Cotton Balls Research Articles

Implementasi Aromaterapi Mawar Untuk Mengurangi Kecemasan Pre Operasi Pada Pasien Sectio Caesarea Dengan Anestesi Spinal

Introduction: A cesarean section is a risky operation that could make some people anxious. Failure to alleviate patient anxiety during a cesarean section might compromise the patient's ability to undergo the procedure since it affects their circulatory, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and muscular systems. Rose aromatherapy is one of the non-pharmacological methods that may be used to manage anxiety prior to surgery. Objective: Patients undergoing spinal anesthesia for a caesarean section might benefit from this community service project's non-pharmacological methods of anxiety reduction, which included the use of rose aromatherapy. Method: As a community service project, we inhale rose aromatherapy for four minutes after placing a cotton ball about two centimeters from the patient's nose and adding six drops of rose aromatherapy to it. Result: According to the findings of this community service project, thirteen participants (43.3%) reported moderate anxiety and seventeen (56.7%) reported severe anxiety prior to the use of rose aromatherapy. A total of 11 subjects (36.7%) reported mild anxiety, 18 reported moderate anxiety (60%) and 1 reported severe anxiety (3.3%) after receiving rose aromatherapy. Conclusion: Based on the results of this Community Service activity, it can be concluded that rose aromatherapy can reduce preoperative anxiety in patients who will perform sectio caesarea.

Exploring the integrated potential of pyrolysis and low-temperature wet torrefaction for typical medical waste valorization: A multifaceted approach leveraging online TG-FTIR-MS, 2D-COS, iso-conversional kinetics, and reaction mechanisms

The rapid growth of medical waste, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and advancements in healthcare, has drawn increased public scrutiny regarding its proper disposal and treatment. This research aimed to characterize the wet torrefaction of a typical medical waste biomass (MWB) composition, comprising bamboo swabs, skewers, splints, cotton balls, tongue depressors, toothpicks, and chopsticks, followed by its co-pyrolysis with medical waste plastic (MWP) including catheter bags, drapes, IV tubing, IV bags, oxygen masks, syringes, and test tubes. The study employed thermogravimetric analysis, TG-FTIR, 2D correlation spectroscopy, iso-conversional kinetics, and mass spectrometry techniques elucidated the driving factors, behaviors, products, mechanisms, and pathways involved. The pyrolysis temperature ranges were 180.15 to 400 °C for TMWB and 380.04 to 550 °C for MWP, with average activation energies of 150.22 and 221.59 kJ/mol for their respective devolatilization processes. Incorporating 20 % and 40 % MWP into the co-pyrolysis process yielded the best performance, characterized by the lowest activation energy. The co-pyrolysis process promoted the release of cyclic hydrocarbons and chain hydrocarbons, but decreased the yields of alcohols, esters, ethers, phenols, and acids, through synergistic mechanisms. Unraveling the pyrolysis pathways and dynamics of these representative medical waste streams offers valuable insights into improving energy recovery, mitigating pollution, diminishing waste volumes, and optimizing industrial thermochemical conversion processes for safely treating these hazardous materials.

Sm-MOF decorated cotton for efficient on-demand oil-water separation and organic pollutants removal

Complex wastewater containing oil–water and contaminant mixtures is a constant threat to ecosystems and public health. However, efficient water–oil separation and water treatment are required, with a preference for simple but universal matrices for possible large-scale applications. Herein, effective oil–water separation and organic pollutant removal are simultaneously realized on cotton balls decorated with polydimethylsiloxane combined with a samarium metal–organic framework. Cotton balls containing polydimethylsiloxane (10 %) and Sm-MOF (Synthesis temperature was 110 ℃, 15 mg/L) were successfully prepared by a simple precipitation method, with a high water contact angle of 150.75 ± 1.1°. After pre-wetting with a low surface energy solution, the modified cotton was endowed with repeatable super-wetting transitions between superhydrophobic/superoleophilic and superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic properties. In addition to on-demand separations of immiscible oil–water mixtures at a rate of 95 %, water-in-oil emulsions could be separated by the addition of different surfactants. The mechanism of demulsification of the treated cotton ball was studied based on the type of emulsifier and the results of emulsified oil separation. Cotton balls modified with 10 % PDMS and Sm-MOF (Synthesis temperature was 140 °C; 15 mg/L) showed higher adsorption capacity compared to pure cotton balls, adsorbing about 98.7 % of Eriochrome Black T within 2 h. Cotton balls modified by PDMS and Sm-MOF are an effective, safe and green material with promising applications in the simultaneous separation of oil–water mixtures and removal of organic pollutants from water systems.

Concentration of kidney markers and detection of exosomes in urine samples collected in cotton wool balls in preterm and term neonates

Collecting urine samples in neonates by catheterisation or suprapubic puncture causes trauma, whereas self-adhesive collection bags can damage fragile skin. An alternative method is the collection of samples from urine-soaked cotton wool balls placed in diapers. The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of albumin, creatinine, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and uromodulin between clean-catch urine and samples collected in cotton balls in neonates and assess the efficiency of exosome extraction. Standard clean-catch urine samples (SSs) were assayed for albumin, creatinine, NGAL, and uromodulin using commercial ELISA kits. Concentrations were compared to the same urine samples extracted immediately from soaked cotton wool balls (sample 2, S2) or the urine extracted from cotton wool balls placed in diaper in a warm incubator for 2 h before extraction (sample 3, S3). Exosomes were extracted from all three samples of one patient for visualisation by electron microscopy. Twenty-six infants (17 males) of median gestational age at birth of 32+1 weeks had urine collected at a median age of 29 days at 37+6 weeks corrected age. Concentrations in S2 and S3 were within 10% of the concentration of SS in 46% and 35% of specimens for albumin, 69% and 58% for creatinine, 12% and 12% for NGAL, and 27% and 15% for uromodulin, respectively, without consistent positive or negative bias. Urine albumin/creatinine ratios (UACRs) were 4.3% less in S2 and 4.5% less in S3 than in SS. Exosomes were extracted and visualised from all three sample types. Neonatal urine samples extracted from cotton wool balls can be used to screen for relevant albuminuria ​but provide imprecise estimates of NGAL and uromodulin. The proof of exosome extraction from urine collection in cotton wool balls opens the potential to examine exosomal cargo.

