Apple Bitter Rot and Glomerella Leaf Spot: A Comprehensive Review of Causal Species and Their Biology, Fungicide Sensitivities, and Management Strategies.

Bitter rot and Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) are two distinct diseases of apple fruit and foliage caused by members of the ascomycete fungal genus Colletotrichum. While GLS is restricted to subtropical and in some areas to temperate climates, bitter rot is responsible for significant yield loss worldwide, particularly during the post-harvest period. Initially thought to be caused by just two species of Colletotrichum, C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides, advances in molecular biology and sequencing techniques enabled the identification of 25 different species capable of causing bitter rot and/or GLS of apple belongs to the C. gloeosporioides species complex (CGSC), C. acutatum species complex (CASC) and C. boninense species complex (CBSC). Three species (C. gloeosporioides, C. fructicola, and C. chrysophilum) of CGSC cause both bitter rot and GLS, 18 species (6 of CGSC and 12 of CASC) only cause bitter rot, and four species (C. aenigma and C. asianum of CGSC, C. limetticola of CASC and C. karstii of CBSC) only cause GLS. These species were found to differ in their geographical distribution, environmental and host tissue preference, pathogenicity, and fungicide sensitivities. In this review, we summarize the distribution, life cycle, and pathogenicity mechanisms of all currently known Colletotrichum species responsible for bitter rot and GLS of apple. Furthermore, we describe known apple defense mechanisms and management strategies for the control of these economically significant pathogens and identify gaps in our present understanding for future research.

Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances in Runoff and Leaching from AFFF-Contaminated Soils: a Rainfall Simulation Study.

The mobilization and transport of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) via surface runoff (runoff) from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)-contaminated soils during rainfall, flooding, or irrigation has not been thoroughly evaluated, and the effectiveness of carbonaceous sorbents in limiting PFASs in runoff is similarly unquantified. Here, laboratory-scale rainfall simulations evaluate PFAS losses in runoff and in leaching to groundwater (leachate) from AFFF-contaminated soils varying in texture, PFAS composition and concentration, and remediation treatment. Leaching dominated PFAS losses in soils with a concentration of ∑PFAS = 0.2-2 mg/kg. However, with higher soil PFAS concentrations (∑PFAS = 31 mg/kg), leachate volumes were negligible and runoff dominated losses. The concentration and variety of PFASs were far greater in leachates regardless of the initial concentrations in soil. Losses of PFASs were dependent on the C-chain length for leachates and more on the initial concentration in soil for runoff. Suspended materials did not meaningfully contribute to runoff losses. While concentrations of most PFASs declined significantly after the first rainfall event, desorption and transport in both runoff and leachates persisted over several rainfall events. Finally, results showed that sorption to AC mostly occurred during, not prior to, rainfall events and that 1% w/w AC substantially reduced losses in runoff and leachates from all soils.

Assessment of Mobilization Potential of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances for Soil Remediation.

This study investigated the mobilization of a wide range of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) present in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) in water-saturated soils through one-dimensional (1-D) column experiments with a view to assessing the feasibility of their remediation by soil desorption and washing. Results indicated that sorption/desorption of most of the shorter-carbon-chain PFASs (C ≤ 6) in soil reached greater than 99% rapidly─after approximately two pore volumes (PVs) and were well predicted by an equilibrium transport model, indicating that they will be readily removed by soil washing technologies. In contrast, the equilibrium model failed to predict the mobilization of longer-chain PFASs (C ≥ 7), indicating the presence of nonequilibrium sorption/desorption (confirmed by a flow interruption experiment). The actual time taken to attain 99% sorption/desorption was up to 5 times longer than predicted by the equilibrium model (e.g., ∼62 PVs versus ∼12 PVs predicted for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in loamy sand). The increasing contribution of hydrophobic interactions over the electrostatic interactions is suggested as the main driving factor of the nonequilibrium processes. The inverse linear relationship (R2 = 0.6, p < 0.0001) between the nonequilibrium mass transfer rate coefficient and the Freundlich sorption coefficient could potentially be a useful means for preliminary evaluation of potential nonequilibrium sorption/desorption of PFASs in soils.

