Internal Symptoms Research Articles

THE EFFECT OF PRE-STORAGE APPLICATION OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE ON CHILLING RESISTANCE AND CALCIUM CONCENTRATION OF POMEGRANATE FRUITS

The effect of pre-storage application of calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) on chilling resistance and calcium (Ca) concentration of arils and peel of pomegranate (Punica grauatum) 'Malas Saveh' were determined. The fruits were immersed in distilled water and two CaCl 2 concentrations (135 and 270 mM) for 5 and 10 minutes. The peel Ca concentration of treated fruits significantly increased after 2 months storage, but the arils Ca concentration was not affected with different treatments. Chilling injury (CI) symptoms appeared after 2 months of storage. Postharvest CaCl 2 treatment limited the intense of peel CI symptoms such as browning and pitting but it had no significant effects on internal symptoms especially on segment separating thin layer browning. Treated fruits with 135 and 270 mM CaCl 2 reduced the ion leakage of peel up to 27 and 29%, respectively.

Gardner Syndrome

Gardner syndrome is a variant of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and results in the manifestation of numerous external and internal symptoms including gastrointestinal polyps, osteomas, tumors, and epidermoid cysts. As such, it is highly recommended that physicians conduct full body examinations to catch the key clinical features of the disease when it is suspected. Stemming from a mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, Gardner syndrome shares genetic correlations with the FAP phenotype; as a result, it becomes all the more crucial for physicians to be able to discern Gardner syndrome from other differential diagnoses such as Turcot syndrome, FAP, and other attenuated forms of familial polyposis. Fortunately, Gardner syndrome has characteristic polyps in the colon, osteomas, and also exhibits abnormalities in the retinal epithelium that discern it from others. Surgery is the most effective method of management for Gardner syndrome; restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis with mucosectomy is the top choice for colonic malignancies, and skin manifestations can be treated through a variety of excisions and therapy depending on location, size, and number of malignancies. Currently, there are no specific screening recommendations for Gardner syndrome, but testing following general screening recommendations for extra-colonic malignancies, genetic counseling, and endoscopy are encouraged.

Histopathology of internal fruit rot of sweet pepper caused by Fusarium lactis

The etiology of internal fruit rot of greenhouse-grown sweet pepper, caused by the fungus Fusarium lactis, was investigated during anthesis and fruit development using stereo, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. Proliferation of fungal mycelium was observed on the surface of the stigma one day after inoculation (DAI). Mycelial growth was also visible in the transmitting tissues of the style and inside the ovary at 5 and 6 DAI. When externally symptomless sweet pepper fruits were sectioned 45 DAI, typical internal fruit rot symptoms were observed. Culturing of hyphal-like strands and ovules from inoculated flowers on potato dextrose agar (PDA) confirmed the presence of F. lactis. Similarly, symptomless seeds from infected fruit also yielded colonies of the fungus on PDA. These findings support the hypothesis that internal fruit rot of greenhouse sweet pepper caused by F. lactis is initiated through the infection of the stigma and style during anthesis. Moreover, symptomless seed infection may contribute to disease spread between greenhouses, although further work is needed to understand how F. lactis becomes established and spreads from infected seeds to flowers.

Symptom Recognition in Elders With Heart Failure

Aging is associated with losses in hearing and vision. The objective of this study was to assess whether aging also is associated with less ability to detect and interpret afferent physiological information. A cross-sectional mixed methods study was conducted with 29 persons with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic heart failure of at least 6 months duration. The sample was divided at the median to compare younger (<73 years) versus older (> or = 73 years) patients in the ability to detect and interpret their heart failure symptoms. Shortness of breath was stimulated using a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and used to assess the ability of heart failure patients to detect shortness of breath using the Borg measure of perceived exertion compared with gold standard ratings of each person's shortness of breath by trained registered nurse research assistants (inter-rater congruence 0.91). Accuracy of ratings by older patients was compared with those of younger patients. In-depth interviews were used to assess symptom interpretation ability. Integrated quantitative and qualitative data confirmed that older patients had more difficulty in detecting and interpreting shortness of breath than younger patients. Older patients were twice as likely as younger to report a different level of shortness of breath than that noted by the registered nurse research assistants immediately after the 6MWT. These results support our theory of an age-related decline in the ability to attend to internal physical symptoms. This decline may be a cause of poor early symptom detection. The results of this study suggest that there is a need to develop interventions that focus on the symptom experience to help patients-particularly older ones-in somatic awareness and symptom interpretation. It may be useful to explore patients' statements about how they feel: "Compared to what? How do you feel today compared to yesterday?"

