Maternal plasma cortisol's effect on offspring birth weight: a Mendelian Randomisation study.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies and randomized controlled trials have found evidence that higher maternal circulating cortisol levels in pregnancy are associated with lower offspring birth weight. However, it is possible that the observational associations are due to residual confounding. METHODS: We performed two-sample Mendelian Randomisation (MR) using a single genetic variant (rs9989237) associated with morning plasma cortisol (GWAS; sample 1; N = 25,314). The association between this maternal genetic variant and offspring birth weight, adjusted for fetal genotype, was obtained from the published EGG Consortium and UK Biobank meta-analysis (GWAS; sample 2; N = up to 406,063) and a Wald ratio was used to estimate the causal effect. We also performed an alternative analysis using all GWAS reported cortisol variants that takes account of linkage disequilibrium. We also tested the genetic variant's effect on pregnancy cortisol and performed PheWas to search for potential pleiotropic effects. RESULTS: The estimated effect of maternal circulating cortisol on birth weight was a 50 gram (95% CI, -109 to 10) lower birth weight per 1 SD higher log-transformed maternal circulating cortisol levels, using a single variant. The alternative analysis gave similar results (-33 grams (95% CI, -77 to 11)). The effect of the cortisol variant on pregnancy cortisol was 2-fold weaker than in the original GWAS, and evidence was found of pleiotropy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide some evidence that higher maternal morning plasma cortisol causes lower birth weight. Identification of more independent genetic instruments for morning plasma cortisol are necessary to explore the potential bias identified.

Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 2.

This paper represents the second contribution in the Genera of Phytopathogenic Fungi (GOPHY) series. The series provides morphological descriptions and information regarding the pathology, distribution, hosts and disease symptoms for the treated genera. In addition, primary and secondary DNA barcodes for the currently accepted species are included. This second paper in the GOPHY series treats 20 genera of phytopathogenic fungi and their relatives including: Allantophomopsiella, Apoharknessia, Cylindrocladiella, Diaporthe, Dichotomophthora, Gaeumannomyces, Harknessia, Huntiella, Macgarvieomyces, Metulocladosporiella, Microdochium, Oculimacula, Paraphoma, Phaeoacremonium, Phyllosticta, Proxypiricularia, Pyricularia, Stenocarpella, Utrechtiana and Wojnowiciella. This study includes the new genus Pyriculariomyces, 20 new species, five new combinations, and six typifications for older names.

Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 1.

Genera of Phytopathogenic Fungi (GOPHY) is introduced as a new series of publications in order to provide a stable platform for the taxonomy of phytopathogenic fungi. This first paper focuses on 21 genera of phytopathogenic fungi: Bipolaris, Boeremia, Calonectria, Ceratocystis, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Coniella, Curvularia, Monilinia, Neofabraea, Neofusicoccum, Pilidium, Pleiochaeta, Plenodomus, Protostegia, Pseudopyricularia, Puccinia, Saccharata, Thyrostroma, Venturia and Wilsonomyces. For each genus, a morphological description and information about its pathology, distribution, hosts and disease symptoms are provided. In addition, this information is linked to primary and secondary DNA barcodes of the presently accepted species, and relevant literature. Moreover, several novelties are introduced, i.e. new genera, species and combinations, and neo-, lecto- and epitypes designated to provide a stable taxonomy. This first paper includes one new genus, 26 new species, ten new combinations, and four typifications of older names.

Finding the missing link: Resolving the Coryneliomycetidae within Eurotiomycetes.

Species belonging to the Coryneliaceae and parasitizing Podocarpaceae hosts were collected from different locations in South Africa and studied morphologically by light microscopy and molecularly by obtaining partial nrDNA (ITS-1/5.8S/ITS-2, 18S and 28S) gene sequences. The position of the Coryneliaceae within the Eurotiomycetidae was not confirmed and a new subclass, Coryneliomycetidae, was introduced. While Eurotiomycetidae usually form cleistothecia/gymnothecia with evanescent, unitunicate asci, and Chaetothyriomycetidae mostly perithecia with bitunicate/fissitunicate to evanescent asci, Coryneliomycetidae form pseudothecial mazaedial ascomata, initially with double-walled asci with the outer layer deliquescing, resulting in passive ascospore release. The Coryneliomycetidae thus occupies a unique position in the Eurotiomycetes. Furthermore, epitypes were designated for Corynelia uberata, the type species of Corynelia (type genus of the family, order and subclass), Lagenulopsis bispora, the type species of Lagenulopsis, and Tripospora tripos the type species of Tripospora, with Lagenulopsis and Tripospora confirmed as belonging to the Coryneliaceae. Corynelia uberata resolved into three clades, one on Afrocarpus (= Podocarpus) falcatus and A. gracilior, and two clades occurring on P. latifolius, herein described as C. africana and C. fructigena. Morphologically these three species are not readily distinguishable, although they differ in spore dimensions, ascomata shape, ornamentation and DNA phylogeny. It is likely that several more species from other parts of the world are currently erroneously placed in C. uberata.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 214-280.