Comparing the Leaching Behavior of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from Contaminated Soils Using Static and Column Leaching Tests.

Soil contaminated with aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at firefighting training sites has become a major concern worldwide. To date, most studies have focused on assessing soil-water partitioning behavior of PFASs and the key factors that can affect their sorption, whereas PFASs leaching from contaminated soils have not yet been widely investigated. This study evaluated the leaching and desorption of a wide range of PFASs from twelve contaminated soils using the Australian Standard Leaching Procedure (ASLP), the U.S. EPA Multiple Extraction Procedure (MEP), and Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF). All three leaching tests provided a similar assessment of PFAS leaching behavior. Leaching of PFASs from soils was related to C-chain lengths and their functional head groups. While short-chain (CF2 ≤ 6) PFASs were easily desorbed and leached, long-chain PFASs were more difficult to desorb. PFASs with a carboxylate head group were leached more readily and to a greater extent than those with a sulfonate or sulfonamide head group. Leaching of long-chain PFASs was pH-dependent where leaching increased at high pH, while leaching of short-chain PFASs was less sensitive to pH. Comparing different leaching tests showed that the results using the alkaline ASLP were similar to the cumulative MEP data and the former might be more practical for routine use than the MEP. No single soil property was adequately able to describe PFAS leaching from the soils. Overall, the PFAS chemical structure appeared to have a greater effect on PFAS leaching from soil than soil physicochemical properties.

Dermal Safety of Tapinarof Cream 1%: Results From 4 Phase 1 Trials.

BACKGROUND: Tapinarof (VTAMA®; Dermavant Sciences, Inc.) is a novel, non-steroidal, topical, aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, FDA approved for psoriasis treatment and under investigation for atopic dermatitis treatment as a 1% cream formulation for once-daily (QD) application. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate cumulative skin irritation, sensitization, and photoallergic and phototoxic potential of tapinarof cream 1% across a range of dosing frequencies and conditions. METHODS: We conducted 4 randomized, controlled, phase 1 trials of topical tapinarof cream 1% vs vehicle or other appropriate controls in healthy adults. Cumulative skin irritation was assessed following QD application for 21 days under fully occlusive patch conditions. Contact sensitization, photoallergenicity, and phototoxicity were assessed under semi-occlusive patch conditions. The contact sensitization and photoallergenicity trials used an induction phase of repeated applications followed by a 2-week rest period and a 1-time challenge, with rechallenge if responses indicated sensitization/photosensitization; the phototoxicity trial comprised a single application. Ultraviolet A and B irradiation was used to assess photoallergenicity/toxicity. RESULTS: 376 participants were randomized across the 4 trials. In the cumulative irritation trial, tapinarof cream 1% QD was classified as having a slight potential for very mild cumulative irritation under the exaggerated test conditions of repeated dosing for 21 days. There was no evidence of sensitization, photosensitization, or phototoxicity. Tapinarof was well tolerated and there was a low discontinuation rate across all trials. CONCLUSIONS: Tapinarof cream 1% was well tolerated, non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergic, with no evidence of clinically meaningful cumulative skin irritation in 4 dermal safety trials in healthy adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IND 104601 J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(10):1084-1090. doi:10.36849/JDD.6627R1.

Aluminum-Activated Malate Transporters Can Facilitate GABA Transport.

