ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9634-9463
Current Organisation
CSIRO
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.VIROL.2016.08.033
Abstract: Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) seriously impacts tomato production throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It has a broad geographical distribution and continues to spread to new regions in the Indian and Pacific Oceans including Australia, New Caledonia and Mauritius. We undertook a temporally-scaled, phylogeographic analysis of all publicly available, full genome sequences of TYLCV, together with 70 new genome sequences from Australia, Iran and Mauritius. This revealed that whereas epidemics in Australia and China likely originated through multiple independent viral introductions from the East-Asian region around Japan and Korea, the New Caledonian epidemic was seeded by a variant from the Western Mediterranean region and the Mauritian epidemic by a variant from the neighbouring island of Reunion. Finally, we show that inter-continental scale movements of TYLCV to East Asia have, at least temporarily, ceased, whereas long-distance movements to the Americas and Australia are probably still ongoing.
Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)
Date: 10-2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-01-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-12-2019
DOI: 10.1111/AEN.12436
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 09-09-2023
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291722002616
Abstract: Insomnia symptoms are common during the postpartum period, yet interventions remain scarce. This trial aimed to simultaneously examine the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and light dark therapy (LDT), targeting different mechanisms, against treatment-as-usual (TAU), in reducing maternal postpartum insomnia symptoms. This three-arm randomised controlled trial recruited from the general community in Australia. Nulliparous females 4–12 months postpartum with self-reported insomnia symptoms [Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores ] were included severe medical sychiatric conditions were excluded. Participants were randomised 1:1:1 to CBT, LDT, or TAU stratified by ISI ( or ⩾14) and infant age ( or ⩾8 months). Participants and principal investigators were unblinded. Six-week interventions were delivered via digital materials and telephone. The primary outcome was insomnia symptoms (ISI), assessed pre-, midpoint-, post- (primary endpoint), and one-month post-intervention. Analyses were intention-to-treat using latent growth models. 114 participants (CBT = 39, LDT = 36, TAU = 39 M age = 32.20 ± 4.62 years) were randomised. There were significantly greater reductions in ISI scores in CBT and LDT (effect sizes −2.01 and −1.52 respectively, p 0.001) from baseline to post-intervention compared to TAU improvements were maintained at follow-up. Similar effects were observed for self-reported sleep disturbance. There were greater reductions in fatigue in CBT (effect size = 0.85, p 0.001) but not LDT ( p = 0.11) compared to TAU. Changes in sleepiness, depression, and anxiety were non-significant compared to TAU (all p 0.08). Four participants (11%) in the LDT group reported headaches, dizziness, or nausea no others reported adverse events. Therapist-assisted CBT and LDT were feasible during the first postpartum year data at post-intervention and 1-month follow-up support their safety and efficacy in reducing postpartum insomnia symptoms.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-09-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-11-2020
DOI: 10.1111/EVA.13162
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-07-2018
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-018-29305-W
Abstract: Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic whitefly-species complex that includes some of the most damaging pests and plant-virus vectors of a erse range of food and fibre crops worldwide. We combine experimental evidence of: (i) differences in reproductive compatibility, (ii) hybrid verification using a specific nuclear DNA marker and hybrid fertility confirmation and (iii) high-throughput sequencing-derived mitogenomes, to show that the “Mediterranean” (MED) B . tabaci comprises at least two distinct biological species the globally invasive MED from the Mediterranean Basin and the “African silver-leafing” (ASL) from sub-Saharan Africa, which has no associated invasion records. We demonstrate that, contrary to its common name, the “ASL” does not induce squash silver-leafing symptoms and show that species delimitation based on the widely applied 3.5% partial mtCOI gene sequence ergence threshold produces discordant results, depending on the mtCOI region selected. Of the 292 published mtCOI sequences from MED/ASL groups, 158 (54%) are low quality and/or potential pseudogenes. We demonstrate fundamental deficiencies in delimiting cryptic B . tabaci species, based solely on partial sequences of a mitochondrial barcoding gene. We advocate an integrative approach to reveal the true species richness within cryptic species complexes, which is integral to the deployment of effective pest and disease management strategies.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1071/AP06017
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/AP10083
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-02-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-06-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-021-92553-W
Abstract: Two-component plant defenses such as cyanogenic glucosides are produced by many plant species, but phloem-feeding herbivores have long been thought not to activate these defenses due to their mode of feeding, which causes only minimal tissue damage. Here, however, we report that cyanogenic glycoside defenses from cassava ( Manihot esculenta ), a major staple crop in Africa, are activated during feeding by a pest insect, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci , and the resulting hydrogen cyanide is detoxified by conversion to beta-cyanoalanine. Additionally, B. tabaci was found to utilize two metabolic mechanisms to detoxify cyanogenic glucosides by conversion to non-activatable derivatives. First, the cyanogenic glycoside linamarin was glucosylated 1–4 times in succession in a reaction catalyzed by two B. tabaci glycoside hydrolase family 13 enzymes in vitro utilizing sucrose as a co-substrate. Second, both linamarin and the glucosylated linamarin derivatives were phosphorylated. Both phosphorylation and glucosidation of linamarin render this plant pro-toxin inert to the activating plant enzyme linamarase, and thus these metabolic transformations can be considered pre-emptive detoxification strategies to avoid cyanogenesis.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 18-11-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FMICB.2022.986226
