The development of resistant mungbean varieties is one of the most efficient strategies to control major diseases such as Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) and powdery mildew (PM). The objectives of this study were to pyramid a CLS resistance gene and two PM resistance genes from the donor parent D2 into a susceptible variety KING through marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) and to evaluate their agronomic traits and disease resistance under field conditions. Five markers linked to the resistance genes were used for foreground selection, while two marker sets [Set A containing 15 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) and expressed sequence tag-SSR (EST-SSR) markers and Set B containing 34 polymorphic inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) loci] were also used for background selection. Two pyramided backcross (BC) lines, namely H3 and H4, were homozygous at all five marker loci when confirmed in BC4F4 and BC4F5 generations. Their recurrent parent genome (RPG) recovery ranged from 96.4 to 100.0%, depending on the marker sets. During field evaluation, a moderate to high level of CLS and PM resistance was observed in both BC lines compared to the susceptible recurrent parent KING. One of these BC lines (H3) had all agronomic traits similar or superior to the recurrent parent KING at all environments, and had a higher yield than KING (18.0–32.0%) under CLS and PM outbreaks. This line can be developed into a new resistant mungbean variety in Thailand in the future. These results substantiate the usefulness of MABC for transferring multiple resistance genes into an elite variety.

The leaf-eating caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker, is the most destructive pest of coconut palm in India and Southeast Asia. The management practices employed against O. arenosella so far have been unsuccessful in many instances in India, due to the pest behaviour and coconut palm phenology. The life cycle, incidence and behaviour of O. arenosella are rather interesting and useful for the intervention of pheromone trapping technique for its management. We conducted the present study with the intention of identifying the female sex pheromone of O. arenosella and testing its efficacy under field conditions. Gas chromatography coupled electroantennographic detection (GC–EAD) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of female pheromone glands extract of one-day-old O. arenosella females confirmed the presence of (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-tricosatriene (Z3Z6Z9-23Hy) as the dominant sex pheromone component. The male antennal response to female pheromone gland extract and synthetic Z3Z6Z9-23Hy was recorded using GC–EAD, and the results revealed that antennal response was positive to both the treatments at 0.13 mV and 0.14 mV respectively, compared to control (air), which was 0.016 mV. It was also evident from wind-tunnel experiments that the male moth response was high (80%) with the female gland extract, compared to 60% with synthetic pheromone and 0% for control (air). Male moths caught in the traps with and without lure were assessed in two field sites and recorded 69.26% and 54.25% more moth catches in the traps with the lure. We also observed a similar result in the cage experiment in which male moths caught in the traps with and without lure were 64.50% and 12.40%, respectively. The study also confirmed that 93.20% moths caught in the pheromone-baited traps were male. From the study, it is evident that the presence of (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-tricosatriene, which is the sex pheromone compound from the female gland extract of O. arenosella, is an effective attractant in pheromone traps for the male moth under field conditions.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe a comprehensive continuum that has developed in Ontario between government and key stakeholder groups, including hospitals, physicians, academic institutions, clinical epidemiologists, health economists, industry, and bioethicists to achieve evidence-based recommendations for policy development.

Methods: The various components of the comprehensive model that has evolved to develop an evidentiary platform for policy development are summarized, and the flow between these components is described.

Results: The development of the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee (OHTAC) and associated programs demonstrate the need to go beyond the traditional steps taken within most health technology assessment paradigms. These components include pragmatic postmarketing studies, human factors, and safety analyses, and formalized interactions with a broad spectrum of potential end-users of each technology, experts, and industry. These components, taken together with an expanded systematic review to include a range of economic analyses, and societal impacts augment the traditional systematic review processes. This approach has been found to be important in assisting decision making and has resulted in an 81 percent conversion from evidence to policy consideration for eighty-three technologies that had been assessed at the time this article was submitted.

Conclusions: The comprehensive model, centered around OHTAC, has added important new dimensions to health policy by improving its relevance to decision makers and providing an accountable and transparent basis for government to invest appropriately in health technologies. This study could also form a basis for further research into appropriate methodologies and outcome measurements as they relate to each component of this approach.

This study discusses the value of primary data collection as part of health technology assessment (HTA). Primary data collection can help reduce uncertainty in HTA and better inform evidence-based decision making. However, methodological issues such as choosing appropriate study design and practical concerns such as the value of collecting additional information need to be addressed. The authors emphasize the conditions required for successful primary data collection in HTA: experienced researchers, sufficient funding, and coordination among stakeholders, government, and researchers. The authors conclude that, under specific conditions, primary data collection is a worthwhile endeavor in the HTA process.

Taenia solium cysticercosis is a parasitic disease frequently affecting human health and the pig industry in many developing countries. A synthetic peptide vaccine (designated S3Pvac) against porcine cysticercosis has been developed previously as an aid to interrupt transmission and has been shown to be effective. The results of the present study support the effectiveness of the vaccine under endemic field conditions. However, given the time-frame of the vaccination trial, no changes in the local levels of transmission were detectable before and after vaccination using sentinel pigs. Thus, this investigation shows the limited usefulness of single vaccination as the sole means of interrupting Taenia solium transmission in an endemic region.