Plant aluminum-activated malate transporters (ALMTs) are currently classified as anion channels; they are also known to be regulated by diverse signals, leading to a range of physiological responses. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) regulation of anion flux through ALMT proteins requires a specific amino acid motif in ALMTs that shares similarity with a GABA binding site in mammalian GABAA receptors. Here, we explore why TaALMT1 activation leads to a negative correlation between malate efflux and endogenous GABA concentrations ([GABA]i) in both wheat (Triticum aestivum) root tips and in heterologous expression systems. We show that TaALMT1 activation reduces [GABA]i because TaALMT1 facilitates GABA efflux but GABA does not complex Al3+ TaALMT1 also leads to GABA transport into cells, demonstrated by a yeast complementation assay and via 14C-GABA uptake into TaALMT1-expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes; this was found to be a general feature of all ALMTs we examined. Mutation of the GABA motif (TaALMT1F213C) prevented both GABA influx and efflux, and resulted in no correlation between malate efflux and [GABA]i We conclude that ALMTs are likely to act as both GABA and anion transporters in planta. GABA and malate appear to interact with ALMTs in a complex manner to regulate each other's transport, suggestive of a role for ALMTs in communicating metabolic status.

Influences of Chemical Properties, Soil Properties, and Solution pH on Soil-Water Partitioning Coefficients of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs).

The aim of this study was to assess the soil-water partitioning behavior of a wider range of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) onto soils covering diverse soil properties. The PFASs studied include perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs), fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTSs), nonionic perfluoroalkane sulfonamides (FASAs), cyclic PFAS (PFEtCHxS), per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids (GenX, ADONA, 9Cl-PF3ONS), and three aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)-related zwitterionic PFASs (AmPr-FHxSA, TAmPr-FHxSA, 6:2 FTSA-PrB). Soil-water partitioning coefficients (log Kd values) of the PFASs ranged from less than zero to approximately three, were chain-length-dependent, and were significantly linearly related to molecular weight (MW) for PFASs with MW > 350 g/mol (R2 = 0.94, p < 0.0001). Across all soils, the Kd values of all short-chain PFASs (≤5 -CF2- moieties) were similar and varied less (<0.5 log units) compared to long-chain PFASs (>0.5 to 1.5  log units) and zwitterions AmPr- and TAmPr-FHxSA (∼1.5 to 2 log units). Multiple soil properties described sorption of PFASs better than any single property. The effects of soil properties on sorption were different for anionic, nonionic, and zwitterionic PFASs. Solution pH could change both PFAS speciation and soil chemistry affecting surface complexation and electrostatic processes. The Kd values of all PFASs increased when solution pH decreased from approximately eight to three. Short-chain PFASs were less sensitive to solution pH than long-chain PFASs. The results indicate the complex interactions of PFASs with soil surfaces and the need to consider both PFAS type and soil properties to describe mobility in the environment.

The Development and Validation of the Autotelic Personality Questionnaire.

Autotelic personality is a constellation of dispositional attributes that facilitate engagement and enjoyment in daily activities. However, there is no existing measurement directly capturing the attributes of autotelic personality that are identified in the literature. In the three studies reported here (total N = 900), we developed an Autotelic Personality Questionnaire (APQ) and evaluated its reliability and validity. Results from the studies provide support for adequate internal consistency, longitudinal invariance, and test-retest reliability (Study 1 and Study 2). Furthermore, APQ scores were significantly correlated with measures of conscientiousness, openness to experience, extraversion, neuroticism, and internal locus of control. In addition, APQ scores predicted flow proneness and satisfaction with life (Study 2). These results provide support for construct and criterion validity. Finally, people high in autotelic personality experienced more flow state than those low in autotelic personality during a word unscrambling task (Study 3), indicating good criterion validity of the APQ scores. Limitations, future research, and implications are discussed.

Enantioselective Phenolic α-Oxidation Using H2O2 via an Unusual Double Dearomatization Mechanism.