Changes of Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers after Peeling of Epiretinal Membranes.

Several optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers for postsurgical success among patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes (iERM) undergoing pars plana vitrectomy and membrane peeling have been described in the past. The aim of this study was to examine the remission of OCT biomarkers in patients with iERM after pars plana vitrectomy with membrane peeling three months and one year after surgery. This prospective study included patients scheduled for pars plana vitrectomy with membrane peeling for iERM. The postoperative remission of presurgical OCT biomarkers was analysed from OCTs at predefined time points (three months, one year) after surgery and correlated with visual acuity. Among 75 patients included, remission of pre-surgically present OCT biomarkers was observed in 87.5% of eyes with disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL), in 82.4% with cotton ball sign, in 70.4% with intraretinal cystoid changes, in 57.1% with hyperreflective foci, in 51.2% with ectopic inner foveal layer (EIFL), and in all eyes with defects of the ellipsoid zone. Central macular thickness (CMT) showed a significant reduction after surgery (p<0.001 and p=0.019) and was the only significant predictor for development of distance corrected visual acuity (DCVA) one year after surgery (p<0.001). CMT was the only significant predictor for development of DCVA one year after surgery. Remission rates of most of the other OCT biomarkers were high, but did not significantly influence postsurgical DCVA.

Anti-Inflammatory And Immunomodulating Activity of the 1(10) Β-Epoxy-5,7α,6β(Н)-Guai-3(4),11(13)-Dien-6,12-Olide

BACKGROUND: The article discusses the results of studies of the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity of the sesquiterpene lactone 1(10)β-epoxy-5,7α,6β(Н)-guai-3(4),11(13)-diene-6,12-olide (hereinafter referred to as epoxyguaianolide). AIM: The article discusses the results of studies of the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity of the sesquiterpene lactone 1(10)β-epoxy-5,7α,6β(Н)-guai-3(4),11(13)-diene-6,12-olide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac sodium at a dose of 25 mg/kg (ampoules, 2 mL each, manufactured by Germany) was used as a reference drug in models of acute aseptic inflammation and cotton ball granuloma. On the model of cyclophosphamide immunosuppression, the immunomodulator levamisole at a dose of 3 mg/kg, was used as a reference drug. The immunomodulating effect of the test samples was studied on outbred adult male rats and outbred mice. We calculated the arithmetic mean, the mean square error of the arithmetic mean, the significance of the difference between the mean Рt according to the student’s t-test (TTEST), and the significance of the difference in Pf variances according to the Fisher f-test. RESULTS: The results of the experiments indicate the presence of a pronounced immunomodulatory activity in epoxyguaianolide. When interacting with cells of the immune system, epoxyguaianolide activated the studied parameters in animals with immunosuppression, whereas in intact animals, it did not affect the above parameters. On the model of cyclophosphamide immunosuppression, it was found that epoxyguaianolide has a pronounced immunomodulatory effect, manifested in an increase in the number of T-lymphocytes and a subpopulation of theophylline-resistant T-lymphocytes, an increase in the number of theophylline-sensitive T- and B-lymphocytes, activation of phagocytosis processes, and increased cell migration. This action of epoxyguaianolide eliminates the minimal possibility of hyperactivation of the immune system, which is an important condition for its use as an immunotropic agent. CONCLUSIONS: The conducted experiments made it possible to recommend epoxyguaianolide for clinical trials as an immunomodulating agent in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases accompanied by secondary immunodeficiencies.

First report of Neopestalotiopsis clavispora Causing guava scab in China.

