus from Colombia. The acaricide resistance pattern found in the Arauquita strain is similar to other parts of Colombia.

Assessment of antibodies against three zoonotic bacteria and associated risk factors in pig farms in Colombia. / Evaluación de anticuerpos frente a tres bacterias zoonóticas y factores de riesgo asociados en explotaciones porcinas de Colombia.

The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella spp., together with associated risk factors, in pigs from various farms in seven regions of Colombia. A total of 350 blood samples were obtained from pigs at different stages in the production cycle of 23 farms, which were tested using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) diagnostic kits Pigtype®-Salmonella Ab (Qiagen®, Hilden, Germany), INgezim TB porcine and INgezim Brucella porcine (Ingenasa®, Madrid, Spain). The overall seroprevalence for Salmonella spp. was 42.85% (n = 150) and, for M. bovis, it was 5.42% (n = 19). No positive samples were detected for Brucella spp. In the farms evaluated, the presence of pests, such as rodents, was found to be the management variable with a statistically significant association with seropositivity for Salmonella spp. and M. bovis. The results suggest that, at some point in the primary production cycle, pigs came into contact with zoonotic bacteria, resulting in seropositivity, which may pose a risk to public health and national pig production.

Les auteurs présentent les résultats d'une étude menée en Colombie pour déterminer la prévalence sérologique de Salmonella spp., de Mycobacterium bovis et de Brucella spp. et d'identifier les facteurs de risques associés chez les porcs de différents élevages répartis dans sept régions du pays. Au total, 350 prélèvements sanguins de porcs en différentes phases du cycle de production et provenant de 23 exploitations ont été analysés en utilisant les kits de diagnostic suivants : test immuno-enzymatique (ELISA) Pigtype®-Salmonella Ab (Qiagen®, Hilden, Allemagne), INgezim TB porcina et INgezim Brucella porcina (Ingenasa®, Madrid, Espagne). La prévalence sérologique globale de Salmonella spp. était de 42,85 % (n = 150) et celle de M. bovis de 5,42 % (n = 19) ; aucun échantillon n'a été trouvé positif pour Brucella spp. En ce qui concerne les facteurs en lien avec la gestion des élevages, une corrélation significative au plan statistique a été observée dans les exploitations étudiées entre la présence de ravageurs (rongeurs notamment) et l'apparition d'anticorps dirigés contre Salmonella spp. et M. bovis. Les résultats obtenus laissent penser que les porcs ont été exposés à ces bactéries zoonotiques à un moment ou un autre du cycle de production primaire, ce qui a déclenché l'apparition d'anticorps ; il s'agit d'une situation à risque tant pour la santé publique que pour la filière porcine du pays.

El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la seroprevalencia respectoa Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium bovis y Brucella spp., junto con los factores de riesgo asociados, en porcinos de diferentes explotaciones de producción en siete regiones de Colombia. Se obtuvieron 350 muestras sanguíneas de porcinos de diferentes etapas del ciclo productivo provenientes de 23 explotaciones,y estas fueron analizadas utilizando los estuches de ensayo inmunoenzimático (ELISA) para diagnóstico Pigtype®-Salmonella Ab (Qiagen®, Hilden, Alemania), INgezim TB porcina e INgezim Brucella porcina (Ingenasa®, Madrid, España). La seroprevalencia general respecto a Salmonella spp. fue del 42,85% (n = 150),y para M. bovis, del 5,42% (n = 19); no se detectó ninguna muestra positiva respecto a Brucella spp. Se determinó que en las explotaciones evaluadas, la presencia de plagas, como los roedores, fue la variable de manejo con asociación estadísticamente significativa a la seropositividad respecto a Salmonella spp.y a M. bovis. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que, en algún momento del ciclo de producción primaria, los cerdos estuvieron en contacto con las bacterias zoonóticas frente a las que se obtuvo seropositividad, lo cual puede representar un riesgo para la salud pública y la producción porcina a nivel nacional.

Propensity score analysis of postoperative and oncological outcomes after surgical treatment for splenic flexure colon cancer.