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Cercosporella dolichandrae from Dolichandra unguiscati, Seiridium podocarpi from Podocarpus latifolius, Pseudocercospora parapseudarthriae from Pseudarthria hookeri, Neodevriesia coryneliae from Corynelia uberata on leaves of Afrocarpus falcatus, Ramichloridium eucleae from Euclea undulata and Stachybotrys aloeticola from Aloe sp. (South Africa), as novel member of the Stachybotriaceae fam. nov. Several species were also described from Zambia, and these include Chaetomella zambiensis on unknown Fabaceae, Schizoparme pseudogranati from Terminalia stuhlmannii, Diaporthe isoberliniae from Isoberlinia angolensis, Peyronellaea combreti from Combretum mossambiciensis, Zasmidium rothmanniae and Phaeococcomyces rothmanniae from Rothmannia engleriana, Diaporthe vangueriae from Vangueria infausta and Diaporthe parapterocarpi from Pterocarpus brenanii. Novel species from the Netherlands include: Stagonospora trichophoricola, Keissleriella trichophoricola and Dinemasporium trichophoricola from Trichophorum cespitosum, Phaeosphaeria poae, Keissleriella poagena, Phaeosphaeria poagena, Parastagonospora poagena and Pyrenochaetopsis poae from Poa sp., Septoriella oudemansii from Phragmites australis and Dendryphion europaeum from Hedera helix (Germany) and Heracleum sphondylium (the Netherlands). Novel species from Australia include: Anungitea eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus leaf litter, Beltraniopsis neolitseae and Acrodontium neolitseae from Neolitsea australiensis, Beltraniella endiandrae from Endiandra introrsa, Phaeophleospora parsoniae from Parsonia straminea, Penicillifer martinii from Cynodon dactylon, Ochroconis macrozamiae from Macrozamia leaf litter, Triposporium cycadicola, Circinotrichum cycadis, Cladosporium cycadicola and Acrocalymma cycadis from Cycas spp. Furthermore, Vermiculariopsiella dichapetali is described from Dichapetalum rhodesicum (Botswana), Ophiognomonia acadiensis from Picea rubens (Canada), Setophoma vernoniae from Vernonia polyanthes and Penicillium restingae from soil (Brazil), Pseudolachnella guaviyunis from Myrcianthes pungens (Uruguay) and Pseudocercospora neriicola from Nerium oleander (Italy). Novelties from Spain include: Dendryphiella eucalyptorum from Eucalyptus globulus, Conioscypha minutispora from dead wood, Diplogelasinospora moalensis and Pseudoneurospora canariensis from soil and Inocybe lanatopurpurea from reforested woodland of Pinus spp. Novelties from France include: Kellermania triseptata from Agave angustifolia, Zetiasplozna acaciae from Acacia melanoxylon, Pyrenochaeta pinicola from Pinus sp. and Pseudonectria rusci from Ruscus aculeatus. New species from China include: Dematiocladium celtidicola from Celtis bungeana, Beltrania pseudorhombica, Chaetopsina beijingensis and Toxicocladosporium pini from Pinus spp. and Setophaeosphaeria badalingensis from Hemerocallis fulva. Novel genera of Ascomycetes include Alfaria from Cyperus esculentus (Spain), Rinaldiella from a contaminated human lesion (Georgia), Hyalocladosporiella from Tectona grandis (Brazil), Pseudoacremonium from Saccharum spontaneum and Melnikomyces from leaf litter (Vietnam), Annellosympodiella from Juniperus procera (Ethiopia), Neoceratosperma from Eucalyptus leaves (Thailand), Ramopenidiella from Cycas calcicola (Australia), Cephalotrichiella from air in the Netherlands, Neocamarosporium from Mesembryanthemum sp. and Acervuloseptoria from Ziziphus mucronata (South Africa) and Setophaeosphaeria from Hemerocallis fulva (China). Several novel combinations are also introduced, namely for Phaeosphaeria setosa as Setophaeosphaeria setosa, Phoma heteroderae as Peyronellaea heteroderae and Phyllosticta maydis as Peyronellaea maydis. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 281-319.

