EF-hand calcium sensor, EfhP, controls transcriptional regulation of iron uptake by calcium in .

The human pathogen () poses a major risk for a range of severe infections, particularly lung infections in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). As previously reported, the virulent behavior of this pathogen is enhanced by elevated levels of Ca that are commonly present in CF nasal and lung fluids. In addition, a Ca-binding EF-hand protein, EfhP (PA4107), was partially characterized and shown to be critical for the Ca-regulated virulence in .

EF-Hand Calcium Sensor, EfhP, Controls Transcriptional Regulation of Iron Uptake by Calcium in .

Unlabelled: The human pathogen poses a major risk for a range of severe infections, particularly lung infections in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). As previously reported, the virulent behavior of this pathogen is enhanced by elevated levels of Ca that are commonly present in CF nasal and lung fluids. In addition, a Ca -binding EF-hand protein, EfhP (PA4107), was partially characterized and shown to be critical for the Ca -regulated virulence in .

Fungal Planet description sheets: 1112-1181.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: , on soil, on leaves of on leaves of on leaves of sp., on soil, (incl. gen.

Correction: Widespread mortality of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) throughout interior Alaskan boreal forests resulting from a novel canker disease.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Widespread mortality of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) throughout interior Alaskan boreal forests resulting from a novel canker disease.

Over the past several decades, growth declines and mortality of trembling aspen throughout western Canada and the United States have been linked to drought, often interacting with outbreaks of insects and fungal pathogens, resulting in a "sudden aspen decline" throughout much of aspen's range. In 2015, we noticed an aggressive fungal canker causing widespread mortality of aspen throughout interior Alaska and initiated a study to quantify potential drivers for the incidence, virulence, and distribution of the disease. Stand-level infection rates among 88 study sites distributed across 6 Alaska ecoregions ranged from <1 to 69%, with the proportion of trees with canker that were dead averaging 70% across all sites.

Use of breast imaging-reporting and data system (BI-RADS) ultrasound classification in pediatric and adolescent patients overestimates likelihood of malignancy.

Background/purpose: Breast masses in the pediatric population cause patient and family concern, partially driven by public awareness of adult breast cancer. However, the spectrum of breast masses in children differs greatly from that in adults, and malignancy is exceedingly rare. The American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) ultrasound-based classification system is the diagnostic standard, yet no study has validated BI-RADS in pediatric patients.

Arginine Vasotocin Preprohormone Is Expressed in Surprising Regions of the Teleost Forebrain.

Nonapeptides play a fundamental role in the regulation of social behavior, among numerous other functions. In particular, arginine vasopressin and its non-mammalian homolog, arginine vasotocin (AVT), have been implicated in regulating affiliative, reproductive, and aggressive behavior in many vertebrate species. Where these nonapeptides are synthesized in the brain has been studied extensively in most vertebrate lineages.

Does Self-Assessment Improve the Effectiveness of Grand Rounds Lectures in a Community-Based Teaching Hospital?

Objective: To determine whether use of self-assessment (SA) questions affects the effectiveness of weekly didactic grand rounds presentations.

Design: From 26 consecutive grand rounds presentations from August 2013 to April 2014, a 52-question multiple-choice test was administered based on 2 questions from each presentation.

Setting: Community teaching institution.

Addressing inherited predisposition for breast cancer in transplant recipients.

Consideration of prophylactic mastectomy surgery following transplantation requires complex medical decision-making, and bias against elective surgery exists because of concern for post-operative complications. Prevention of cancer in transplant recipients is of utmost importance, given the risks of treating malignancy in an immunosuppressed patient. We present a patient case and review of the literature to support a thorough pre-transplantation evaluation of family history and consideration of prophylactic interventions to safeguard the quality of life of transplant recipients.

Participation of low-income women in genetic cancer risk assessment and BRCA 1/2 testing: the experience of a safety-net institution.

Some communities and populations lack access to genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) and testing. This is particularly evident in safety-net institutions, which serve a large segment of low-income, uninsured individuals. We describe the experience of a safety-net clinic with limited resources in providing GCRA and BRCA1/2 testing.

Factors associated with surgical management in an underinsured, safety net population.

Background: Few studies include significant numbers of racial and ethnic minority patients. The current study was performed to examine factors that affect breast cancer operations in an underinsured population.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all breast cancer patients from January 2010 to May 2012.

Temporal resolution of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis with resumption of bromocriptine therapy for prolactinoma.

Introduction: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is becoming more commonly recognized and reported more often. Currently, many recommend corticosteroids in its management.

Presentation Of Case: A 34-year-old G3P2 Hispanic female, 28 weeks pregnant, presented with a 19cm right breast mass.

The effect of an evidence-based medicine curriculum on breast cancer knowledge and satisfaction of surgical residents.

Objective: The current study was performed to determine if evidence-based medicine (EBM) curriculum would affect education of surgical residents.

Design: A 5-year prospective study was designed to determine if EBM curriculum could improve residents' satisfaction and understanding of breast cancer management during a breast surgical oncology rotation. During the first 2 years, 45 journal articles were used.

