Overview of surface measurements and spatial characterization of submicrometer particulate matter during the DISCOVER-AQ 2013 campaign in Houston, TX.

The sources of submicrometer particulate matter (PM1) remain poorly characterized in the industrialized city of Houston, TX. A mobile sampling approach was used to characterize PM1 composition and concentration across Houston based on high-time-resolution measurements of nonrefractory PM1 and trace gases during the DISCOVER-AQ Texas 2013 campaign. Two pollution zones with marked differences in PM1 levels, character, and dynamics were established based on cluster analysis of organic aerosol mass loadings sampled at 16 sites. The highest PM1 mass concentrations (average 11.6 ± 5.7 µg/m3) were observed to the northwest of Houston (zone 1), dominated by secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass likely driven by nighttime biogenic organonitrate formation. Zone 2, an industrial/urban area south/east of Houston, exhibited lower concentrations of PM1 (average 4.4 ± 3.3 µg/m3), significant organic aerosol (OA) aging, and evidence of primary sulfate emissions. Diurnal patterns and backward-trajectory analyses enable the classification of airmass clusters characterized by distinct PM sources: biogenic SOA, photochemical aged SOA, and primary sulfate emissions from the Houston Ship Channel. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that secondary biogenic organonitrates primarily related with monoterpenes are predominant in zone 1 (accounting for 34% of the variability in the data set). The relevance of photochemical processes and industrial and traffic emission sources in zone 2 also is highlighted by PCA, which identifies three factors related with these processes/sources (~50% of the aerosol/trace gas concentration variability). PCA reveals a relatively minor contribution of isoprene to SOA formation in zone 1 and the absence of isoprene-derived aerosol in zone 2. The relevance of industrial amine emissions and the likely contribution of chloride-displaced sea salt aerosol to the observed variability in pollution levels in zone 2 also are captured by PCA. IMPLICATIONS: This article describes an urban-scale mobile study to characterize spatial variations in submicrometer particulate matter (PM1) in greater Houston. The data set indicates substantial spatial variations in PM1 sources/chemistry and elucidates the importance of photochemistry and nighttime oxidant chemistry in producing secondary PM1. These results emphasize the potential benefits of effective control strategies throughout the region, not only to reduce primary emissions of PM1 from automobiles and industry but also to reduce the emissions of important secondary PM1 precursors, including sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds. Such efforts also could aid in efforts to reduce mixing ratios of ozone.

Sexual dysfunction in women with migraine and tension-type headaches.

Primary headaches (PHAs) prominently affect the performance and life quality of people. Sexual dysfunction (SD) is an important health problem caused by several factors. This study aimed to compare the sexual function of women who have PHAs. Forty-one female patients who were diagnosed with migraine, 39 female patients who were diagnosed with tension-type headache (TTHA) and 41 healthy subjects were included in study. Sexual function of the cases were evaluated by using the 'Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)'. Beck Depression Scale was applied to subjects and those who were diagnosed with depression were excluded from the study. SD was detected in both the migraine and TTHA groups. FSFI subgroup scores were statistically significantly lower in the migraine and TTHA groups compared with the control group. No significant differences were detected between the migraine and TTHA groups in terms of FSFI and its components. In addition, no significant differences were detected between the blood prolactin levels or SD and headache. It was concluded that primary headaches (which are chronic diseases) itself may cause SD in female patients with migraine and TTHA independently of factors that may cause development of SD such as comorbid condition, depression, drug use and age.

In vivo and in vitro expression analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of Citrus tristeza virus.

Expression of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) was studied in vivo and in vitro using a polyclonal antiserum raised against the recombinant CTV-RdRp protein. Although a 57-kDa CTV-RdRp was expected to be expressed by a +1 translational frameshift at the carboxyl terminus of a 400-kDa polyprotein, a 50-kDa protein was detected in CTV-infected but not in healthy citrus tissue by Western blot. This suggests that the RdRp was cleaved from the CTV polyprotein. The 50-kDa protein was present in both the cytoplasmic and membrane fractions, but it accumulated mainly in the membrane fraction, where most of the replication-associated proteins of RNA viruses are found. When the expression of a cloned CTV-RdRp gene encoding a 60-kDa fusion protein was studied in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system, two smaller proteins of about 50 kDa and 10 kDa were detected in addition to the expected 60-kDa protein. All three proteins were immunoprecipitated with the anti-CTV-RdRp serum, suggesting that the 50-kDa and 10-kDa proteins were fragments of the 60-kDa CTV-RdRp fusion protein. When the expression of the RdRp was analyzed at different times during in vitro translation, the 60-kDa and 50-kDa proteins were detected at all time points, and a small amount of the 10-kDa protein was detected after 30 min of translation. These results suggest that the CTV-RdRp may also be cleaved in vitro in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate.

