Climate, host and geography shape insect and fungal communities of trees.

Non-native pests, climate change, and their interactions are likely to alter relationships between trees and tree-associated organisms with consequences for forest health. To understand and predict such changes, factors structuring tree-associated communities need to be determined. Here, we analysed the data consisting of records of insects and fungi collected from dormant twigs from 155 tree species at 51 botanical gardens or arboreta in 32 countries.

Worldwide diversity of endophytic fungi and insects associated with dormant tree twigs.

International trade in plants and climate change are two of the main factors causing damaging tree pests (i.e. fungi and insects) to spread into new areas.

Standard of Open Surgical Repair of Suprapubic Incisional Hernias.

Background: Suprapubic incisional hernias (SIH) are a rare wall defect, whose surgical management is challenging because of limited literature. The proximity of the hernia to bone, vascular, nerve, and urinary structures, and the absence of posterior rectus sheath in this location imply adequate technique of surgical repair. We aimed to describe a cohort of female patients operated on for SIH after gynecological surgery using a homogeneous surgical technique and to report surgical outcomes.

Copper treatment during storage reduces Phytophthora and Halophytophthora infection of Zostera marina seeds used for restoration.

Restoration is increasingly considered an essential tool to halt and reverse the rapid decline of vital coastal ecosystems dominated by habitat-forming foundation species such as seagrasses. However, two recently discovered pathogens of marine plants, Phytophthora gemini and Halophytophthora sp. Zostera, can seriously hamper restoration efforts by dramatically reducing seed germination.

Open retromuscular large mesh reconstruction of lumbar incisional hernias including the atrophic muscular area.

Purpose: Lumbar incisional hernias (LIH) are a rare wall defect, whose surgical management is challenging because no recommendation exists. Moreover, LIH are frequently associated with flank bulging which should be taken into account during LIH surgical repair. We aimed to describe a cohort of patients operated on for LIH using a homogeneous surgical technique and to report surgical outcomes.

Cutaneous sarcoidosis masquerading as chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus - case report.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease of unknown origin. Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE) is an autoimmune disease that is associated with autoantibody production and T-cell dysfunction. Cutaneous manifestations of sarcoidosis may mimic CCLE and vice versa making it difficult to reach a diagnosis clinically.

Vesicular eruption in a 2-year-old boy.

A bath with scented soap prompted a flare of the boy's eczema. Days later, he was hospitalized with diffuse erosions covering 90% of his body. What was the cause?

Marine Phytophthora species can hamper conservation and restoration of vegetated coastal ecosystems.

Phytophthora species are potent pathogens that can devastate terrestrial plants, causing billions of dollars of damage yearly to agricultural crops and harming fragile ecosystems worldwide. Yet, virtually nothing is known about the distribution and pathogenicity of their marine relatives. This is surprising, as marine plants form vital habitats in coastal zones worldwide (i.

Pruritic postpartum eruption.

Our patient initially blamed the lesions on the surgical tape used after her C-section; a skin biopsy told another story.

Phytophthora terminalis sp. nov. and Phytophthora occultans sp. nov., two invasive pathogens of ornamental plants in Europe.

In the past decade several Phytophthora strains were isolated from diseased Pachysandra terminalis plants suffering stem base and root rot, originating from the Netherlands and Belgium. All isolates were homothallic and had a felt-like colony pattern, produced semi-papillate sporangia, globose oogonia and had a maximum growth at ~ 27 C. Several additional Phytophthora strains were isolated from diseased Buxus sempervirens plants, originating from the Netherlands and Belgium, which had sustained stem base and root rot; similar strains also were isolated from Acer palmatum, Choisya ternata and Taxus in the United Kingdom.

"I swear!" Physician oaths and their current relevance.

Most graduating medical students will take some sort of oath that is to inspire them to take their proper place in the comradeship of physicians and remind them of their obligations to their patients, society, and their profession. The nature of these oaths has changed over the years as society itself has changed. What may be considered moral, ethical, or legal at one time can appear quaint or outrageous in another time and place.

No more pens: what the 2009 Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturer's Association code changes really mean.

In 2002, new guidelines for interactions with the pharmaceutical industry and physicians were published as an official code of conduct. Adherence to the guidelines was voluntary, and there were no provisions for discipline to companies who did not subscribe to the code or who subscribed but did not comply. Many of the code standards are routinely violated, sometimes egregiously, with many violations on easy display at national professional meetings.

Key opinion leaders: where they come from and how that affects the drugs you prescribe.

Key opinion leaders (KOLs), also known as thought leaders, are the experts in their field upon whom we depend for original research leading to disease understanding and new therapies. We rely on them to write the articles, author the textbooks, and give the presentations that we absorb to become better dermatologists. KOLs have become intimately entwined with the marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, used not only to lend credibility to claims of efficacy and safety but also to promote anecdotal and off-label use of these medications to increase industry profits.

A refractory fixed drug reaction to a dye used in an oral contraceptive.

A young woman presented with a classic fixed drug eruption (FDE) after taking the inactive green pills of her oral contraceptives (OCs). The patient's history was unique in that the FDE did not occur every time she took the inactive pills but was refractory, occurring every third month within hours after she took the green pills. After discontinuing the green pills but continuing the active oral contraceptive pills, the patient has not experienced a recurrence of the rash in more than 2 years.

Elephantiasis nostrum verrucosa of the abdomen: clinical results with tazarotene.

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa represents an uncommon yet distinct clinical entity resulting from chronic lymphedema of an extremity or body region. Characterized by profound non-pitting edema with cobblestone-like papules, plaques, and nodules, it typically occurs secondary to infections, surgeries, tumor obstruction, radiation, congestive heart failure, and obesity. This progressively deformative disorder has been treated with various medical and surgical measures.

Fusarium foetens, a new species pathogenic to begonia elatior hybrids (Begonia x hiemalis) and the sister taxon of the Fusarium oxysporum species complex.

A new disease recently was discovered in begonia elatior hybrid (Begonia × hiemalis) nurseries in The Netherlands. Diseased plants showed a combination of basal rot, vein yellowing and wilting and the base of collapsing plants was covered by unusually large masses of Fusarium macroconidia. A species of Fusarium was isolated consistently from the discolored veins of leaves and stems.

Keratosis punctata of the instep.

We present a case of keratosis punctata involving the instep of both feet in addition to palmar and plantar creases, a finding not previously reported to our knowledge. We also discuss a closely related entity, keratosis punctata palmaris et plantaris (KPPP), and why we believe our case does not simply represent a variant of keratosis punctata of the palmar creases (KPPC).