Disease Management Measures Research Articles

YOLOv5s-Based Image Identification of Stripe Rust and Leaf Rust on Wheat at Different Growth Stages.

Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina, are two devastating diseases on wheat, which seriously affect the production safety of wheat. Timely detection and identification of the two diseases are essential for taking effective disease management measures to reduce wheat yield losses. To realize the accurate identification of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust during the different growth stages, in this study, the image-based identification of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust during different growth stages was investigated based on deep learning using image processing technology. Based on the YOLOv5s model, we built identification models of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust during the seedling stage, stem elongation stage, booting stage, inflorescence emergence stage, anthesis stage, milk development stage, and all the growth stages. The models were tested on the different testing sets in the different individual growth stages and in all the growth stages. The results showed that the models performed differently in disease image identification. The model based on the disease images acquired during an individual growth stage was not suitable for the identification of the disease images acquired during the other individual growth stages, except for the model based on the disease images acquired during the milk development stage, which had acceptable identification performance on the testing sets in the anthesis stage and the milk development stage. In addition, the results demonstrated that wheat growth stages had a great influence on the image identification of the two diseases. The model built based on the disease images acquired in all the growth stages produced acceptable identification results. Mean F1 Score values between 64.06% and 79.98% and mean average precision (mAP) values between 66.55% and 82.80% were achieved on each testing set composed of the disease images acquired during an individual growth stage and on the testing set composed of the disease images acquired during all the growth stages. This study provides a basis for the image-based identification of wheat stripe rust and wheat leaf rust during the different growth stages, and it provides a reference for the accurate identification of other plant diseases.

Plant growth-promoting microorganisms drive K strategists through deterministic processes to alleviate biological stress caused by Fusarium oxysporum

Soybean root rot, caused by soil-borne pathogens such as Fusarium oxysporum, frequently occurs in Northeast China and leads to a decline in soil health and becoming a bottleneck for soybean yield in the region. To address this issue, applying beneficial microorganisms and altering soil microbial community structure have become effective strategies. In this study, the 90-day soybean pot experiment was conducted to explore the assembly process and life strategy selection of bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of healthy (inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae, F group and treated with Pseudomonas putida, P group) and diseased (inoculated with F. oxysporum, O group) soybean plants, as well as the recovery effect of beneficial microorganisms on soil-borne diseases (combined treatments OP and OF). Results indicated that in healthy soils (P and F), microbial community assembly process in the soybean rhizosphere was entirely governed by heterogeneous selection (HeS, 100 %). However, inoculated with P. putida (OP) was primarily driven by stochastic processes (HeS 40 %, dispersal limitation (DL) 60 %), and the F. mosseae treatment (OF) predominantly followed a deterministic process (HeS 89 %, DL 11 %) in diseased soils. Inoculation of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) in diseased soil drove the life strategy of the rhizosphere bacterial community from r- to K-strategy, evident from the lower rRNA operon (rrn) copy numbers (O 3.7, OP 2.1, OF 2.3), higher G+ to G- ratios (O 0.47, OP 0.58, OF 0.57), and a higher abundance of oligotrophs (O 50 %, OP 53 %, OF 54 %). In healthy (P and F) and diseased (O, OP, OF) rhizosphere soils, OTU820, OTU6142, and OTU8841 under the K-strategy, and OTU6032 and OTU6917 under the r-strategy, which served as keystone species, had a significant promoting relationship with plant biomass and defense capabilities ( p ＜0.05). Additionally, inoculation of PGPMs improved autotoxin degradation and positively correlated with bacterial life strategies in both healthy and diseased soils (P, F, OP and OF) ( p ＜0.05). These findings enhance our understanding of soil-microbe interactions and offer new insights and precise control measures for soybean disease management and soil environment remediation.

