First Report of Rust Caused by Puccinia psidii on Paperbark, Melaleuca quinquenervia, in California.

Infections by Puccinia psidii Winter were detected on Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake (paperbark, tea tree) during a regular inspection of a San Diego, California nursery in November 2010 by San Diego County inspectors. Urediniospore morphology, production of bright-yellow uredinia on both upper and lower leaf surfaces, DNA sequencing, and inoculation tests confirm the identity of the pathogen. From digital image analysis, dimensions of 49 urediniospores from the paperbark rust collection were 25 (19 to 30) × 21 (18 to 23) µm, typical of uredinia of P. psidii (3). Some urediniospores also had a distinctive, unornamented "tonsure" near the base, and all pustules lacked teliospores. Both latter features are considered by some (3) as more typical of an asexual sub-taxon, Uredo rangelii Simpson, Tho., Grgur. which however, has narrower urediniospores than we report. U. rangelii is also considered less of a threat to Eucalyptus than other variants of P. psidii in the broad sense (1). The 627-bp DNA sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the paperbark rust (GenBank Accession No. JF960255) obtained by John Hanna at the USDA Forest Service, Forestry Sciences Lab, Moscow, ID using PCR and ITS1/ITS4 primers had over 99% identity with 18 GenBank sequences of P. psidii from diverse Myrtaceae, including Melaleuca, Psidium, and Eucalyptus. In January and February of 2011, inoculations of 7- to 10-cm cuttings of active terminal growth demonstrated pathogenicity to the three species of Myrtaceae that were tested: paperbark, common myrtle Myrtus communis L., and brush cherry Syzygium australe (J.C. Wendl. ex Link) B. Hyland (=Eugenia australis, =E. myrtifolia) cv. Monterey Bay. Uredinia developed within 10 days of inoculation on inoculated host cuttings. Proportions of cuttings infected for paperbark, common myrtle, and brush cherry were 5 of 7, 6 of 6, and 1 of 6, respectively; pustules were most abundant on common myrtle and least abundant (a single pustule) on brush cherry. Similarly treated control cuttings were not infected. P. psidii has previously caused severe outbreaks on paperbark in Florida (2). California interceptions and nursery detections of P. psidii are recorded in the California Department of Food and Agriculture's internal, unpublished, Pest Detection Database, have all occurred since 2003, and include Florida sources. From the Database, detections on materials shipped into California nurseries have been: brush cherry from Florida, March and April, 2004 at Valley Center, CA; allspice (Pimenta dioica (L) Merr.) from Florida, June 2005 at Gilroy, CA; and Java apple/rose apple (Syzygium samarangense [Blume] Merr. & L.M. Perry [= Eugenia javanica Lam.]) from Hawaii, 2008 at Anaheim, CA. Other California nursery infestations have been: brush cherry, April 2004, at Valley Center, CA; pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa Solander ex J. Gaertner), July 2007 at Bonsall, CA; and common myrtle, November 2008 at Fallbrook, CA. The rust has not been reported in California on any plants outside of nursery settings or on Eucalyptus in any setting. The current strains of P. psidii in California appear likely to remain a recurrent problem for ornamental plant and foliage crops in the myrtle family grown in some nursery settings. References: (1) A. J. Carnegie et al. Australas. Plant Pathol. 39:463, 2010. (2) M. B. Rayachhetry et al. Biol. Control 22:38, 2001. (3) J. A. Simpson et al. Australas. Plant Pathology 35:549, 2006.

First Report of Downy Mildew on Field-Grown Sweet Basil Caused by a Peronospora sp. in San Diego County, California.

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a culinary herb grown in fields and greenhouses in California. In August of 2008, samples were submitted to the San Diego County Plant Diagnostic Laboratory with a grayish brown, downy growth that covered areas of the abaxial side of the leaf. Early symptoms included leaf chlorosis followed by the appearance of scattered grayish brown conidia and conidiophores in the chlorotic areas. Conidiophore emergence progressed to a grayish brown, velvety growth with some of the chlorotic areas becoming necrotic. Similarly affected plants were submitted to the laboratory from another field 32 km (20 miles) away in the same county. Both fields were drip irrigated and located in inland valleys. Approximately 50 to 60% of the plants were symptomatic. Conidiophores, on the abaxial side of the leaves that were characteristic of Peronospora, branched dichotomously three to five times and measured 390 to 1,100 × 2.5 to 7.0 µm (675.6 × 4.9 µm average). Light brown, globose to ellipsoidal conidia measured 20 to 34 × 18 to 26 µm (26 × 22 µm average). To confirm pathogenicity, three basil plants in 10.2-cm (4-inch) pots were sprayed with a suspension of 4.5 × 105 conidia/ml and incubated in a dew chamber at 20°C for 48 h in the dark. Three noninoculated plants were sprayed with water. Plants were then placed in a growth chamber at 18°C with a 16-h photoperiod. Relative humidity was maintained near 95% by placing the plants over a tray of water and covering each group with a plastic tent. Signs of grayish brown, downy growth were seen approximately 14 days after inoculation. Pathogenicity experiments were repeated once. No symptoms developed on plants sprayed with water. Sequence of the intergenic spacer regions and 5.8S gene was obtained from a sample collected in one field, through amplification with primers DC6 and ITS4 and sequencing with primers ITS6 and ITS4 (2). The sequence (Accession No. FJ436024) from the field sample was identical to GenBank Accession No. AY884605 that represented a Peronospora sp. from basil in Switzerland. On the basis of morphological and sequence information, the Peronospora sp. from San Diego County is most likely the same Peronospora sp. that was identified from sweet basil in Switzerland, Italy (1), and South Africa (4), as well as coleus in New York and Louisiana (3). The basil Peronospora sp. has been shown to be present in seed (1). Since both growers purchased their seed from the same supplier, seeds could have been a possible inoculum source. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a downy mildew on sweet basil in California. References: (1) L. Belbahri et al. Mycol. Res. 109:1276, 2005. (2) D. E. L. Cooke et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 30:17, 2000. (3) M. L. Daughtrey et al. Plant Dis. 90:1111, 2006. (4) A. McLeod et al. Plant Dis. 90:1115, 2006.

