Development of a symptom load index: enabling temporal and regional pollen season comparisons and pointing out the need for personalized pollen information

This study describes the development of an index, the symptom load index, to compare the severity of pollen seasons for pollen allergy sufferers during different seasons in different geographical regions. This is done by comparing symptom data with pollen data. This study is based on symptom data of the Patients’ Hayfever Diary (PHD) and on pollen data from the European Aeroallergen Network (EAN). The PHD allows objective assessment of the season severity. Season length calculated on the basis of pollen data from the EAN and all records of users in a specific region are included in calculation of the symptom load index. It is thus not influenced by pollen counts during the season. Its application to pollen seasons of the three important pollen types birch, grass and ragweed in Austria and Germany from 2009 to 2013 proved that the impact of a pollen season on allergy sufferers is not correlated with total pollen loads. The possibility to calculate the pollen season in the allergy sufferers’ point of view is a novelty that inaugurates new pathways for the future of pollen information. Furthermore, such an index will be of value for the establishment of personalized pollen information and for calculations of pollen thresholds.     

Development of mapped simple sequence repeat markers from common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) based on genome sequences of a Chinese landrace and diversity evaluation

Microsatellite or single sequence repeat (SSR) markers have been commonly used in genetic research in many crop species, including common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). A limited number of existing SSR markers have been designed from high-throughput sequencing of the genome, warranting the exploitation of new SSR markers from genomic regions. In this paper, we sequenced total DNA from the genotype Hong Yundou with a 454-FLX pyrosequencer and found numerous SSR loci. Based on these, a large number of SSR markers were developed and 90 genomic-SSR markers with clear bands were tested for mapping and diversity detection. The new SSR markers proved to be highly polymorphic for molecular polymorphism, with an average polymorphism information content value of 0.44 in 131 Chinese genotypes and breeding lines, effective for distinguishing Andean and Mesoamerican genotypes. In addition, we integrated 85 primers of the 90 polymorphism markers into the bean map using an F2 segregating population derived from Hong Yundou crossed with Jingdou. The distribution of SSR markers among 11 chromosomes was not random and tended to cluster on the linkage map, with 14 new markers mapped on chromosome Pv01, whereas only four loci were located on chromosome Pv04. Overall, these new markers have potential for genetic mapping, genetic diversity studies and map-based cloning in common bean.     

Ancient and diverged TGF-β signaling components in Nasonia vitripennis

The transforming growth factor beta (TGF)-β signaling pathway and its modulators are involved in many aspects of cellular growth and differentiation in all metazoa. Although most of the core components of the pathway are highly conserved, many lineage-specific adaptations have been observed including changes regarding paralog number, presence and absence of modulators, and functional relevance for particular processes. In the parasitic jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis, the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), one of the major subgroups of the TGF-β superfamily, play a more fundamental role in dorsoventral (DV) patterning than in all other insects studied so far. However, Nasonia lacks the BMP antagonist Short gastrulation (Sog)/chordin, which is essential for polarizing the BMP gradient along the DV axis in most bilaterian animals. Here, we present a broad survey of TGF-β signaling in Nasonia with the aim to detect other lineage-specific peculiarities and to identify potential mechanisms, which explain how BMP-dependent DV pattering occurs in the early Nasonia embryo in the absence of Sog.     

Agricultural Science in the Wild: A Social Network Analysis of Farmer Knowledge Exchange

Responding to demands for transformed farming practices requires new forms of knowledge. Given their scale and complexity, agricultural problems can no longer be solved by linear transfers in which technology developed by specialists passes to farmers by way of extension intermediaries. Recent research on alternative approaches has focused on the innovation systems formed by interactions between heterogeneous actors. Rather than linear transfer, systems theory highlights network facilitation as a specialized function. This paper contributes to our understanding of such facilitation by investigating the networks in which farmers discuss science. We report findings based on the study of a pastoral farming experiment collaboratively undertaken by a group of 17 farmers and five scientists. Analysis of prior contact and alter sharing between the group’s members indicates strongly tied and decentralized networks. Farmer knowledge exchanges about the experiment have been investigated using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Network surveys identified who the farmers contacted for knowledge before the study began and who they had talked to about the experiment by 18 months later. Open-ended interviews collected farmer statements about their most valuable contacts and these statements have been thematically analysed. The network analysis shows that farmers talked about the experiment with 192 people, most of whom were fellow farmers. Farmers with densely tied and occupationally homogeneous contacts grew their networks more than did farmers with contacts that are loosely tied and diverse. Thematic analysis reveals three general principles: farmers value knowledge delivered by persons rather than roles, privilege farming experience, and develop knowledge with empiricist rather than rationalist techniques. Taken together, these findings suggest that farmers deliberate about science in intensive and durable networks that have significant implications for theorizing agricultural innovation. The paper thus concludes by considering the findings’ significance for current efforts to rethink agricultural extension.     