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Alanphillipsia aloeicola from Aloe sp., Arxiella dolichandrae from Dolichandra unguiscati, Ganoderma austroafricanum from Jacaranda mimosifolia, Phacidiella podocarpi and Phaeosphaeria podocarpi from Podocarpus latifolius, Phyllosticta mimusopisicola from Mimusops zeyheri and Sphaerulina pelargonii from Pelargonium sp. Furthermore, Barssia maroccana is described from Cedrus atlantica (Morocco), Codinaea pini from Pinus patula (Uganda), Crucellisporiopsis marquesiae from Marquesia acuminata (Zambia), Dinemasporium ipomoeae from Ipomoea pes-caprae (Vietnam), Diaporthe phragmitis from Phragmites australis (China), Marasmius vladimirii from leaf litter (India), Melanconium hedericola from Hedera helix (Spain), Pluteus albotomentosus and Pluteus extremiorientalis from a mixed forest (Russia), Rachicladosporium eucalypti from Eucalyptus globulus (Ethiopia), Sistotrema epiphyllum from dead leaves of Fagus sylvatica in a forest (The Netherlands), Stagonospora chrysopyla from Scirpus microcarpus (USA) and Trichomerium dioscoreae from Dioscorea sp. (Japan). Novel species from Australia include: Corynespora endiandrae from Endiandra introrsa, Gonatophragmium triuniae from Triunia youngiana, Penicillium coccotrypicola from Archontophoenix cunninghamiana and Phytophthora moyootj from soil. Novelties from Iran include Neocamarosporium chichastianum from soil and Seimatosporium pistaciae from Pistacia vera. Xenosonderhenia eucalypti and Zasmidium eucalyptigenum are newly described from Eucalyptus urophylla in Indonesia. Diaporthe acaciarum and Roussoella acacia are newly described from Acacia tortilis in Tanzania. New species from Italy include Comoclathris spartii from Spartium junceum and Phoma tamaricicola from Tamarix gallica. Novel genera include (Ascomycetes): Acremoniopsis from forest soil and Collarina from water sediments (Spain), Phellinocrescentia from a Phellinus sp. (French Guiana), Neobambusicola from Strelitzia nicolai (South Africa), Neocladophialophora from Quercus robur (Germany), Neophysalospora from Corymbia henryi (Mozambique) and Xenophaeosphaeria from Grewia sp. (Tanzania). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 154-213.