Baseline Sensitivity of Fusarium Species Associated with Fusarium Diseases to Metconazole, Triticonazole, and Thiabendazole Fungicides

Baseline Sensitivity of Fusarium Species Associated with Fusarium Diseases to Metconazole, Triticonazole, and Thiabendazole Fungicides

P02-69 - Social and clinical characteristics convicted mentally ill males and females, which are needed inpatient treatment

In aim to give a more precise definition dynamic treats of mental disorders in convicted population, criteria of their penitentiary legal capacity 160 subjects were examined. Participants were 73,2% males, and 26,8% females.The revealed unique features of the inmates reflect general tendency of increasing the number of marginal persons in the institutions of confinement. They were: low parental family status, drug abuse heredity loading, insufficient education level, limited professional skills, releasing from statuary service commitment, negative interpersonal and employment history.Specific features of female mentally ill inmates were the following: commitment due to offenders against persons, adolescence and early adulthood age, correspondingly commitment and psychiatric treatment at first time, the country side residence, psychiatric heredity loading, and repeated auto aggressive acts. They demonstrated desadaptation in the institutions of confinement, aggressiveness to others inmates and the stаff members, scratching and attempts of suffocation. The last one was the reason for hospitalization. Moreover, they were needed in long term treatment. Prevalence of personality and non psychotic disorders were registered.Different features were specific for the male sample. Among them - institution of criminal proceedings against property, history of long-term commitment, recidivism and reiterated involvement in criminal proceedings and correctional units, city residence, low status in criminal subculture, scratching and declaration go on hunger strike, practice blackmail and opposite behavior against administration of state penitentiary. They have often resorted to psychiatrists, and were needed in repeated hospitalizations. Brain damages, prevalence of internal symptoms in psychogenic disorders and psychotic states.

First Report of Penicillium glabrum Causing Fruit Rot of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) in Greece.

During September and October of 2008 in the region of Larisa (central Greece), postharvest fruit rot was observed on pomegranate (cv. Kapmaditika), which is rapidly increasing in production in Greece, causing losses of 10 to 20% after 2 months of cold storage (5 to 6°C). Infected fruits showed green conidiophores in the calyx area, while internal symptoms consisted of soft, brown tissue that became covered with green mycelium and conidiophores. To isolate the casual agent, conidia and conidiophores were scraped aseptically from the internal fruit rot, suspended in sterile water, and streaked onto potato dextrose agar (PDA). Single hyphal tips were then transferred to new PDA plates. A fungus consistently isolated from the infected tissues was identified as Penicillium glabrum (Wehmer) Westling on the basis of morphological criteria, with conidiophores smooth or finely roughened and conidia in compact columns, glubose to subglubose, approximately 3.0 μm, with walls somewhat echinulate (1). The identification was confirmed by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region spanning ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 of the ribosomal DNA (2). The nucleotide sequence was submitted to GenBank (Accession No. FN313540). The pathogenicity of the isolated fungus was tested on five mature pomegranate fruit (cv. Kampaditika) after being surface sterilized with 5% sodium hypochlorite. A plug (5 mm in diameter) obtained from the margins of a P. glabrum colony was transferred to wounds (3 × 3 mm) made with a scalpel in the surface of fruit. Fruit inoculated with sterile PDA plugs served as controls. Fruit were incubated at 22°C and 80% relative humidity in the dark. Extensive decay, similar to that observed on diseased fruit in the field, was observed on the inoculated fruit 7 days after inoculation, whereas control fruit showed no decay. The pathogen was reisolated from inoculated fruit but not from the noninoculated fruit. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. glabrum causing postharvest fruit rot of pomegranates in Greece.

