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Crown gall disease (Agrobacterium tumefaciens), crown/root rot disease (Phytophthora spp.), root lesion disease (Pratylenchus vulnus) and tree vigor are key traits affecting the productivity and quality of walnuts in California. Unchallenged hybrid rootstocks were analyzed by RNA-seq to examine pre-formed factors affecting these traits. Enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed that the increased expression of cell wall biogenesis-related genes plays a key role in susceptibility to A. tumefaciens, susceptibility to Phytophthora spp. and increased vigor. Analysis of the predicted subcellular loci of the encoded proteins revealed that many gene products associated with vigor and susceptibility were targeted to the plasma membrane and extracellular space, connecting these traits to sustaining barrier function. We observed that RNA processing and splicing, along with predicted nuclear targeting, were associated with resistance to A. tumefaciens, resistance to Phytophthora spp. and low vigor. Four genes within the J. microcarpa QTL region for resistance to A. tumefaciens and Phytophthora spp. were represented among our transcripts, with two of the genes being differentially expressed in association with resistance to A. tumefaciens and decreased vigor. No differential expression related to Phytophthora spp. or P. vulnus resistance was observed in this region. Additionally, the J. microcarpa haplotype expressed more transcripts associated with resistance to A. tumefaciens, Phytophthora spp. and low vigor, but not P. vulnus, than the J. regia haplotype. We also report unique and shared hormone and defense responses associated with each trait. This research suggests a link between cell wall biogenesis, vigor and critical root diseases of walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

56 Background: Childhood cancer survivors face increased risks of heart failure and myocardial dysfunction associated with cancer treatment exposure. Children's Oncology Group (COG) guidelines recommend periodic cardiac screening for survivors exposed to anthracycline or radiation. However, the extent of adherence to cardiac screening among Medicaid-enrolled survivors—a group typically characterized by socioeconomic disadvantages—remains unclear. Additionally, as Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has occurred in most, but not all states, cardiac screening adherence may vary based on survivors' state of residence. Methods: Data from the CCSS were linked to administrative Medicaid insurance claims from 2015 to 2019. We included at-risk survivors (i.e., received radiation to chest or heart, total body irradiation, and/or anthracyclines), aged 18-64 years, continuously covered by Medicaid during 2015-2019, and without a history of grade 3-4 cardiovascular conditions by 2019 to ensure the identified cardiac tests were for screening purposes. Our primary outcome assessed adherence to COG guidelines (V4.0) based on age- and therapy dose-specific frequency of cardiac testing (i.e., echocardiogram, multigated acquisition scan, or magnetic resonance imaging) during the study period. Multivariable logistic models assessed sociodemographic, clinical, and policy-related factors associated with adherence, with adjusted probability differences (i.e., marginal effects [MEs]) reported. Results: We identified 1,062 survivors at risk of cardiovascular conditions, with 57.0% female, 52.8% young adults (ages 18-39 years), and 72.8% non-Hispanic White. During 2015-2019, 285 (26.8%) survivors received any cardiac test, and 102 (9.6%) adhered to COG guideline-based frequency of cardiac testing. In multivariable models, survivors residing in states that expanded Medicaid in 2014 and later has 4.3 percentage points (ppts, 95% CI=0.58.1, p =0.025) and 6.1 ppts (95% CI=0.611.6, p =0.031) increased likelihood of adhering to guideline-based frequency of cardiac testing respectively compared to states that did not. Compared to leukemia survivors, the likelihood of adhering to guideline-based frequency of cardiac testing was higher in survivors of central nervous system tumors (ME=7.6 ppt, 95% CI=2.712.6, p =0.002), Hodgkin lymphoma (ME=10.7 ppt, 95% CI=1.320.1, p =0.026), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ME=9.4, 95% CI=1.017.8, p =0.028). Conclusions: Adherence to risk-based cardiac testing is low among Medicaid-enrolled survivors of childhood cancer, and associated with residence in a Medicaid expansion state and cancer type. Policy reforms toward