Molecular characterisation of a novel sadwavirus infecting cattleya orchids in Australia.

The complete genome sequence of a novel sadwavirus infecting cattleya orchids in South East Queensland is described. Isometric virions of c. 27 nm diameter were observed in sap extracts viewed under a transmission electron microscope, and the genome sequence of this virus was determined by high-throughput sequencing. The viral genome consists of two RNA components, 5,910 and 4,435 nucleotides (nt) in length, each encoding a long polyprotein, with predicted cleavage sites at H/Y, E/G, Q/S, and Q/G for the RNA1 and T/G for the RNA2 translation products, respectively. RNA2 has an additional small ORF of 684 nt near the 3' untranslated region. Phylogenetic analysis based on an amino acid sequence alignment of the Pro-Pol region suggested that this virus is most closely related to pineapple secovirus A, a member of the subgenus Cholivirus, but warrants classification as a member of a new species because it exhibited no more than 64% amino acid identity in pairwise sequence comparisons. Because of the prominent purple ringspots that were observed on the leaves of some of the plants, we propose the name "cattleya purple ringspot virus" for this virus (suggested species name: "Sadwavirus cattleyacola").

Effect of biowaste and construction waste additives on mechanical dewaterability of lake sediment for brick production.

Nowadays, when the zero-waste strategy is an inevitable component of the circular economy, the reuse of waste, including dredged sludges, has drawn the attention of many researchers. This study evaluated four kinds of bio-wastes (corn core powder, rice husk powder, sugarcane bagasse powder, and peanut shell powders) and two kinds of construction wastes (autoclaved aerated concrete-AAC and pavement stone) in enhancing the dewaterability of dredged sludge from the lake, in which the sludges would then be reused for brick production. The results showed that the moisture contents decreased from 62 ± 0.14% to 57 ± 1.89% after mixing and then to 35 ± 8.31% after compressing for the construction waste-blended sludge. Among the bio-wastes, the sugarcane bagasse additive performed the best at a mixing ratio of 1:3 by weight and rice husk powder worked best at a mixing ratio of 1:5 by weight. The organic matter was increased up to 80% when the bio-wastes were added, while it was decreased to 5% for the case of construction wastes. The optimum percentage of sludge in the mixture to meet all the oxide contents in the brick and energy saving shall be about 30%. The results have revealed a potentially green route for brick production with lake sediment and bio-waste/construction wastes.Implications: It is the first time the reuse of agro-wastes/construction waste was evaluated to mix with lake sediment to partly replace clay for brick production; Among the bio-wastes, the sugarcane bagasse additive performed the best at a mixing ratio of 1:3 by weight; Moisture contents decreased from 62 ± 0.14% to 57 ± 1.89% after mixing and then to 35 ± 8.31% after compressing for the blended sludge; The optimum percentage of mixed sludge, possibly replaced the clay in brick production, considering oxide contents and energy saving shall be up to 30%.

Bermuda grass latent virus in Australia: genome sequence, sequence variation, and new hosts.

Bermuda grass latent virus (BGLV; genus Panicovirus) is identified for the first time in Australia and in only the second country after the USA. A full-length genome sequence was obtained, which has 97% nucleotide sequence identity to that of the species exemplar isolate. Surveys for BGLV, utilising a newly designed universal panicovirus RT-PCR assay for diagnosis, demonstrated widespread infection by this virus in a broad variety of Bermuda grass cultivars (Cynodon dactylon and C. dactylon × C. transvaalensis) grown in both New South Wales and Queensland. The virus was also detected in Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) and Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus), which are both important pasture grasses in subtropical Australia, and the latter is also grown as turf. Furthermore, the Rhodes grass plant, which had strong mosaic symptoms, was also infected with sugarcane mosaic virus, warranting further investigations as to whether synergistic interactions occur between these two viruses.

Genome sequence and geographic distribution of a new nepovirus infecting Stenotaphrum secundatum in Australia.

The genome sequence of a new subgroup C nepovirus from Stenotaphrum secundatum in Australia is described. This virus, tentatively named Stenotaphrum nepovirus (SteNV), was present in separate plants as a mixed infection with either sugarcane mosaic virus or Panicum mosaic virus. The virus genome was divided between two RNA segments, 7,824 and 7,104 nucleotides (nt) in length, which each encode a single long polyprotein with putative 3C-like cysteine protease sites of the type H/G, H/S or L/S. The 3' untranslated region of RNA2, at 2,155 nt, is the longest observed for any subgroup C nepovirus. Phylogenetic analyses using protease-polymerase and coat protein amino acid alignments suggest that SteNV is most closely related to cherry leaf roll virus. Using a newly developed RT-PCR assay, this virus was detected at multiple localities in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, and in a second host species, Digitaria didactyla. No consistent association between virus infection and symptoms could be established. The economic importance, pathogenicity and transmission of this novel virus species warrant further investigation.

