Early Emergence of Revealed by Analysis of Diversity of Potato Blackleg and Soft Rot Causing Pathogens in Switzerland.

Blackleg and soft rot in potato caused by and enterobacteral genera are among the most destructive bacterial diseases in this crop worldwide. In Europe, over the last century, spp. were the predominant causal agents of these diseases.

Grapevine red blotch virus: Absence in Swiss Vineyards and Analysis of Potential Detrimental Effect on Viticultural Performance.

Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) is a recently described virus that infects grapevine. Little information is available on the possible occurrence and distribution outside North America. Therefore, we surveyed commercial vineyards from the three major grape-growing regions in Switzerland to determine the presence or absence of GRBV.

Biological, Serological, and Molecular Characterization of a Highly Divergent Strain of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 4 Causing Grapevine Leafroll Disease.

The complete genome sequence of a highly divergent strain of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 4 (GLRaV-4) was determined using 454 pyrosequencing technology. This virus, designated GLRaV-4 Ob, was detected in Vitis vinifera 'Otcha bala' from our grapevine virus collection at Agroscope. The GLRaV-4 Ob genome length and organization share similarities with members of subgroup II in the genus Ampelovirus (family Closteroviridae).

Intratumoral plasmacytoid dendritic cells associate with increased survival in patients with follicular lymphoma.

Gene array studies on follicular lymphoma (FL) have associated non-malignant tumor-infiltrating immune cells with patient survival. We examined the role of such cells detectable by immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray, focusing on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). These cells physiologically produce interferon-α, which has been used in the therapy of FL.

The role of background movement in goldfish vision.

In experiments described in the literature objects presented to restrained goldfish failed to induce eye movements like fixation and/or tracking. We show here that eye movements can be induced only if the background (visual surround) is not stationary relative to the fish but moving. We investigated the influence of background motion on eye movements in the range of angular velocities of 5-20 degrees s(-1).

Motion detection in goldfish investigated with the optomotor response is "color blind".

The action spectrum of the optomotor response in goldfish was measured to investigate which of the four cone types involved in color vision contributes to motion detection. In the dark-adapted state, the action spectrum showed a single maximum in the range of 500-520 nm, and resembled the rod spectral sensitivity function. Surprisingly, the action spectrum measured in the light-adapted state also revealed a single maximum only, located in the long wavelength range between 620 and 660 nm.

Classification and expression of a family of cyclin gene homologues in Brassica napus.

In order to investigate the role of cell division in plant development, we isolated several plant genes which encode homologues of animal and yeast cell cycle regulators known as cyclins. Through the use of degenerate primers and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) we isolated a Brassica sequence which showed homology to the 'cyclin box' functional domain found within cyclin proteins. Southern blot analysis indicated that Brassica napus has a large number of genes containing cyclin box-related sequences.

BLIND MEXICAN CAVE FISH (ASTYANAX HUBBSI) RESPOND TO MOVING VISUAL STIMULI.

In apparatus for measuring optomotor behaviour, blind Mexican cave fish, Astyanax hubbsi, increase their swimming velocity upon rotation of a striped cylinder, i.e. in response to a solely visual stimulus.