First Report of Uromyces transversalis, Causal Agent of Gladiolus Rust, in San Diego County, California.

In May 2006, signs and symptoms of a rust disease were observed on hybrid gladiolus plants in a home garden located in the city of San Diego, CA. Uredinial lesions were bright orange, variable in shape from globose to oval to transversely elongate, and measured 28 to 652 × 36 to 994 µm. Urediniospores measured 16 to 26 × 16 to 23 µm and had hyaline walls that were 2 µm thick and finely echinulate with recurved spines. Some uredinial lesions located primarily at the base of the leaves were surrounded by dark, irregular lesions (telia) by the epidermis. Telia contained nonseptate, light-to-chestnut brown teliospores that measured 20 to 30 × 13 to 20 µm with an apical thickening measuring 2 to 5 µm. Teliospore pedicels measured 3 to 33 × 2 to 5 µm. Groups of teliospores were separated into locules by upright, pale brown paraphyses. The rust was identified as Uromyces transversalis, the cause of gladiolus rust and a quarantine pest for the United States. An intensive 23 square mile survey was initiated and resulted in the detection of infected plants at one nearby residence 200 feet away, in a commercial nursery six miles east of the initial site of detection, and at a residence across the street from the infected nursery. Plants in the nursery were grown outdoors in three blocks, in which the disease incidences were 20, 80, and 100% with varying levels of severity. Telia were also found at this location. The nursery grows gladiolus flowers for sale at local farmer markets, sometimes supplemented by additional cut gladiolus from Mexico. U. transversalis is known to occur in Mexico (2). This rust is under eradication at all four sites. Gladiolus rust was reported in Florida in April 2006. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed report of Gladiolus rust in California. References: (1) J. R. Hernández. Invasive Fungi. Gladiolus Rust. Systemic Botany and Mycology Laboratory, Online publication. ARS, USDA, 2004. (2) G. Rodríguez-Alvarado et al. Plant Dis. 90:687, 2006.

Motor-vehicle occupant injury: strategies for increasing use of child safety seats, increasing use of safety belts, and reducing alcohol-impaired driving.

The Task Force on Community Preventive Services has conducted systematic reviews of interventions designed to increase use of child safety seats, increase use of safety belts, and reduce alcohol-impaired driving. The Task Force strongly recommends the following interventions: laws requiring use of child safety seats, distribution and education programs for child safety seats, laws requiring use of safety belts, both primary and enhanced enforcement of safety belt use laws, laws that lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for adult drivers to 0.08%, laws that maintain the minimum legal drinking age at 21 years, and use of sobriety checkpoints. The Task Force recommends communitywide information and enforcement campaigns for use of child safety seats, incentive and education programs for use of child safety seats, and a lower legal BAC for young drivers (in the United States, those under the minimum legal drinking age). This report provides additional information regarding these recommendations, briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, and provides information to help apply the interventions locally.

First Occurrence of Downy Mildew of Statice, Caused by Peronospora statices, in California and the Rest of the United States.