Analysis of Blood Lipids, Blood Glucose, Blood Uric Acid, and Blood Routine Test Results in Retired Employees of a Unit in the Civil Aviation System

Objective: To investigate and analyze the annual physical examination results of retired employees from a unit in the civil aviation system, focusing on blood lipids, blood glucose, blood uric acid, and blood routine results. The study aims to provide relevant references for formulating reasonable disease management measures for preventing and controlling hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and other conditions in retired employees. Methods: The examination results of 231 participants were collected and analyzed. The participants were divided into four groups based on age: middle-aged group, young-old group, middle-old group, and old-old group. The blood test results were compared across these groups, and an assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk levels was completed in conjunction with medical history. Blood test results were also compared by gender. Results: There were no significant statistical differences in blood test results when grouped by age. However, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was higher in males than in females, while the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was higher in females than in males. The LDL-C target achievement rate was lower in the moderate-and-high-risk group as well as the very high-risk group as defined by ASCVD risk levels. Conclusion: Management of hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia in retired employees (elderly patients) should be strengthened to reduce the risk of ASCVD events and alleviate the potential medical burden associated with disease progression.

Exploring machine learning approaches for early diabetes risk prediction: A comprehensive examination of health indicators and models

Background: The increased prevalence of morbidity and mortality associated with Type 2 diabetes is due to changing lifestyles, demanding improved disease management measures. To tackle this, scientists are increasingly looking to technological advances, notably machine learning, for illness prevention and management, particularly in non-communicable diseases. The emphasis is on establishing an early detection system to identify Type 2 diabetes risk factors, enabling prompt treatments and preventative steps to reduce the disease’s rising prevalence. Materials and methods: The research aimed to assess the association of diabetes class with health indicators. Five machine learning models were employed with cross-validation techniques to predict early diabetes risk. The performance matrices of the models were evaluated and compared with the existing work. Results: In multivariate analysis, we found polyuria (β=3.492; Aor=32.872; 95% CI=11.09,97.35; p<0.001), polydipsia (β=-4.100; Aor=60.378; 95%CI=18.28,199.37; p<0.001), polyphagia (β=1.181; Aor=3.25; 95%CI=1.23,8.57; p=0.017), genital thrush (β=1.08; Aor=2.96; 95%CI=1.26,7.53; p=0.023), irritability (β=2.28; Aor=9.82; 95%CI=3.41,28.26; p<0.001), and partial paresis (β=1.2406; Aor=3.45; 95% CI=1.35,8.79; p=0.009) are the potential health risk indicators for positive diabetes class. Conclusion: Using an interpretable feature learning approach for early diabetes prediction improves the use of global health data. This method forecasts hazards correctly and gives insights into influential aspects. As a result, a more proactive healthcare strategy is implemented, allowing for more prompt treatments and encouraging a more hopeful future by improving patient outcomes and lowering the total burden of diabetes on individuals and healthcare systems.

Potential Therapeutic Approach using Aromatic l-amino Acid Decarboxylase and Glial-derived Neurotrophic Factor Therapy Targeting Putamen in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative illness characterized by specific loss of dopaminergic neurons, resulting in impaired motor movement. Its prevalence is twice as compared to the previous 25 years and affects more than 10 million individuals. Lack of treatment still uses levodopa and other options as disease management measures. Treatment shifts to gene therapy (GT), which utilizes direct delivery of specific genes at the targeted area. Therefore, the use of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) therapy achieves an effective control to treat PD. Patients diagnosed with PD may experience improved therapeutic outcomes by reducing the frequency of drug administration while utilizing provasin and AADC as dopaminergic protective therapy. Enhancing the enzymatic activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), glucocorticoid hormone (GCH), and AADC in the striatum would be useful for external L-DOPA to restore the dopamine (DA) level. Increased expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) may also be beneficial in PD. Targeting GDNF therapy specifically to the putaminal region is clinically sound and beneficial in protecting the dopaminergic neurons. Furthermore, preclinical and clinical studies supported the role of GDNF in exhibiting its neuroprotective effect in neurological disorders. Another Ret receptor, which belongs to the tyrosine kinase family, is expressed in dopaminergic neurons and sounds to play a vital role in inhibiting the advancement of PD. GDNF binding on those receptors results in the formation of a receptor-ligand complex. On the other hand, venous delivery of recombinant GDNF by liposome-based and encapsulated cellular approaches enables the secure and effective distribution of neurotrophic factors into the putamen and parenchyma. The current review emphasized the rate of GT target GDNF and AADC therapy, along with the corresponding empirical evidence.