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Camarosporium aloes, Phaeococcomyces aloes and Phoma aloes from Aloe, C. psoraleae, Diaporthe psoraleae and D. psoraleae-pinnatae from Psoralea, Colletotrichum euphorbiae from Euphorbia, Coniothyrium prosopidis and Peyronellaea prosopidis from Prosopis, Diaporthe cassines from Cassine, D. diospyricola from Diospyros, Diaporthe maytenicola from Maytenus, Harknessia proteae from Protea, Neofusicoccum ursorum and N. cryptoaustrale from Eucalyptus, Ochrocladosporium adansoniae from Adansonia, Pilidium pseudoconcavum from Greyia radlkoferi, Stagonospora pseudopaludosa from Phragmites and Toxicocladosporium ficiniae from Ficinia. Several species were also described from Thailand, namely: Chaetopsina pini and C. pinicola from Pinus spp., Myrmecridium thailandicum from reed litter, Passalora pseudotithoniae from Tithonia, Pallidocercospora ventilago from Ventilago, Pyricularia bothriochloae from Bothriochloa and Sphaerulina rhododendricola from Rhododendron. Novelties from Spain include Cladophialophora multiseptata, Knufia tsunedae and Pleuroascus rectipilus from soil and Cyphellophora catalaunica from river sediments. Species from the USA include Bipolaris drechsleri from Microstegium, Calonectria blephiliae from Blephilia, Kellermania macrospora (epitype) and K. pseudoyuccigena from Yucca. Three new species are described from Mexico, namely Neophaeosphaeria agaves and K. agaves from Agave and Phytophthora ipomoeae from Ipomoea. Other African species include Calonectria mossambicensis from Eucalyptus (Mozambique), Harzia cameroonensis from an unknown creeper (Cameroon), Mastigosporella anisophylleae from Anisophyllea (Zambia) and Teratosphaeria terminaliae from Terminalia (Zimbabwe). Species from Europe include Auxarthron longisporum from forest soil (Portugal), Discosia pseudoartocreas from Tilia (Austria), Paraconiothyrium polonense and P. lycopodinum from Lycopodium (Poland) and Stachybotrys oleronensis from Iris (France). Two species of Chrysosporium are described from Antarctica, namely C. magnasporum and C. oceanitesii. Finally, Licea xanthospora is described from Australia, Hypochnicium huinayensis from Chile and Custingophora blanchettei from Uruguay. Novel genera of Ascomycetes include Neomycosphaerella from Pseudopentameris macrantha (South Africa), and Paramycosphaerella from Brachystegia sp. (Zimbabwe). Novel hyphomycete genera include Pseudocatenomycopsis from Rothmannia (Zambia), Neopseudocercospora from Terminalia (Zambia) and Neodeightoniella from Phragmites (South Africa), while Dimorphiopsis from Brachystegia (Zambia) represents a novel coelomycetous genus. Furthermore, Alanphillipsia is introduced as a new genus in the Botryosphaeriaceae with four species, A. aloes, A. aloeigena and A. aloetica from Aloe spp. and A. euphorbiae from Euphorbia sp. (South Africa). A new combination is also proposed for Brachysporium torulosum (Deightoniella black tip of banana) as Corynespora torulosa. Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Multiple genetic variants explain measurable variance in type 2 diabetes-related traits in Pakistanis.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Multiple genetic variants are associated with type 2 diabetes-related traits in Europeans, but their role in South Asian populations needs further study. We hypothesised that genetic variants associated with diabetes-related traits in Europeans would explain a similar proportion of phenotypic variance in a Pakistani population and could be used in Mendelian randomisation analyses. METHODS: We used data from 2,131 individuals from the Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation Trial (COBRA) in Karachi, Pakistan. Individuals were aged 40 years or older. RESULTS: Combining information from multiple genetic variants showed that fasting glucose, BMI, triacylglycerol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure variants explained 2.9%, 0.7%, 5.5%, 1.2% and 1.8% of the variance in those traits respectively. Genetic risk scores of fasting glucose, triacylglycerol, BMI, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure variants were associated with these traits, with per allele SD effects of 0.057 (95% CI 0.041, 0.074), p=3.44 × 10(-12), 0.130 (95% CI 0.105, 0.155), p=2.9 × 10(-21), 0.04 (95% CI 0.014, 0.072), p=0.004, 0.031 (95% CI 0.016, 0.047), p=7.9 × 10(-5), 0.028 (95% CI 0.015, 0.042), p = 5.5 × 10(-5), respectively. These effects are consistent with those observed in Europeans, except that the effect of triacylglycerol variants in South Asians was slightly lower. Mendelian randomisation provided evidence that genetically influenced, raised triacylglycerol levels do not causally affect type 2 diabetes risk to the extent predicted from observational data (p=0.0003 for difference between observed and instrumental variables correlations). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Genetic variants identified in Europeans are associated with type 2 diabetes-related traits in Pakistanis, with comparable effect sizes. Larger studies are needed to perform adequately powered Mendelian randomisation and help dissect the relationships between type 2 diabetes-related traits in diverse South Asian subgroups.

The Genera of Fungi - G5: Arthrinium, Ceratosphaeria, Dimerosporiopsis, Hormodochis, Lecanostictopsis, Lembosina, Neomelanconium, Phragmotrichum, Pseudomelanconium, Rutola, and Trullula.

The present paper represents the fifth contribution in the Genera of Fungi series, linking type species of fungal genera to their morphology and DNA sequence data. This paper focuses on 11 genera of microfungi, for seven of which the type species are neo- or epitypified here: Arthrinium (Arthrinium caricicola; Apiosporaceae, Xylariales, Sordariomycetes), Ceratosphaeria (Ceratosphaeria lampadophora; Magnaporthaceae, Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes), Dimerosporiopsis (Dimerosporiopsis engleriana; Venturiaceae, Venturiales, Dothideomycetes), Hormodochis (Hormodochis melanochlora; Stictidaceae, Ostropales, Ostropomycetidae, OSLEUM clade, Lecanoromycetes), Lecanostictopsis (Lecanostictopsis kamatii; Mycosphaerellaceae, Capnodiales, Dothideomycetes), Lembosina (Lembosina aulographoides; Lembosinaceae fam. nov., Lembosinales ord. nov., Dothideomycetes), Neomelanconium (Neomelanconium gelatosporum; Cenangiaceae, Helotiales, Leotiomycetes), Phragmotrichum (Phragmotrichum chailletii; Melanommataceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes), Pseudomelanconium gen. nov. (Pseudomelanconium spartii; incertae sedis, Pezizomycotina), Rutola (Rutola graminis; Torulaceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes), and Trullula (Trullula oreoselini; incertae sedis, Pezizomycotina).

