Made by DATEXIS (Data Science and Text-based Information Systems) at Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin
Deep Learning Technology: Sebastian Arnold, Betty van Aken, Paul Grundmann, Felix A. Gers and Alexander Löser. Learning Contextualized Document Representations for Healthcare Answer Retrieval. The Web Conference 2020 (WWW'20)
          Funded by The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Grant: 01MD19013D, Smart-MD Project, Digital Technologies
           
        
Acute oak decline is a disease that infects oak trees in the UK. It mainly affects mature oak trees of over 50 years old of both Britain's native oak species: the pedunculate oak ("Quercus robur") and the sessile oak ("Quercus petraea"). The disease is characterised by the trees bleeding or oozing a dark fluid from small lesions or splits in their bark. Unlike chronic oak decline, acute oak decline can lead to the death of trees within 4 to 5 years of symptoms appearing. The number of trees affected is thought to number in the low thousands, with a higher number of infected trees being found in the Midlands. It is thought to be caused by a bacterium; it is currently not known which species is involved, but scientists are actively trying to discover what is responsible. At least three genera of bacteria are possibly responsible.
In some instances, the disease is accompanied by insects attacking the trees, too, particularly the oak splendour beetle, ("Agrilus biguttatus"). These are not thought to be the cause of the disease, but rather they are opportunistically taking advantage of already weakened trees; such infestations further weaken and can hasten the death of trees.
The foamy bark canker is a disease affecting oak trees in California caused by the fungus "Geosmithia pallida" and spread by the Western oak bark beetle ("Pseudopityopthorus pubipennis"). This disease is only seen through the symbiosis of the bark beetles and the fungal pathogen. The bark beetles target oak trees and bore holes through the peridermal tissues, making tunnels within the phloem. The fungal spores are brought into these tunnels by the beetles and begin to colonize the damaged cells inside the tunnels. Symptoms of the developing fungus include wet discoloration seeping from the beetle entry holes as the fungus begins to consume phloem and likely other tissues. If bark is removed, necrosis of the phloem can be observed surrounding the entry hole(s). As the disease progresses, a reddish sap and foamy liquid oozes from entry holes, thus giving the disease the name Foamy bark canker. Eventually after the disease has progressed, the tree dies. This disease is important because of its detrimental effects on oak trees and its ability to spread to several new Californian counties in just a couple years.
Control of the beetle vector is the most effective management technique for disease prevention. Conventional methods of tree thinning and the use of insecticides have been used to combat the western bark beetles, but are only effective before the beetles have colonized and before the fungus has invaded the tree. Other cultural techniques of sanitation and overall health of the oak trees by keeping up with watering, fertilizer or mulch needs, and pruning may help. It is very important to diagnose foamy bark canker disease correctly and promptly in order to manage the disease properly because if a tree is already infected, the removal of the tree is the most effective way to prevent the disease from spreading.
Dutch elm disease (DED) is caused by a member of the sac fungi (Ascomycota) affecting elm trees, and is spread by elm bark beetles. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease was accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native populations of elms that did not have resistance to the disease. It has also reached New Zealand. The name "Dutch elm disease" refers to its identification in 1921 and later in the Netherlands by Dutch phytopathologists Bea Schwarz and Christine Buisman who both worked with Professor Johanna Westerdijk. The disease affects species in the genera "Ulmus" and "Zelkova", therefore it is not specific to the Dutch elm hybrid.
The causative agents of DED are ascomycete microfungi. Three species are now recognized:
- "Ophiostoma ulmi", which afflicted Europe from 1910, reaching North America on imported timber in 1928.
- "Ophiostoma himal-ulmi", a species endemic to the western Himalaya.
- "Ophiostoma novo-ulmi", an extremely virulent species from Japan which was first described in Europe and North America in the 1940s and has devastated elms in both continents since the late 1960s.
DED is spread in North America by three species of bark beetles (Family: Curculionidae, Subfamily: Scolytinae):
- The native elm bark beetle, "Hylurgopinus rufipes".
- The European elm bark beetle, "Scolytus multistriatus".
- The banded elm bark beetle, "Scolytus schevyrewi".
In Europe, while "S. multistriatus" still acts as a vector for infection, it is much less effective than the large elm bark beetle, "S. scolytus". "H. rufipes" can be a vector for the disease, but is inefficient compared to the other vectors. "S. schevyrewi" was found in 2003 in Colorado and Utah.
Other reported DED vectors include "Scolytus sulcifrons", "S. pygmaeus", "S. laevis", "Pteleobius vittatus" and "Р. kraatzi". Other elm bark beetle species are also likely vectors.
