Prevalence of antibodies to Ro-52 in a serologically defined population of patients with systemic sclerosis

Background

Antibodies against Ro-52 have been described in patients with a broad spectrum of autoimmune disease, most commonly in association with anti-Ro-60 in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogrens syndrome. However, in inflammatory myositis anti-Ro-52 is frequently present without anti-Ro-60 and is closely linked to the presence of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aats) antibodies. To date there have been no comprehensive reports on the frequency of anti-Ro-52 in systemic sclerosis (SSc), a disease characterised by hallmark autoantibodies that occur in non-overlapping subsets. Clinically, each antibody-defined group has a distinct pattern of organ involvement, some featuring myositis.

Objectives

To determine the frequency of anti-Ro-52 in serologically defined groups of SSc patients and to investigate a possible link with myositis-associated autoantibodies.

Methods

Serum samples from 1010 patients with SSc and 55 and 32 patients with anti-aats and anti-Ku respectively were tested for the presence of anti-Ro-52 using a commercial ELISA.

Results

The prevalence of anti-Ro-52 was 15–38% in nine of the eleven sub-groups. There were no significant differences in mean anti-Ro-52 levels in these groups with the exception of that defined by the presence of anti-U1-RNP. In the remaining groups defined by anti-Ro-60 and anti-aats, anti-Ro-52 was present in 92% and 100% respectively. In sera from non-SSc patients with anti-aats, anti-Ro-52 was detected in 64%.

Conclusion

Anti-Ro-52 is present throughout the SSc population. It is neither more prevalent in the myositis-associated antibody groups nor does it segregate with any other major SSc-specific autoantibodies. The co-existence of anti-Ro-52 with both anti-Ro-60 and anti-aats is confirmed.

     

Agronomic and economic efficiency of ground tire rubber and rubber ash used as zinc fertilizer sources for wheat

The aim of this 2-year field experiment was to investigate agronomic and economic efficiency of ground tire rubber and rubber ash as zinc (Zn) sources for wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cvs. Kavir and Back Cross) compared with a commercial zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄). A similar rate of Zn was used by soil incorporation of 40 kg/ha ZnSO₄, 200 kg/ha waste tire rubber ash, and 1000 kg/ha ground rubber. A no Zn added treatment was also considered as control. All Zn fertilizers significantly increased grain yield of wheat over the control, although effectiveness of rubber ash was greater than the other Zn sources. Wheat plants treated with rubber ash accumulated higher Zn in their grains compared with those treated with ground rubber and ZnSO₄. Tire rubber ash had the highest agronomic and economic efficiency and contained low levels of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). Therefore, it can be used as an economic substitution for commercial ZnSO₄.     

Evaluation of Simple Instruments for the Measurement of Blood Glucose and Lactate, and Plasma Protein as Stress Indicators in Fish

Abstract.— Responses of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , to handling and confinement stress were used to validate the efficacy of portable instruments for measuring blood glucose and lactate, and plasma protein. Glucose and lactate increased with time and showed good linear correlation with time after disturbance. The Advantage blood glucose and Accusport™ lactate meters were similarly correlated, except that values were consistently lower than those obtained by established laboratory techniques. Refractometry gave higher plasma protein values than results from biuret reagent but with excellent correlation. These findings indicate a potential role for portable instruments in field and hatchery locations where relative rather than absolute values may be used to evaluate responses to stressors.     

Laboratory survival of Drosophila suzukii under simulated winter conditions of the Pacific Northwest and seasonal field trapping in five primary regions of small and stone fruit production in the United States

BACKGROUND: Drosophila suzukii was first found in Oregon in August 2009. The threat of this pest to regional small and stone fruit production industries led to investigations on its overwintering capabilities in fruit‐growing regions in the Pacific Northwest. Knowledge of its cold tolerance will help in the development of computer models to forecast seasonal population growth and decline. RESULTS: Of 1500 adults or pupae, 22 (1.4%) individuals survived the 84 day experimental chilling period. Most (86%) of the survivors were subjected to 10 °C temperature treatments. Survival decreased significantly at lower temperature treatments. Freezing temporarily increased the mortality rate but did not significantly affect overall mortality over the trial period. Flies that emerged from pupae are estimated to survive for up to 103–105 days at 10 °C and for shorter periods at lower temperatures. Field trapping in five fruit production areas has demonstrated overwintering survival in California and Oregon, but lower survival is predicted in Eastern Washington and Michigan. CONCLUSION: The experiments reported here indicate that long‐term survival of D. suzukii is unlikely at temperatures below 10 °C. Field data from five climatic regions indicated extended low initial D. suzukii field presence in 2010 in all regions except California, where field presence was recorded earlier. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Response of Cucumber Plants to Low Doses of Different Synthetic Iron Chelates in Hydroponics

The factors that control the use of iron (Fe) provided by iron chelates in strategy I plants are not well known. In this paper, the effectiveness of low concentrations of a series of pure Fe chelates to supply Fe to cucumber plants in hydroponics was studied. The Fe Chelate Reductase (FCR) of the roots was measured using Fe- ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) as substrate. Despite the differences found in SPAD and biometric indexes among the treatments, FCR and Fe in xylem sap were only significantly larger for the Fe- Ethylene diamine di-(o-hydroxy-p-methylphenyl) acetic acid (EDDHMA) treatment. The trend in nutritional indexes was the opposite to the trend in the stability of the chelates, except for Fe-EDTA that gave the poorest results. A mechanism describing the uptake process, considering the re-oxidation of the Fe (II) reduced by the FCR and the formation of the Fe (II) complex is proposed.     

