Fruit and vegetable access in four low-income food deserts communities in Minnesota

Access to fruits and vegetables by low-income residents living in selected urban and rural Minnesotan communities was investigated. Communities were selected based on higher than state average poverty rates, limited access to grocery stores, and urban influence codes (USDA ERS codes). Four communities, two urban and two rural, were selected. Data were gathered from focus group discussions (n = 41), responses to a consumer survey (n = 396 in urban neighborhoods and n = 400 in rural communities), and an inventory of foodstuffs available at stores located in all the communities and at large grocery stores in neighborhoods adjacent to the urban communities. In the two urban neighborhoods, a significant number of foods (26% and 52%) were significantly more expensive than the Thrifty Food Plan’s (TFP) market basket price (MBP). Additionally, a significant number of foods in the two rural communities were more expensive (11% and 26%). In focus groups, participants identified major barriers to shopping in their community to be cost, quality of food, and food choice limitations. Results of the food inventory show that foods within the communities were costly, of fair or poor quality, and limited in number and type available, supporting complaints verbalized by focus group participants. Through focus groups and surveys, participants expressed concern that healthy food choices were not affordable within their communities and believed that people in their community suffered from food insecurity. The absence of quality, affordable food for low-income residents in these four Minnesota communities prevents or diminishes their ability to choose foods that help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Deja Hendrickson is currently a graduate student at the University of California and working towards obtaining her MS in nutrition in order to become a registered dietitian. Chery Smith, PhD, MPH, RD, is an associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota with research interests in the dietary behavior of low-income and homeless people, community and international nutrition, and food systems. Nicole Eikenberry is a Registered Dietitian and recently completed her MS in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, with primary research emphasis on food access and food choice for low-income Minnesotan adults.     

Antimicrobial testing of selected fluoroquinolones against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from canine otitis

A total of 100 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) isolates were collected over a 1.5-year period from cases of canine otitis. Sensitivities to enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, and orbifloxacin were determined using minimum inhibitory concentration testing (MICT). Isolates were also tested for sensitivities to enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin using disk-diffusion susceptibility testing (DDST). Isolates were significantly more sensitive to marbofloxacin than to enrofloxacin (z = -4.57; P<0.05) or orbifloxacin (z = -5.02; P<0.05). Agreement was 87% between MICT and DDST for marbofloxacin, with approximately equal numbers of overestimation and underestimation errors. Agreement was 74% between MICT and DDST for enrofloxacin, but DDST tended to overestimate the number of enrofloxacin-susceptible strains. These results suggest that marbofloxacin is more effective against P. aeruginosa than either enrofloxacin or orbifloxacin and that relying on DDST may lead to ineffective enrofloxacin treatment.     

Survival of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri in Leaf Lesions Under Tropical Environmental Conditions and Simulated Splash Dispersal of Inoculum

ABSTRACT Asiatic citrus canker (ACC) is a severe disease of several citrus species and hybrids in many tropical and subtropical areas. Populations of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri in leaf and twig lesions are the most important inoculum source for secondary infections. In areas with a marked winter season (e.g., Argentina and Japan), low temperatures induce a decrease of 10(2) to 10(4) in population sizes in lesions, thus creating a discontinuity in the X. axonopodis pv. citri life cycle. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of X. axonopodis pv. citri populations in leaf lesions exposed to the mild winter temperatures prevailing in a tropical environment. Internal X. axonopodis pv. citri population levels in Mexican lime leaf lesions reached 10(6) to 10(7) CFU lesion(-1) whatever the lesion size. These densities, however, were not strongly negatively affected by winter temperatures prevailing under experimental conditions. The estimated decrease in internal X. axonopodis pv. citri population sizes was approximately 10-fold. When exposed to 35 mm h(-1) of simulated rainfall, internal population sizes decreased over time by approximately 1 log unit for lesions 1 and 2 months old, but did not for older lesions. A microscopic examination indicated that lignin-like compounds are present in lesions more than 6 months old. The slow decrease over time of X. axonopodis pv. citri population sizes in leaf lesions may be the balanced result of defense reactions by the host at late stages of disease development, and the concomitant multiplication of the pathogen at the margin of old lesions. We conclude that the epidemiological significance of overwintered leaf lesions in the tropics is higher than that reported in other areas.     