First Report of the Presence of Plum pox virus Rec Strain in Turkey.

Plum pox virus (PPV) is a detrimental virus in stone fruit crops. Six strains of PPV are recognized, one of which, PPV-Rec, represents a group of isolates sharing a unique founding recombination event (2). This strain has been reported only from central and south-central Europe. Its distribution is of interest because PPV-Rec is reported to induce only weak and transient symptoms in GF305 peach seedlings, which may complicate its detection using this widely used indicator (2). During a field trip in May 2006, a Japanese plum (Prunus salicina) tree showing leaf symptoms reminiscent of PPV infection was identified in Isparta, Turkey. A leaf sample tested by a serological lateral flow PPV Pocket Diagnostic (Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton, UK) gave a weak positive reaction. The presence of PPV was confirmed by grafting onto GF305 peach and by PCR amplification and sequencing of a short P3M-P4b PCR product (1; positions 8446 to 8912 on PPV-BOR3; GenBank Accession No. AY028309) spanning the end of the NIb gene and the N-terminal hypervariable end of the coat protein gene. Comparison of the sequence obtained (GenBank Accession No. EF051630) with databases unambiguously identified the isolate as belonging to the Rec strain because it contained all the PPV-Rec specific mutations in the amplified region. In keeping with this identification, the symptoms observed in GF305 were very weak, consisting only of slight vein clearing on a few leaves. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of the presence of PPV-Rec in Turkey. References: (1) T. Candresse et al. Phytopathology 88:198, 1998. (2) M. Glasa et al. J. Gen. Virol. 85:2671, 2004.

Nonvascular complications in pediatric liver recipients: multidetector computed tomography evaluation.

In pediatric liver transplantation postoperative diagnosis of complications is crucial for graft salvage. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is a technique to evaluate complications. In this study we present nonvascular abdominal complications encountered in pediatric recipients after liver transplantation. We retrospectively examined 113 MDCT examinations in 43 pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation between 1997 and 2005. Computed tomography (CT) examinations were made by a 16-detector multislice CT scanner. The pathological findings on CT images were: intraperitoneal free fluid, intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, graft liver infarction, perihepatic and intraperitoneal fluid collections (six biloma), colonic and/or intestinal dilatation, splenic infarction, perihepatic hematoma, right adrenal hemorrhage, perihepatic abscess, incisional hernia, intrahepatic biloma and periportal collar. In one patient intestinal hemorrhage was suspected. Intestinal perforation was suspected in three patients. Among these three patients, one patient died before any surgical intervention. In two patients the diagnosis was confirmed at surgery. In pediatric patients, the short examination time, brief sedation duration, and high-resolution images make MDCT an effective radiological method to evaluate nonvascular transplant complications.

Progress on strain differentiation of Citrus tristeza virus and its application to the epidemiology of citrus tristeza disease.

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) occurs in most citrus producing regions of the world, and it is the most serious viral pathogen of citrus. With the recent establishment of the brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida, its most efficient vector, on Madeira Island (Portugal) and in Florida (USA) and the countries of the Caribbean Basin, the impact of CTV is likely to increase in these regions. Since there are many strains of CTV and CTV infections frequently occur as mixtures of several strains, it is necessary to be able to distinguish the strains for regulatory purposes, disease management and epidemiology. We describe the evolution of techniques developed to detect CTV and to differentiate the individual strains, and present the results of tests using these latest methods on CTV isolates from mainland Portugal, Madeira Island and Florida. Mild and decline-inducing strains of CTV were detected in mainland Portugal and mild, decline-inducing and severe stem pitting strains on Madeira Island. In Florida we demonstrated the presence of infections that reacted with probes made against stem pitting strains not previously detected there. It is concluded that CTV presents a significant threat to citrus production in mainland Portugal, on Madeira Island and in the neighbouring countries of the Mediterranean Basin, as well as in Florida, elsewhere in the USA and throughout the Caribbean Basin, especially following the widespread establishment of T. citricida throughout the region.