SYMPTOMS AND FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH DECLINING MATURE GRAPEVINE PLANTS IN NORTHEAST SPAIN

A field survey was carried out in Catalonia (northeast Spain) to characterize the decline of mature grapevines. The relationships of both external and internal symptoms of diseased plants and their associated mycoflora were studied. Co-occurrence of different internal disease symptoms was frequently observed, since 44% of the sampled plants had wood lesions commonly associated with at least two of the following decline diseases: eutypiose, black dead arm or esca. The results obtained suggest that apoplexy might not be associated only with esca-affected plants, since 60% of surveyed vines showing apoplexy showed also V-shaped necroses, which are commonly associated with eutypiose and black dead arm, and 20% were exclusively affected by V-shaped necroses. An experiment was conducted to establish the pathogenicity of the most representative fungi isolated from diseased tissues of declining plants, by artificially inoculating 1-year-old vines of cvs Macabeo and Tempranillo. As indicated by the extension of the vascular lesions, pathogenicity was confirmed for most of the species tested, namely Botryosphaeria dothidea, Diplodia seriata, Eutypa lata, Neofusicoccum luteum, N. parvum and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora.

Clinical spectrum of the MELAS mutation in a large pedigree.

MELAS is most often due to an mentally transmitted A-G transition mutation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) at position 3243. In this study we report on the clinical spectrum associated with the mutation in the largest family reported so far. In a family with three MELAS cases we identified 47 persons at risk for the mutation; sufficient data was available on 29. Mitochondrial disease was diagnosed in two of 9 deceased numbers (posthumous molecular analysis in one); 27 surviving family members underwent examination and 25 a molecular analysis of mt DNA from lymphoblasts. Then had a muscle biopsy and two were later autopsied. All 26 cases investigated by molecular analysis showed the mutation at position 3243. The 18 symptomatic patients without stroke-like episodes had sensorineural hearing loss in 15 cases, diabetes in 6, nephropathy in 7, mild myopathy in 4, cardiomyopathy in 2, cerebellar disease in 4 and mental retardation in 2 cases. Eight carriers were asymptomatic. Autopsy showed > 80% mutant mt DNA in all tissues except blood (20%) examined in a MELAS patients, but < 20 mutant mt DNA in all tissues except lever (40%) and kidney (70%) in a patient with hepatopathy, renal failure and diabetes. Histologic and biochemical studies of muscle biopsy were often non-informative. The mutation of mt DNA at position 3243 causes a multisystem disorder with a variable phenotype due to heteroplasmy. Most carriers are oligosymptomatic with hearing loss and a variety of neurological and internal medical symptoms. Diabetes, cardiomyopathy and renal disease, which is newly reported here for this mutation, are frequent. The blood test is a reliable screening tool in affected families, but is of prognostic value only combined with examination of other tissues.

The Effect of Time of Sweetpotato Whitefly Infestation on Plant Nutrition and Development of Tomato Irregular Ripening Disorder

Tomato irregular ripening (TIR) disorder is associated with sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) biotype B feeding and is characterized by incomplete ripening of longitudinal sections of fruit. Our objective was to determine the effect of time of sweetpotato whitefly infestation on plant nutrition and the development of TIR disorder. Healthy tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Florida Lanai’) were introduced to sweetpotato whitefly infestations at different developmental stages of plant growth: 1) five to seven true leaves, 2) flower, 3) green fruit, and 4) breaking red fruit and were compared with noninfested control plants of the same age. Plants were fertilized every 7 to 14 days. Plant nutrition was monitored over time between the noninfested control and the longest infestation interval (five to seven true leaves) and between all infestation intervals at harvest. Sweetpotato whitefly (egg, nymph, and adult) and plant parameters (height, canopy diameter, number of leaves, flowers, and fruit per plant) were taken every 7 to 14 days after sweetpotato whitefly infestation. Almost all of the fruit (99%) produced by tomato plants infested with sweetpotato whitefly at stages 1 and 2 (78 and 56 days of sweetpotato whitefly exposure, respectively) developed TIR with fruit exhibiting internal and external symptoms. Plants infested at stage 3 (35 days of sweetpotato whitefly exposure) had 79% to 80% of the fruit develop TIR. Surprisingly, 58% of fruit from plants infested at stage 4 (14 days of sweetpotato whitefly exposure) also developed the disorder, indicating that tomatoes may need to be protected from sweetpotato whitefly until harvest to avoid this disorder. Seed germination was unaffected by TIR. Plants infested with sweetpotato whitefly had mean foliar levels of calcium, copper, iron, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc that were greater than in noninfested control plants at final harvest for both studies, regardless of time of infestation.