Cytological aspects of compost-mediated induced resistance against fusarium crown and root rot in tomato

ABSTRACT The potential of a pulp and paper mill residues compost for the control of crown and root rot of greenhouse-grown tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici was ultrastructurally investigated. Peat moss amended with compost substantially reduced disease-associated symptoms. Addition of Pythium oligandrum to either peat moss alone or peat moss amended with compost resulted in a considerable reduction in disease incidence compared with controls grown in peat moss alone. Histological and cytological observations of root samples from Fusarium-inoculated plants revealed that the beneficial effect of compost in reducing disease symptoms is associated with increased plant resistance to fungal colonization. One of the most prominent facets of compost-mediated induced resistance concerned the formation of physical barriers at sites of attempted fungal penetration. These structures, likely laid down to prevent pathogen ingress toward the vascular elements, included callose-enriched wall appositions and osmiophilic deposits around the sites of potential pathogen ingress. Invading hyphae, coated by the osmiophilic material, showed marked cellular disorganization. The use of the wheat germ agglutinin-ovomucoid-gold complex provided evidence that the wall-bound chitin was altered in severely damaged hyphae. A substantial increase in the extent and magnitude of the cellular changes induced by compost was observed when P. oligandrum was supplied to the potting substrate. This finding corroborates the current concept that amendment of composts with specific antagonists may be a valuable option for amplifying their beneficial properties in terms of plant disease suppression.     

Cutting balloon catheterization for interventional treatment of cor triatriatum dexter: 2 Cases

Cutting balloon dilatation was performed successfully in two dogs with cor triatriatum dexter and clinical signs of ascites. The cutting balloon catheter uses incisional microtomes embedded in a balloon catheter. During balloon expansion, these microtomes incise the adjacent tissue, decreasing circumferential wall stress. This theoretically reduces both the likelihood of fracturing the adjacent tissues in an uncontrolled manner and the potential neoproliferative response to standard balloon dilatation and the subsequent incidence of re-stenosis. In both cases described, clinical signs resolved completely following cutting balloon dilatation of the anomalous membrane. Based on the outcome of these 2 cases, cutting balloon dilatation appears to be a viable treatment option for dogs affected with cor triatriatum dexter.     

A two year BTV-8 vaccination follow up: molecular diagnostics and assessment of humoral and cellular immune reactions

The compulsory vaccination campaign against Bluetongue virus serotype eight (BTV-8) in Germany was exercised in the state of Bavaria using three commercial monovalent inactivated vaccines given provisional marketing authorisation for emergency use. In eleven Bavarian farms representing a cross sectional area of the state the immune reactions of sheep and cattle were followed over a two year period (2008-2009) using cELISA, a serum neutralisation test (SNT) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) ELISPOT. For molecular diagnostics of BTV genome presence two recommended real time quantitative RT-PCR protocols were applied. The recommended vaccination scheme led to low or even undetectable antibody titers (ELISA) in serum samples of both cattle and sheep. A fourfold increase of the vaccine dose in cattle, however, induced higher ELISA titers and virus neutralising antibodies. Accordingly, repeated vaccination in sheep caused an increase in ELISA-antibody titers. BTV-8 neutralising antibodies occurred in most animals only after multiple vaccinations in the second year of the campaign. The secretion of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in ELISPOT after in vitro re-stimulation of PBMC of BTV-8 vaccinated animals with BTV was evaluated in the field for the first time. Sera of BTV-8 infected or vaccinated animals neutralising BTV-8 could also neutralise an Italian BTV serotype 1 cell culture adapted strain and PBMC of such animals secreted IFN-γ when stimulated with BTV-1.     

Antioxidant activity of Hawaiian marine algae

Marine algae are known to contain a wide variety of bioactive compounds, many of which have commercial applications in pharmaceutical, medical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, food and agricultural industries. Natural antioxidants, found in many algae, are important bioactive compounds that play an important role against various diseases and ageing processes through protection of cells from oxidative damage. In this respect, relatively little is known about the bioactivity of Hawaiian algae that could be a potential natural source of such antioxidants. The total antioxidant activity of organic extracts of 37 algal samples, comprising of 30 species of Hawaiian algae from 27 different genera was determined. The activity was determined by employing the FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) assays. Of the algae tested, the extract of Turbinaria ornata was found to be the most active. Bioassay-guided fractionation of this extract led to the isolation of a variety of different carotenoids as the active principles. The major bioactive antioxidant compound was identified as the carotenoid fucoxanthin. These results show, for the first time, that numerous Hawaiian algae exhibit significant antioxidant activity, a property that could lead to their application in one of many useful healthcare or related products as well as in chemoprevention of a variety of diseases including cancer.