First Report of Smut on Imperata cylindrica Caused by Sporisorium schweinfurthianum in South Africa.

Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch. (Poaceae) is indigenous to the old world but is a problem weed in tropical areas throughout the world (1). A smut fungus was observed frequently on this grass at a single site near Pretoria (25°44'19″S, 28°15'39″E), South Africa during April of 2006. On the basis of the following characteristics, it was identified as Sporisorium schweinfurthianum (Thüm.) K. Vánky (2). Panicles were systemically infected and all ovaries in infected inflorescences were replaced by spores. Spores were globose or subglobose, brown, 10 to 14 × 9 to 12 µm (average 11.2 × 9.8 µm; n = 25), wall 1 µm thick, and finely verruculose. Hyaline, thin-walled sterile cells were present. This identification was confirmed by K. Vánky (personal communication to A. R. Wood). To our knowledge, this is the first report of this smut species from southern Africa. A voucher specimen has been deposited in the South African National Collection of Fungi, ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute (PREM 59895). To test pathogenicity, soil in 15 pots with individual 1-month-old seedlings was drenched with an aqueous suspension of 1 × 108 spores ml-1 amended with 0.1% Tween 80. Before treatment, the pots were placed on pot trays and remained immersed in the spore suspension in the trays at 28°C (relative humidity <80%) for 24 h. To maintain the spore concentration in the soil, the pots were not watered until 7 days after inoculation. Distilled water amended with 0.1% Tween 80 was applied as control treatments to a further 15 pots with plants. Five of the treated plants produced panicles within 4 months of inoculation. Of these, all the ovaries of four emerging inflorescences were completely replaced with a brown, powdery mass of teliospores. No smutted panicles developed on the control plants. This smut fungus may have potential as a classical biological control agent for use against I. cylindrica by reducing dispersal by seed. References: (1) L. G. Holm et al. The World's Worst Weeds: Distribution and Biology. University Press of Hawaii. Honolulu, 1977. (2) K. Vánky. Australas. Plant Pathol. 29:155, 2000.

New and Interesting Fungi. 2.