Identifying risk clusters for African swine fever in Korea by developing statistical models.

African swine fever (ASF) is a disease with a high mortality rate and high transmissibility. Identifying high-risk clusters and understanding the transmission characteristics of ASF in advance are essential for preventing its spread in a short period of time. This study investigated the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of ASF in the Republic of Korea by analyzing surveillance data on wild boar carcasses. We observed a distinct annual propagation pattern, with the occurrence of ASF-infected carcasses trending southward over time. We developed a rank-based statistical model to evaluate risk by estimating the average weekly number of carcasses per district over time, allowing us to analyze and identify risk clusters of ASF. We conducted an analysis to identify risk clusters for two distinct periods, Late 2022 and Early 2023, utilizing data from ASF-infected carcasses. To address the underestimation of risk and observation error due to incomplete surveillance data, we estimated the number of ASF-infected individuals and accounted for observation error via different surveillance intensities. As a result, in Late 2022, the risk clusters identified by observed and estimated number of ASF-infected carcasses were almost identical, particularly in the northwestern Gyeongbuk region, north Chungbuk region, and southwestern Gangwon region. In Early 2023, we observed a similar pattern with numerous risk clusters identified in the same regions as in Late 2022. This approach enhances our understanding of ASF spatial dynamics. Additionally, it contributes to the epidemiology and study of animal infectious diseases by highlighting areas requiring urgent and focused intervention. By providing crucial data for the targeted allocation of resources for disease management and preventive measures, our findings lay vital groundwork for improving ASF management strategies, ultimately aiding in the containment and control of this devastating disease.

National and subnational mortality trends of multiple myeloma in China, 2013–2020: Empirical evidence from national mortality

The incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) has increased over time in China. Despite this increase, comprehensive and up-to-date statistics on its mortality at national and provincial scales are lacking. To bridge this gap, we used mortality data from the disease surveillance points system operated by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Mortality rates were standardized against the 2010 census population of China (ASMRC) and Segi's world population (ASMRW). Joinpoint regression models were used to analyze temporal trends. Our findings indicated an estimated 14,568 MM-related deaths in China. The observed crude mortality rates ASMRC, and ASMRW were 1.04, 0.80, and 0.62 per 100,000 individuals, respectively. A notable sex-related difference in mortality rates was evident, with male mortalities (8,319) surpassing female mortalities (6,249) by a factor of 1.33. Age-wise, mortality rates tended to increase after 55 years, reaching a maximum in those over 85 years (7.09 per 100,000 individuals). Provincial data revealed that the highest ASMRCs were in Zhejiang, Beijing, and Jiangxi, whereas the lowest were in Tibet, Qinghai, and Hainan. The period from 2013 to 2020 exhibited a significant increase of 58.09 % in MM mortality, with urban and rural areas exhibiting a 44.97 % and 70.94 % increase, respectively. This analysis highlights the growing mortality burden of MM across various demographics and regions, emphasizing the need for tailored disease management and preventive measures.