The Effect of Time of Sweetpotato Whitefly Infestation on Plant Nutrition and Development of Tomato Irregular Ripening Disorder

Tomato irregular ripening (TIR) disorder is associated with sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) biotype B feeding and is characterized by incomplete ripening of longitudinal sections of fruit. Our objective was to determine the effect of time of sweetpotato whitefly infestation on plant nutrition and the development of TIR disorder. Healthy tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Florida Lanai’) were introduced to sweetpotato whitefly infestations at different developmental stages of plant growth: 1) five to seven true leaves, 2) flower, 3) green fruit, and 4) breaking red fruit and were compared with noninfested control plants of the same age. Plants were fertilized every 7 to 14 days. Plant nutrition was monitored over time between the noninfested control and the longest infestation interval (five to seven true leaves) and between all infestation intervals at harvest. Sweetpotato whitefly (egg, nymph, and adult) and plant parameters (height, canopy diameter, number of leaves, flowers, and fruit per plant) were taken every 7 to 14 days after sweetpotato whitefly infestation. Almost all of the fruit (99%) produced by tomato plants infested with sweetpotato whitefly at stages 1 and 2 (78 and 56 days of sweetpotato whitefly exposure, respectively) developed TIR with fruit exhibiting internal and external symptoms. Plants infested at stage 3 (35 days of sweetpotato whitefly exposure) had 79% to 80% of the fruit develop TIR. Surprisingly, 58% of fruit from plants infested at stage 4 (14 days of sweetpotato whitefly exposure) also developed the disorder, indicating that tomatoes may need to be protected from sweetpotato whitefly until harvest to avoid this disorder. Seed germination was unaffected by TIR. Plants infested with sweetpotato whitefly had mean foliar levels of calcium, copper, iron, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc that were greater than in noninfested control plants at final harvest for both studies, regardless of time of infestation.

Occurrence of Potato Tuber Necrotic Isolates of Potato virus Y in a Commercial Tobacco Field in Southern Ontario, Canada.

Most strains of Potato virus Y (PVY) can infect tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) and cause vein clearing followed by leaf mottling, except the PVYN strain, which induces severe vein necrosis. Some isolates within the PVYN strain also cause potato necrotic tuber ringspot disease, but these have not been reported from Canadian tobacco fields. PVYNTN isolates include European (EU) and North American (NA) types that are serologically identical to PVYN, but can be distinguished by nucleic acid-based assays and potato bioassay (1,2). Some PVY isolates, PVYN-Wi or PVYN:O, resulting from a recombination between RNA molecules of PVYN and the common strain, PVYO, are identified as PVYO in serological assays, but induce necrosis in tobacco (2). In August of 2007, two samples of tobacco (N. tabacum, unknown cultivar) leaves showing necrotic symptoms resembling those induced by PVYN, PVYNTN, or PVYN-Wi were collected from a tobacco field in southern Ontario, Canada and submitted to the Charlottetown Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Charlottetown, PE. Virus in both samples (PVY-204 and PVY-205) reacted with PVYN-specific antibodies 1F5 and 4E7 (3) and induced vein necrosis in tobacco (N. tabacum cv. Samsun). A multiplex reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay (1) for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of various PVY strains amplified two fragments (181 and 452 bp) associated with EU-PVYNTN isolates. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis targeting the P1 and NIb gene (3) also indicated that PVY-204 and PVY-205 were EU-PVYNTN isolates. Known isolates of PVYO, PVYN, and NA-PVYNTN were used in all evaluations as references (3). Furthermore, the nucleotide sequences of the P1 and NIb genes of PVY-204 and PVY-205 determined by automated cycle sequencing (3) and subjected to phylogenetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of both isolates were 96 and 95% identical, respectively, to NA-PVYNTN isolates reported from Canada, but 99% identical (both nucleotide and amino acid) to EU-PVYNTN isolates from Europe and Mexico (3). Potato (cv. Yukon Gold) plants mechanically inoculated with leaf sap from tobacco (N. tabacum cv. Samsun) infected with PVY-204 and PVY-205 developed various leaf symptoms including severe local and systemic necrotic lesions, leaf wilting, and leaf death in 3 to 5 weeks postinoculation under greenhouse conditions. The infected plants recovered in 5 to 6 weeks. Potato (cv. Yukon Gold) plants inoculated with leaf sap from tobacco (N. tabacum cv. Samsun) infected with a PVYNTN isolate (HX8) (3) and healthy tobacco leaf sap were used as positive and negative controls. The number and yield of the tubers harvested from infected plants were significantly reduced (50%), and PVY-204 and PVY-205 induced typical potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease in 52.6% of the progeny tubers with an average disease index of 0.364 (C. Kerlan and K. Charlet-Ramage, EAPR Virology Meeting Proceedings, 1998). PVYNTN was detected by RT-PCR and RFLP in all necrotic tubers and 66.7% of the asymptomatic tubers. Some tubers (15.8%) harvested from the infected plants were negative in RT-PCR targeting either P1 protein gene or NIb gene and showed neither external nor internal necrotic symptom. To my knowledge, this is the first evidence of the occurrence of PVYNTN isolates in field-grown tobacco plants in Canada.