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk and Insecticide,Fungicide and Fumigant Use in the Agricultural Health Study

Farming and pesticide use have previously been linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma (MM). We evaluated agricultural use of specific insecticides, fungicides, and fumigants and risk of NHL and NHL-subtypes (including CLL and MM) in a U.S.-based prospective cohort of farmers and commercial pesticide applicators. A total of 523 cases occurred among 54,306 pesticide applicators from enrollment (1993–97) through December 31, 2011 in Iowa, and December 31, 2010 in North Carolina. Information on pesticide use, other agricultural exposures and other factors was obtained from questionnaires at enrollment and at follow-up approximately five years later (1999–2005). Information from questionnaires, monitoring, and the literature were used to create lifetime-days and intensity-weighted lifetime days of pesticide use, taking into account exposure-modifying factors. Poisson and polytomous models were used to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate associations between 26 pesticides and NHL and five NHL-subtypes, while adjusting for potential confounding factors. For total NHL, statistically significant positive exposure-response trends were seen with lindane and DDT. Terbufos was associated with total NHL in ever/never comparisons only. In subtype analyses, terbufos and DDT were associated with small cell lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia/marginal cell lymphoma, lindane and diazinon with follicular lymphoma, and permethrin with MM. However, tests of homogeneity did not show significant differences in exposure-response among NHL-subtypes for any pesticide. Because 26 pesticides were evaluated for their association with NHL and its subtypes, some chance finding could have occurred. Our results showed pesticides from different chemical and functional classes were associated with an excess risk of NHL and NHL subtypes, but not all members of any single class of pesticides were associated with an elevated risk of NHL or NHL subtypes. These findings are among the first to suggest links between DDT, lindane, permethrin, diazinon and terbufos with NHL subtypes.     

Little Evidence of Subclinical Avian Influenza Virus Infections among Rural Villagers in Cambodia

In 2008, 800 adults living within rural Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia were enrolled in a prospective cohort study of zoonotic influenza transmission. After enrollment, participants were contacted weekly for 24 months to identify acute influenza-like illnesses (ILI). Follow-up sera were collected at 12 and 24 months. A transmission substudy was also conducted among the family contacts of cohort members reporting ILI who were influenza A positive. Samples were assessed using serological or molecular techniques looking for evidence of infection with human and avian influenza viruses. Over 24 months, 438 ILI investigations among 284 cohort members were conducted. One cohort member was hospitalized with a H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infection and withdrew from the study. Ninety-seven ILI cases (22.1%) were identified as influenza A virus infections by real-time RT-PCR; none yielded evidence for AIV. During the 2 years of follow-up, 21 participants (3.0%) had detectable antibody titers (≥1∶10) against the studied AIVs: 1 against an avian-like A/Migratory duck/Hong Kong/MPS180/2003(H4N6), 3 against an avian-like A/Teal/Hong Kong/w312/97(H6N1), 9 (3 of which had detectible antibody titers at both 12- and 24-month follow-up) against an avian-like A/Hong Kong/1073/1999(H9N2), 6 (1 detected at both 12- and 24-month follow-up) against an avian-like A/Duck/Memphis/546/74(H11N9), and 2 against an avian-like A/Duck/Alberta/60/76(H12N5). With the exception of the one hospitalized cohort member with H5N1 infection, no other symptomatic avian influenza infections were detected among the cohort. Serological evidence for subclinical infections was sparse with only one subject showing a 4-fold rise in microneutralization titer over time against AvH12N5. In summary, despite conducting this closely monitored cohort study in a region enzootic for H5N1 HPAI, we were unable to detect subclinical avian influenza infections, suggesting either that these infections are rare or that our assays are insensitive at detecting them.     

Temporal and Spatial Stability of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria in Aquarium Biofilters

Nitrifying biofilters are used in aquaria and aquaculture systems to prevent accumulation of ammonia by promoting rapid conversion to nitrate via nitrite. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), as opposed to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), were recently identified as the dominant ammonia oxidizers in most freshwater aquaria. This study investigated biofilms from fixed-bed aquarium biofilters to assess the temporal and spatial dynamics of AOA and AOB abundance and diversity. Over a period of four months, ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms from six freshwater and one marine aquarium were investigated at 4–5 time points. Nitrogen balances for three freshwater aquaria showed that active nitrification by aquarium biofilters accounted for ≥81–86% of total nitrogen conversion in the aquaria. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) for bacterial and thaumarchaeal ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes demonstrated that AOA were numerically dominant over AOB in all six freshwater aquaria tested, and contributed all detectable amoA genes in three aquarium biofilters. In the marine aquarium, however, AOB outnumbered AOA by three to five orders of magnitude based on amoA gene abundances. A comparison of AOA abundance in three carrier materials (fine sponge, rough sponge and sintered glass or ceramic rings) of two three-media freshwater biofilters revealed preferential growth of AOA on fine sponge. Denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE) of thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA genes indicated that community composition within a given biofilter was stable across media types. In addition, DGGE of all aquarium biofilters revealed low AOA diversity, with few bands, which were stable over time. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprints of thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA genes placed freshwater and marine aquaria communities in separate clusters. These results indicate that AOA are the dominant ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in freshwater aquarium biofilters, and that AOA community composition within a given aquarium is stable over time and across biofilter support material types.