One order, seven families, 28 new genera, 72 new species, 13 new combinations, four epitypes, and interesting new host and / or geographical records are introduced in this study. Pseudorobillardaceae is introduced for Pseudorobillarda (based on P. phragmitis). New genera include: Jeremyomyces (based on J. labinae) on twigs of Salix alba (Germany); Neodothidotthia (based on N. negundinicola) on Acer negundo (Ukraine); Neomedicopsis (based on N. prunicola) on fallen twigs of Prunus padus (Ukraine); Neophaeoappendicospora (based on N. leucaenae) on Leucaena leucocephala (France) (incl. Phaeoappendicosporaceae); Paradevriesia (incl. Paradevriesiaceae) (based on P. americana) from air (USA); Phaeoseptoriella (based on P. zeae) on leaves of Zea mays (South Africa); Piniphoma (based on P. wesendahlina) on wood debris of Pinus sylvestris (Germany); Pseudoconiothyrium (based on P. broussonetiae) on branch of Broussonetia papyrifera (Italy); Sodiomyces (based on S. alkalinus) from soil (Mongolia), and Turquoiseomyces (incl. Turquoiseomycetales and Turquoiseomycetaceae) (based on T. eucalypti) on leaves of Eucalyptus leptophylla (Australia); Typhicola (based on T. typharum) on leaves of Typha sp. (Germany); Xenodevriesia (incl. Xenodevriesiaceae) (based on X. strelitziicola) on leaves of Strelitzia sp. (South Africa). New species include: Bacillicladium clematidis on branch of Clematis vitalbae (Austria); Cercospora gomphrenigena on leaves of Gomphrena globosa (South Africa); Cyphellophora clematidis on Clematis vitalba (Austria); Exophiala abietophila on bark of Abies alba (Norway); Exophiala lignicola on fallen decorticated trunk of Quercus sp. (Ukraine); Fuscostagonospora banksiae on Banksia sp. (Australia); Gaeumannomycella caricicola on dead leaf of Carex remota (Germany); Hansfordia pruni on Prunus persica twig (Italy) (incl. Hansfordiaceae); Microdochium rhopalostylidis on Rhopalostylis sapida (New Zealand); Neocordana malayensis on leaves of Musa sp. (Malaysia); Neocucurbitaria prunicola on fallen twigs of Prunus padus (Ukraine); Neocucurbitaria salicis-albae on Salix alba twig (Ukraine); Neohelicomyces deschampsiae on culm base of dead leaf sheath of Deschampsia cespitosa (Germany); Pararoussoella juglandicola on twig of Juglans regia (Germany); Pezicula eucalyptigena on leaves of Eucalyptus sp. (South Africa); Phlogicylindrium dunnii on leaves of Eucalyptus dunnii (Australia); Phyllosticta hagahagaensis on leaf litter of Carissa bispinosa (South Africa); Phyllosticta austroafricana on leaf spots of unidentified deciduous tree host (South Africa); Pseudosigmoidea alnicola on Alnus glutinosa leaf litter (Germany); Pseudoteratosphaeria africana on leaf spot on unidentified host (Angola); Porodiplodia vitis on canes of Vitis vinifera (USA); Sodiomyces alkalinus from soil (Mongolia), Sodiomyces magadiensis and Sodiomyces tronii from soil (Kenya), Sympodiella quercina on fallen leaf of Quercus robur (Germany) and Zasmidium hakeicola on leaves of Hakea corymbosa (Australia). Epitypes are designated for: Cryptostictis falcata on leaves of E. alligatrix (Australia), Hendersonia phormii on leaves of Phormium tenax (New Zealand), Sympodiella acicola on needles of Pinus sylvestris (Netherlands), and Sphaeria scirpicola var. typharum on leaf of Typha sp. (Germany). Several taxa originally described from rocks are validated in this study. New taxa include: Extremaceae fam. nov., and new genera, Arthrocatena, Catenulomyces, Constantinomyces, Extremus, Hyphoconis, Incertomyces, Lapidomyces, Lithophila, Monticola, Meristemomyces, Oleoguttula, Perusta, Petrophila, Ramimonilia, Saxophila and Vermiconidia. New species include: Arthrocatena tenebrosa, Catenulomyces convolutus, Constantinomyces virgultus, C. macerans, C. minimus, C. nebulosus, C. virgultus, Exophiala bonariae, Extremus adstrictus, E. antarcticus, Hyphoconis sterilis, Incertomyces perditus, Knufia karalitana, K. marmoricola, K. mediterranea, Lapidomyces hispanicus, Lithophila guttulata, Monticola elongata, Meristemomyces frigidus, M. arctostaphyli, Neodevriesia bulbillosa, N. modesta, N. sardiniae, N. simplex, Oleoguttula mirabilis, Paradevriesia compacta, Perusta inaequalis, Petrophila incerta, Rachicladosporium alpinum, R. inconspicuum, R. mcmurdoi, R. monterosanum, R. paucitum, Ramimonilia apicalis, Saxophila tyrrhenica, Vermiconidia antarctica, V. calcicola, V. foris, and V. flagrans.

First Report of Daylily Rust Caused by Puccinia hemerocallidis in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Rust symptoms were first observed on daylily plants (Hemerocallis spp.) during February 2007 in a garden near Paarl in the Western Cape (WC) Province of South Africa. Another occurrence was found during November 2007 on daylily plants in a garden near Franschhoek (WC). Upon further investigation, diseased daylily plants were found during February 2008 in nurseries in Stellenbosch, Buffeljagsrivier, and George (WC). The cultivars that have been infected include Laura Lane, Anna Mae Hager, and Russian Rhapsody. Symptoms included yellow-to-brown streaks on the leaves. Leaves had small chlorotic spots on the adaxial side, and on the abaxial side, were many small orange-to-yellow erumpent pustules with yellow-to-orange, pulverulent urediniospores. The rust fungus was identified as Puccinia hemerocallidis Thüm. The morphology matches that given in Hernández et al. (1). Urediniospores were globose to ellipsoid with yellow contents and measured 22 to 31 × 16 to 26 µm (mean 25.5 × 22 µm, n = 25). Spore walls were echinulate, hyaline, 2 to 3 µm thick, and with obscure germ pores. No teliospores were observed. Herbarium specimens have been lodged in the South African National Fungus Collection in Pretoria (PREM 59814, 59855, and 59856). The alternative host, Patrinia spp., is not endemic to South Africa and according to several nurseries in the WC, also not sold. P. hemerocallidis has previously been reported from eastern Asia, the United States, and Costa Rica (1,2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. hemerocallidis on daylilies in South Africa. References: (1) J. R. Hernandez et al. Plant Dis. 86:1194, 2002. (2) J. L. Williams-Woodward et al. Plant Dis. 85:1121, 2001.