Feedstock aromatic compounds are compelling low-cost starting points from which molecular complexity can be generated rapidly via oxidative dearomatization. Oxidative dearomatizations commonly rely heavily on hypervalent iodine or heavy metals to provide the requisite thermodynamic driving force for overcoming aromatic stabilization energy. This article describes oxidative dearomatizations of 2-(hydroxymethyl)phenols via their derived bis(dichloroacetates) using hydrogen peroxide as a mild oxidant that intercepts a transient quinone methide. A stereochemical study revealed that the reaction proceeds by a new mechanism relative to other phenol dearomatizations and is complementary to extant methods that rely on hypervalent iodine. Using a new chiral phase-transfer catalyst, the first asymmetric syntheses of 1-oxaspiro[2.5]octa-5,7-dien-4-ones were reported. The synthetic utility of the derived 1-oxaspiro[2.5]octadienones products is demonstrated in a downstream complexity-generating transformation.

The mycorrhizal pathway of zinc uptake contributes to zinc accumulation in barley and wheat grain.

BACKGROUND: Increasing zinc (Zn) concentrations in crops is important for alleviation of human Zn deficiency. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) contribute to plant Zn uptake, but their contribution to Zn in the edible portion of crops has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to quantify the mycorrhizal pathway of Zn uptake into grain of wheat and barley under varying soil Zn availabilities. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) were grown in pots with a hyphal compartment containing 65Zn. Plants were inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis and grown at three soil Zn concentrations. Radioactive Zn in grain and straw was measured and the contribution of AMF to Zn uptake was calculated. RESULTS: The mycorrhizal pathway of Zn uptake contributed up to 24.3% of total above-ground Zn in wheat, and up to 12.7% of that Zn in barley. The greatest contribution by the mycorrhizal pathway was observed in barley at the lowest Zn addition, and in wheat at the highest one. In addition, grain yield of bread wheat was increased by AMF. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that AMF have a substantial role in uptake of Zn into cereals, and the proportional contribution by the MPU is dependent on plant species, as well as available soil Zn.

Pediatric Emergence Delirium: A Case Study.

The pathophysiology of emergence delirium (ED) remains a mystery. Using a case study approach, ED is discussed from a clinical perspective. The case is a 4-year-old male who had myringotomy tube placement while anesthetized with sevoflurane. The negative outcome for this child is presented. The epidemiology of the phenomena is reviewed and definitions are examined. Several methods to assess ED are presented, accompanied by a discussion of the development of assessment tools. Research findings are included that address the possible causes of ED including preoperative anxiety, rapid awakening, pain, and a predisposition for this phenomenon in certain children. Various interventions, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic are considered. The impact of anesthesia on pediatric brain development is discussed and finally some possible solutions are hypothesized.

Trends in Vitreoretinal Procedures for Medicare Beneficiaries, 2000 to 2014.

TOPIC: The purpose of this study was to identify changes in use for vitreoretinal procedures by measuring the number of allowed services using data from the US Medicare Part B Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and their providers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To analyze vitreoretinal procedural trends, which may indicate standard of care and importance of developing methods of treatments. METHODS: Medicare Part B National Summary Data Files for calendar years 2000 to 2014 were used to identify the number of allowed services for vitreoretinal procedures and commonly used pharmacologic agents. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify trends in use. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To analyze vitreoretinal procedural trends, which may indicate standard of care and importance of developing methods of treatments. RESULTS: Vitreoretinal procedures grew 6-fold from 2000 to 2014. Intravitreal injections were the primary driver of growth. A total of 2922 injections were performed in 2000, compared with 2 619 950 injections in 2014 (P < 0.01). Scleral buckling declined from 6502 procedures in 2000 to 1260 procedures in 2014 (P < 0.01), whereas vitrectomy use for retinal detachment increased from 13 814 surgeries in 2008 to 19 288 surgeries in 2014 (P < 0.01). Focal laser treatments declined from 188 351 procedures in 2002 to 83 379 procedures in 2014 (P < 0.01). Panretinal photocoagulation treatments declined from 109 840 procedures in 2004 to 81 005 procedures in 2014 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Vitreoretinal practice patterns changed significantly from 2000 to 2014. Intravitreal injections increased by 89 563%. Intravitreal injections accounted for 0.55% of all vitreoretinal procedures in 2000 and increased to 87% in 2014. Scleral buckling sharply declined, and preference for retinal detachment repair shifted further toward vitrectomy with a distribution of 83% vitrectomy, 5% scleral buckling, and 12% pneumatic retinopexy in 2014. Use of laser photocoagulation significantly declined for treatment of macular edema and proliferative retinopathy. Cryotherapy procedures declined across all indications.

