A study of selected factors affecting efficacy of compost tea against several fungal pathogens of potato.

AIM: To investigate selected factors of two nonaerated compost teas (NCT) and mechanisms that influence the restriction of several fungal potato pathogens. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two NCTs, made from either commercial compost, (CCT) or vineyard compost (VCT), were tested for their ability to suppress potato pathogens. The VCT was more suppressive than CCT to mycelial growth of Alternaria solani and Rhizoctonia solani isolate 299, but not for R. solani isolate 422. Metagenomic studies of microbial diversity revealed that the CCT had higher fungal and bacterial diversity and richness than the VCT. Use of CCT significantly reduced lesion area of Alternaria alternata on detached leaves, however, a gum adjuvant did not lead to significantly greater control. Scanning microscopy showed that the spatial distribution of microbes from the CCT was altered with gum addition, to resemble what may have been a microbial biofilm. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that each NCT could suppress the mycelial growth of selected potato pathogens in culture, and CCT reduced A. alternata lesions on detached leaves. Factors including concentration, microbial communities and physio-chemical properties could not be consistently linked to NCT efficacy. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study particularly highlights the application of scanning microscopy to study the interaction between pathogens and putative NCT microbes on foliar surfaces. This adds insight to mechanisms of NCT efficacy, along with physico-chemical and microbial characterization of the teas. This study shows the potential for the use of NCTs as a crop protection tool of low-cost which could be of particular benefit in smallholder agriculture.

Subjective well-being: properties of an instrument for measuring this (in the chronically ill).

Present measures of the quality of life, or psychological well-being, of the chronically or terminally ill patient are either subjective and impressionistic , or else objective and very coarse. There exists no technique which enables a clinician to assess routinely the subjective well-being of his patient in such a way that he can make rational decisions about alternative treatments as these may relate to both the quantity and quality of the patient's life. This paper describes an instrument which does measure subjective well-being, which does so with high reliability and demonstrated validity, which is easy to administer and score, and can be used routinely without subject intrusion.

Oral and facial movements in the aged.

Orofacial movements are often outward manifestations of many generalized organic processes. When muscle weakness and hyperactivity are present, tumors and lesions at the base of the skull should be ruled out. Treatments involving myotomies and denervations are drastic, but can be effective even if disfiguring. Botulinum toxin offers short-term (weeks to months) relief, and when used sparingly the muscles involved are only modestly impaired. Since the etiology of many of these movements is unknown, treatments are usually only palliative and remissions rare.