Inoculum Dynamics and Infection of Citrus Fruit by Phyllosticta citricarpa.

Citrus black spot, caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa, is characterized by fruit blemishes and premature fruit drop, resulting in significant economic losses in summer rainfall areas. The pathogen forms both conidia and ascospores during its life cycle. However, the occurrence of these spores and their contributions to infection of fruit in field conditions are not well understood. Our research using direct leaf litter monitoring and volumetric spore trapping in Queensland orchards revealed that pseudothecia and ascospores in leaf litter as well as trapped ascospores had low abundance, while pycnidia and conidia were highly abundant. Both P. citricarpa and endophytic Phyllosticta spp. were identified, with P. citricarpa being dominant. In replicated field trials, we determined that infection of Imperial mandarin fruit by P. citricarpa occurred from fruit set until week 20 of fruit development, with the key infection events taking place between weeks 4 and 16 in Queensland subtropical conditions. These results demonstrate that protecting fruit during weeks 4 to 16 significantly reduced P. citricarpa infection. We found no significant correlation between the disease incidence in fruit and P. citricarpa conidial abundance in leaf litter or ascospore abundance measured by volumetric spore trapping. Therefore, it is suggested that inoculum sources in the tree canopy other than those detected by spore trapping and direct leaf litter monitoring may play a major role in the epidemiology of citrus black spot. Improved knowledge regarding epidemiology of P. citricarpa and an understanding of propagules causing infection may aid in development of more effective disease management strategies.

Impact of maternal nutritional supplementation in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program during the last trimester to 12 weeks postpartum on breastfeeding practices and child development at 30 months old.

BACKGROUND: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding is important for the healthy growth and development of the fetus and infant. PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of a maternal milk supplementation (MMS) in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on breastfeeding practices including duration of any breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding and child neurodevelopment outcomes at 30 months old. METHODS: We followed up the offspring of 204 Vietnamese women who completed a randomized controlled trial where the intervention group received MMS with a breastfeeding support program from the last trimester to 12 weeks postpartum while the control group received standard care. At 30 months postpartum, information on child feeding practices was collected and child neurodevelopment was assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the duration of any breastfeeding (ABF) from birth between the groups. However, the intervention group had longer exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) duration (p = 0.0172), higher EBF rate at 6 months (p = 0.0093) and lower risk of discontinuing EBF (p = 0.0071) than the control. Children in the intervention group had significantly higher Bayley-III composite scores in the domains of cognitive (p = 0.0498) and motor (p = 0.0422) functions, as well as a tendency toward better social-emotional behavior (p = 0.0513) than children in the control group. The association between maternal intervention and child development was attenuated after further adjustment for birth weight but not EBF duration, suggesting that improvements in child development may be partially attributed to the benefits of prenatal nutrition supplementation on birth outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: MMS with breastfeeding support during late pregnancy and early postpartum significantly improved EBF practices. The intervention was also associated with improvements in neurodevelopment in children at 30 months old.

Misclassification of blood pressure of Vietnamese adults when only a single measurement is used.

A single clinic measurement of blood pressure (BP) may be common in low- and middle-income countries because of limited medical resources. This study aimed to examine the potential misclassification error when only one BP measurement is used. Participants (n = 14,706, 53.5% females) aged 25-64 years were selected by multistage stratified cluster sampling from eight provinces, each representing one of the eight geographical regions of Vietnam. Measurements were made using the World Health Organization STEPS protocols. Data were analyzed using complex survey methods. For systolic BP, 62.7% had a higher first reading whereas 30.0% had a lower first reading, and 27.3% had a reduction of at least 5 mmHg whereas 9.6% had an increase of at least 5 mmHg. Irrespective of direction of change, increased variability in BP was associated with greater age, urban living, greater body size and fatness, reduced physical activity levels, elevated glucose, and raised total cholesterol. These measurement variations would lead to substantial misclassification in diagnosis of hypertension based on a single reading because almost 20% of subjects would receive a different diagnosis based on the mean of two readings.