Estimating sleep parameters using an accelerometer without sleep diary.

Wrist worn raw-data accelerometers are used increasingly in large-scale population research. We examined whether sleep parameters can be estimated from these data in the absence of sleep diaries. Our heuristic algorithm uses the variance in estimated z-axis angle and makes basic assumptions about sleep interruptions. Detected sleep period time window (SPT-window) was compared against sleep diary in 3752 participants (range = 60-82 years) and polysomnography in sleep clinic patients (N = 28) and in healthy good sleepers (N = 22). The SPT-window derived from the algorithm was 10.9 and 2.9 minutes longer compared with sleep diary in men and women, respectively. Mean C-statistic to detect the SPT-window compared to polysomnography was 0.86 and 0.83 in clinic-based and healthy sleepers, respectively. We demonstrated the accuracy of our algorithm to detect the SPT-window. The value of this algorithm lies in studies such as UK Biobank where a sleep diary was not used.

A cross-sectional study correlating lumbar spine degeneration with disability and pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional design. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the correlation between degeneration in the lumbar spine and self-reported disability and pain levels in patients with and without a history of trauma. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The link between lumbar spine degeneration and low back pain remains controversial, as does the correlation between trauma and spinal degeneration. METHODS: Radiographic and questionnaire data were collected from 172 consecutive patients with low back pain. Back pain severity was measured using two scales: one for pain over the entire episode and one for pain during the previous week. All patients also completed the Revised Oswestry Disability Questionnaire before radiography was performed. Further questions concerning the chronicity of symptoms and trauma were included. RESULTS: Controlling for age, patients with low back pain with a history of trauma had a statistically significant increase in the severity of facet degeneration (P < 0.02) compared with nontrauma patients with low back pain. However, there was no difference in disability and pain scores between the trauma and nontrauma patients or between the genders. A weak correlation between pain severity ratings and the number of levels of degeneration and the severity of the degeneration at the disc and facets was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with low back pain with a history of trauma had more severe facet arthrosis than do nontrauma patients with low back pain, but there were no differences in pain and disability. There was a weak correlation between the quantity and severity of lumbar degeneration with pain levels, but not with disability scores. These findings are discussed in the light of recent reports regarding the cervical spine.

Microbiological and serological studies on caprine pneumonias in Oman.

Eight of 10 typical cases of contagious caprine pleuro-pneumonia in Oman yielded strain F38-like mycoplasmas from the lungs in high titre, but no other mycoplasmas: both negative animals had been treated with tylosin shortly before death. Among 21 other lungs examined three of six cases of acute pneumonia yielded Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae; one also yielded M capricolum. M ovipneumoniae was also isolated from all eight cases of chronic pneumonia sampled from an abattoir, and from the lungs of three animals which died without overt signs of pneumonia. A single isolate of M arginini and three of unidentified mycoplasmas were also obtained from goats with and without pneumonia. Various bacterial species were isolated, none of which predominated. Antibodies to M mycoides subspecies capri (M m capri) and strain F38 were detected in sera from eight different sources. Assuming titres of 1 in 40 or more as positive in the indirect haemagglutination test used, 29 per cent of 422 serum samples had antibodies to M m capri alone, 2.6 per cent to strain F38 alone and 3.6 per cent to both organisms. These results confirm the presence of F38-like mycoplasmas in Oman, and indicate also widespread infection with M m capri. The role of the latter in caprine pneumonias in Oman requires elucidation.

A native plasmid of Pasteurella haemolytica serotype A1: DNA sequence analysis and investigation of its potential as a vector.

The complete nucleotide sequence of a 4.3 kilobase pair plasmid, pAB2, isolated from a bovine strain of Pasteurella haemolytica serotype A1, was determined. It encodes a Rob-1 type beta-lactamase and a region with homology to the mobilisation (mob) region of the Escherichia coli plasmid, ColE1. An insertion mutant of pAB2 (pTC2/81) carrying a copy of Tn5 was transferred to E coli K12 by conjugation. Subsequently pTC2/81 could be transferred by transformation to E coli HB101, but not to P haemolytica serotypes A1 or A2. However, a derivative of this construct containing only a fragment of the Tn5 insertion sequence was able to transform P haemolytica. A further construct containing a fragment of the P haemolytica A1 leucotoxin A gene, was similarly restricted to transforming E coli. These results demonstrate that the pAB2 plasmid is capable of acting as an E coli/P haemolytica shuttle vector. However, the nature of the cloned DNA sequences are important to transformation.