Verticillium wilt is a wilt disease of over 350 species of eudicot plants caused by six species of Verticillium genus, "V. dahliae", "V. albo-atrum", "V. longisporum", V. nubilum, V. theobromae and
V. tricorpus. (See, for example, Barbara, D.J. & Clewes, E. (2003). "Plant pathogenic Verticillium species: how many of them are there?" Molecular Plant Pathology 4(4).297-305. Blackwell Publishing.) Many economically important plants are susceptible including cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, oilseed rape, eggplants, peppers and ornamentals, as well as others in natural vegetation communities. Many eudicot species and cultivars are resistant to the disease and all monocots, gymnosperms and ferns are immune.
Symptoms are superficially similar to "Fusarium" wilts. There is no chemical control for the disease but crop rotation, the use of resistant varieties and deep plowing may be useful in reducing the spread and impact of the disease.
"Verticillium" wilt begins as a mild, local infection, which over a few years will grow in strength as more virile strains of the fungus develop. If left unchecked the disease will become so widespread that the crop will need to be replaced with resistant varieties, or a new crop will need to be planted altogether.
Control of "Verticilium" can be achieved by planting disease free plants in uncontaminated soil, planting resistant varieties, and refraining from planting susceptible crops in areas that have been used repeatedly for solanaceous crops. Soil fumigation can also be used, but is generally too expensive over large areas.
In tomato plants, the presence of ethylene during the initial stages of infection inhibits disease development, while in later stages of disease development the same hormone will cause greater wilt. Tomato plants are available that have been engineered with resistant genes that will tolerate the fungus while showing significantly lower signs of wilting.
"Verticillium albo-altrum", "Verticilium dahliae" and "V. longisporum" can overwinter as melanized mycelium or microsclerotia within live vegetation or plant debris. As a result, it can be important to clear plant debris to lower the spread of disease. "Verticilium dahliae" and "V. longisporum" are able to survive as microsclerotia in soil for up to 15 years.
Susceptible tomato seedlings inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and "Trichoderma Harzianum" show increased resistance towards "Verticillium" wilt.
The hypothesis that pesticide use has contributed to declining amphibian populations has been suggested several times in the literature. Interactions between pesticides and chytridiomycosis were examined in 2007, and sublethal exposure to the pesticide carbaryl (a cholinesterase inhibitor) was shown to increase susceptibility of foothill yellow-legged frogs ("Rana boylii") to chytridiomycosis. In particular, the skin peptide defenses were significantly reduced after exposure to carbaryl, suggesting pesticides may inhibit this innate immune defence, and increase susceptibility to disease.
The amphibian chytrid fungus appears to grow best between 17 and 25 °C, and exposure of infected frogs to high temperatures can cure the frogs. In nature, the more time individual frogs were found at temperatures above 25 °C, the less likely they were to be infected by the amphibian chytrid. This may explain why chytridiomycosis-induced amphibian declines have occurred primarily at higher elevations and during cooler months. Naturally produced cutaneous peptides can inhibit the growth of "B. dendrobatidis" when the infected amphibians are around temperatures near 10 °C (50 °F), allowing species like the northern leopard frog ("Rana pipiens") to clear the infection in about 15% of cases.
Although many declines have been credited to the fungus "B. dendrobatidis", some species resist the infection and some populations can survive with a low level of persistence of the disease. In addition, some species that seem to resist the infection may actually harbor a nonpathogenic form of "B. dendrobatidis".
Some researchers contend the focus on chytridiomycosis has made amphibian conservation efforts dangerously myopic. A review of the data in the IUCN Red List found the threat of the disease was assumed in most cases, but no evidence shows, in fact, it is a threat. Conservation efforts in New Zealand continue to be focused on curing the critically endangered native Archey's frog, "Leiopelma archeyi", of chytridiomycosis, though research has shown clearly that they are immune from infection by "B. dendrobatidis" and are dying in the wild of other still-to-be identified diseases. In Guatemala, several thousand tadpoles perished from an unidentified pathogen distinct from "B. dendrobatidis".
Cork is often harvested from the cork oak ("Quercus suber") and stored in slabs in a hot and humid environment until covered in mold. Cork workers may be exposed to organic dusts in this process, leading to this disease.
Suberosis, also known as corkhandler's disease or corkworker's lung, is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis usually caused by the fungus "Penicillium glabrum" (formerly called "Penicillum frequentans") from exposure to moldy cork dust. "Chrysonilia sitophilia", "Aspergillus fumigatus", uncontaminated cork dust, and "Mucor macedo" may also have significant roles in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Rabbits helped keep vegetation in their environments short through grazing and short grasses are conducive to habitation by the butterfly, "Plebejus argus""." When the population of rabbits experienced a decline due to Myxomatosis, grass lengths increased, limiting the environments in which "P. argus" could live, thereby contributing to the decline of the butterfly population.