Intraluminal thrombus, intraplaque hemorrhage, plaque thickness, and current smoking optimally predict carotid stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is associated with acute and future stroke. IPH is also associated with lumen markers of stroke risk including stenosis, plaque thickness, and ulceration. Whether IPH adds further predictive value to these other variables is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether IPH improves carotid-source stroke prediction. METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, patients undergoing stroke workup were imaged with MRI and IPH detection. Seven hundred twenty-six carotid-brain image pairs were analyzed after excluding vessels with noncarotid plaque stroke sources (420) and occlusions (7) or near-occlusions (3). Carotid imaging characteristics were recorded, including percent diameter and mm stenosis, plaque thickness, ulceration, intraluminal thrombus, and IPH. Clinical confounders were recorded, and a multivariable logistic regression model was fitted. Backward elimination was used to determine essential carotid-source stroke predictors with a threshold 2-sided P<0.10. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine discriminatory value. RESULTS: Significant predictors of carotid-source stroke included intraluminal thrombus (odds ratio=103.6; P<0.001), IPH (odds ratio=25.2; P<0.001), current smoking (odds ratio=2.78; P=0.004), and thickness (odds ratio=1.24; P=0.020). The final model discriminatory value was excellent (area under the curve=0.862). This was significantly higher than the final model without IPH (area under the curve=0.814), or models using only stenosis as a continuous variable (area under the curve=0.770) or cutoffs of 50% and 70% (area under the curve=0.669), P<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: After excluding patients with noncarotid plaque stroke sources, optimal discrimination of carotid-source stroke was obtained with intraluminal thrombus, IPH, plaque thickness, and smoking history but not ulceration and stenosis.

Fate and risks of nanomaterials in aquatic and terrestrial environments.

Over the last decade, nanoparticles have been used more frequently in industrial applications and in consumer and medical products, and these applications of nanoparticles will likely continue to increase. Concerns about the environmental fate and effects of these materials have stimulated studies to predict environmental concentrations in air, water, and soils and to determine threshold concentrations for their ecotoxicological effects on aquatic or terrestrial biota. Nanoparticles can be added to soils directly in fertilizers orplant protection products or indirectly through application to land or wastewater treatment products such as sludges or biosolids. Nanoparticles may enter aquatic systems directly through industrial discharges or from disposal of wastewater treatment effluents or indirectly through surface runoff from soils. Researchers have used laboratory experiments to begin to understand the effects of nanoparticles on waters and soils, and this Account reviews that research and the translation of those results to natural conditions. In the environment, nanoparticles can undergo a number of potential transformations that depend on the properties both of the nanoparticle and of the receiving medium. These transformations largely involve chemical and physical processes, but they can involve biodegradation of surface coatings used to stabilize many nanomaterial formulations. The toxicity of nanomaterials to algae involves adsorption to cell surfaces and disruption to membrane transport. Higher organisms can directly ingest nanoparticles, and within the food web, both aquatic and terrestrial organisms can accumulate nanoparticles. The dissolution of nanoparticles may release potentially toxic components into the environment. Aggregation with other nanoparticles (homoaggregation) or with natural mineral and organic colloids (heteroaggregation) will dramatically change their fate and potential toxicity in the environment. Soluble natural organic matter may interact with nanoparticles to change surface charge and mobility and affect the interactions of those nanoparticles with biota. Ultimately, aquatic nanomaterials accumulate in bottom sediments, facilitated in natural systems by heteroaggregation. Homoaggregates of nanoparticles sediment more slowly. Nanomaterials from urban, medical, and industrial sources may undergo significant transformations during wastewater treatment processes. For example, sulfidation of silver nanoparticles in wastewater treatment systems converts most of the nanoparticles to silver sulfides (Ag2S). Aggregation of the nanomaterials with other mineral and organic components of the wastewater often results in most of the nanomaterial being associated with other solids rather than remaining as dispersed nanosized suspensions. Risk assessments for nanomaterial releases to the environment are still in their infancy, and reliable measurements of nanomaterials at environmental concentrations remain challenging. Predicted environmental concentrations based on current usage are low but are expected to increase as use increases. At this early stage, comparisons of estimated exposure data with known toxicity data indicate that the predicted environmental concentrations are orders of magnitude below those known to have environmental effects on biota. As more toxicity data are generated under environmentally-relevant conditions, risk assessments for nanomaterials will improve to produce accurate assessments that assure environmental safety.