Impact of maternal nutritional supplementation in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on breastfeeding performance, birth, and growth outcomes in a Vietnamese population.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal nutritional supplementation (MNS) in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on birth outcomes and breastfeeding performance. METHODS: A total of 228 singleton Vietnamese mothers aged 20-35 years at 26-29 weeks of gestation with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) < 25.0 kg/m2 were randomized to the intervention (n = 114), receiving MNS (252 kcal/day) daily up to 12 weeks postpartum and four breastfeeding education and support sessions or to the control (n = 114), receiving standards of care. RESULTS: The intervention was 2.09 times more likely to exclusively breastfeed over the 12 weeks than the control (95%CI: 1.05-4.13, p = .0358), after controlling for potential confounders. Infant's breast milk intake was significantly higher in the intervention than the control among mothers with baseline mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) < 50th (p = .0251). Infants in the intervention had significantly higher birth weight (p = .0312), birth weight-for-age (p = .0141) and birth head circumference-for-age (p = .0487), and higher head circumference-for-age z-score (p = .0183) development over the postnatal period, compared with the control. CONCLUSIONS: Use of MNS and breastfeeding support improve birth outcomes and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rate in Vietnamese mothers. Additionally, it promotes breast milk production among mothers with lower baseline MUAC.

Pathogenicity of Phyllosticta citricarpa Ascospores on Citrus spp.

Citrus black spot, caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa, is one of the most important fungal diseases in many citrus-growing regions with hot and humid summers. Ascospores and conidia are known to contribute to epidemic development of the disease. However, pathogenicity testing has never been done for pure ascospores produced from fully characterized P. citricarpa isolates, due to the inability to induce the sexual state in vitro. Recently, an in vitro mating technique was developed to readily produce pure P. citricarpa ascospores for use in host inoculation studies. To test the pathogenicity of P. citricarpa ascospores, we inoculated Troyer citrange leaves and Murcott tangor fruit with ascospores produced in vitro from characterized P. citricarpa isolates. Typical symptoms of citrus black spot occurred. Recovery of P. citricarpa isolates from symptomatic lesions and their characterization using genetic markers enabled us to identify recombinant genotypes among the isolates recovered from ascospore inoculations and, as such, fulfill Koch's postulates for ascospores. We have also identified Troyer citrange seedlings as a potential model system for citrus black spot inoculation studies, because it allows typical symptoms of citrus black spot to be expressed with a much shorter latent period than on fruit. This will facilitate future studies of epidemiological aspects of P. citricarpa ascospores relative to conidia and improve our understanding of the citrus black spot pathosystem. The susceptibility of Troyer citrange seedlings will also facilitate experimenting with disease management methods, aimed at reducing the impact of citrus black spot.

The 2016 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists guidelines for the management of schizophrenia and related disorders.

INTRODUCTION: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) clinical practice guidelines for the management of schizophrenia and related disorders provide evidence-based recommendations for optimising treatment and prognosis. This update to the 2005 RANZCP guidelines has a greater emphasis on psychosocial treatments, physical health comorbidities and vocational rehabilitation. Main recommendations: The guidelines advise a clinical staging approach and deliver specific recommendations for:•comprehensive treatment using second generation antipsychotic agents continuously for 2-5 years;•early treatment of comorbid substance use;•community treatment after initial contact, during crises and after discharge from hospital;•physical health monitoring and management of comorbidities, particularly metabolic health;•interventions to optimise recovery of social function and return to study or work; and•management of schizophrenia in specific populations and circumstances. Changes in management as a result of the guidelines: The guidelines provide benchmarks against which the performance of services and clinical teams can be assessed. Measuring treatment response and clinical outcome is essential. General practitioners have an important role, particularly in monitoring and reducing the high cardiovascular risk in this population. Clinical services focusing on early detection, treatment and recovery need continuous funding to be proactive in implementing the guidelines and closing the gap between what is possible and what actually occurs.

Sexual Reproduction in the Citrus Black Spot Pathogen, Phyllosticta citricarpa.

Citrus black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) causes fruit blemishes and premature fruit drop, resulting in significant economic losses in citrus growing areas with summer rainfall across the globe. The mating type locus of P. citricarpa has recently been characterized, revealing the heterothallic nature of this pathogen. However, insight into the occurrence of mating and the impact of completing the sexual cycle of P. citricarpa was lacking. To investigate the occurrence and impact of sexual reproduction, we developed a method to reliably, and for the first time, produce ascospores of P. citricarpa on culture media. To demonstrate meiosis during the mating process, we identified recombinant genotypes through multilocus genotyping of single ascospores. Because the process of fertilization was not well understood, we experimentally determined that fertilization of P. citricarpa occurs via spermatization. Our results demonstrate that P. citricarpa is heterothallic and requires isolates of different MAT idiomorphs to be in direct physical contact, or for spermatia to fulfill their role as male elements to fertilize the receptive organs, in order to initiate the mating process. The impact of mating on the epidemiology of citrus black spot in the field is discussed.