Occurrence and diversity of plasmids in ovine isolates of Pasteurella haemolytica.

160 ovine isolates of Pasteurella haemolytica, representing each of the 16 serotypes and also untypable strains, were examined for plasmid content. Plasmid DNA was identified in, and prepared from, strains of serotypes A2, T3, A14 and A16 and also from an untypable strain. The relationship between the plasmids present in the different strains was examined both by restriction fragment profile analysis and by DNA/DNA hybridisation. Both methods gave broadly similar results and showed that each serotype tended to contain either a single plasmid species, or a limited range of species, and that structural similarities could traverse serotype boundaries. None of the plasmid-bearing strains showed any significant level of resistance to a range of antibiotics.

Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola on Parthenium hysterophorus in Southern Africa.

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L., family Asteraceae), an annual herb of neotropic origin, is an invasive noxious weed with a pantropical distribution (1). It is particularly undesirable because of the serious health risks it poses to people living close to infestations (1). In January 1995, S. Neser (ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria, South Africa) collected a rust fungus on this plant near Brits, Northwest Province, South Africa (25°35'S, 27°46'E). Only uredinia were present. The same rust fungus was collected in the same area in January, March, and June of 2001, and again only uredinia were observed. In its native range, P. hysterophorus is infected by two rust fungus species, Puccinia abrupta Diet. & Holw. var. partheniicola (Jackson) Parmelee and Puccinia melampodii Diet. & Holw., but the latter species is microcyclic with telia only. The morphology of the urediniospores in the South African collections corresponds to Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola (3): obovoid to almost triangular, 22 to 27 × 18 to 25 µm, echinulate, two subequatorial and one apical germ pores, spines absent around germ pores, wall 1 to 2.5 µm thick. The native range of Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola is Mexico and northern South America (3). In addition, it has been recorded from Mauritius (3), Kenya, and India (H. C. Evans and C. A. Ellison, International Institute of Biological Control, CAB, 1987, unpublished data). It was intentionally introduced into Australia for the biological control of P. hysterophorus (2). Thirteen specimens in the Arthur Herbarium were examined, and only two had telia in addition to uredinia. The other 11 had only uredinia, indicating that nonformation of telia is common. Telia and uredinia are produced in high altitude, semiarid areas of Mexico, whereas in low altitude, more humid areas only uredinia are produced (1). The production of telia appears to depend on environmental conditions, and their absence is not unexpected at the Brits site, which is a high altitude (1,120 m) area with high summer rainfall (400 to 600 mm per year from November to February) and dry winters. Voucher specimens were deposited at the National Collection of Fungi, Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria (PREM 57298) and the Arthur Herbarium, West Lafayette, IN (PUR N1117). To our knowledge, this is the second report of this rust fungus in Africa and the first in southern Africa. References: (1) H. C. Evans. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 88:105, 1987. (2) A. Parker et. al. Plant Pathol. 43:1, 1994. (3) J. A. Parmelee. Can. J. Bot. 45:2267, 1967.

Phylogenetic lineages in the Capnodiales.

The Capnodiales incorporates plant and human pathogens, endophytes, saprobes and epiphytes, with a wide range of nutritional modes. Several species are lichenised, or occur as parasites on fungi, or animals. The aim of the present study was to use DNA sequence data of the nuclear ribosomal small and large subunit RNA genes to test the monophyly of the Capnodiales, and resolve families within the order. We designed primers to allow the amplification and sequencing of almost the complete nuclear ribosomal small and large subunit RNA genes. Other than the Capnodiaceae (sooty moulds), and the Davidiellaceae, which contains saprobes and plant pathogens, the order presently incorporates families of major plant pathological importance such as the Mycosphaerellaceae, Teratosphaeriaceae and Schizothyriaceae. The Piedraiaceae was not supported, but resolves in the Teratosphaeriaceae. The Dissoconiaceae is introduced as a new family to accommodate Dissoconium and Ramichloridium. Lichenisation, as well as the ability to be saprobic or plant pathogenic evolved more than once in several families, though the taxa in the upper clades of the tree lead us to conclude that the strictly plant pathogenic, nectrotrophic families evolved from saprobic ancestors (Capnodiaceae), which is the more primitive state.