Factors which affect the use of lumpectomy and mastectomy in an underinsured, safety net hospital population.

Background: This study was performed to evaluate variables that affect the use of mastectomy and lumpectomy in an underinsured population.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent breast cancer operations from July 2001 to February 2011 at a safety net hospital was performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables, which were associated with the type of operation.

Women's Impression of the Expected Breast Appearance and its Association with Breast Cancer Operations.

Background: Significant concern exists from clinicians in all fields that rates of bilateral mastectomy and prophylactic mastectomy are increasing. This study was performed to evaluate women's perception of breast appearance and its association with breast cancer operations.

Methods: From April 2012 to May 2013, all women attending a breast clinic were shown two breast pictures, "natural" and "augmented," and asked which photograph represented the current expected appearance of breasts.

Understanding the interplay of factors informing vaccination behavior in three Canadian provinces.

Arguably, the two most critical components in any response to a pandemic are effective risk communication and the rapid development of a vaccine. Despite the roll-out of a publicly-funded H1N1 vaccine program across the country, less than half of all Canadians were vaccinated during the 2009-10 pandemic. Using focus group data, this study examined vaccinating behaviors, the impact of public health messaging, and the public's attitudes toward H1N1 and the H1N1 vaccine in three Canadian provinces.

Physiological performance of an Alaskan shrub (Alnus fruticosa) in response to disease (Valsa melanodiscus) and water stress.

• Following the decades-long warming and drying trend in Alaska, there is mounting evidence that temperature-induced drought stress is associated with disease outbreaks in the boreal forest. Recent evidence of this trend is an outbreak of Cytospora canker disease (fungal pathogen Valsa melanodiscus (anamorph = Cytospora umbrina)) on Alnus species. • For Alnus fruticosa, we examined the effects of water stress on disease predisposition, and the effects of disease and water stress on host physiology.

First Report of Tobacco rattle virus in Peony in Alaska.

Peonies (Paeonia sp.) are highly valued for their large showy flowers in home gardens and commercially in the cut flower industry. In 2007, scattered peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt') plants cultivated on small plots at the University of Alaska Experimental Station in Fairbanks displayed distinct leaf ringspot patterns.

Migration patterns of the emerging plant pathogen Phytophthora ramorum on the West Coast of the United States of America.

Phytophthora ramorum (oomycetes) is the causal agent of sudden oak death and ramorum blight on trees, shrubs, and woody ornamentals in the forests of coastal California and southwestern Oregon and in nurseries of California, Oregon, and Washington. In this study, we investigated the genetic structure of P. ramorum on the West Coast of the United States, focusing particularly on population differentiation potentially indicative of gene flow.

Comparison of Biochemical, Molecular, and Visual Methods to Quantify Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii in Douglas-Fir Foliage.

ABSTRACT A recent epidemic of Swiss needle cast along the Oregon coast has prompted efforts to quantify foliar infection and colonization of the causal agent Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii. In this paper, we compare four methods to quantify colonization of Douglas-fir foliage by P. gaeumannii: fruiting body abundance, ergosterol content, dot blot analysis, and TaqMan based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Simultaneous one-tube quantification of host and pathogen DNA with real-time polymerase chain reaction.

ABSTRACT Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii is a widespread foliar parasite of Douglas-fir. Although normally innocuous, the fungus also causes the defoliating disease Swiss needle cast in heavily infected needles. The extent of P.

The systematic position of Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii.

Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, causal agent of the Douglas-fir foliar disease Swiss needle cast, is the only known pathogenic species of the genus. Current classifications place Phaeocryptopus in the Venturiaceae (Pleosporales), typified by the apple-scab pathogen Venturia inaequalis. All core members of this family have hyphomycetous anamorphs.

Population dynamics of the sudden oak death pathogen Phytophthora ramorum in Oregon from 2001 to 2004.

Phytophthora ramorum (Oomycetes) is an emerging plant pathogen in forests in southwestern Oregon (Curry County). Moreover, since 2003 it has been repeatedly isolated from plants in Oregon nurseries. In this study, we analysed the genetic diversity of the P.

Occurrence of Late Blight Caused by Phytophthora infestans on Potato and Tomato in Alaska.

Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of late blight, was included in a list of plant pathogens found in Alaska in 1934 (1). No notes of symptoms, extent of disease, or dates were recorded. The only reference to the location was given as Wrangell, a town in southeast Alaska with subsistence gardening.

Population structure suggests reproductively isolated lineages of Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii.

A survey of the genetic diversity and population structure of the Douglas-fir Swiss needle cast pathogen Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii was conducted with single-strand conformational polymorphisms (SSCP) to screen for variability in mitochondrial and nuclear housekeeping genes. Thirty host populations representing the natural range of Douglas-fir as well as locations where the tree was planted as an exotic were sampled. Sequencing of SSCP variants revealed that the method accurately detected both single nucleotide and indel polymorphisms.