Chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites conferred by pfcrt mutations

Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance is a major cause of worldwide increases in malaria mortality and morbidity. Recent laboratory and clinical studies have associated chloroquine resistance with point mutations in the gene pfcrt. However, direct proof of a causal relationship has remained elusive and most models have posited a multigenic basis of resistance. Here, we provide conclusive evidence that mutant haplotypes of the pfcrt gene product of Asian, African, or South American origin confer chloroquine resistance with characteristic verapamil reversibility and reduced chloroquine accumulation. pfcrt mutations increased susceptibility to artemisinin and quinine and minimally affected amodiaquine activity; hence, these antimalarials warrant further investigation as agents to control chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria.     

菜豆壳球孢菌与棉花的关系

用棉花的4个品种(Stoneville 825,CABCS′-1-81,LE~2BOS-1-82和Tamcot CAMD-E)来鉴定从大豆、棉花和花生(编号为MP7,MP9,MP14)上分离到的菜豆球壳孢菌(Macrophomina phaseolina)的致病力。3个分离物对4个棉花品种均能侵染。花生分离物(MP14)致病力较强。受侵棉花幼苗较健株矮。病菌不需经伤口就能侵入。在幼苗阶段,品种TamcotCAMD-E和CABCS′-1-81对MP14更易感病,而品种Stonevill825较其他3个品种抗病。说明品种之间对M.phaseolina的抗性有差别。受害棉株有时表现为死株而不落叶,不严重时肉眼看不出根部伤痕,但主根的中柱部份以及根、主茎下部的木髓部变色,从棕褐色到黑色。从病部能分离到该菌的菌核。     

Solar photo-inactivation of phytopathogens by trace level hydrogen peroxide and titanium dioxide photocatalysis

Plant pathogenic bacteria in recirculated greenhouse water were inactivated by two distinct photochemical approaches: photo-inactivation in the presence of 0.005% to 0.01% hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and photocatalytic inactivation with 0.01% titanium dioxide (TiO₂). In both processes photo-inactivation is achieved by exposure to sunlight. Total inactivation, with 6–8 log units decrease in viable counts, was achieved in the study of the phytopathogensErwinia carotovora (E.c.), Clavibacter michiganensis (C.m.) andPseudomonas syringae pv.tomato (P.t.) by 10 to 30 min solar irradiation, in the presence of 0.15 to 0.3 mM (50–100 mgl ⁻¹) H₂O₂. Different responses of the examined pathogens towards TiO₂ photo-inactivation were noticed. Whereas 10 min of solar illumination in the presence of both 100 mgl ⁻¹ H₂O₂ and 100 mgl ⁻¹ TiO₂ resulted in total inactivation ofP.t. andE.c., this treatment had no effect onC.m. However, with traces of H₂O₂ (e.g. 50–100 mgl ⁻¹), and in the absence of TiO₂,C.m. was deactivated by 20 min of solar irradiation.P.t. was fully inactivated in the dark by H₂O₂ at 3,000 mgl ⁻¹ (0.3%), but not with H₂O₂ at ≤ 1000 mgl ⁻¹. Also, no inactivation occurred with solar illumination in the absence of H₂O₂. The mechanism of the bactericidal photoreaction and the special significance of plant pathogen inactivation by natural sunlight in the presence of trace levels of H₂O₂ is discussed. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 20, 2005.     

Improved solid-phase extraction procedure in the analysis of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

The analysis of shellfish extracts for the determination of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection repeatedly showed the presence of a compound suspected to interfere with gonyautoxin 4. The first aim of this study was to confirm by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry that this compound was not gonyautoxin 4. The second part of this work was to improve a nonvolumetric C(18) solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure to evaluate the removal of the interference associated with the recovery of PSP toxins. The cleanup procedure was modified into a volumetric SPE procedure and proved to efficiently and totally remove the interference while recovering from 78 to 85% of the PSP toxins available as commercial standards (saxitoxin, neosaxitoxin, gonyautoxins 1-4) and considered as major PSP toxins in human intoxication, with 85% recovery for gonyautoxin 4. The efficiency of this cleanup procedure was checked on shellfish extracts containing this interference and originating from France and Turkey.     

Epidemiology of Salmonella derby strains isolated from swine, pork and pork products

A total of 35 Salmonella derby strains, isolated from 6 types of samples of porcine origin from 9 different places in Hungary were examined for their characteristics. Thirty-two strains (91%) were of phage type 25, 2 (6%) of phage type 15 and 1 (3%) of phage type 58. Colicin production was observed in 3 (9%) strains. Five strains (14%) were found to be resistant to tetracycline (Tc). The strains harboured plasmids of 2.2, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2 and 72 Md. The 72 Md plasmid appears to be characteristic of S. derby and possibly encodes Tc resistance. The 72 Md plasmid belonged partly to incompatibility (Inc) group I1, while the other plasmid of the same size belonged to Inc. group B. The findings suggest that healthy salmonella carrier pigs carried the infection from the farm to the abattoir. Slaughtering of infected pigs may have led to contamination of the carcasses and, thereafter, that of the pork and pork products.     

Prevalence of Salmonella serotypes in pigs and evaluation of a rapid, presumptive test for detection of Salmonella in pig faeces

Two hundred faecal samples, collected from pigs at a Budapest abattoir, were examined for the presence of salmonellae. Ninety-six isolates, belonging to 7 different serotypes, were obtained. Salmonella derby (70.8%) was the most prevalent serotype. The other serotypes isolated were S. typhimurium (8.33%), S. bredeney (4.16%), S. agona (2.08%), S. infantis (9.22%), S. london (3.12%), and S. panama (2.08%). A modified rapid presumptive test to detect salmonellae in food and food ingredients was described by Hoben et al. (1973). This test medium was evaluated to determine its efficacy in detecting salmonellae in pig faecal samples. The test gave an efficiency of 88.67%. However, the incidence of false positive results was rather high (9.43%). The public health importance of the isolates obtained and the application of the rapid presumptive test at the farm level are discussed.     

Multifunctionality of floodplain landscapes: relating management options to ecosystem services

The concept of green infrastructure has been recently taken up by the European Commission for ensuring the provision of ecosystem services (ESS). It aims at the supply of multiple ESS in a given landscape, however, the effects of a full suite of management options on multiple ESS and landscape multifunctionality have rarely been assessed. In this paper we use European floodplain landscapes as example to develop an expert based qualitative conceptual model for the assessment of impacts of landscape scale interventions on multifunctionality. European floodplain landscapes are particularly useful for such approach as they originally provided a high variety and quantity of ESS that has declined due to the strong human impact these landscapes have experienced. We provide an overview of the effects of floodplain management options on landscape multifunctionality by assessing the effects of 38 floodplain management interventions on 21 relevant ESS, as well as on overall ESS supply. We found that restoration and rehabilitation consistently increased the multifunctionality of the landscape by enhancing supply of provisioning, regulation/maintenance, and cultural services. In contrast, conventional technical regulation measures and interventions related to extraction, infrastructure and intensive land use cause decrease in multifunctionality and negative effects for the supply of all three aspects of ESS. The overview of the effects of interventions shall provide guidance for decision makers at multiple governance levels. The presented conceptual model could be effectively applied for other landscapes that have potential for a supply of a high diversity of ESS.