The development of resistance to the disease has taken different courses. In Australia, the virus initially killed rabbits very quickly – about 4 days after infection. This gave little time for the infection to spread. However, a less virulent form of the virus then became prevalent there, which spread more effectively by being less lethal. In Europe, many rabbits are genetically resistant to the original virus that was spread. The survival rate of diseased rabbits has now increased to 35%, while in the 1950s it was near zero.
Hares are not affected by myxomatosis, but can act as vectors.
Red wine headache ("RWH") is a headache often accompanied by nausea and flushing that occurs in many people after drinking even a single glass of red wine. This syndrome can sometimes develop within 15 minutes of consumption of the wine.
The condition does not occur after consumption of white wine or other alcoholic beverages. Some individuals report that they get a migraine headache hours later from drinking some red wines. No one knows for certain why this syndrome occurs. It probably has more than one cause.
Tyramine may well be a major player in RWH syndrome. Tyramine is an amine that is produced naturally from the breakdown of protein as food ages. More specifically it is formed by the decarboxylation of the amino acid tyrosine. It is found in aged, fermented, and spoiled foods. Everyday foods we consume including aged cheeses, overripe and dried fruit, sauerkraut, soy, and many processed foods contain high levels of tyramine. Tyramine is suspected of inducing migraine headaches in about 40% of migraine sufferers, according to F.G.Freitag of Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago.
Practices such as good nutrition, proper milking hygiene, and the culling of chronically infected cows can help.
Ensuring that cows have clean, dry bedding decreases the risk of infection and transmission. Dairy workers should wear rubber gloves while milking, and machines should be cleaned regularly to decrease the incidence of transmission.
Some hypotheses as to the cause of the disease include genetics, cycad seeds, and ingested beta-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) from the consumption of fruit bats.
Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis (also called Toxicodendron dermatitis and Rhus dermatitis) is the medical name given to allergic rashes produced by the oil urushiol, which is contained in various plants, most notably those of the "Toxicodendron" genus: the Chinese lacquer tree, poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. The name is derived from the Japanese word for the sap of the Chinese lacquer tree, "urushi". Other plants in the sumac family (including mango, pistachio, the Burmese lacquer tree, the India marking nut tree, and the shell of the cashew) also contain urushiol, as do unrelated plants such as "Ginkgo biloba."
As is the case with all contact dermatitis, urushiol-induced rashes are a Type IV hypersensitivity reaction, also known as delayed-type hypersensitivity. Symptoms include itching, inflammation, oozing, and, in severe cases, a burning sensation.
The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that there are up to 50 million cases of urushiol-induced dermatitis annually in the United States alone, accounting for 10% of all lost-time injuries in the United States Forest Service. Poison oak is a significant problem in the rural Western and Southern United States, while poison ivy is most rampant in the Eastern United States. Dermatitis from poison sumac is less common.
A good milking routine is vital. This usually consists of applying a pre-milking teat dip or spray, such as an iodine spray, and wiping teats dry prior to milking. The milking machine is then applied. After milking, the teats can be cleaned again to remove any growth medium for bacteria. A post milking product such as iodine-propylene glycol dip is used as a disinfectant and a barrier between the open teat and the bacteria in the air.
Mastitis can occur after milking because the teat holes close after 15 minutes if the animal sits in a dirty place with feces and urine.
Sunscreen and protective clothing should also be used during the hottest part of the day to avoid blisters from sunburn. Avoiding sunlight during midday is the best way to avoid blisters from sunburn. Protective gloves should be worn when handling detergents, cleaning products, solvents and other chemicals.
Treatment should be sought immediately in order to avoid hospitalization. If not treated, hospitalization for an extended period of time (usually two weeks) is likely. During hospitalization, the patient is tested for signs of system degradation, especially of the skeletal structure and the digestive tract. By this time open sores will develop on the upper torso. Some will be the size of dimes, others will be large enough to stick a couple fingers into. They will crust up, causing cohesion to any fabric the sores touch, which is extremely painful to remove. It is recommended to sleep on one's sides until the cystic condition subsides, in order to avoid any uncomfortable situations. Debridement and steroid therapy is preferred over antibiotics. Recurrent AF is extremely rare. Bone lesions typically resolve with treatment, but residual radiographic changes, such as sclerosis and hyperostosis, may remain. Scarring and fibrosis may result from this acute inflammatory process.
The disease activates at the height of puberty, usually at around 13 years of age. Acne fulminans predominantly affects young males aged 13 to 22 years with a history of acne.