Fruit rot on tomatoes caused by Talaromyces stipitatus newly reported in China

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important horticultural crop across the world, but its growth process is susceptible to various phytopathogenic fungi. In February 2022, naturally rotten tomato fruit were observed in greenhouses in Panjin City, Liaoning province, China. Thirty-two morphologically similar fungal strains were isolated from symptomatic tomato fruit. One representative isolate, Guo 1-4, was selected for subsequent experiments and identified as Talaromyces stipitatus through morphological analysis and multigene phylogenetic analysis of internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA (ITS), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), and β-tubulin (tub2). Pathogenicity tests revealed that the pathogenic fungi caused symptoms similar to those observed on tomato fruit in greenhouses and could also infect tomato leaves, thus confirming Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. stipitatus infecting tomato fruit and leaves in China. This research lays the foundation for developing effective disease management measures to reduce tomato yield losses.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Viral Infections and Their Associated Factors among Diabetic Patients Visiting Debre Tabor Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Viral hepatitis is a global public health problem that affects millions of people each year, causing disability and death. Hepatitis B and C viruses are the most common causes of viral hepatitis and are associated with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The primary site of infection for these viruses is the liver, the primary site of hormone and glucose metabolism closely linked to diabetes mellitus (DM), which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. As a result, assessing the coexistence of viral hepatitis and DM could be important in disease management, prevention, and control measures in DM patients. The aim of our study is to assess the prevalence and associated factors of HBV and HCV among diabetes patients attending Debre Tabor Referral Hospital. An institutional-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from December 1, 2021, to February 30, 2021. A systematic sampling technique was used for selecting study participants. Serum samples were screened with a rapid test kit for hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infections. A pretested structured questionnaire was constructed to collect the data, which were later analyzed using SPSS version 23. Inferential statistics were used to evaluate the associated risk factors for the outcome variable. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 152 diabetes patients were included in this study, with 78 (51.3%) males and 74 (48.7%) females, with a mean age of 39.24 ± 17.90 years. The prevalence of HBV and HCV was 6 (3.9%) and 2 (1.3%), respectively. Most of potential risk factors such as, histories of surgical procedures, tooth extraction, hepatitis infection in the family, blood transfusion, alcohol consumption, body tattooing, and multiple sexual partners were not statistically significant for HBV and HCV infections. In this study, no association was obtained between sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioural factors and the prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses. Furthermore, there is no significant association detected between HBV or potential HCV infection and DM. Despite these results, continuing professional training programs on HBV and HCV infection, including increased vaccination coverage rates for HBV, are required.

First Report of Neck Rot Caused by Botrytis aclada on Onion (Allium cepa L.) in Gansu Province, China.

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important cultivated vegetable crops in many countries, including China (Hanci 2018; Steentjes et al. 2021). Gansu, in the northwest region of China, is a major area of onion production (Zhang et al. 2022). In October 2021, typical symptoms of neck rot were observed on stored onion bulbs (cv. Honghe) in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, China. Further surveys of 20 bags of onion bulbs randomly selected in a storage facility with bulbs harvested from 73 ha indicated that approximately 5% of the bulbs had typical neck rot symptoms. The neck of infected bulbs developed a water-soaked decay, with softened and discolored inner scales with white to gray mycelium in the neck. Infection usually began in the neck and sometimes spread through the entire bulb. In severely affected bulbs, the fleshy scales were span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">decayed and the bulbs had shrunk, with black sclerotia between the rotting scales in the neck and shoulders of the bulb. Small pieces cut from the margins of lesions were surface-disinfested with 75% ethanol for 10 s, and 1% NaClO for 1 min, rinsed three times in sterile distilled water, dried on sterile filter paper, placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 20 ± 1℃ for 5 days in the dark. Ten pure cultures were obtained by single-spore isolation (one from each of 10 bulbs). All 10 isolates produced colonies that initially were white, and became gray to dark in color with gray mycelium that was covered with abundant conidia resembling Botrytis species when cultured on PDA at 20 ± 1℃ for 10 days in the dark. Conidia (n = 100 per isolate) were one-celled, ellipsoid or ovoid, beige to dark brown, and 5.6 to 14.8 × 3.9 to 8.5 μm. Sclerotia were not produced by any of the isolates on PDA after incubation at 20 ± 1°C for 30 days. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) gene, heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) gene, and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II core subunit (RPB2) gene of two representative isolates, JQ21AC03 and JQ21AC09, were amplified and sequenced with primers ITS1/ITS4, G3PDH-F/G3PDH-R, HSP60-F/HSP60-R, and RPB2-F/RPB2-R, respectively (Staats et al. 2005), and deposited in GenBank (ITS: OP604277 and OP604283; G3PDH: OP627512 and OP627515; HSP60: OP627513 and OP627516; and RPB2: OP627514 and OP627517). BLASTn analysis of the resulting sequences showed 98 to 100% similarity with those of Botrytis aclada. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree generated by combining the sequenced loci using MEGA11.0, clustered isolates JQ21AC03 and JQ21AC09 with B. aclada with 99% bootstrap support. Based on these results, isolates JQ21AC03 and JQ21AC09 were identified as B. aclada. Pathogenicity of the two isolates on the onion cv. Honghe was confirmed by inoculating 30 heathy onion bulbs per isolate with 100 μL of conidial suspension (1×105 conidia/ml), while control bulbs were inoculated with 100 μL sterile distilled water. All 30 bulbs inoculated with each isolates developed neck rot symptoms after 30 days incubation at 15 ± 1ºC in the dark, with symptoms identical to those observed in the original storage facility, whereas control bulbs remained symptomless. The pathogen was re-isolated from the symptomatic tissue of inoculated bulbs, fulfilling Koch's postulates. hang et al (2008) documented this pathogen causing bulb rot of onions in Wuhan, Hubei Province, 1,700 km from Gansu. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. aclada causing neck rot on onion bulbs in storage in Gansu Province, which is the main onion production region in China. Considering that onion is the main source of income for growers in Gansu, further studies will be required to understand the epidemiology of this disease and foster appropriate disease management measures to avert disease outbreaks in the future.