Effects of bedding materials in applied poultry litter and immobilizing agents on runoff water, soil properties, and bermudagrass growth.

Poultry producers in the United States have begun using different types of bedding materials in production houses. Release into the environment of nutrients from applied poultry litter (PL) made with different bedding materials has not been investigated, and little information is available on nutrient concentrations in soils that receive broiler litter made with such materials. In this greenhouse study, two bedding materials (rice hulls and pine chips) in PL and two nutrient-immobilizing agents (gypsum and biochar) were applied to bermudagrass, and chemical and microbial contents of runoff water, soil properties, and plant growth were evaluated. Treatments with rice hull bedding material in PL had less runoff nutrient and greater soil soluble N and P compared with pine chip bedding. Gypsum and biochar both significantly reduced C, N, P, Cu, and Zn losses from the first runoff event, which were reduced by 26, 30, 37, 38, and 38% and by 25, 24, 30, 29, and 35%, respectively, but only gypsum obviously reduced these nutrients from later events. Potassium, Ca, Mg, and Mn increased by 2, 36, 11, and 9 times, respectively, and soluble P, Cu, and Fe significantly decreased by 68, 72, and 98%, respectively, in soil amended with gypsum. Rice hull PL in combination with gypsum significantly increased the growth of bermudagrass. Our results indicate that rice hull PL posed less risk for nutrient loss than pine chip PL when applied to fields and that gypsum was better than biochar for reducing runoff C, N, P, and Cu.

Method validation and proficiency testing for determination of total arsenic in apple juice by inductively coupled plasma/ mass spectrometry.

A proficiency test (PT) program for determination of total As in apple juice samples was conducted by the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) laboratories. An analytical method using inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-MS was validated for this project. The LOD and LOQ were determined to be 0.315 and 2.32 ng/g, respectively. A total of eight apple juice samples were sent to 38 FERN laboratories, and results were statistically evaluated according to ISO 13528:2005. The total As concentrations in the PT samples reported by the participating laboratories were very close to those obtained in the homogeneity and stability tests. The reproducibility, repeatability, interlaboratory, and intralaboratory variability results led to 69% of participating laboratories being rated as satisfactory using the widely accepted Izl score

The effects of chemical fungicides and salicylic acid on the apple microbiome and fungal disease incidence under changing environmental conditions.

Epiphytic and endophytic micro-organisms associated with plants form complex communities on or in their host plant. These communities influence physiological traits, development, and host susceptibility to abiotic and biotic stresses, and these communities are theorized to have evolved alongside their hosts, forming a unit of selection known as the holobiont. The microbiome is highly variable and can be influenced by abiotic factors, including applied exogenous agents. In this study, we compared the impact of chemical fungicide and salicylic acid treatments on the fungal communities of "Honeycrisp" apples at harvest over two consecutive growing years. We demonstrated variations in fungal community structure and composition by tissue type, growing season, and treatment regimes and that fungicide treatments were associated with reduced network complexity. Finally, we show that the inclusion of salicylic acid with 50% less chemical fungicides in an integrated spray program allowed a reduction in fungicide use while maintaining effective control of disease at harvest and following storage.