According to the Brazilian Government, the most serious health problems are:
- Childhood mortality: about 1.51% of childhood mortality, reaching 2.77% in the northeast region.
- Motherhood mortality: about 42.1 deaths per 100,000 born children in 2016.
- Mortality by non-transmissible illness: 65.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants caused by heart and circulatory diseases, along with 26.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants caused by cancer.
- Mortality caused by external causes (transportation, violence and suicide): 55.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants (10.9% of all deaths in the country), reaching 62.3 deaths in the southeast region.
In 2002, Brazil accounted for 40% of malaria cases in the Americas. Nearly 99% are concentrated in the Legal Amazon Region, which is home to not more than 12% of the population.
In 1958, at a meeting of the Detroit Dermatological Society, Burns and Colville presented a 16-year-old white boy with acute febrile disease and acne conglobata. Many similar cases have been reported since then. Genetic factors may play an important role in some patients; 4 sets of identical twins who developed an identical pattern of acne fulminans have been documented.
Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis is caused by contact with a plant or any other object containing urushiol oil. The oil adheres to almost anything with which it comes in contact, such as towels, blankets, clothing, and landscaping tools. Clothing or other materials that touch the plant and then, before being washed, touch the skin are common causes of exposure.
For people who have never been exposed or are not yet allergic to urushiol, it may take 10 to 21 days for a reaction to occur the first time. Once allergic to urushiol, however, most people break out 48 to 72 hours after contact with the oil. Typically, individuals have been exposed at least once, if not several times, before they develop a rash. The rash typically persists one to two weeks, but in some cases may last up to five weeks.
Urushiol is primarily found in the spaces between cells beneath the outer skin of the plant, so the effects are less severe if the plant tissue remains undamaged on contact. Once the oil and resin are thoroughly washed from the skin, the rash is not contagious. Urushiol does not always spread once it has bonded with the skin, and cannot be transferred once the urushiol has been washed away.
Although simple skin exposure is most common, ingestion of urushiol can lead to serious, systemic reactions. Burning plant material is commonly said to create urushiol-laden smoke that causes a systemic reaction, as well as a rash in the throat and eyes. Firefighters often get rashes and eye inflammation from smoke-related contact. A high-temperature bonfire may incinerate urushiol before it can cause harm, while a smoldering fire may vaporize the volatile oil and spread it as white smoke. However, some sources dispute the danger of burning urushiol-containing plant material.
Friction blisters, caused by rubbing against the skin, can be prevented by reducing the friction to a level where blisters will not form. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways.
Blisters on the feet can be prevented by wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes and clean socks. Inherently ill-fitting or stiffer shoes, such as high heels and dress shoes, present a larger risk of blistering. Blisters are more likely to develop on skin that is moist, so socks that manage moisture or frequent sock changes will aid those with particularly sweaty feet. While exercising or playing sports, special sports socks can help keep feet drier and reduce the chance of blisters. Before going for a long walk, it is also important to ensure that shoes or hiking boots have been properly broken in.
Even before a "hot" or irritated area on the foot is felt, taping a protective layer of padding or a friction-reducing interface between the affected area and the footwear can prevent the formation of a blister. Bandages, moleskin and tapes generally must be applied to the foot daily, and most have a very high coefficient of friction (COF), but a friction-management patch applied to the shoe will remain in place much longer, throughout many changes of socks and insoles. This type of intervention may be used with footwear that is worn daily, with specialty shoes and boots like hockey skates, ice skates, inline skates, ski boots and cleats, or even with orthotic braces and splints. For periods of sustained use such as hiking and trail running, especially where water ingress or moisture build up in the shoe or boot can occur, moisture wicking liner socks can provide the required friction protection.
To avoid friction blisters on the hands, gloves should be worn when using tools such as a shovel or pickaxe, doing manual work such as gardening, or using sports equipment like golf clubs or baseball bats. Oars used for competitive rowing are known for causing frequent blisters on the hands of oarsmen. Weightlifters are also prone to blisters as are gymnasts from the friction developed by the rubbing against the bars. To further reduce the occurrence one can tape the hands, and there are also a number of products on the market that claim to reduce the occurrence of blisters. These are all intended to be worn as a liner underneath a glove. The majority of these offerings simply add padding and create a layer that reduces the coefficient of friction between the skin and the glove.
A lubricant, typically talcum powder, can be used to reduce friction between skin and apparel in the short term. People put talcum powder inside gloves or shoes for this purpose, although this type of lubricant will increase the friction in the long term, as it absorbs moisture. Increased friction makes blisters more likely.