Clinical-epidemiological profile of the canine population in a shelter, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2019-2020

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic, clinical, and hematological aspects of the population in a dog shelter located in the municipality of Lavras, Brazil. All animals were microchipped and evaluated by veterinarians. Whole blood samples were obtained from 329 dogs in the months of July–August 2019 and from 310 dogs in the months of January–February 2020. Most of the dogs were of mixed breed, received anti-rabies and polyvalent vaccines (100%), were dewormed (100%), and were spayed/neutered (98.59%), with a predominance of adult (86.51%), short-hair (67.51%), normal body condition (65.57%), medium-size (62.57%), and female (62.36%). The main clinical alterations detected were enlarged lymph nodes (38.69%), skin lesions (31.50%), overweight (23.32%), obesity (6.07%), elevated temperature (17.05%), and ear secretion (15.72%). Regarding hematological alterations, thrombocytopenia (36.31%), leukopenia (15.92%), anemia with decreased hemoglobin values (10.60%), hematocrit (9.70%), and red blood cells (5.14%) were observed. Most of the shelter dogs were apparently healthy, but specific measures for nutritional, dermatological, otological and disease management should be implemented once the health changes are verified, as they impact the general state of the population and adoptions.

Isolation and Characterization of Bacteria Associated with Onion and First Report of Onion Diseases Caused by Five Bacterial Pathogens in Texas, U.S.A.

Bacterial diseases pose a severe challenge to growers and cause significant loss to the billion-dollar onion industry in the United States. Texas is the sixth largest onion producing state, yet the bacterial communities associated with short-day onion crops grown in Texas have not been studied. This study was conducted to identify, characterize, and understand the diversity of bacteria associated with onion production in Texas. In 2020, 190 foliar and 210 bulb samples were collected from onion crops in the Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden regions of Texas. Sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene was used to identify each bacterial strains to a genus. The pathogenicity to onion of each bacterial strain was tested using three assays: a red onion scale assay, a yellow onion bulb assay, and a foliar assay. Whole genome sequencing was done to identify the onion-pathogenic strains to species. Collectively, isolates of 24 genera belonging to three phyla were detected, including 19 genera from foliar samples and nine genera from bulb samples. Isolates in the Phylum Proteobacteria, including 15 genera of Gram-negative bacteria, were the most abundant of the taxa, comprising 90.0% of the strains isolated. The diversity of foliar isolates was evenly distributed between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while Gram-negative bacteria dominated the isolates from bulb samples. In total, 83.9% of the bacterial isolates were not pathogenic on onion, with only isolates of Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Erwinia, Enterobacter, and Curtobacterium proving pathogenic. Strains of Burkholderia gladioli, Pseudomonas alliivorans, Pantoea agglomerans, P. ananatis, and P. allii are the first documented cases of these pathogens of onion in Texas. Identifying and characterizing the nature of onion microflora, including pathogens of onion, is vital to developing rapid disease detection techniques via pathogenomics and minimizing losses through the application of effective disease management measures.

