Characterization of Pectolytic Erwinias as Highly Sophisticated Pathogens of plants

Erwinia carotovora and Erwinia chrysanthemi are the two most important soft rotting bacteria of commercially-grown plants. They are genetically diverse as is evident from polymorphisms in the pel and recA genes as well as in rrn, the ribsomal gene cluster. Subpopulations grouped into biovars, pathovars, or subspecies associated with various hosts and in different geographic regions suggest specialization in host preference and/or survival in diverse environments. Previous characterization of the pectolytic erwinias as opportunistic pathogens is being replaced by a realization that this group of bacteria exhibits a sophisticated repertoire of pathogenicity and virulence genes and regulators. The presence of an entire hrp gene cluster and associated type III secretion system, and global regulators which regulate virulence determinants such as exoenzyme production and motility, attest to a highly specialized pathogen. The fact that production of extracellular plant cell wall-degrading enzymes are coordinately activated by the diffusible signal molecule N-acyl-homoserine lactone in a population density-dependent manner may explain the occurrence of pectolytic erwinia in asymptomatic plant tissues. Transgenic plants expressing bacterial quorum-sensing signal molecules modulate this sensory system and exhibit resistance to soft rot infection. The pectolytic erwinias, being significant plant pathogens that are neither of quarantine concern nor a human health hazard while readily isolated from field sources, make an ideal model for investigating the genetic basis of plant pathogenesis and environmental fitness.     

Indium-111 labeled vitamin B12 imaging of a ciliary adenoma with concurrent grade 2 soft tissue sarcoma of the leg in a Labrador Retriever

An 11-year-old, male castrated, Labrador Retriever was evaluated for the presence of rapidly growing concurrent leg and intraocular masses. Metastasis was noted in the chest at time of initial presentation. Indium-111 labeled vitamin B12 imaging was performed, and there was significant uptake by both primary tumors and the lung metastases. Enucleation and amputation were performed for palliative relief. The leg mass was a grade 2 soft tissue sarcoma and the ocular mass a ciliary adenoma. The dog remained symptom-free for approximately 10 weeks before developing signs of respiratory distress. He was euthanized 12 weeks after initial presentation, and there was diffuse infiltration of the lungs with metastatic sarcoma. Indium-111 labeled vitamin B12 imaging identified a ciliary adenoma in this case and may provide a useful differentiation technique for evaluation of intraocular and retrobulbar masses if it can be demonstrated that there is differential uptake between inflammatory or infectious conditions and neoplasia.     

The use of two complementary DNA assays,AFLP and MLSA,for epidemic and phylogenetic studies of pectolytic enterobacterial strains with focus on the heterogeneous species Pectobacterium carotovorum

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) were used to analyse 63 bacterial strains, including 30 soft‐rot‐causing bacterial strains collected from Syrian potato fields and 33 reference strains. For the MLSA, additional sequences of 41 strains of Pectobacterium and Dickeya, available from the NCBI GenBank, were included to produce a single alignment of the 104 taxa for the seven concatenated genes (acnA, gapA, proA, icd, mtlD, mdh and pgi). The results indicate the need for a revision of the previously classified strains, as some potato‐derived Pectobacterium carotovorum strains were re‐identified as P. wasabiae. The strains that were classified as P. carotovorum during the analyses demonstrated high heterogeneity and grouped into five P. carotovorum highly supported clusters (PcI to PcV). The strains represented a wide range of host plants including potatoes, cabbage, avocados, arum lilies, sugar cane and more. Host specificity was detected in PcV, in which four of the six strains were isolated from monocotyledonous plants. The PcV strains formed a clearly distinct group in all the constructed phylogenetic trees. The number of strains phylogenetically classified as subspecies ‘P. c. subsp. brasiliensis’ in PcIV dramatically increased in size as a result of the characterization of new isolates or re‐identification of previous P. carotovorum and P. atrosepticum strains. The P. carotovorum strains from Syria were grouped into PcI, PcII and PcIV. This grouping indicates a lack of correlation between the geographical origin and classification of these pathogens.     

植物软腐病防御反应分子机制研究进展

软腐病是世界范围内多种温带、亚热带植物包括很多经济上重要的农作物所发生的一种严重的细菌性病害。对于软腐病原菌的入侵,植物体内存在一系列防御机制。围绕软腐果胶杆菌（Pectobacterium sp.）侵染植物诱导产生的多种防御反应,包括氧化应激反应和SA、JA/ET、ABA和蛋白激酶介导的信号传导反应以及铁蛋白等参与的防御反应从分子水平进行了综述,探讨了目前研究中存在的问题,并对今后的工作进行了展望。     

A multi model composition framework based on bayesian model comparision and its application in soft sensor modeling

In order to improve the prediction performance of single model based soft sensor, the features of the current model combination frameworksby analynizing, a new multi model combination framework based on the bayesian model comparison is proposed. In this framework, fuzzy c means clustering to the historial data is used to analyze the production states, then the prediction performance of sub models at different states are compared based on bayesian model comparison. The comparing results are the basis of the model combination stratery at different states. With adapting cross validation predictive distribution, the samples got from the trained models are used to successfully reduce computation load of model comparion.The framework has obtained good results in the practical application.     