improving affordable, continuous health insurance coverage are important means to increase adherence to guideline-based cardiac tests among survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their joint importance to health care costs, the nature of the relationship between obesity and diabetes is contested within the medical literature. We leverage California's 2008 law mandating menu-labelling at restaurants to confirm that the law reduced obesity compared to the experience of counties not subject to such regulation. Despite this reduction in obesity, we find no California-specific reduction in the prevalence of diabetes and we find a significantly positive impact on the likelihood of new diabetes diagnoses. We evaluate a range of potential hypotheses that rationalize the divergent findings on obesity and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preplant fumigation with methyl bromide commonly is used in open-field perennial crop nurseries in California for control of plantparasitic nematodes, pathogens and weeds. Because this fumigant is being phased out, alternatives are needed to ensure the productivity of the perennial crop nursery industry as well as the ornamental, orchard and vineyard production systems that depend on clean planting stock. As part of the USDA Area-Wide Pest Management Program for Integrated Methyl Bromide Alternatives, several perennial crop nursery projects were conducted in California from 2007 to 2011 to test and demonstrate registered alternative fumigants and application techniques that maximize performance and minimize environmental impacts. The project was designed to evaluate shank application and soil surface sealing methods intended to reduce aboveground emission and improve soil performance of 1,3-dichloropropene, a leading methyl bromide alternative for nurseries. In these garden rose and tree nursery experiments, 1,3-dichloropropene treatments performed well regardless of application techniques. In this article, we highlight recent research and discuss the significance and remaining challenges for adoption of methyl bromide alternatives in this unique nursery stock production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In California, USA, agricultural fumigant use regulations hinder the complete transition from methyl bromide (MB) to alternative fumigants. Alternative fumigants such as 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (Pic) are being used on approximately half of California conventional strawberry production fields. Geographic use limits and buffer zones set by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for 1,3-D + Pic restrict a more complete replacement of MB. Due to the regulatory constraints and public resistance to fumigant use, it is necessary to develop fumigant-free strawberry production systems. Trials were conducted during the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 strawberry growing seasons at Salinas and Watsonville, California. Non-fumigant treatments including steam, mustard seed meal (MSM), Muscodor albus, and furfural, fertilizers including Mustard Products & Technologies fertilizer and stabilised urea, and fungicide treatments including AG3(NP), fludioxonil + mefenoxam (mfx), and mfx + thiophanate-methyl were evaluated for weed control and strawberry fruit yield, and compared to MB + Pic (MBPic) standard soil fumigation and an untreated control. Steam treatment applied pre-plant to achieve soil temperature of ≥70 °C for 20 min up to 25 cm soil depth consistently provided weed control similar to the MBPic standard soil fumigation. Use of oxyfluorfen herbicide prior to fungicide applications in 2008/2009 also controlled weeds similar to the MBPic standard soil fumigation. Strawberry yields in steam-treated plots with the exception of steam alone in 2007/2008 at Salinas, were comparable to MBPic. At Watsonville in 2008/2009, treatment effect on strawberry yields was insignificant. Yields in furfural and MSM treatments were comparable to MBPic only in some years or sites. With the exception of steam, none of the treatments can be considered viable replacement to MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on methods for minimizing emissions from soil fumigation, the effectiveness of their emission reductions, and impacts on pest control and cost. It states that under the California regulations, minimizing emissions is significant for maintaining the practical use of soil fumigants. It notes water treatment or target-area fumigation may be used for crops with low profit margins.

