Recommendation for the protection of planting material in forest nurseries from the most common diseases

46 Belarusian forest nurseries were examined using up-to-date methods of molecular genetic analy-sis. The study showed that genetic characteristics of phytopathogenic microorgan isms detected on seed-lings and saplings changed significantly last years. Our research has established that forest nurseries are not only affected by typical phytopathogens, such as fungi of the genera Fusarium, Alternaria and Cladosporium . But also some new species, fo r instance fungi of the genera Phoma , Epicoccum and etc. were detected. Based on the study of modern species composition and biology of phytopathogens, the conditions for a local epiphytotic appearance and in the accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of forestry of the Republic of Belarus “Recommendations for preventing of the most common diseases of plant material in forest nurseries” were developed. The document contains the main determi-nant seedlings and saplings diseases based on visual features, the species com position of pathogens, de-scription of the main symptoms, conditions conducive for the development of plant pathogens, as well as a set of preventive and protective measures. The recommendations for timely identification of plant disease, collection, transportation, temporary storag e and transportation of samples for laboratory diag-nosis in the case of the presence of atypical symptoms are also shown in this document

Continuous Modeling of Arterial Platelet Thrombus Formation Using a Spatial Adsorption Equation

In this study, we considered a continuous model of platelet thrombus growth in an arteriole. A special model describing the adhesion of platelets in terms of their concentration was derived. The applications of the derived model are not restricted to only describing arterial platelet thrombus formation; the model can also be applied to other similar adhesion processes. The model reproduces an auto-wave solution in the one-dimensional case; in the two-dimensional case, in which the surrounding flow is taken into account, the typical torch- like thrombus is reproduced. The thrombus shape and the growth velocity are determined by the model parameters. We demonstrate that the model captures the main properties of the thrombus growth behavior and provides us a better understanding of which mechanisms are important in the mechanical nature of the arterial thrombus growth

The role of platelets in blood coagulation during thrombus formation in flow

Hemostatic plug covering the injury site (or a thrombus in the pathological case) is formed due to the complex interaction of aggregating platelets with biochemical reactions in plasma that participate in blood coagulation. The mechanisms that control clot growth and which lead to growth arrest are not yet completely understood. We model them with numerical simulations based on a hybrid DPD-PDE model. Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) is used to model plasma flow with platelets while fibrin concentration is described by a simplified reaction-diffusion-convection equation. The model takes into account consecutive stages of clot growth. First, a platelet is weakly connected to the clot and after some time this connection becomes stronger due to other surface receptors involved in platelet adhesion. At the same time, the fibrin network is formed inside the clot. This becomes possible because flow does not penetrate the clot and cannot wash out the reactants participating in blood coagulation. Platelets covered by the fibrin network cannot attach new platelets. Modelling shows that the growth of a hemostatic plug can stop as a result of its exterior part being removed by the flow thus exposing its non-adhesive core to the flow

Diseases of container-grown conifers in the nurseries of Mogilev area according to molecular phytopathological survey

A molecular phytopathological survey of diseased container-grown conifers in the nurseries of Mogilev SFPA were carried out. In plant tissues was detected genetic material of pathogenic fungi, endophytic and saprophytic (non-pathogenic) microf lora. The samples studied were characterized by polyinfection and contain a high titer of pathogens. Molecular-genetic diagnostic methods used for iden-tified causative agents of dominant diseases of contai ner-grown pine, fir and larc h seedlings. It was estab-lished that the predominant disease of one-year seedlings is Cladosporium blight, caused by fungi complex with the dominance of a new species of the genus Cladosporium . Cladosporium blight was ob-served in 60% of the surveyed nurseries, the occurrence of its agents in the affected plant material ranged 50−70%. The disease accompanied by causative agents of Rhizoctonia root rot and Gray mold that registered with the 12% nurseries. Their occurrence in the affected plant material does not exceed 25%. In 37% of the surveyed nurseries two-year seedlings were struck by Phoma blight. Occurrence of its agents in the affected plant material ranged 40 −60%. In single forestries along with Phoma blight detected Cytospora stem canker, Epicoccum needle necrosis and Gray mold (50%, 40% and 15%, respectively)

Major challenges in clinical management of TB/HIV coinfected patients in Eastern Europe compared with Western Europe and Latin America

Objectives Rates of TB/HIV coinfection and multi-drug resistant (MDR)-TB are increasing in Eastern Europe (EE). We aimed to study clinical characteristics, factors associated with MDR-TB and predicted activity of empiric anti-TB treatment at time of TB diagnosis among TB/HIV coinfected patients in EE, Western Europe (WE) and Latin America (LA). Design and Methods Between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2013, 1413 TB/HIV patients (62 clinics in 19 countries in EE, WE, Southern Europe (SE), and LA) were enrolled. Results Significant differences were observed between EE (N = 844), WE (N = 152), SE (N = 164), and LA (N = 253) in the proportion of patients with a definite TB diagnosis (47%, 71%, 72% and 40%, p<0.0001), MDR-TB (40%, 5%, 3% and 15%, p<0.0001), and use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) (17%, 40%, 44% and 35%, p<0.0001). Injecting drug use (adjusted OR (aOR) = 2.03 (95% CI 1.00–4.09), prior anti-TB treatment (3.42 (1.88–6.22)), and living in EE (7.19 (3.28–15.78)) were associated with MDR-TB. Among 585 patients with drug susceptibility test (DST) results, the empiric (i.e. without knowledge of the DST results) anti-TB treatment included ≥3 active drugs in 66% of participants in EE compared with 90–96% in other regions (p<0.0001). Conclusions In EE, TB/HIV patients were less likely to receive a definite TB diagnosis, more likely to house MDR-TB and commonly received empiric anti-TB treatment with reduced activity. Improved management of TB/HIV patients in EE requires better access to TB diagnostics including DSTs, empiric anti-TB therapy directed at both susceptible and MDR-TB, and more widespread use of cART