The complex effect of dissolved organic carbon on desorption of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances from soil under alkaline conditions.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are contaminants of emerging concern, yet the understanding of factors that control their leaching and release from contaminated soils remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the impact of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on the release of PFASs-specifically, perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)from soils contaminated by aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). Batch aqueous leaching experiments were conducted on AFFF-contaminated soils under alkaline solution conditions (pH 9.5, 10.5, and 12) as it enhances leaching of both PFAS and DOC. Leaching of PFOS was significantly increased under alkaline conditions. Although the leaching of PFAS generally increased with pH, PFOS appeared to be more retained under the very alkaline pH conditions used in this study. At the same solution pH, leaching of PFOS and DOC was less in Ca(OH)2 than in NaOH. The retention of PFOS under these conditions may be attributable to the shielding of the negative charge of the soil components and colloids (e.g., DOC and clay minerals) in the leachates and/or the screening of negative charges on head groups of PFOS due to the high concentration of divalent cations. Solution chemistry affected desorption of PFOS more than PFHxS and PFOA. The study highlights that the influence of DOC on PFAS leaching and transport can be very complex, and depends on leachate chemistry (e.g., pH and cation type), PFAS chemistry, the magnitude of PFAS contamination and factors that influence the solid:liquid partitioning of organic carbon in soil.

Journal Club: Voice recognition dictation: analysis of report volume and use of the send-to-editor function.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate use of the send-to-editor function of a radiology voice recognition dictation system and compare study volumes of radiologists who self-edit with those of radiologists who send reports to the editor. Use of voice recognition shortcuts was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Voice recognition dictation systems were installed in a six-hospital system, including an 800-bed tertiary care center and five community hospitals, in 2002. This became the only means of radiologist dictation in July 2005. Report volumes, use of the send-to-editor function, and use of shortcuts were tracked from October 2005 through October 2008. A subspecialty private radiology group, ranging from 37 radiologists in July 2005 to 50 radiologists in October 2008, interpreted the imaging studies. Radiologists had no financial incentives to self-edit. RESULTS: The percentage of radiologists using the send-to-editor function remained relatively constant at 46%, resulting in 21% of total reports sent to the editor. Radiologists who used the send-to-editor function dictated approximately 41% more reports than those who self-edited. The volume of reports generated by general radiologists reading large volumes of computed radiography cases and sending to the editor was greater than that of radiologists who self-edited (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between radiologists who self-edited and those who sent to the editor with respect to number of shortcuts used. CONCLUSION: Radiologists reading large volumes of computed radiography cases and using the send-to-editor function generated significantly more reports than radiologists who did not, suggesting that the send-to-editor function may be useful for improving productivity among radiologists reading large volumes of computed radiography cases.

Why Do We Need Alternative Methods for Fungal Disease Management in Plants?

Fungal pathogens pose a major threat to food production worldwide. Traditionally, chemical fungicides have been the primary means of controlling these pathogens, but many of these fungicides have recently come under increased scrutiny due to their negative effects on the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Furthermore, the use of chemical fungicides can result in the development of resistance in populations of phytopathogenic fungi. Therefore, new environmentally friendly alternatives that provide adequate levels of disease control are needed to replace chemical fungicides-if not completely, then at least partially. A number of alternatives to conventional chemical fungicides have been developed, including plant defence elicitors (PDEs); biological control agents (fungi, bacteria, and mycoviruses), either alone or as consortia; biochemical fungicides; natural products; RNA interference (RNAi) methods; and resistance breeding. This article reviews the conventional and alternative methods available to manage fungal pathogens, discusses their strengths and weaknesses, and identifies potential areas for future research.