Cost-effective Whole Exome Sequencing discovers pathogenic variant causing Neurofibromatosis type 1 in a family from Jammu and Kashmir, India

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a multisystemic hereditary disorder associated with an increased risk of benign and malignant tumor formation predominantly on the skin, bone, and peripheral nervous system. It has been reported that out of all the NF1 cases, more than 95% cases develop the disease due to heterozygous loss-of-function variants in Neurofibromin (NF1) gene. However, identification of NF1 causative variants by presently recommended method of gene-targeted Sanger sequencing is challenging and cost-intensive due to the large size of the NF1gene with 60 exons spanning about 350 kb. Further, conducting the genetic studies is difficult in low resource regions and among families with the limited financial capabilities, restricting them from availing diagnostic as well as proper disease management measures. Here, we studied a three-generation family from Jammu and Kashmir state in India, with multiple affected family members showing clinical indications of NF1. We combinedly used two applications, Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing, for this study and discovered a nonsense variant NM_000267.3:c.2041C>T (NP_000258.1:p.Arg681Ter*) in exon 18 of NF1 gene in a cost effective manner. In silico analyses further substantiated the pathogenicity of this novel variant. The study also emphasized on the role of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) as a cost-effective method for the discovery of pathogenic variants in disorders with known phenotypes found in large sized candidate genes. The current study is the first study based on the genetic characterization of NF1 from Jammu and Kashmir–India, highlighting the importance of the described methodology adopted for the identification and understanding of the disease in low resource region. The early diagnosis of genetic disorders would open the door to appropriate genetic counseling, reducing the disease burden in the affected families and the general population at large.

NMR-based metabolomics of plasma from dairy calves infected with two primary causal agents of bovine respiratory disease (BRD)

Each year, bovine respiratory disease (BRD) results in significant economic loss in the cattle sector, and novel metabolic profiling for early diagnosis represents a promising tool for developing effective measures for disease management. Here, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra were used to characterize metabolites from blood plasma collected from male dairy calves (n = 10) intentionally infected with two of the main BRD causal agents, bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and Mannheimia haemolytica (MH), to generate a well-defined metabolomic profile under controlled conditions. In response to infection, 46 metabolites (BRSV = 32, MH = 33) changed in concentration compared to the uninfected state. Fuel substrates and products exhibited a particularly strong effect, reflecting imbalances that occur during the immune response. Furthermore, 1H-NMR spectra from samples from the uninfected and infected stages were discriminated with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity ≥ 95% using chemometrics to model the changes associated with disease, suggesting that metabolic profiles can be used for further development, understanding, and validation of novel diagnostic tools.

Study of the economic impact of cryptosporidiosis in calves after implementing good practices to manage the disease on dairy farms in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands

Cryptosporidium spp. are widespread parasitic protozoans causing enteric infections in humans and animals. The parasites cause neonatal diarrhoea in calves, leading to a high mortality rate in the first three weeks. Losses are significant for farmers, but the cost of cryptosporidiosis remains poorly documented. In the absence of a vaccine, only preventive measures are available to farmers to combat the infection. This study, conducted between 2018 and 2021, aimed to evaluate the economic impact of Cryptosporidium spp. on European dairy farms and monitor changes in costs after implementing disease management measures. First, a field survey was carried out and questionnaires administered to 57 farmers in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The aim of the survey was to assess the losses associated with the occurrence of diarrhoea in calves aged between 3 days and 3 weeks. The economic impact of diarrhoea was calculated based on mortality losses, health expenditures, and additional labour costs. To refine the cost estimation specifically for Cryptosporidium spp., stool samples were collected from 10 calves per farm. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was determined, and the economic impact of diarrhoea was adjusted accordingly. The assumption was made that a certain percentage of costs was attributed to cryptosporidiosis based on the prevalence. These protocols were repeated at the end of the study to observe changes in costs. In the three years, the cost of diarrhoea for the 28 farms that stayed in the panel all along the study improved from €140 in 2018 to €106 on average per diarrhoeic calf in 2021. With a stable prevalence at 40%, the cost of cryptosporidiosis per infected calf decreased from €60.62 to €45.91 in Belgium, from €43.83 to €32.14 in France, and from €58.24 to €39.48 in the Netherlands. This represented an average of €15 saved per infected calf. The methodology employed in this study did not allow us to conclude that the improvement is strictly due to the implementation of preventive measures. However, with 11 million calves raised in the Interreg 2 Seas area covered by the study, it provided valuable insights into the economic burden of Cryptosporidium spp.