In California, hybrid statice (Misty series; Limonium bellidifolium × Limonium latifolium) is grown as a commercial cutflower crop in fields and greenhouses. In 1997, downy mildew was observed on statice plantings in both southern (San Diego County) and central (Monterey and Santa Cruz counties) parts of coastal California. Initial symptoms consisted of light green, irregularly shaped leaf spots that, after a few days, became chlorotic. As disease progressed, chlorotic spots coalesced and turned necrotic, at times resulting in extensive death of leaf tissues. Under favorable conditions, the purple to gray sporulation of the pathogen could be seen on abaxial surfaces of leaves. Conidiophores had main trunks with dichotomous branches and measured 194 to 335 µm in length (mean = 229 µm) from the base to the first branches and 7 to 8 µm across at the widest part. Branch ends were slender with curved tips that measured 5 to 8 µm long. Conidia were ovoid to globose with very short pedicels, and measured 14 to 19 µm × 14 to 17 µm. Conidial surfaces appeared slightly roughened when viewed with a scanning electron microscope. Clearing leaf sections with 10% NaOH (1) revealed the presence of yellow-brown, globose oospores that measured 31 to 47 µm. The pathogen was identified as Peronospora statices (1). Pathogenicity was demonstrated by pressing leaves with abundant sporulation against healthy leaves of test plants (Misty White) and then placing inoculated plants in a humidity chamber. After 10 to 12 days, symptoms similar to those originally observed developed on inoculated plants; after 14 to 16 days, purple fungal growth morphologically similar to the original isolates grew on leaves. Uninoculated control plants did not develop symptoms or signs of downy mildew. This is the first report of downy mildew caused by P. statices on statice in California and the rest of the United States. The disease has also been confirmed on Blue Fantasia (L. bellidifolium × L. perezii). This disease has been reported previously in Italy, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (1). Reference: (1) G. S. Hall et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 103:471, 1997.

Evaluating prevention and quality of care in managed care plans: a public health perspective.

Public health practitioners are challenged to ensure the continued provision of necessary services in a rapidly changing delivery system. To accomplish this, new approaches to evaluating access and quality on a population basis are needed. This article presents a number of possible methods for evaluation, with particular emphasis on strategies related to managed care in Medicaid. The importance of considering cost containment in evaluating access and quality and in changing systems is discussed.

Gelonin analogs with engineered cysteine residues form antibody immunoconjugates with unique properties.

We engineered the ribosome inactivating-protein gelonin (Gel) to generate a family of Gel analogs, each with a single unpaired cysteine residue. The cysteine sites coincide with surface-accessible loops in the probable three-dimensional structure of Gel, or with the positions of endogenous cysteine residues. In most cases, enzymatic activity in vitro was unaltered by this modification. The rGel analogs were conjugated via their unpaired cysteine residue to the anti-CD5 antibody H65, or to H65 Fab and F(ab')2. Several rGel analogs formed immunoconjugates that were up to 6-fold more cytotoxic to antigen-bearing cells than those made with linker-modified rGel, whereas others were less potent. In the rat, the in vivo clearance rates of whole antibody conjugates correlated with their relative in vitro disulfide bond stability, and deconjugation to intact antibody and rGel was the predominant clearance mechanism. Fab conjugates to rGel analogs which differed in their in vitro disulfide bond stability had similar serum clearance rates, suggesting that clearance occurs mainly by removal of intact immunoconjugate from the serum, and is less dependent on deconjugation. Our results demonstrate that rGel analogs with a single cysteine at various positions on the solvent exposed surface are produced efficiently in Escherichia coli (>1 g/liter), and that the position of the cysteine greatly influences the potency and stability of the resulting immunoconjugates.

Cloning and expression of a gene encoding gelonin, a ribosome-inactivating protein from Gelonium multiflorum.

A cDNA copy of the gel gene, encoding gelonin (Gel), has been cloned from the seeds of the Asian plant, Gelonium multiflorum. Gel is a type-I ribosome-inactivating protein which has been produced in Escherichia coli as a secreted protein under the transcriptional control of the Salmonella typhimurium araB promoter and linked to the pectate lyase (pelB) leader sequence from Erwinia carotovora. Recombinant, soluble Gel (re-Gel) can be recovered from the E. coli culture supernatant at a yield of greater than 1 mg/ml, and it inhibits protein synthesis in vitro to the same extent as the native protein isolated from plant seeds.

Primary prevention with the poor: structural conflicts between the health and welfare systems.

Arizona has developed a Medicaid program under the waiver provisions of Title XIX of the Social Security Act. This paper examines how well a managed care system for Medicaid recipients works in delivering prevention services. The conflicts between the welfare system and the delivery of prevention services are explored.

The epidemiology of S. sonnei and S. flexneri in Pima County, Arizona: an exploratory study.

Investigation of 189 cases of shigellosis reported to the Pima County, Arizona Health Department in 1986 revealed that 23 per cent of cases could be attributed to travel to Mexico, and 10 per cent to day care attendees and their household contacts. No source of infection or high-risk activity could be demonstrated for 43 per cent of the cases. Households in which S. flexneri occurred were more likely to be characterized by crowded living situations and to have no known source of infection.

Inosine analogs as anti-leishmanial agents.

Several criteria were used to select a number of inosine analogs as potential growth inhibitors of the protozoan parasite Leishmania tropica. Of nine compounds tested, seven showed a high degree of selective toxicity towards L. tropica promastigotes as compared to mouse L1210 cells; these include analogs of formycin B, 7-substituted analogs of 7-deazainosine and analogs of inosine in which the sugar moiety has been modified to confer metabolic stability. The metabolism of 7-deazainosine in L. tropica promastigotes was shown to involve conversion to cytotoxic adenosine nucleotide analogs (tubercidin derivatives) that become incorporated into RNA. The results suggest several new classes of compounds which have potential as anti-leishmanial agents.