PURPOSE: The surgical treatment of splenic flexure colon cancer (SFCC) is somehow not yet well standardized. Postoperative and oncological results of the three surgical techniques most commonly used to treat SFCC: extended right colectomy (ERC), egmental left colectomy (SLC), and left colectomy (LC) were evaluated. METHODS: The study included all patients with stage I-III SFCC treated by ERC, SLC, or LC between 2005 and 2016. Postoperative and long-term outcomes after the different surgical techniques were analyzed: Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to compare the outcomes between these surgical techniques and survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests. RESULTS: A total of 170 SFCC patients were operated; ERC was performed in 71 (41.76%), SLC in 36 (21.18%), and LC in 63 (37.06%). There were no significant differences in the short and long-term postoperative outcomes. Three comparison groups were developed so that PSM could be performed between the surgical technique cases: ERC (n = 59) vs. LC (n = 50); ERC (n = 50) vs. SLC (n = 33); and SLC (n = 32) vs. LC (n = 44). No differences in the short or long-term outcomes of these techniques were observed. CONCLUSION: The short and long-term outcomes between ERC, SLC, and LC are similar. SLC should be considered oncologically as appropiate as the other more extensive resections.

Photocatalytic degradation of aniline using an autonomous rotating drum reactor with both solar and UV-C artificial radiation.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of a novel self-autonomous reactor technology (capable of working with solar irradiation and artificial UV light) for water treatment using aniline as model compound. This new reactor design overcomes the problems of the external mass transfer effect and the accessibility to photons occurring in traditional reaction systems. The UV-light source is located inside the rotating quartz drums (where TiO2 is immobilized), allowing light to easily reach the water and the TiO2 surface. Several processes (UV, H2O2, Solar, TiO2, Solar/TiO2, Solar/TiO2/H2O2 and UV/Solar/H2O2/TiO2) were tested. The synergy between Solar/H2O2 and Solar/TiO2 processes was quantified to be 40.3% using the pseudo-first-order degradation rate. The apparent photonic efficiency, ζ, was also determined for evaluating light utilization. For the Solar/TiO2/H2O2 process, the efficiency was found to be practically constant (0.638-0.681%) when the film thickness is in the range of 1.67-3.87 µm. However, the efficiency increases up to 2.67% when artificial UV light was used in combination, confirming the efficient design of this installation. Thus, if needed, lamps can be switched on during cloudy days to improve the degradation rate of aniline and its mineralization. Under the optimal conditions selected for the Solar/TiO2/H2O2 process ([H2O2] = 250 mg/L; pH = 4, [TiO2] = 0.65-1.25 mg/cm2), 89.6% of aniline is degraded in 120 min. If the lamps are switched on, aniline is completely degraded in 10 min, reaching 85% of mineralization in 120 min. TiO2 was re-used during 5 reaction cycles without apparent loss in activity (<2%). Quantification of hydroxyl radicals and dissolved oxygen allows a chemical-based explanation of the process. Finally, the UV/Solar/TiO2/H2O2 process was found to have lower operation costs than other systems described in literature (0.67 €/m3).

Causal analysis of self-sustaining processes in the logarithmic layer of wall-bounded turbulence.

Despite the large amount of information provided by direct numerical simulations of turbulent flows, their underlying dynamics remain elusive even in the most simple and canonical configurations. Most common approaches to investigate the turbulence phenomena do not provide a clear causal inference between events, which is essential to determine the dynamics of self-sustaining processes. In the present work, we examine the causal interactions between streaks, rolls and mean shear in the logarithmic layer of a minimal turbulent channel flow. Causality between structures is assessed in a non-intrusive manner by transfer entropy, i.e., how much the uncertainty of one structure is reduced by knowing the past states of the others. We choose to represent streaks by the first Fourier modes of the streamwise velocity, while rolls are defined by the wall-normal and spanwise velocity modes. The results show that the process is mainly unidirectional rather than cyclic, and that the log-layer motions are sustained by extracting energy from the mean shear which controls the dynamics and time-scales. The well-known lift-up effect is also identified, but shown to be of secondary importance in the causal network between shear, streaks and rolls.

Canker and decline diseases caused by soil- and airborne Phytophthora species in forests and woodlands.