Spatial proliferation of African swine fever virus in South Korea.

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) was first detected in South Korea on a pig farm in September 2019. Despite active preventive measures to control the spread of ASFV, outbreaks on pig farms and in wild boar have been increasing. In this study, we investigated the spatial contamination area using the minimum convex polygon (MCP) approach, and growth rate using a logistic diffusion model. On the basis of the ASFV outbreak locations recorded from September 17th, 2019, to May 20th, 2022, the MCP area for the second week was 618.41 km2 and expanded to 37959.67 km2 in the final week. The maximum asymptote of the logistic function was considered as the land area of South Korea, and we estimated logistic growth rates of 0.022 km2 per week and 0.094 km2 per month. Administrative bodies should implement preventive and quarantine measures for infectious diseases. The results of this study will be a reference for epidemiologists, ecologists, and policy makers and contribute to the establishment of appropriate quarantine measures for disease control and management.

Effectiveness assessment of patient-centered measures for chronic disease management during COVID-19 epidemic

Effectiveness assessment of patient-centered measures for chronic disease management during COVID-19 epidemic

Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals that the Antimicrobial Kasugamycin Potential Targets Nitrate Reductase in Didymella segeticola to Achieve Control of Tea Leaf Spot.

Because of the lack of effective disease management measures, tea leaf spot-caused by the fungal phytopathogen Didymella segeticola (syn. Phoma segeticola)-is an important foliar disease. The important and widely used agricultural antimicrobial kasugamycin (Ksg), produced by the Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces kasugaensis, effects high levels of control against crop diseases. The results of this study indicated that Ksg could inhibit the growth of D. segeticola hyphae invitro with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 141.18 μg ml-1. Meanwhile, the curative effect invivo on the pathogen in detached tea leaves also demonstrated that Ksg induced some morphological changes in organelles, septa, and cell walls as observed by optical microscopy and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This may indicate that Ksg disturbs biosynthesis of key metabolites, inhibiting hyphal growth. Integrated transcriptomic, proteomic, and bioinformatic analyses revealed that differentially expressed genes or differentially expressed proteins in D. segeticola hyphae in response to Ksg exposure were involved with metabolic processes and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Molecular docking studies indicated that Ksg may target nitrate reductase (NR), and microscale thermophoresis assay showed greater affinity with NR, potentially disturbing nitrogen assimilation and subsequent metabolism. The results indicated that Ksg inhibits the pathogen of tea leaf spot, D. segeticola, possibly by binding to NR, disturbing fungal metabolism, and inducing subsequent changes in hyphal growth and development.

Disparities In Diabetes-Related Lower Extremity Amputations In The United States: A Systematic Review.

Disparities in rates of peripheral diabetic neuropathy and lower extremity amputation exist in the United States. To investigate the factors linked to this disparity, we performed a systematic review of the literature on the subject published during the period 2000-20. Nineteen observational studies were included. Disparities in rates of lower extremity amputation were reported according to patient race, ethnicity, sex, and age; across hospital referral regions, residential area characteristics, and income estimates; and on the basis of payer type and hospital characteristics. Several of these factors were interrelated. There was a reduction in major lower extremity amputation rates among Black, Hispanic, and White patients with diabetes over time, suggesting narrowing disparities in the odds of this procedure among Black and White patients. There is a need for a national strategy that integrates public awareness, screening, early initiated multidisciplinary care, and quality measures for peripheral artery disease management, as well as neighborhood-level public health interventions, to reduce the disproportionate burden of lower extremity amputation in underserved communities.

First Report of Stemphylium lycopersici Causing Leaf Spot on Hevea brasiliensis in China.