Cembranoid, Steroid, and Sesquiterpenoid Derivatives from the South China Sea Soft Coral Sinularia numerosa

Two new cembranoids, namely, sinumerolides A and B （1 and 2）, one new steroid, 7fl-hydroxygorgosterol （7）, along with four known cembranoid derivatives （3-6）, four known steroids （8-11）, and four known...     

Developments in Swedish forest policy and administration – from a “policy of restriction” toward a “policy of cooperation”

Abstract

New tools and forms of cooperation at the landscape level are needed in order for forestry and environmental conservation to co-exist in areas with many land owners. Awareness has existed for several years in Sweden that cooperation at the landscape level is essential for protecting areas of high environmental value. This awareness has come to expression in several projects and initiatives. One of these projects is the Östra Vätterbranterna Partnership, a successful example of the new orientation toward environmental management as formulated in the government bill Sustainable protection of nature areas: new working methods with a focus on collaboration and increased dialog by involving more actors and utilizing a greater combination of steering instruments. This development resonates with the growing trend toward deregulation and less state intervention in environmental management, implying a stronger emphasis on new governance structures and market-driven processes. This paper examines the preconditions for a development toward governance-oriented forms of steering in the area of environmental policy and law, with specific emphasis on the protection of forestry areas with high environmental value. Paralleling this development, the transformation of environmental public administration is analyzed, using a model representing three different perspectives on administration's role, values and meaning, showing state action's progressive transition from “rowing” to “steering” to “serving” and facilitating.     

Effect of fungal exposure on the strength of thermally modified Norway spruce and Scots pine

Abstract

Thermal modification at elevated temperatures changes the chemical, biological and physical properties of wood. In this study, the effects of the level of thermal modification and the decay exposure (natural durability against soft-rot microfungi) on the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) of the sapwood and heartwood of Scots pine and Norway spruce were investigated with a static bending test using a central loading method in accordance with EN 408 (1995). The results were compared with four reference wood species: Siberian larch, bangkirai, merbau and western red cedar. In general, both the thermal modification and the decay exposure decreased the strength properties. On average, the higher the thermal modification temperature, the more MOE and MOR decreased with unexposed samples and increased with decayed samples, compared with the unmodified reference samples. The strength of bangkirai was least reduced in the group of the reference wood species. On average, untreated wood material will be stronger than thermally modified wood material until wood is exposed to decaying fungi. Thermal modification at high temperatures over 210°C very effectively prevents wood from decay; however, strength properties are then affected by thermal modification itself.     

Decay resistance of sapwood and heartwood of untreated and thermally modified Scots pine and Norway spruce compared with some other wood species

Abstract

Thermal modification has been developed for an industrial method to increase the biological durability and dimensional stability of wood. In this study the effects of thermal modification on resistance against soft- and brown-rot fungi of sapwood and heartwood of Scots pine and Norway spruce were investigated using laboratory test methods. Natural durability against soft-rot microfungi was determined according to CEN/TS 15083-2 (2005) by measuring the mass loss and modulus of elasticity (MOE) loss after an incubation period of 32 weeks. An agar block test was used to determine the resistance to two brown-rot fungi using two exposure periods. In particular, the effect of the temperature of the thermal modification was studied, and the results were compared with results from untreated pine and spruce samples. The decay resistance of reference untreated wood species (Siberian larch, bangkirai, merbau and western red cedar) was also studied in the soft-rot test. On average, the soft-rot and brown-rot tests gave quite similar results. In general, the untreated heartwood of pine was more resistant to decay than the sapwood of pine and the sapwood and heartwood of spruce. Thermal modification increased the biological durability of all samples. The effect of thermal modification seemed to be most effective within pine heartwood. However, very high thermal modification temperature over 230°C was needed to reach resistance against decay comparable with the durability classes of “durable” or “very durable” in the soft-rot test. The brown-rot test gave slightly better durability classes than the soft-rot test. The most durable untreated wood species was merbau, the durability of which could be evaluated as equal to the durability class “moderately durable”.     

Meroterpenes from Marine Invertebrates: Structures,Occurrence, and Ecological Implications

Meroterpenes are widely distributed among marine organisms; they are particularly abundant within brown algae, but other important sources include microorganisms and invertebrates. In the present review the structures and bioactivities of meroterpenes from marine invertebrates, mainly sponges and tunicates, are summarized. More than 300 molecules, often complex and with unique skeletons originating from intra- and inter-molecular cyclizations, and/or rearrangements, are illustrated. The reported syntheses are mentioned. The issue of a potential microbial link to their biosynthesis is also shortly outlined.