Most members of the oomycete genus Phytophthora are primary plant pathogens. Both soil- and airborne Phytophthora species are able to survive adverse environmental conditions with enduring resting structures, mainly sexual oospores, vegetative chlamydospores and hyphal aggregations. Soilborne Phytophthora species infect fine roots and the bark of suberized roots and the collar region with motile biflagellate zoospores released from sporangia during wet soil conditions. Airborne Phytophthora species infect leaves, shoots, fruits and bark of branches and stems with caducous sporangia produced during humid conditions on infected plant tissues and dispersed by rain and wind splash. During the past six decades, the number of previously unknown Phytophthora declines and diebacks of natural and semi-natural forests and woodlands has increased exponentially, and the vast majority of them are driven by introduced invasive Phytophthora species. Nurseries in Europe, North America and Australia show high infestation rates with a wide range of mostly exotic Phytophthora species. Planting of infested nursery stock has proven to be the main pathway of Phytophthora species between and within continents. This review provides insights into the history, distribution, aetiology, symptomatology, dynamics and impact of the most important canker, decline and dieback diseases caused by soil- and airborne Phytophthora species in forests and natural ecosystems of Europe, Australia and the Americas.

Increased Systemic Cytokine/Chemokine Expression in Asthmatic and Non-asthmatic Patients with Bacterial, Viral or Mixed Lung Infection.

This study was aimed to determine the profiles of serum cytokines (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-5) and chemokines (MCP-1: monocyte chemoattract protein-1 and RANTES: regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted) in individuals with an asthmatic versus a non-asthmatic background with bacterial, viral or mixed acute respiratory infection. Asthmatic (n = 14) and non-asthmatic (n = 29) patients with acute viral, bacterial or mixed (bacterial and viruses) respiratory infection were studied. Patients were also analysed as individuals with pneumonia or bronchitis. Healthy individuals with similar age and sex (n = 10) were used as controls. Cytokine/chemokine content in serum was determined by ELISA. Increased cytokine/chemokine concentration in asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients was observed. However, higher concentrations of chemokines (MCP-1 and RANTES) in asthmatic patients infected by viruses, bacteria or bacteria and viruses (mixed) than in non-asthmatic patients were observed. In general, viral and mixed infections were better cytokine/chemokine inducers than bacterial infection. Cytokine/chemokine expression was similarly increased in both asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients with pneumonia or bronchitis, except that RANTES remained at normal levels in bronchitis. Circulating cytokine profiles induced by acute viral, bacterial or mixed lung infection were not related to asthmatic background, except for chemokines that were increased in asthmatic status.

Dicephalous v. diprosopus sharks: record of a two-headed embryo of Galeus atlanticus and review of the literature.

As far as is known, this paper gives the first description of a two-headed shark embryo belonging to an oviparous species, Galeus atlanticus (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae). The specimen was detected among 797 embryos intended for cardiovascular studies, which represents a defect incidence of 0·13%. Each head had a mouth, two eyes, a brain, a notochord and five gill openings on each side. The two heads fused behind the gills. On the single body, there were four anticipated dorsal fins, two anterior, right and left and two posterior, right and left. Ventrally, the specimen possessed two pairs of pectoral fins, a pair of pelvic fins and one anal fin. Two adjacent notochords, two neural tubes and two dorsal aortas ran along the body, which bent 180° at its posterior portion. There were two hearts, two oesophaguses, two stomachs, two livers, but a single intestine with a spiral valve. Previous reports of conjoined twins in sharks are scarce and only refer to oviparous and ovoviviparous species. Seven dicephalous sharks reported so far were similar to the specimen described here, namely, with two totally separated heads on one body. Instead, only one case of diprosopus shark has been reported; it had a single body and a single head with partial duplication of the face. Two further cases described in the literature as dicephalous or simply as abnormal sharks should be better regarded as diprosopus, while another three cases, also considered dicephalous, showed a mixture of characteristics of diprosopia and dicephalia.

Antipyrine removal by TiO2 photocatalysis based on spinning disc reactor technology.