Hevea brasiliensis is widely planted in tropical and subtropical regions and is the main source of natural rubber production. The growth of rubber trees is plagued by various leaf diseases, resulting in decreased rubber production. From January to March in 2020, a severe leaf spots disease on Hevea brasiliensis found in Agricultural Science Base in Haidian campus of Hainan University (20° 03' 31″ N, 110° 19' 07″ E), Haikou, Hainan province, China. Spots were only observed on the mature green rather than young and bronze-colored leaves. This symptom has never been reported on the leaves of Hevea brasiliensis. During the early stages of the disease, gray leaf spots were concentrated to the leaf margins, but later expanded forming irregular gray lesions with chlorotic edges (Figure 1A). Eventually, lesions became necrotic shot holed, and leaves curled, wilted, and dropped. Five small pieces were cut from the margin of spots from different infected leaves, and were surface disinfected with 75% alcohol three times for five seconds each time and 1% sodium hypochlorite solution (NaClO) for 60 s. After washing twice with sterile water, leaf pieces were placed in the center of plates with Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and incubated for one week at 28 °C. After 7 days, mycelium developed and colonies were single-spore cultured for further study. One of the strains labeled HN01 developed a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown pigment on PDA, and the colonies were gray and cottony. The colony and pigment feature very consistent with Stemphylium sp. (Figure 2) (Li et al. 2017). Conidiophore were solitary, transparent to pale, mostly 102.1-228.8 µm × 4.0-5.8 µm, with 2-3 septa and apical vesicular swellings 6.5-7.9 µm. The dimensions of conidia were 28.3-45.1 × 11.5-17.5 µm and one septum (Figure 3). Conidia of S. lycopersici were solitary, oblong with a conical end at the apex, with 1-2 septa, and constricted at the transverse septum. The internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA was amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4 (5'-TCCGTAGGTGAACCTGCGG-3'/5'-TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3'), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) was amplified with primers GPD-F/R (5'-GCACCGACCACAAAAATC-3'/ 5'-GGGCCGTCAACGACCTTC-3'), calmodulin region (cmdA) was amplified with the primers CALDF1/CALDR2 (5'-AGCAAGTCTCCGAGTTCAAGG-3'/5'-CTTCTGCATCATCAYCTGGACG3') from genomic DNA of strain HN01 (Xie et al. 2018), and PCR products were sequenced. The ITS sequence of strain HN01 (GenBank Accession No. MZ496930) had 99.64% identity with isolates sl001, sl110, sl111, and sl112 of Stemphylium lycopersici (GenBank Accession No. KX858848.1, MF480547.1, MF480548.1, MF480549.1). Similarly GPD sequences (GenBank Accession No. MZ505106) had 100% identity with strain xiqing, HZ2114 and HZ2115 of Stemphylium lycopersici (GenBank Accession No. KR911809.1, KR911810.1, KT957742.1 and KT957743.1), and CMDA sequences (GenBank Accession No. MZ505105) had 99.85% identity with Stemphylium lycopersici strain LJ1609270201 (GenBank Accession No. MG742412.1). A phylogenetic analysis constructed by MEGA6.0 based on concatenated sequences of the HN01 and another 17 strains from GenBank by using the maximum-likelihood (ML) method showed that the HN01 was clustered and matched with Stemphylium lycopersici LJ1609270201 (Figure 4). To satisfy Koch's postulates, we inoculated mature green leaves of Hevea brasiliensis with mycelial plugs (diameter = 5 mm) of pure cultured strain HN01. All leaves of Hevea brasiliensis were wrapped in a freezer bag to maintain relative humidity >85%, and the temperature of greenhouse is 28ºC. The disease developed on the inoculated leaves after 2-3 days, but not on control leaves (Figure 1B). We used the same method as before to re-isolate the pathogen, which had the same morphology and genotypes as the original isolate. S. lycopersici has been reported to infect the leaves of a variety of plants, including pepper, tomato, eggplant, watermelon, Physalis alkekengi. (Yang et al.2017; Ben et al. 2017; Yang et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first record of S. lycopersici causing leaf spot of Hevea brasiliensis in China, and Hevea brasiliensis is the global new host of S. lycopersici. Hevea brasiliensis is the main source of natural rubber and is widely planted in southern China. Therefore, it is imperative to implement disease management measures to prevent potential threats.