Sprayer type and water volume influence pesticide deposition and control of insect pests and diseases in juice grapes

In a mature Vitis labrusca L. “Niagara” vineyard, we compared an airblast sprayer and an air-assisted rotary atomizer (AARA) low-volume sprayer for coverage of grape clusters and control of grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana. In addition, the effect of spray volume on control of fungal diseases was evaluated using the fungicides ziram and azoxystrobin applied with an airblast sprayer. For evaluation of coverage, sprayers applied kaolin clay at 28 kg/ha to grapevines while operating at low, medium and high water volumes. Kaolin residues on grape clusters were analyzed to compare the total amount of spray material deposited, percent of fruit surface covered, number of deposits, size of deposits and distance between deposits. There were no significant differences between sprayers or water volumes in the total amount of kaolin deposited on clusters, but the percent surface coverage was much greater on outside-facing berry surfaces (facing the sprayer) than inside-facing surfaces (facing the rachis). On the outside-facing berry surfaces, the airblast sprayer at 468 L/ha of water (medium volume) provided the highest percent coverage, the greatest density of deposits, the largest deposit diameter, and the smallest distance between deposits. On the inside-facing berry surfaces, the same sprayer–volume combination provided the highest percent coverage and greatest deposit diameter, but deposits from the airblast sprayer operating at 935 L/ha (high volume) had the smallest distance between deposits. No significant differences between sprayers or among water volumes were detected in the deposit density on the inside-facing berry surfaces. Bioassays of grape clusters sprayed with fenpropathrin or methoxyfenozide using the airblast or AARA sprayers at two water volumes revealed the greatest fruit protection from P. viteana at the higher volume for the airblast sprayer, but at the lower volume for the AARA sprayer. Spray volume of the airblast sprayer also affected disease control by the protectant fungicide ziram more than by the systemic fungicide azoxystrobin, with 468 L/ha providing better control than 187 L/ha. However, for most diseases, fungicide type was more influential than spray volume in determining the disease control outcome. The results of this study emphasize the need for appropriate water volumes relative to the sprayer and pesticide being used to optimize pest and disease control in juice grape vineyards.     

Baseline susceptibility of spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) to four key insecticide classes

BACKGROUND

The invasive drosophilid pest, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, is affecting berry production in most fruit‐producing regions of the world. Chemical control is the dominant management approach, creating concern for insecticide resistance in this pest. We compared the insecticide susceptibility of D. suzukii populations collected from conventional, organic or insecticide‐free blueberry sites.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of D. suzukii to malathion and spinetoram declined slightly across the 3 years of monitoring, whereas it was more consistent for methomyl and zeta‐cypermethrin. The sensitivity of D. suzukii to all four insecticides (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values) did not differ significantly among the blueberry fields using different management practices.

CONCLUSIONS

The baseline sensitivity of D. suzukii has been characterized, allowing future comparisons if field failures of chemical control are reported. The concentration achieving high control indicates that effective levels of control can still be achieved with field rates of these four insecticides. However, declining susceptibility of some populations of D. suzukii to some key insecticides highlights the need for resistance monitoring. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Behavioural response of Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae to selected plant extracts

Potato leaves were treated with 2, 20 or 200 g kg(-1) solutions of extracts of five plant species collected in Turkey, and then exposed to larvae of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). During the first 24 h of exposure, leaf consumption was not affected by 2 g kg(-1) extracts, whereas significantly more leaf tissue remained on leaves treated with 20 g kg(-1) extracts of Arctium lappa L., Bifora radians M Bieb, Humulus lupulus L. or Xanthium strumarium L. than on untreated control leaves. Feeding was not affected by the 20 g kg(-1) extract of Verbascum songaricum Schrenk ex Fisch & Mey. Extracts of all species at 200 g kg(-1) reduced larval feeding, with H. lupulus and X. strumarium providing the greatest protection. Observations of larval behaviour over the first 15 min of exposure to these extracts revealed that the interaction of beetles with leaf tissue was significantly affected by plant extracts. Feeding frequency was not affected by 2 g kg(-1) extracts but was reduced by all higher concentrations. Feeding was inhibited completely by 20 g kg(-1) of H. lupulus extract and reduced significantly compared with the controls by all other extracts. Suppression of feeding was caused by all extracts at 200 g kg(-1), with V. songaricum providing 91% reduction in feeding duration. Rejection behaviour, in which larvae did not return to the leaf after their interaction with it, was rare on 2 g kg(-1) extracts but seen in over 60% of larvae on 20 g kg(-1) extracts and over 80% on 200 g kg(-1) extracts. The present results demonstrate that these extracts have significant ability to protect potato leaves for up to 24 h by prevention of feeding behaviour by L. decemlineata. Further studies are needed to determine the potential of these plant extracts, or their active components, for use in biologically based pest management strategies.