Psidium guajava L. is widely cultivated in southern China. In May 2021, guava scab on cv. Zhenzhu was observed in Zhanjiang (21.18° N, 110.21° E), Guangdong province, China. Guavascab was corky with ovoid or round lesions on the surfaces of green fruits. Gradually the lesions sunk. Disease incidence was estimated as 85% in 500 investigated plants in about 50 ha. Twenty diseased fruits were collected from twenty trees in the field. From each fruit the margin of the diseased tissues was cut into 2 mm × 2 mm pieces; surface disinfected with 75% ethanol and 2% sodium hypochlorite for 30 and 60 s, successively; and rinsed thrice with sterile water. The tissues were plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and incubated at 28 ℃. Thirty-four isolates were obtained. Single-spore isolation method (Liu et al. 2021) was used to recover pure cultures of three isolates (PGNC-1, PGNC-2, and PGNC-3) . The colonies were initially white with cottony aerial mycelium at 7 days on PDA. Then, these colonies form black acervular conidiomata at 10 days. Conidia were clavate to fusiform, four-septate, straight or slightly curved, and measured 15.8 to 21.2 µm × 4.5 to 6.5 µm (n = 40). The three median cells were versicolored, whereas the basal and apical cells were hyaline. Conidia had a single basal appendage (4.5 to 5.5 µm long; n = 40) and three apical appendages (19.2 to 24.5 µm long; n = 40). The morphological characteristics of the isolates were consistent with the description of Neopestalotiopsisclavispora (Maharachchikumbura et al. 2012). Molecular identification was performed using PCR method with MightyAmp DNA Polymerase (Takara-Bio, Dalian, China) (Lu et al. 2012). Sequences were generated from the isolates using primers for the rDNA ITS (ITS1/ITS4), TEF1-α (EF1-728F/EF1-986R), and β-tubulin (T1/βt2b) loci (Maharachchikumbura et al. 2012). The sequences of the isolates were submitted to GenBank (ITS, OQ996557 to OQ996559; TEF, OR101037 to OR101039; β-tubulin, OR100971 to OR100973). The sequences of the isolates were 100% identical to the type strain MFLUCC12-0281 (accession nos. JX398979, JX399014, and JX399045) through BLAST analysis. The isolates clustered with N. clavispora (MFLUCC12-0280 and MFLUCC12-0281). N. clavispora and Pestalotiopsis clavispora are synonyms. The pathogenicity was tested in vivo. Plants (cv. Zhenzhu) were grown ( 3 years old) in a quarantine orchard at 25℃ to 32℃ with 60 to 80% relative humidity in May 2022. Disease-free green fruits were inoculated. Sterile cotton balls were immersed in the spore suspension (1 × 105 per mL) and sterile distilled water (control) for about 15 s before they were fixed on the wounded fruits with transparent tape. Five fruits on one plant per isolate were inoculated. Five fruits on one plant severed as control. The test was performed thrice. Disease symptoms were found on the inoculated fruits after 20 days, whereas the controls remained healthy. The pathogen was re-isolated from infected fruits and was phenotypically identical to the original isolates thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Neopestalotiopsis or Pestalotiopsis spp. were reported to be the causal agents of guava scab in Colombia and in Hawaii (Keith et al. 2006; Solarte et al. 2018). N. clavispora has been reported to cause disease in a broad range of hosts (Ge et al. 2009; Chen et al. 2018), but not in guava. This is the first report of N. clavispora causing guava scab in China. There would be no harvest if this disease is left unmanaged.

The use of soapy water and freezing as secondary steps for euthanasia in cave (Blaberus giganteus) and Madagascar hissing (Gromphadorhina portentosa) cockroaches.

To evaluate methods for euthanizing cave cockroaches (CCs; Blaberus giganteus) and Madagascar hissing cockroaches (MHCs; Gromphadorhina portentosa). It was hypothesized that both suggested methods would be effective for humane mass euthanasia of both species. Approximately 800 CC. The CCs were separated into replicate groups of 25, 50, 75, 100, and 150 grams and placed into 3.8-L plastic bags. Twenty-seven MHCs were divided into groups of 2 to 3. The study took place from January to March 2023. All CC groups were exposed to 100% carbon dioxide (CO2) at a rate of 4 L/min until the bag was full. Madagascar hissing cockroaches were similarly anesthetized using either CO2 or 2 mL of isoflurane on a cotton ball in a 1-L container or a combination of CO2 and isoflurane. Once cockroaches were immobile, secondary euthanasia steps were performed. One bag of CCs per weight category was exposed to soapy water (5% Dawn dishwashing liquid), and the second was placed into a -80 °C freezer. The containers of MHCs were evenly exposed to the 2 euthanasia methods. Individuals remained in their secondary euthanasia method for 30 minutes. Regardless of the weight of the CCs within each bag, there was no impact on time (1.8 ± 0.4 minutes [mean ± SD]) to immobility. The failure rates for both species were 0.2% CI (-0.1% to 1.5% [1/413]) for soapy water and 0.5% CI (0.005% to 1.9% [2/414]) for the freezer method. These results support the use of both 2-step euthanasia methods in CCs and MHCs. These methods will serve as an evidence-based alternative for humane mass euthanasia in cockroaches.

Visual prognostic factors following surgery for stage 3 idiopathic epiretinal membrane by Govetto classification.

To investigate the visual prognosis of metamorphopsia in patients undergoing surgery for stage 3 idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) by Govetto classification using preoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters. Retrospective clinical study. This study included 45 eyes of 45 patients with a minimum follow-up period of 3 months. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and metamorphopsia score using the M-CHARTS were recorded. Central foveal thickness (CFT), inner nuclear layer thickness (INL), ectopic inner retinal layer thickness (EIFL), outer retinal layer thickness, disruption of the ellipsoid zone, cotton ball sign, and intraretinal cystoid changes were measured based on spectral domain OCT. Preoperative and postoperative values and conditions were compared, and correlations between the preoperative values or conditions and postoperative metamorphopsia scores or BCVA were analyzed. After surgery, the horizontal, vertical, and mean metamorphopsia scores, as well as BCVA, CFT, INL, and EIFL significantly improved (p < 0.001). Using multivariate analysis, only preoperative CFT was a significant explanatory parameter for both the postoperative horizontal metamorphopsia scores and mean values of the postoperative horizontal and vertical metamorphopsia scores (p = 0.019 and p = 0.011, respectively). Age (p = 0.011) and preoperative CFT (p = 0.026) were significant explanatory parameters of postoperative BCVA. Preoperative CFT significantly correlated with postoperative metamorphopsia in patients undergoing surgery for stage 3 idiopathic ERM. This finding might help surgeons predict postoperative visual outcomes and make timely surgical decisions.

First Report of Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IB Causing Tobacco Target Spot in China.