This paper reports the results of several thousand analyses of the Mg content of calcite from 31 samples from the Ubehebe Peak contact aureole, Death Valley, California. All data reported are from metamorphic calcite formed during mixed volatile-mineral reactions in which dolomite remained in the rock. The Mg content generally increases toward the intrusive contact and bend with increasing temperature, but it varies strongly. Indeed, probability distributions for each sample are near Gaussian, possess a relatively small skewness (-1.72 to 3.32), and a variance that is a multiple of the estimated measuring uncertainty. These findings complicate direct application of the Mg content in calcite for use as an accurate thermometer. The purpose of the study presented in the second part of the paper is to explore the significance of these systematic variations of Mg composition of calcite to aid the interpretation of contact metamorphic temperatures recorded in carbonates. We developed forward models to evaluate the effect of growth zoning, volume diffusion, and the formation of submicroscopic exsolution lamellae (<1 μm) on the measured Mg distribution in individual calcite crystals and compared the modeling results to the field data. Modeled Mg distributions were transformed into histograms by taking into account intersection probabilities and random microprobe analyses. Modeling results reveal that the original prograde Mg zoning in calcite crystal will be reset if the calcite crystal is assumed to grow slowly along a prograde path. Original low-Mg compositions can only be preserved if the entire grain forms over a small temperature interval, as can be expected for infiltration-driven mineral reactions. It is shown that all three mechanisms combined give an adequate model for the Mg-content data. We demonstrate that Mg distributions in calcite grains of the Ubehebe Peak contact aureole are the consequence of rapid crystal growth in combination with diffusion and exsolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defines the effects of magmatic fluid infiltration in marbles contact metamorphosed by the 173 Ma Ubehebe peak quartz monzonite, Death Valley National Park, California. Use of stable isotope ratios of carbon and oxygen; Ubehebe peak contact aureole; Contact metamorphism of the siliceous dolomites.

Background Due in part to the heterogeneity of the pulmonary circulation in patients with tetralogy of Fallot and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs), research on this condition has focused on relatively basic anatomic characteristics. We aimed to detail pulmonary artery (PA) and MAPCA anatomy in a large group of infants, assess relationships between anatomy and early surgical outcomes, and consider systems for classifying MAPCAs. Methods and Results All infants ( <1 year of age) undergoing first cardiac surgery for tetralogy of Fallot/MAPCAs from 2001 to 2019 at Stanford University were identified. Preoperative angiograms delineating supply to all 18 pulmonary segments were reviewed for details of each MAPCA and the arborization and size of central PAs. We studied 276 patients with 1068 MAPCAs and the following PA patterns: 152 (55%) incompletely arborizing PAs, 48 (17%) normally arborizing PAs, 45 (16%) absent PAs, and 31 (11%) unilateral MAPCAs. There was extensive anatomic variability, but no difference in early outcomes according to PA arborization or the predominance of PAs or MAPCAs. Patients with low total MAPCA and/or PA cross-sectional area were less likely to undergo complete repair. Conclusions MAPCA anatomy is highly variable and essentially unique for each patient. Though each pulmonary segment can be supplied by a MAPCA, central PA, or both, all anatomic combinations are similarly conducive to a good repair. Total cross-sectional area of central PA and MAPCA material is an important driver of outcome. We elucidate a number of novel associations between anatomic features, but the extreme variability of the pulmonary circulation makes a granular tetralogy of Fallot/MAPCA classification system unrealistic.

Objective: To describe the frequency, intensity, and impact of pain in persons with postpoliomyelitis syndrome (PPS)., Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional survey., Setting: Community-based survey., Participants: Convenience sample of people with PPS., Interventions: Not applicable., Main Outcome Measures: Overall intensity and duration of pain, pain sites, pain interference, pain treatments, and relief provided by pain treatments., Results: A total of 91% (n=57) of the study participants (N=63) reported pain. The most frequently reported pain sites were the shoulders, lower back, legs, and hips. Participants reported pain intensity to be the greatest in the knees, legs, wrists, lower back, and head. Pain interfered most with sleep and with activities requiring a high level of musculoskeletal involvement. Respondents also reported pain problems that were more severe than those of the general population and than those of a sample of people with multiple sclerosis. Many treatments had been tried previously for pain, but continued use of treatments was reported by relatively few participants at the time of the survey., Conclusions: The findings indicate that pain is a persistent and common problem in persons with PPS, highlighting the need for effective and accessible pain treatments for this population.