Relationship Between Pink Eye Symptoms and Cell Damage in the Tuber Periderm and Cortex

Pink eye (PE) is a tuber disorder that leads to processing complications and bud-end rot in storage. Despite the significance of PE for the potato processing industry, limited progress has been made in understanding the physiological basis of this disorder. Although the internal autofluorescence that characterizes PE has been described, the external symptoms of PE have not been well characterized or correlated with internal cellular symptoms. It is of vital importance to determine the physiological and cytological effects of PE in order to understand how it is caused and to develop effective management strategies to prevent the disorder. External symptoms progressed from pinkish discoloration around tuber eyes to water-soaked and corky patch lesions. Internal symptoms progressed from erratic browning around cortical cell walls to necrotic zones and cells with dark, circular inclusions. These areas often became surrounded by an internal PE-related periderm, while the native periderm often became compromised or lost. Vital staining with fluorescein diacetate showed that cortical and periderm cells underneath the native phellem became non-viable in PE tissue. Immunolocalization of homogalacturonan and extensin epitopes indicated that these cell wall polymers were not altered in pink eye afflicted tissues. These results conclusively show that the PE disorder results in or is caused by cell death in tissue underneath the native phellem, but does not lead to either cell wall breakdown or extensin deposition which is often characteristic of pathogen activity.

Identification of Potato virus Y Strains Associated with Tuber Damage During a Recent Virus Outbreak in Potato in Idaho.

Potato virus Y (PVY) causes substantial losses in potato production by decreasing yields and affecting the quality of potato tubers. Management of PVY in potato is dependent primarily on potato seed certification programs to prevent or limit initial levels of virus inoculum. Prior to 1990, the ordinary strain of PVY (PVYO) was the predominant virus in North America. PVYO induces clear foliar symptoms in many potato cultivars, allowing successful management in seed potato through a combination of visual inspections and limited laboratory testing. In recent years, necrotic strains of PVY (PVYN, PVYNTN, and PVYN:O) have begun to spread in the United States, many of which induce mild symptoms in potato, making them more difficult to manage through visual inspections. In addition to reducing yield, necrotic isolates may also cause external and internal damage in tubers of susceptible cultivars, which is known as potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease (PTNRD). Tuber necrotic strains of PVY have been reported across the northern United States (1,2,4), although limited information is available on their incidence and spread in commercial potato production. During June and July of 2007, 38 random samples were collected from three different commercial fields displaying disease problems (cvs. Russet Ranger, Alturas, and Russet Burbank) in the vicinity of Idaho Falls, ID. Plants collected showed various degrees of mosaic and leaf yellowing. By using double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, 25 of these plants were identified as PVY positive. The mutiplex RT-PCR assay (3) confirmed that nine plants were infected with PVYNTN and 11 with PVYN:O. No RT-PCR products were amplified from five samples. During September and October of 2007, 25 tuber samples (cv. Russet Burbank) showing various degrees of unusual internal symptoms (e.g., brown spots) were collected near Idaho Falls, ID. Twenty-two tubers were found PVY positive by DAS-ELISA, and multiplex RT-PCR determined 13 of those were PVYNTN, three were PVYO, one was a PVYNTN/N:O mixture, and one was a PVYO/N:O mixture. No RT-PCR products were amplified from four samples. In October 2007, six tubers showing distinct external tuber damage characteristic of PTNRD (cv. Highland Russet) were collected near Twin Falls, ID. All six tubers were determined to be PVY positive by DAS-ELISA, and RT-PCR identified five as infected with PVYNTN and one with PVYN:O. All the mixtures were easily separated by inoculating tobacco plants followed by subsequent testing of individual plants. Asymptomatic tubers from the same lot not showing PTNRD damage were found PVY negative by DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR. All PVYNTN isolates collected during 2007 were inoculated into tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi) and confirmed to induce systemic vein necrosis. Limited sequencing of four of the PVYNTN isolates determined that they contained recombinant junctions 2 and 3, identifying them as being related to the European strain of PVYNTN (3). The data suggest an increase in distribution and incidence of necrotic strains of PVY in commercial, potato-production areas in Idaho during an outbreak in 2007 and the potential for an increase in PTNRD.