Tobacco target spot, caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn, induces shot-hole lesions on leaves that that significantly reduce yield and quality of tobacco. In July 2022, samples (n=5) with target spot were collected from three tobacco fields, one each in Puer (22.63°N, 100.72°E, cv. Yunyan87) and Mengzi (23.26°N, 103.36°E, cv. Yunyan87) of Yunnan province and one in Dandong (40.63°N, 124.18°E, cv. Liaoyan17) of Liaoning province, China; disease incidence in these fields was approximately 30%~40%. Initial symptoms (2- to 3-mm-diameter lesions) appeared on the middle to lower leaves, then expanded to 2 to 3 cm in diameter and developed the shot-hole appearance. Pieces of tissue (5×5 mm) were cut from the edge of lesions, surface sterilized, rinsed in sterile water, then placed on the surface of water agar (WA) and incubated at 25℃ for 2 days in the dark. Single hyphal tips were taken from fungal isolates identified as R. solani based on the morphological traits (Tsror 2010), then transferred onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) and cultured for 3 d as described above. A total of 15 pure cultures were obtained. With the exception of YN-3 (isolated from Puer), YN-62 (isolated from Mengzi) and LN-95(isolated from Dandong) strains, which exhibited hyphal fusion reaction with AG1-IB standard strain, all the other strains demonstrated hyphal fusion with AG-3 standard strain (Ogoshi 1987). Genomic DNA of these three strains were extracted by the CTAB method and ITS regions of rDNA were sequenced (White et al. 1990). The sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession No. OR770079, OR770080 and OR770082. All the three rDNA-ITS sequences exhibited 99.85% similar to AG1-IB found in GenBank, and a phylogenetic tree using a neighbor-joining method grouped the three strains within the R. solani AG-1 IB clade. Therefore, based on the hyphal fusion reaction and molecular methods, these isolates were identified as R. solani AG1-IB. To determine pathogenicity of the isolates, the healthy leaves of tobacco plants (cv. Yunyan 87) were used. Five-mm-diameter mycelial plugs of the strain on PDA were inoculated on leaves that had been previously wounded with a sterile needle, and cotton balls moistened with sterile water were used for moisturizing the inoculation sites. Ten leaves were inoculated for each strain and leaves inoculated with PDA plugs were as control. The experiment was conducted twice. All plants were incubated for 2 d at 15℃ to 25℃ and 90% relative humidity with a 12 h photoperiod/day. Irregularly shaped lesions appeared on the leaves around each of the inoculated sites, but not on control leaves. The pathogens were reisolated and confirmed be R. solani AG1-IB by hyphal fusion and molecular identification tests as previously described, thereby fulfilling Koch's postulates. It has been reported that AG-3, AG-2 (Mercado Cardenas et al. 2012), AG-5 (Wang et al. 2023) and AG-6 (Sun et al. 2022) of R. solani could cause tobacco target spot, but AG-3 is considered the main causal agent (Marleny Gonzalez et al. 2011). To our knowledge, this is the first report of AG1-IB causing tobacco target spot in China and worldwide. The AG1-IB strain has a wide host range including cabbage, mint, lettuce, beans, and rice (Gonzalez et al. 2006). The discovery poses a new challenge for the prevention and control of tobacco target spot, especially when contemplating disease management strategies such as crop rotation and fungicide treatments.

Beyond the Surface: Decoding Pityriasis Versicolor Through Clinical, Dermoscopic and Microbiological Exploration

Abstract Background: Pityriasis versicolor (PV) is an asymptomatic, superficial fungal infection caused by the Malassezia species and causes discolouration of the skin leading to altered pigmentation. It is usually a clinical diagnosis, but in doubtful cases wherein potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount is unavailable, alternative modalities like dermoscopy aid in the management. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the clinical and dermoscopic patterns in PV and correlate with the associated risk factors and study the fungal culture. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted for 12 months. A total of 115 patients clinically diagnosed with PV showing positivity on KOH mount were recruited. Dermoscopy was done, following which the scales were scraped and cultured in the laboratory on Saborauds dextrose agar and modified Dixon media, and the results were analysed after 3 weeks. Results: Among the 115 participants, on clinical evaluation, 79 patients had achromic and 36 patients had chromic lesions. The dermoscopic features were categorized into domains such as scaling, pigmentation and other features. Fine scaling was the most common feature observed in 88.7% of the patients. Pigmentary changes were noted in all the patients with non-uniform pigmentation being the most common. We have also observed and described newer dermoscopic findings such as barbed wire fence appearance of ridges and furrows, fluffy cotton ball appearance of hypopigmented perifollicular lesions and sprinkled pepper appearance of pigmented dispersion. Out of the 115 KOH mount positive cases, 51 (44.3%) showed growth on fungal culture with Malassezia furfur being the most common species to be isolated in 18 patients. Conclusions: Dermoscopy is a new, popular non-invasive diagnostic modality, which shows specific features like fine scaling, pigment alteration, ridges and furrows with perifollicular involvement, and can be used to diagnose doubtful cases of PV as an adjunct or substitute to a KOH mount.

Lost needles, pads and where to find them.

This study aims to assess the frequency and associated factors of surgical "near-miss" incidents (NMIs) in neurosurgery using an event reporting system, to inform the development of appropriate interventions. This retrospective study collected reports of NMIs in our hospital's neurosurgery operating room (OR) from January 2019 to January 2022 through an adverse event reporting system and anonymous surveys. We conducted intergroup difference analysis using t-tests and investigated factors contributing to NMIs using Pearson correlation coefficients. We further constructed multinomial logistic regression models to explore the important factors affecting the types of lost objects and search times. A total of 195 NMIs were included in this study, with the primary items lost being 62 brain cotton pads and 133 needles. Statistical analysis revealed that smaller pads (48.4%) and size 3.0 needles (49.6%) were the most commonly missed items, with the longest retrieval times. The likelihood of NMIs occurring was higher for nurses with junior and/or non-neurosurgical backgrounds (needles: 82.7%, pads: 83.9%). Furthermore, factors such as extended working hours, nighttime surgeries, larger incisions, and more surgical instruments all increased the incidence of NMIs. The results of the multinomial logistic regression model showed that the type and search time for lost needles in the OR were jointly influenced by multiple factors (p<0.05) compared to cotton pads. The occurrence of NMIs is associated with various factors. Reporting NMIs and their causes helps identify solutions before adverse events occur, thereby enhancing patient safety.