Abstract: Sap-sucking insects, including whiteflies, are amongst the most devastating and widely distributed organisms on the planet. They are often highly invasive and endosymbiont communities within these insects help them adapt to new or changing environments. Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) whitefly species are vectors of more than 500 known plant-viruses and harbour highly erse endosymbionts communities. To date, however, whitefly–endosymbiont interactions, community structure and their spatio-temporal changes are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the spatio-temporal changes in the composition and ersity of bacterial endosymbionts in the agricultural crop pest whitefly species, Bemisia tabaci sub-Saharan Africa 1-subgroup 1 and 2 (SSA1-SG1 and SSA1-SG2). 16S rRNA licon sequencing analysis was carried out to characterise endosymbiont compositionsin field-collected SSA1 (SSA1-SG1 and SSA1-SG2) populations infesting cassava in Uganda in 1997 and 2017. We detected Portiera , Arsenophonus , Wolbachia , Hamiltonella and Hemipteriphilus , with Arsenophonus and Wolbachia infections being predominant. Hemipteriphilus and Hamiltonella frequencies were very low and were detected in seven and two s les, respectively. Bacterial ersity based on three independent parameters including Simpson index, number of haplotypes and Bray–Curtis dissimilarity matrix was significantly higher in 1997 than in 2017. This period also coincided with the advent of super-abundant cassava-whitefly populations on cassava crops in Uganda. We discuss how endosymbionts may influence the biology and behaviour of whiteflies leading to population explosions.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-01-2013
DOI: 10.1111/PPA.12033
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 07-05-2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-09-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-10-2018
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.14865
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.JVIROMET.2013.12.014
Abstract: Bead-based suspension array systems enable simultaneous fluorescence-based identification of multiple nucleic acid targets in a single reaction. This study describes the development of a novel approach to plant virus and vector diagnostics, a multiplexed 7-plex array that comprises a hierarchical set of assays for the simultaneous detection of begomoviruses and Bemisia tabaci, from both plant and whitefly s les. The multiplexed array incorporates genus, species and strain-specific assays, offering a unique approach for identifying both known and unknown viruses and B. tabaci species. When tested against a large panel of sequence-characterized begomovirus and whitefly s les, the array was shown to be 100% specific to the homologous target. Additionally, the multiplexed array was highly sensitive, efficiently and concurrently determining both virus and whitefly identity from single viruliferous whitefly s les. The detection limit for one assay within the multiplexed array that specifically detects Tomato yellow leaf curl virus-Israel (TYLCV-IL) was quantified as 200fg of TYLCV-IL DNA, directly equivalent to that of TYLCV-specific qPCR. Highly reproducible results were obtained over multiple tests. The flexible multiplexed array described in this study has great potential for use in plant quarantine, biosecurity and disease management programs worldwide.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 03-01-2014
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 23-10-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S0007485319000683
Abstract: Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) represents a relatively large cryptic species complex. Australia has at least two native populations of B. tabaci sensu lato and these were first found on different host plants in different parts of Australia. The species status of these populations has not been resolved, although their mitochondrial sequences differ by 3.82–4.20%. We addressed the question of whether these AUSI and AUSII B. tabaci populations are distinct species. We used reciprocal cross-mating tests to establish whether the insects from these different populations recognize one another as potential mating partners. The results show that the two native Australian populations of B. tabaci have a mating sequence with four phases, each of which is described. Not all pairs in the control crosses mated and the frequency of mating differed across them. Some pairs in the AUSI-M × AUSII-F did mate (15%) and did produce female progeny, but the frequency was extremely low relative to controls. Microsatellite genotyping of the female progeny produced in the crosses showed these matings were successful. None of the AUSII-M × AUSI-F crosses mated although some of the males did search for females. These results demonstrate the critical role of the mate recognition process and the need to assess this directly in cross-mating tests if the species status of different populations is to be tested realistically. In short, AUSI and AUSII B. tabaci populations are distinct species because the in idual males and females do not recognize in iduals of the alternative population as potential mating partners.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-07-2023
DOI: 10.1111/BJHP.12679
Abstract: This trial assessed the efficacy of an emotion‐focused, modular, Internet‐delivered adaptation of the Unified Protocol (UP) in improving cancer survivors' emotion regulation strategies. A two‐arm randomized controlled trial (1:1) was used to compare the efficacy of two Internet‐based interventions: UP‐adapted CanCope Mind (CM) and lifestyle‐focused active control CanCope Lifestyle (CL). N = 224 cancer survivors randomized to CM or CL were assessed at baseline, between‐modules, at post‐intervention and 3‐month follow‐up on emotion regulation outcomes targeted by each CM module (Module 1: beliefs about emotions Module 2: mindfulness Module 3: cognitive reappraisal skills, catastrophizing, refocus on planning Module 4: experiential avoidance). Primary analyses were intention‐to‐treat linear regressions using Fisher randomization tests for p ‐values and intervals were used to compare groups with standardized mean difference (SMD) effect sizes. CanCope Mind participants ( n = 61 completers) experienced moderate‐to‐large improvements (SMDs from .44–.88) across all outcomes at post‐intervention. CM's effects were larger than CL's ( n = 75 completers) immediately post‐intervention and at 3‐month follow‐up for beliefs about emotions, mindfulness, cognitive reappraisals and experiential avoidance (all p's .05). CM experienced greater improvements in catastrophizing immediately post‐intervention, with a trending effect at follow‐up. However, we could not reject the null hypothesis of identical between‐group effects for refocusing on planning both immediately post‐intervention and at follow‐up. Exploratory analyses revealed inconsistent between‐module effects. In its entirety, CM is a promising intervention for improving and maintaining cancer survivors' adaptive emotion regulation, especially for mindfulness and experiential avoidance. This may have important clinical implications for promoting cancer survivors’ emotional functioning and general well‐being.
Location: Australia
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Start Date: 2018
End Date: 2023
Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2014
End Date: 2019
Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
View Funded Activity