First confirmed report of downy mildew caused by Hyaloperonospora parasitica on broccoli in Korea

) showingsymptoms of downy mildew were found in Jeju, the chief producing areain Korea. Broccoli growers report that downy mildew is the only diseaseof economic importance in their greenhouses, occasionally resulting in100% loss of yield. Initial symptoms were irregular yellow-green spots onupper leaf surfaces and white fluffy growth underneath. Floral headsdeveloped pale brown or greyish discoloration. Systemic infectionscaused internal dark grey to black spots and streaks in stems and floretbranches. These internal symptoms are found only in broccoli andcauliflower, not in other brassicaceous crops. A sample was depositedin the herbarium of Korea University (Acc. No. KUS-F22524). Theconidiophores were hyaline, 310–520 × 10–20 μ m, monopodiallybranched 4–7 times. The ultimate branchlets were usually strongly curved,20–42 μ m long, 2–3 μ m wide at the base. Conidia were hyaline andmeasured 23·3–31·2 × 20–27·5 μ m (length/width = 1·0–1·22). Thisfungus was concordant with known characteristics of

Pistillate Flower Abcission Symptoms of ‘Serr’ Walnut (Juglans RegiaL.)

A B S T R A C T Pistillate flower abscission (PFA) severely affects walnut (Juglans regia L.) production, mainly of the cultivar ‘Serr’. A study on symptoms of flower abortion in walnut ‘Serr’, induced by excess or lack of pollen, was carried out following the evolution of flowers and peduncles. Hand pollinated flowers, with different pollen concentrations: 0, 1, 5, 25, 50 and 100% pollen diluted (w/w) in talcum powder, showed external and internal abortion symptoms. External symptoms were recorded directly from the tree, while for internal symptoms, flower excisions stained with blue toluidin-O at 0.05%, were analyzed under an optical microscope. Excess pollen abortion produced flowers with rapid damage. The growth rate was very low, involucre brightness was lost and the stigma turned necrotic, in contrast to the flower aborted from lack of pollen. Normal flowers continued growing to fruit harvest, without losing brightness. Excess pollen abortion induced flower drop, with or without attached peduncle. Two separation zones can be present: the distal and proximal areas of the peduncle. Peduncle scars allowed for differentiating abortion induced from excess or lack of pollen, or other reasons.

Prospective Randomized Study of Two Different Techniques for Endoscopic Iliopsoas Release in the Treatment of Internal Snapping Hip Syndrome (SS-06)

We compare 2 randomized groups of patients that were prospectively followed, treated for internal snapping hip symptoms using two different endoscopic techniques. Sort term results are presented. To evaluate short term results of two different techniques of endoscopic iliopsoas tendon release for the treatment of internal snapping hip syndrome. Between January 2005 and January 2007 a consecutive series of patients with the diagnosis of internal snapping hip syndrome was treated with endoscopic release of the iliopsoas tendon. The patients were randomized in two different groups. Patients in group one were treated with endoscopic iliopsoas tendon release at the lesser trochanter and patients in group two were treated with endoscopic transscapsular psoas release from the peripheral compartment. Hip arthroscopy of both the central and peripheral compartment was performed in both groups using the lateral approach. Associated injuries were identified and treated arthroscopically. Postoperative physical therapy was the same for both series and every patient received 400mg of celecoxib daily for 21 days after surgery. Preoperative and postoperative WOMAC scores and imaging studies were evaluated. Nineteen patients were included in the study, 10 in group 1, 5 male and 5 female with an average age of 29.5 years and 9 in group 2, 8 female and 1 male with an average age of 32.6 years. No statistical difference was found in group composition. Associated injuries were found and treated in 8 patients in group 1 and 7 patients in group 2. No statistical difference was found between groups in preoperative WOMAC scores, every patient en both groups presented an increment in the WOMAC score. Increments in WOMAC scores were statistically significant in both groups, no difference was found in postoperative WOMAC results between groups. No complications were seen. Different techniques for endoscopic release of the iliopsoas tendon have been recently described in the literature, we compared both techniques in prospectively in 2 series of patients that were randomized and found no difference in short-term results or complication incidence.