2-Methylbenzimidazole-copper nanozyme with high laccase activity for colorimetric differentiation and detection of aminophenol isomers

Laccase is well-known for its eco-friendly applications in environmental remediation and biotechnology, but its high cost and low stability have limited its practical use. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop efficient laccase mimetics. In this study, a novel laccase-mimicking nanozyme (MBI-Cu) was successfully synthesized using 2-methylbenzimidazole (MBI) coordinated with Cu2+ by mimicking the copper active site and electron transfer pathway of natural laccase. MBI-Cu nanozyme exhibited excellent catalytic activity and higher stability than laccase, and was utilized to oxidize a series of phenolic compounds. Environmental pollutant aminophenol isomers were found to display different color in solution when catalytically oxidized by MBI-Cu, which provided a simple and feasible method to identify them by the naked eye. Based on the distinct absorption spectra of the oxidized aminophenol isomers, a colorimetric method for quantitatively detecting o-AP, m-AP, and p-AP was established, with detection limits of 0.06 μM, 0.27 μM, and 0.18 μM, respectively. Furthermore, by integrating MBI-Cu-based cotton pad colorimetric strips with smartphone and utilizing color recognition software to identify and analyze the RGB values of the images, a portable colorimetric sensing platform was designed for rapid detection of aminophenol isomers without the need for any analytical instrument. This work provides an effective reference for the design of laccase nanozymes and holds significant potential for applications in the field of environmental pollutant monitoring.

First report of basal stem rot caused by three Fusarium species on Chinese yam in China.

The cultivated variety of Chinese yam (Dioscorea polystachya Turcz. cv. Tiegun) is an economically important plant, capable of producing tubers that are used as food and traditional Chinese medicine. The basal stem rot was found on approximately 65% of yam (tuber expansion stage) in a total of 10 ha field in Wuzhi, Wen, and Hua counties, Henan, China (Sep 2021). Dark brown fusiform lesions initially occurred at the stems basal, irregularly extending to join together and leading to loop-stem necrotic indentation. Three diseased samples from Wuzhi county were collected, cut into 5 × 5 mm pieces, surface sterilized in 75% ethanol (30 s) and 1% NaClO (1 min), washed in sterile water 3 times, and placed on PDA in the dark for 3 days at 28℃. A total of 44 isolates forming three groups of Fusarium colonies were obtained using monosporic isolation, of which 19, 8, and 17 isolates were identified as F. oxysporum, F. solani, and F. proliferatum based on colony morphology, respectively. Typical isolates SYJJ6, 9, and 10 for each group were further studied. The SYJJ6 colonies showed gray white abundant fluffy aerial mycelium with rough edges, formation of ellipsoid, unicellular microconidia without septa, 5.6 to 13.4 × 2.4 to 4.7 μm (n = 50), and sickle-shaped, slightly curved macroconidia with 2 to 4 septa, 14.0 to 23.9 × 3.4 to 5.1 μm (n = 50). Isolate SYJJ9 produced flocculent white colonies, grew in a circular pattern with a sharp edge, forming oval or oblong microconidia with zero or one septum, 11.2 to 18.8 × 3.4 to 6.2 μm (n = 50), and slightly curved macroconidia with 2 to 3 septa, 27.6 to 44.0 × 3.9 to 7.4 μm (n = 50). SYJJ10 produced whitish or pinkish white colonies with fluffy aerial mycelium and a red pigmentation, produced renal or oval microconidia with no septa, 5.1 to 11.8 × 1.8 to 4.2 μm (n = 50), and falcate, slightly curved macroconidia with 3 to 4 septa, 16.1 to 30.2 × 3.1 to 5.9 μm (n = 50). Additionally, TUB, EF-1α, and RPB2 genes were amplified with primers BT2a/BT2b, EF1/EF2, and 5f2/-7cr, respectively (Glass and Donaldson 1995; O'Donnell et al. 1998, 2010). BLASTn analysis on SYJJ6 (OR047663, OR047666, OR047669), SYJJ9 (OR047665, OR047667, OR047670), and SYJJ10 (OR047664, OR047668, OR047671) gene sequences were over 99% identical to those of F. oxysporum (100%, MK432917; 100%, MN417196; 99.61%, MN457531), F. solani (100%, MF662662; 100%, MN223440; 99.80%, CP104055), and F. proliferatum (100%, ON557521; 100%, ON458137; 99.90%, LT841266), respectively. Pathogenicity tests of three isolates were separately performed on 60-day-old yam seedlings. The basal stems were wounded using needle, and the wounds were wrapped with cotton balls soaked with conidial suspension (1 mL, 3×106 conidia/mL) or water (control). Each isolate treated three plants and repeated three times. All plants were grown at 28℃ under a 16/8-h light/dark cycle. Typical symptoms emerged on basal stems at 16, 13, and 17 days after inoculation with the conidia of isolates SYJJ6, 9, and 10, while the control basal stems appeared healthy. The re-isolated fungi were identical to the original three isolates. Fusarium species (F. oxysporum, F. commune, F. humuli, etc.)were previously reported to cause wilt or stem rot on different D. polystachya cultivars (Fang et al. 2020; Li et al. 2023; Zhao et al. 2013), or basal stem rot on Panax ginseng (Ma et al. 2020). This is the first report of Chinese yam basal stem rot caused by Fusarium species, which threatens the production of Chinese yam 'Tiegun' and should be further studied.

Non-Target Screening of Chemicals in Selected Cotton Products by GC/MS and Their Safety Assessment.

