Assessing performance of simplified bioassays for soil-borne pathogens in smallholder systems of western Kenya.

Introduction: Soil-borne pathogens cause considerable crop losses and food insecurity in smallholder systems of sub-Saharan Africa. Soil and crop testing is critical for estimating pathogen inoculum levels and potential for disease development, understanding pathogen interactions with soil nutrient and water limitations, as well as for developing informed soil health and disease management decisions. However, formal laboratory analyses and diagnostic services for pathogens are often out of reach for smallholder farmers due to the high cost of testing and a lack of local laboratories.

Traditional soil fertility management ameliorates climate change impacts on traditional Andean crops within smallholder farming systems.

Global changes, particularly rising temperatures, threaten food security in smallholder mountain communities by impacting the suitability of cultivation areas for many crops. Land-use intensification, associated with agrochemical use and tillage, threatens soil health and overall agroecosystem resilience. In the Andean region, farmers often cultivate crops at multiple elevations.

The Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey, data from 13,310 farm households in 21 countries.

The Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey (RHoMIS) is a standardized farm household survey approach which collects information on 758 variables covering household demographics, farm area, crops grown and their production, livestock holdings and their production, agricultural product use and variables underlying standard socio-economic and food security indicators such as the Probability of Poverty Index, the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and household dietary diversity. These variables are used to quantify more than 40 different indicators on farm and household characteristics, welfare, productivity, and economic performance. Between 2015 and the beginning of 2018, the survey instrument was applied in 21 countries in Central America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Global distribution of earthworm diversity.

Soil organisms, including earthworms, are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about their diversity, their distribution, and the threats affecting them. We compiled a global dataset of sampled earthworm communities from 6928 sites in 57 countries as a basis for predicting patterns in earthworm diversity, abundance, and biomass.

Land use as a driver of soil fertility and biodiversity across an agricultural landscape in the Central Peruvian Andes.

Land use change and intensification in agricultural landscapes of the Andean highlands have resulted in widespread soil degradation and a loss in soil-based ecosystem services and biodiversity. This trend threatens the sustainability of farming communities in the Andes, with important implications for food security and biodiversity conservation throughout the region. Based on these challenges, we sought to understand the impact of current and future land use practices on soil fertility and biodiversity, so as to inform landscape planning and management decisions for sustainable agroecosystem management.

Obstacles to integrated pest management adoption in developing countries.

Despite its theoretical prominence and sound principles, integrated pest management (IPM) continues to suffer from anemic adoption rates in developing countries. To shed light on the reasons, we surveyed the opinions of a large and diverse pool of IPM professionals and practitioners from 96 countries by using structured concept mapping. The first phase of this method elicited 413 open-ended responses on perceived obstacles to IPM.

Ant-exclusion to promote biological control of soft scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on woody landscape plants.

Ant-exclusion to facilitate biocontrol by endemic natural enemies was investigated for suppressing infestations of two coccids, calico scale, Eulecanium cerasorum (Cockerell), and magnolia scale, Neolecanium cornuparvum (Thro), in landscape settings. Application of sticky bands combined with basal trunk sprays resulted in 92-100% reduction in counts of honeydew-seeking ants, mainly Formica subsericea Say, ascending large, scale-infested sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) trees. Ant-exclusion was associated with increased numbers of green lacewing, mainly Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister), larvae and spiders on multiple sample dates, and 54 and 69% fewer surviving scale nymphs after the first and second growing seasons.

Peripherally inserted central catheters may lower the incidence of catheter-related blood stream infections in patients in surgical intensive care units.

Background: Long-term central venous catheterization is associated with a higher rate of catheter-related blood stream infections (CR-BSI). It is unclear whether there is a difference in the CR-BSI rate associated with central venous catheters (CVCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in long-stay patients in surgical intensive care units (SICUs). We hypothesized that PICC use reduces the rate of CR-BSI compared with use of antiseptic CVCs in these patients.

Characterization of the gender dimorphism after injury and hemorrhagic shock: are hormonal differences responsible?

Objective: To characterize the gender dimorphism after injury with specific reference to the reproductive age of the women (young, <48 yrs of age, vs. old, >52 yrs of age) in a cohort of severely injured trauma patients for which significant variation in postinjury care is minimized.

Design: Secondary data analysis of an ongoing prospective multicenter cohort study.

Early hyperglycemia predicts multiple organ failure and mortality but not infection.

Background: Previous studies attempting to characterize the association between early hyperglycemia (EH) and subsequent outcome have been performed without utilization of a strict glycemic control protocol. We sought to characterize the clinical outcomes associated with EH in a cohort of severely injured trauma patients, when a strict glycemic control protocol was used.

Methods: Data were obtained from a multicenter prospective cohort study evaluating clinical outcomes in blunt injured adults with hemorrhagic shock.

Auto theft-related trauma.

Objective: To determine the medical consequences and economic impact of caring for patients injured after motor vehicle crashes (MVC) involving stolen cars.

Methods: Presented is a case series of inpatients injured secondary to a MVC involving a stolen car from January of 1993 to December of 1994 and treated at a university Level I trauma center in Newark, New Jersey. During the time period of the study, 1,232 patients (either as the driver or passenger) were admitted after a MVC, 115 patients (8%) were identified as sustaining injuries secondary to a MVC involving a stolen car.

Tuberculin screening of trauma admissions at a university hospital. A preventive strategy.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) infection in our trauma service population, namely, those patients who had positive Mantoux (purified protein derivative [PPD] [tuberculin]) tests.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Trauma service at a university hospital in Newark, NJ.

[Ratios of surface markers (CD) on peripheral blood lymphocytes in the working-age Czech population].

The authors present an account of lymphocytic CD signs in adult men (mean age 34 years) and women (mean age 29 years) of the Czech population. Mean values and standard deviations (s.d.

[Use of flow cytometry in the determination of HLA antigens].

The authors compare the classical method of typing of HLA antigens by the microlymphocytotoxic test (CTX) and the results obtained by flow cytometry (FCTX). They investigated agreement of results as regards estimation of 14 HLA antigens, loci A and B. in 42 sera.

Monoclonal antibodies against human leucocyte antigens. IV. Antibodies against subunits of the LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18) leucocyte-adhesion glycoprotein.

Six monoclonal antibodies were prepared that recognize a broadly expressed antigen composed of noncovalently associated 95 kDa and 180 kDa subunits. Antibodies MEM-25, MEM-83 and MEM-95 are shown to react with a determinant(s) present on the isolated larger subunit identified as the CD11a glycoprotein, MEM-48 reacts with the isolated smaller subunit which is identical to the CD18 glycoprotein. Antibodies MEM-30 and MEM-94 recognize probably a determinant in the CD11a/CD18 complex (i.

Monoclonal antibodies against human leucocyte antigens. III. Antibodies against CD45R, CD6, CD44 and two newly described broadly expressed glycoproteins MEM-53 and MEM-102.

Monoclonal antibodies against several human leucocyte cell surface antigens were prepared and characterized: (1) MEM-56, MEM-93, MEM-66, and MEM-104 against the CD45R antigen (220 kDa and 205 kDa mol. wt. forms of the leucocyte common antigen CD45 expressed on B-lymphocytes, myeloid cells and a subpopulation of T-lymphocytes); (2) MEM-98 and MEM-100 against the T-lymphocyte antigen CD6 (mol.