Pathogenecity of Cameroon Strains of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. elaeidis -The Causal Agent of Oil Palm Vascular Wilt

Diseases are among the major causes of production losses in oil palm plantations. In Cameroon, certain soils of oil palm plantations are infested by Fusarium oxysporumf.sp.elaeidis, a soil borne fungus, causal agent of oil palm vascular wilt. The vascular wilt leads to the death or unproductiveness of oil palm. The magnitude of yield losses varies from one plantation to another. Hence, 20 strains of F. oxysporum were isolated: 19 from the Cameroon Development Corporation (C D C) vascular wilted blocks in the South West province and I from the Société Camerounaise des Palmeraies (SOCAPALM) Dibombari's block in the Littoral province. This study was aimed at assessing the pathogenecity of the strains. Two-month-old pre-nursery seedlings were inoculated with 5 x spores from each strain. They were splitted 8 months after inoculation to record internal symptoms of vascular wilt. The percentage of seedlings attacked varied widely from O per cent to nearly 50 per cent (mean = 18 per cent) . With regard to the variability in the pathogenecity of the strains studied, further work would consist of searching for the most aggressive among the 20 strains for the screening of oil palm planting materials to be supplied to oil palm growers in Cameroon Keywords: Pathogenecity, Fusarium oxysporumf.sp.elaeidis, vascular wilt, oil palm, Cameroon.

Alternaria alternata fruit rot of pomegranate (Punica granatum) in Greece

During September and October 2005 and 2006 a fruit disease was observed in pomegranate orchards, in the region of Larissa, Central Greece, causing significant yield losses of approximately 40–50% especially on cv. Kapmaditika. Internal symptoms consisted of a black rot of the fruit core beginning from the calyx area, while the hard, leathery rind appeared healthy and fruits remained firm. Alternaria alternata was consistently isolated from infected tissues, and the identification of the fungus was based on morphological characteristics of mode of sporulation and conidia (Simmons, 1967). Conidiophores were short, septate, branched or unbranched, and green to brown. The conidia were obpyriform with conical or cylindrical beak, ovoid or ellipsoidal. They were produced in long, single but most often branched, chains. Conidia ranged from 10 to 21 µm in length and from 4 to 10 µm in width at the broadest point (average 17 × 6 µm). Cultures grew rapidly on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and they were initially white turning to grey later. The isolate was deposited in CBS International Culture (CBS 120829). Pathogenicity tests were conducted on fruits and were repeated three times. PDA-plugs, 5 mm in diameter, with actively grown mycelium were transferred into the fruit calyx as well as on wounds made by a scalpel on previously sterilized fruit surfaces. Following inoculation, the fruits were placed in plastic bags and kept at 23oC for 10 days. Fruits inoculated in the same way using PDA disks were kept as control. Although there were no external symptoms on any of the fruits, decay of the core was observed when inoculated fruits were cut vertically. Control fruits showed no decay. Alternaria alternata was reisolated from inoculated fruits, confirming Koch's postulates. Alternaria alternata has been reported to cause a leaf spot disease on pomegranate in India (Madhukar & Reddy, 1976) however, fruit rot was not reported. Fruit rot caused by Alternaria sp. has previously been reported in USA, Mexico (Farr et al., 2007), and as a postharvest disease in Greece (Pantidou, 1973). Although this disease has been detected before in Greece, it was noticed again only recently probably due to the recent expansion of pomegranate cultivation and changes in weather conditions. This is the first report of A. alternata causing fruit decay in pomegranate orchards in Greece.

Phoma tracheiphila

<i>Phoma tracheiphila</i>