Cotton is used for the production of textiles, hygiene and cosmetic materials. During cultivation and technological processes, various types of substances (surfactants, softeners, lubricants, etc.) penetrate cotton, which can have a harmful effect on both the human body and the environment. The aim of this study was to analyze selected cotton products in order to identify the substances contained and to describe the potential possibilities of inducing textile contact dermatitis (CD). The impact of the identified compounds on the aquatic environment was also taken into account. Nine samples of cotton clothing and seven samples of cotton pads from various manufacturers were tested. Samples after extraction using the FUSLE (Focused Ultrasonic Liquid Extraction) technique were analyzed with GC/MS. Qualitative analysis was based on comparing mass spectra with library spectra using the following mass spectra deconvolution programs: MassHunter (Agilent), AMDIS (NIST), and PARADISE (University of Copenhagen). The parameter confirming the identification of the substance was the retention index. Through the non-target screening process, a total of 36 substances were identified, with an average AMDIS match factor of approximately 900 ("excellent match"). Analyzing the properties of the identified compounds, it can be concluded that most of them have potential properties that can cause CD, also due to the relatively high content in samples. This applies primarily to long-chain alkanes (C25-C31), saturated fatty acids, fatty alcohols (e.g., oleyl alcohol), and fatty acid amides (e.g., oleamide). However, there are not many reports describing cases of cotton CD. Information on the identified groups of compounds may be helpful in the case of unexplained sources of sensitization when the skin comes into contact with cotton materials. Some of the identified compounds are also classified as dangerous for aquatic organisms, especially if they can be released during laundering.

Occurrence of Neopestalotiopsis clavispora Causing Leaf Blight on Acer oblongum in China.

Acer oblongum is native to Southwest China and is also distributed in Nepal and Northern India. It is an excellent garden ornamental tree species, suitable for solitary planting in courtyards and parks. From June to August 2022, severe leaf blight occurred on A. oblongum in Baihe Wetland Park (32°5'42" N, 112°28'13" E) in Nanyang City, China. The foliar disease rate reached 59% (n=100). Early signs were yellow spots on the leaves, mainly on the middle and edge parts. Then, the lesions gradually expanded, became amorphous, and turned yellowish brown, eventually led to necrosis on leaves and branches. Twenty diseased leaves were collected and the junction areas between infected and healthy tissues were cut into 5 x 5 mm2 pieces. The collected plant materials were sterilized in 75% ethanol and 1% NaClO for 30 s and 1 minute, respectively, followed by rinsing in sterile water, and placing on a potato dextrose agar (PDA) plate supplemented with 50 µg ml-1 streptomycin at 25 °C for 3 days. Colony edges were cut and transferred to new PDA plates for purification culture. A total of 18 purified fungal strains were obtained, which showed similar phenotypes in morphological characteristics. All colonies had spread radially with wavy surfaces, and dense cream to white aerial hyphae. After 14 days in culture, black fruiting bodies appeared. Conidia were fusiform to slightly clavate, with five cells and two or three setae, 4.2 to 7.9 μm × 17.5 to 25.4 μm in diameter (n = 100). The apical and basal cells and setae were colorless, three median cells were brown, and the middle cell was dark brown. Morphological characteristics of all 18 strains were consistent with the genus description of Neopestalotiopsis spp. (Maharachchikumbura et al. 2014). Further molecular identification showed that the ITS region sequences of all strains have extremely high homology with Neopestalotiopsis spp. The β-tubulin gene (TUB), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF1) were amplified for molecular identification (Shu et al. 2020). The sequences of three representative strains (FE-05, 09, 16) from different regions were deposited in GenBank with accession Nos. OQ867279, OQ867288, OQ867289 (ITS), OQ870207, OQ870208, OQ870209 (TUB), and OQ870204, OQ870205, OQ870206 (TEF1). BLASTn analysis of these sequences showed 99 to 100% identity to Neopestalotiopsis clavispora strains (OK655673, MZ648263 for ITS, ON000362, MZ286974 fr TUB, MH423941, MK512481 for TEF1). These morphological features and molecular identification indicated that the pathogen has the same characteristics as N. clavispora. Pathogenicity was tested on ten healthy 3-month-old seedlings using the three representative strains through in vivo experiments. For each strain, the conidial suspension (106 conidia ml-1) in absorbent cotton balls (50 µl of inoculum) were inoculated onto the healthy leaves of two seedlings, while a total of two other plants were served with sterile water as a blank control. The plants were potted in a climate incubator at 28°C and a relative humidity of approximately 90%. Symptoms consistent with natural lesions were observed on the inoculated leaves after 5 days while the control plants remained healthy. The strains of N. clavispora were reisolated from the symptomatic inoculated leaves, fulfilling Koch's postulates. N. clavispora is known to cause disease in a variety of plants in China, such as Dendrobium officinale (Cao et al., 2022), Fragaria ananassa (Shi et al., 2022), and Garcinia mangostana (Qiu et al., 2019). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of N. clavispora causing leaf blight on A. oblongum in China. The yellowing and falling off of leaves would seriously affects the garden landscape. It is necessary to further clarify the host range of the pathogen to select appropriate landscape matching plants in future planning.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis links chronic apical periodontitis to liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Insights from a mouse model.