The photo-degradation of the emerging contaminant antipyrine (AP) was studied and optimized in a novel photocatalytic spinning disc reactor (SDR). A heterogeneous process (UV/H2O2/TiO2) was used. TiO2 was immobilized on the surface of a glass disc using a sol-gel method. A factorial design of experiments followed by a Neural Networks fitting allowed the optimal conditions to be determined for treating 50 mg/L of AP. Under these conditions (pH = 4; [H2O2]0 = 1500 mg/L; disc speed = 500 rpm; flowrate = 25 mL/s), AP was completely degraded in 120 min and regeneration of the disc allowed 10 cycles with no loss in efficiency. The value of the apparent volumetric rate constant was found to be 6.9·10-4 s-1 with no apparent mass transfer limitation. Based on the main intermediates identified, a mechanism is proposed for antipyrine photodegradation: Firstly, cleavage of the NN bond of penta-heterocycle leads to the formation of two aromatic acids and N-phenylpropanamide. An attack to the CN bond in the latter compound produces benzenamine. Finally, the phenyl ring of the aromatic intermediates are opened and molecular organic acids are formed.

Nothophytophthora gen. nov., a new sister genus of Phytophthora from natural and semi-natural ecosystems.

During various surveys of Phytophthora diversity in Europe, Chile and Vietnam slow growing oomycete isolates were obtained from rhizosphere soil samples and small streams in natural and planted forest stands. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences from the nuclear ITS, LSU, ß-tubulin and HSP90 loci and the mitochondrial cox1 and NADH1 genes revealed they belong to six new species of a new genus, officially described here as Nothophytophthora gen. nov., which clustered as sister group to Phytophthora. Nothophytophthora species share numerous morphological characters with Phytophthora: persistent (all Nothophytophthora spp.) and caducous (N. caduca, N. chlamydospora, N. valdiviana, N. vietnamensis) sporangia with variable shapes, internal differentiation of zoospores and internal, nested and extended (N. caduca, N. chlamydospora) and external (all Nothophytophthora spp.) sporangial proliferation; smooth-walled oogonia with amphigynous (N. amphigynosa) and paragynous (N. amphigynosa, N. intricata, N. vietnamensis) attachment of the antheridia; chlamydospores (N. chlamydospora) and hyphal swellings. Main differing features of the new genus are the presence of a conspicuous, opaque plug inside the sporangiophore close to the base of most mature sporangia in all known Nothophytophthora species and intraspecific co-occurrence of caducity and non-papillate sporangia with internal nested and extended proliferation in several Nothophytophthora species. Comparisons of morphological structures of both genera allow hypotheses about the morphology and ecology of their common ancestor which are discussed. Production of caducous sporangia by N. caduca, N. chlamydospora and N. valdiviana from Valdivian rainforests and N. vietnamensis from a mountain forest in Vietnam suggests a partially aerial lifestyle as adaptation to these humid habitats. Presence of tree dieback in all forests from which Nothophytophthora spp. were recovered and partial sporangial caducity of several Nothophytophthora species indicate a pathogenic rather than a saprophytic lifestyle. Isolation tests from symptomatic plant tissues in these forests and pathogenicity tests are urgently required to clarify the lifestyle of the six Nothophytophthora species.

Predominance of Clostridium difficile ribotypes 012, 027 and 046 in a university hospital in Chile, 2012.

In a 1-year survey at a university hospital we found that 20·6% (81/392) of patients with antibiotic associated diarrohea where positive for C. difficile. The most common PCR ribotypes were 012 (14·8%), 027 (12·3%), 046 (12·3%) and 014/020 (9·9). The incidence rate was 2·6 cases of C. difficile infection for every 1000 outpatients.

Cutaneous Richter syndrome: a better place to transform?

The development of high-grade lymphoma in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is known as Richter syndrome (RS) and is associated with a grave prognosis, with a mean survival of 8 months despite treatment. Cutaneous RS has been described in a handful of cases and may be associated with a better outcome than the more common extracutaneous variants. We review the literature with particular emphasis on pathogenesis, treatment and survival of RS. We postulate that the absence of B symptoms and a normal lactate dehydrogenase level, presumably reflecting localized or limited disease, and a lower tumour burden, may explain the apparently better survival in some patients with cutaneous RS than with extracutaneous variants.