The olive, botanical name Olea europaea, meaning 'European olive', is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin, with wild subspecies found further afield in Africa and western Asia. When in shrub form, it is known as Olea europaea'Montra', dwarf olive, or little olive. The species is cultivated in all the countries of the Mediterranean, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and South Africa. It is the type species for its genus, Olea. The tree and its fruit give their name to the Oleaceae plant family, which also includes species such as lilac, jasmine, forsythia, and the true ash tree.
Ménière's disease (MD) is a disease of the inner ear that is characterized by potentially severe and incapacitating episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Typically, only one ear is affected initially, but over time, both ears may become involved. Episodes generally last from 20 minutes to a few hours. The time between episodes varies. The hearing loss and ringing in the ears can become constant over time.
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a genetic disorder that typically becomes apparent after 6-18 months of age and almost exclusively in girls. Symptoms include impairments in language and coordination, and repetitive movements. Those affected often have slower growth, difficulty walking, and a smaller head size. Complications of Rett syndrome can include seizures, scoliosis, and sleeping problems. The severity of the condition is variable.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a group of symptoms that commonly include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating and changes in the consistency of bowel movements. These symptoms may occur over a long time, sometimes for years. IBS can negatively affect quality of life and may result in missed school or work or reduced productivity at work. Disorders such as anxiety, major depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome are common among people with IBS.
Encephalitis lethargica is an atypical form of encephalitis. Also known as "sleeping sickness" or "sleepy sickness", it was first described in 1917 by neurologist Constantin von Economo and pathologist Jean-René Cruchet. The disease attacks the brain, leaving some victims in a statue-like condition, speechless and motionless. Between 1915 and 1926, an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica spread around the world. The exact number of people infected is unknown, but it is estimated that more than one million people contracted the disease during the epidemic, which directly caused more than 500,000 deaths. Most of those who survived never recovered their pre-morbid vigour.
Paresthesia, also known as Pins and Needles, is an abnormal sensation of the skin with no apparent physical cause. Paresthesia may be transient or chronic, and may have many possible underlying causes. Paresthesias are usually painless and can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly occur in the arms and legs.
The Xanthomonadales are a bacterial order within the Gammaproteobacteria. They are one of the largest groups of bacterial phytopathogens, harbouring species such as Xanthomonas citri, Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, Xanthomonas oryzae and Xylella fastidiosa. These bacteria affect agriculturally important plants including tomatoes, bananas, citrus plants, rice, and coffee. Many species within the order are also human pathogens. Species within the genus Stenotrophomonas are multidrug resistant opportunistic pathogens that are responsible for nosocomial infections in immunodeficient patients.
The glassy-winged sharpshooter is a large leafhopper, similar to other species of sharpshooter.
Blepharospasm is a neurological disorder characterized by intermittent, involuntary spasms and contractions of the orbicularis oculi (eyelid) muscles around both eyes. These result in abnormal twitching or blinking, and in the extreme, sustained eyelid closure resulting in functional blindness.
Xylella fastidiosa is an aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium of the genus Xylella. It is a plant pathogen, that grows in the water transport tissues of plants and is transmitted exclusively by xylem sap-feeding insects such as sharpshooters and spittlebugs. Many plant diseases are due to infections of X. fastidiosa, including bacterial leaf scorch, oleander leaf scorch, coffee leaf scorch (CLS), alfalfa dwarf, phony peach disease, and the economically important Pierce's disease of grapes (PD), olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS), and citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC). While the largest outbreaks of X. fastidiosa–related diseases have occurred in the Americas and Europe, this pathogen has also been found in Taiwan, Israel, and a few other countries worldwide.
Graphocephala coccinea is a meadow and woodland-dwelling species of brightly colored leafhopper native to North and Central America, from Canada south to Panama. Common names include candy-striped leafhopper, red-banded leafhopper, scarlet-and-green leafhopper and red-and-blue leafhopper.
Thousand cankers disease (TCD) is a recently recognized disease of certain walnuts. The disease results from the combined activity of the walnut twig beetle and a canker producing fungus, Geosmithia morbida. Until July 2010 the disease was only known to the western United States where over the past decade it has been involved in several large scale die-offs of walnut, particularly black walnut, Juglans nigra. However, in late July 2010 a well-established outbreak of the disease was found in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area. This new finding is the first locating it within the native range of its susceptible host, black walnut. In 2013, an outbreak was found in the Veneto region of Italy, where the disease has been found on both black walnut and English walnut.
Philaenus spumarius, the meadow froghopper or meadow spittlebug, is a species of insect belonging to the spittlebug family Aphrophoridae. In Italy and America, it is economically important as one of the vectors of Pierce's disease.
Little cherry disease or LChD, sometimes referred to as little cherry, K & S little cherry or sour cherry decline, is a viral infectious disease that affects cherry trees, most notably sweet cherries and sour cherries . Little cherry disease should not be confused with cherry buckskin disease, which is caused by Phytoplasma. Note that both diseases are among the diseases referred to as cherry decline.
Verrallia aucta is a species of fly in the family Pipunculidae. It is found in the Palearctic.
Graphocephala atropunctata, commonly known as the blue-green sharpshooter, is a hemipteran bug native to the United States west coast, as well as Arizona and New Mexico. It carries the phytopathogenic bacteria Xylella fastidiosa which infects the xylem of grape vines causing die-back – known as Pierce's disease. This leads to loss of productivity and economic damage to the California vineyards.
Verdale-de-l'Hérault is an olive cultivar developed in the department of Hérault, in the southern French region of Occitanie. The fruit produces a sweet oil with a light and fruity aroma of greenery, nuts, and apple, and exhibits no bitterness.
Ascolano is a cold-hardy table variety olive cultivar from the Marche and Tuscany regions of Italy that is also grown in California for olive oil.
Pecan bacterial leaf scorch is a disease of the pecan tree that is common throughout the production regions of the United States caused by the pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex. The pathogen was initially discovered to be coincidentally associated with symptoms of pecan fungal leaf scorch in 1998 and has subsequently been found to be endemic in the southeastern United States, as well as Arizona, California, and New Mexico.
Waardenburg anophthalmia syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder which is characterized by either microphthalmia or anophthalmia, osseous synostosis, ectrodactylism, polydactylism, and syndactylism. So far, 29 cases from families in Brazil, Italy, Turkey, and Lebanon have been reported worldwide. This condition is caused by homozygous mutations in the SMOC1 gene, in chromosome 14.