In this study, we investigated the systemic implications of chronic apical periodontitis (CAP). CAP may contribute to the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression through the gut microbiota and its metabolites, which are related to the degree of fibrosis. Sixteen 7-week-old male apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE-/-) mice were randomly divided into two groups: the CAP and Con groups. A CAP model was established by sealing the first- and second-maxillary molars with bacterium-containing cotton balls. Apical lesions were evaluated by micro-CT. Histological evaluations of NAFLD were performed using second harmonic generation/two-photon excitation fluorescence (SHG/TPEF) assays. Additionally, we comprehensively analyzed the gut microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and explored metabolic profiles by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Immunofluorescence analysis was used to examine the impact of CAP on tight junction proteins and mucin expression. Transcriptome assays have elucidated gene expression alterations in liver tissues. Micro-CT scans revealed an evident periapical bone loss in the CAP group, and the total collagen percentage was increased (Con, 0.0361 ± 0.00510%, CAP, 0.0589 ± 0.00731%, p < .05). 16S rRNA sequencing revealed reduced diversity and distinct taxonomic enrichment in the CAP group. Metabolomic assessments revealed that differentially enriched metabolites, including D-galactosamine, were enriched and that 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid and 3-methylindole were depleted in the CAP group. Immunofluorescence analyses revealed disruptions in tight junction proteins and mucin production, indicating intestinal barrier integrity disruption. Liver transcriptome analysis revealed upregulation of Lpin-1 expression in the CAP group. This study provides comprehensive evidence of the systemic effects of CAP on liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients by elucidating alterations in the gut microbiota composition and metabolism.

First Report of Phyllosticta capitalensis Causing Leaf spot in Hymenocallis littoralis in China.

Hymenocallis littoralis (Jacq.) Salisb. is a common ornamental plant in China. In November 2021, leaf spots were observed on H. littoralis in a public garden in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China (21°17'25″N, 110°18'12″E). Disease incidence was around 60% (n = 100 investigated plants from about 1 ha). Leaf symptoms were round spots with collapse centers, surrounded by yellow halos. Ten symptomatic leaves from 10 plants were sampled. The margins of the samples were cut into 2 mm × 2 mm pieces. The surfaces were disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 s and 2% sodium hypochlorite for 60 s. Thereafter, the samples were rinsed thrice in sterile water, placed on PDA, and incubated at 28 °C in dark. Pure cultures were obtained by transferring hyphal tips to new PDA plates. Twenty pure cultures were obtained. Single-spore isolation method (Liu et al. 2021) was used to recover the cultures of three isolates (HPC-1, HPC-2, and HPC-3). Colonies of the isolates were dark green with a granular surface, and irregular white (later turning black) edge. Pycnidia were black, globose and 96 -140 μm in diameter. Conidia were single-celled, oval, 7.5 to 13.5 × 4.0 to 7.5 µm (n= 40), with a single apical appendage. Morphological characteristics of the isolates were consistent with the description ofPhyllostictacapitalensis(Wikee et al. 2013). Molecular identification was performed using PCR method with MightyAmp DNA Polymerase (Takara-Bio, Dalian, China) (Lu et al. 2012). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, translation elongation factor (TEF1), actin (ACT), and glyceradehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were amplified using primers ITS1/ITS4, EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Druzhinina et al. 2005), ACT-512F/ACT-783R, and Gpd1-LM/Gpd2-LM (Wikee et al. 2013), respectively. Sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers OM654570 - OM654572 forITS, OM831376 - OM831378 fortef1-α, OM831346 - OM831348 forACT, and OM831364 - OM831366 for GAPDH. BLASTn analysis showed that these sequences were 99 to 100% similarity with those of P.capitalensis(ITS, FJ538339; TEF1, FJ538397; ACT, FJ538455; and GAPDH, JF343723). Besides, a phylogenetic tree was generated on the basis of the concatenated data from the sequences of ITS, TEF1, ACT, and GAPDH that nested within the clade containing P.capitalensis (CBS 117118, CPC20510,CPC20267, and CPC18848). From the combination of the morphological and molecular characteristics, the isolates were determined to beP.capitalensis. Pathogenicity testing was performed in a greenhouse with 80% relative humidity at 25 to 30°C. Ten healthy plants of H. littoralis (2 month old with 4 leaves) were grown in pots with one plant in each pot. Three leaves on one plant per isolate were inoculated with three mycelial plugs obtained from 7-day cultures, totaling five plants. Five plants treated with PDA plugs served as the controls. Wet cotton balls were fixed on the leaves with transparent tape for five days to keep it from drying out. The test was conducted three times. After 15 days, similar symptoms were observed in the inoculated leaves as in the garden, whereas control leaves remained asymptomatic and P.capitalensiswas successfully re-isolated from the inoculated leaves. Previously, P.capitalensishas been reported to cause leaf spot disease of various host plants around the world (Wikee et al. 2013). However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot caused by P.capitalensison H. littoralis in China. This study provides an important reference for the control of the disease.

First report of Lasiodipilodia theobromae Causing leaf spot of Agave sisalana in GuangXi, China.

Agave sisalana, as an excellent fiber producing plant, is mainly planted in Guangxi Province, China. In November 2023, a foliar disease occured on A. sisalana at Liangjiang Town (108.3593 W, 23.4723 N), Wuming District, Nanning in GuangXi, China. Approximately 50 to 60% of the plants (n=200) had obvious leaf spots on more than 70% of the leaves. On the leaves of sisal, circular or irregularly shaped yellow brown spots can be seen, sunken, with no halo on the edges. As time goes on, the lesion gradually expands to the entire blade of the sword (Figure 1A, 1B). To identify the disease etiology, ten agave leaves were collected from GuangXi. Symptomatic midribs were cut into 3×3 mm pieces, surface sterilized with 75 % ethanol for 20 s, rinsed with sterilized distilled water three times, air dried on sterile filter paper, plated on photo dextrose agar (PDA) medium, and incubated at 28 ℃ in the dark. Five isolates (JM01, JM02, JM03, JM05, JM06) with similar morphology were obtained. Colonies on PDA medium were white to grayish-white with atrial mycelia growing initially upward and then forming clusters (Figure 1E). After five days, mycelia turned grayish black. Immature conidia were initially hyaline, aseptate, and ellipsoid. Mature conidia were dark brown, one septate, longitudinal striate, and 22.1 to 26.3×10.2 to 14.9 μm (Figure 1F). Morphologically , the isolates were identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Alves et al. 2008). For molecular identification, genome DNA of five representative isolate was extracted using the Fungi Genomic DNA Purification kit. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α) and β-tublin (TUB) gene were amplified with primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Carbone and Kohn 1999), and Bt2a/Bt2b (Glass and Donaldson 1995), respectively, and sequenced. The ITS (PP209594), TEF-1α (PP234629), and TUB (PP234628) sequences of representative isolate JM01 were deposited in GeneBank. BLAST searches showed >99% nucleotide identity to sequences of L. theobromae (ITS, 99.26% to NR111174; TEF-1α, 99.69% to MM840490; TUB, 98.92% to MN172230). Phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood based on the combined ITS, TEF-1α, and TUB sequences of the isolates and reference sequences of Lasiodiplodias spp. from GenBank indicated the isolates obtained in this study formed a clade strongly supported based on bootstrap values to the ex-type isolate CBS164.96 sequences of L.theobromae (Figure 2). To test pathogenicity, JM01 was tested by inoculation leaves of one year old agave plants, the epidermis at the inoculation site, 10, 15 and 20 cm below to the crown, was wiped with a 75% alcohol cotton ball, washed three times with sterile water, and punctured (5 mm diameter) with a sterile inoculation needle. A 5 mm block of each isolate cultured on PDA for 3 days was attached to the inoculation site. Controls were inoculated with sterile PDA. The inoculation area was covered with plastic wrap. All plants were kept in a controlled greenhouse at 27℃, 80% relative humidity, and natural daylight, and watered weekly. Each treatment was repeated three times. Remove the block one day later. Three days after inoculation, all inoculated had typical symptoms,but control were healthy (Figure 1C, 1D). Fungal isolates were only recovered from symptomatic stems and were morphologically identical to L. theobromae, completing Koch's postulates. L. Theobromae has been reported as the cause of leaf rot on A. angustifolia in Mexico (Reyes-García et al. 2023). To our knowledge, this is the first report of L. theobromae causing leaf spot on A. sisalana in GuangXi, China. L. theobromae is primarily a plant pathogen that causes rotting and dieback in fruits and plants in tropical and subtropical regions (Puttanna 1967). This study is useful to focus on management strategies for leaf rot disease by L. theobromae of A. sisalana.

First Report of Alternaria alternata Causing Leaf Spot on Catalpa bungei in China.

Catalpa bungei originates from China. It is fast-growing and possesses a vertically aligned trunk, rendering it a commendable construction material and a significant economic species. In July 2022, a serious leaf spot occurred in the LanLake farm (surveyed area of about 700 acres) in Nanyang (33°3'23" N, 112°28'50" E), Henan Province, China. The incidence rate of leaf disease reached 54% (n=100). The disease initially manifested as irregular round spots with a yellowish-brown hue, subsequently extending in all directions. Later, the lesion periphery exhibited a darkening effect, leading to yellowing. Twenty diseased leaves were randomly collected and cut into small pieces at the interfaces between infected and healthy tissues. The tissues were sterilized in a solution of 75% ethanol and 1% NaClO for 30 seconds and 1 minute, respectively. After rinsing in sterile water, the pieces were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates and incubated at 25°C for 5 days. A total of 29 purified fungal strains were acquired, exhibiting comparable phenotypes in terms of morphological characteristics. Three strains (QS1-1, QS1-2, and QS1-3) were isolated for subsequent investigations. The colony exhibited abundant aerial mycelium with shades ranging from dark green to grey-brown on the reverse side. To analyze the morphological characteristics of conidia, potato carrot agar (PCA) was used as the culture medium and incubated at 25°C with a 12-hour light/dark cycle. Conidia were obclavate or spheroidal, dark brown, with 3 to 5 transverse septa, and 1 to 4 longitudinal septa, measuring 12.4 to 36.7 × 4.4 to 9.0 μm (n=100), with conical beak lengths ranging from 0 to 4.3 μm. These morphological traits suggested that the pathogen shares similarities with the Alternaria species. The rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (gapdh), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) were amplified for further molecular identification. The resultant sequences were submitted to GenBank with the following accession numbers: OR733559, OR742124, OR761873 (ITS), OR939796, OR939797, OR939798 (tef1), OR939801, OR939802, OR939803 (gapdh), and PP054846, PP054847, PP054848 (rpb2). A Phylogenetic tree was constructed of combined genes (ITS, tef1, gapdh, and rpb2) of sequences, alongside the sequences of the type strains by the neighbor-joining method. The three strains formed a clade with the strains CBS 121456 of Alternaria alternata in phylogenetic trees, being separated from other Alternaria spp. The morphological features and molecular analyses supported the strains as members of Alternaria alternata (Woudenberg et al. 2015). To validate pathogenicity, a conidial suspension (106 conidia ml-1) of all three strains was inoculated onto three healthy leaves of five seedlings, with 50 μl of inoculum absorbed with cotton balls. Another group of five plants received sterile water as a control. All plants were incubated in a climate chamber at 28°C and 90% relative humidity. Four days post-inoculation, lesions resembling natural phenomena were observed, whereas control plants showed no symptoms. Subsequent reisolation produced cultures that were morphologically and molecularly identical to the original strains, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Stem canker of C. bungei caused by Phytophthora nicotianae has been reported in China (Chang et al. 2022). This is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf spots on C. bungei in China. Further research is required on management options to control this disease and the host range still needs to be clarified for accurate disease management.