Identification Test Research Articles

Development and psychometric evaluation of the catheter assessment, management and performance (CAMP) scale for nurses

AimTo develop and test the psychometric properties of a self-administered scale to assess the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour of nurses to support the self-management of patients living with indwelling urinary catheters. BackgroundNurses are pivotal in supporting patients with urinary catheter self-management to prevent potentially avoidable hospital presentations. However, no validated scale is available to assess nurses’ attitudes and readiness for this task. DesignA quasi-experimental design was used to collect survey data both at baseline and after the completion of the intervention. A total of 128 participants were recruited from the Western Sydney region (New South Wales, Australia), who were working in community healthcare settings. Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap™) database was used to manage the survey data collected for data analysis purposes. This study has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN126210 0 0683831) MethodsUsing a three-stage process of concept identification, item construction and pilot testing to develop the Catheter Assessment, Management and Performance (CAMP) scale, followed by factorial and discriminant validity and reliability testing. This 23-item CAMP scale is theoretically informed by the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour) model, recognised for its effectiveness in understanding and influencing behaviour change. The scale was distributed to nurses working in three community health care settings to assess their knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding catheter management and performance. ResultsFour factors were identified using scree plot, accounting for 63.36 % of total explained variance, which reflected the four dimensions of the COM-B model. Cronbach's alpha of the overall CAMP scale (0.93) and subscales (0.92, 0.87, 0.85 and 0.86) indicate good internal consistencies. The CAMP scale was able to detect changes in nurses’ self-reported behaviour change following educational intervention (85.53 versus 95.98, p < 0.001). ConclusionThe CAMP scale is valid and reliable scale, capable of assessing nurses’ capability, opportunity and motivation to support patients, through delivery of catheter self-management education that can potentially prevent catheter-related complications and avoid hospital presentations. Future research could explore using CAMP scale among non-specialist nurses and in various clinical settings to enhance its effectiveness and generalisability.

Mediating Role of Social Support and Family Functioning on Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder

Background: Caring for persons with alcohol use disorder (AUD) significantly affects the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers. According to Lazarus and Folkman’s Stress and Coping Model (1984), the severity of alcohol consumption (SAC) is a major stressor for AUD caregivers. These stressors impact well-being, with QoL linked to caregivers’ coping resources, especially social support (SS) and family functioning (FF). The study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of SS and FF in the relationship between the SAC and caregivers’ QoL. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two psychiatric hospitals in Amritsar city, Punjab. We used a purposive sampling technique to collect data from 128 family caregivers aged 18 and above who were caring for male patients with AUD aged between 20 and 65. The assessment tools used were the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Family Assessment Device (FAD), and PGI Social Support Questionnaire (PGI SSQ). Results: There is a significant and partial mediation of the association between SAC and QoL by both SS and FF ( P &lt; .001, 99% CI). Moreover, SAC (r = –0.519), FF (r = –0.603), and SS (r = 0.641) showed significant correlations with caregivers’ QoL ( P &lt; .001). The mean scores for SAC, SS, FF, and QoL were 22.66 (11.38), 50.88 (9.45), 127.18 (43.85), and 84.13 (18.70), respectively, suggesting moderate SAC in patients, moderate to high perceived SS levels, moderate perception of family dysfunction, and moderate to high QoL among the caregivers. Conclusion: SAC detrimentally impacts caregivers’ QoL both directly and indirectly through SS and FF, with the latter serving as mediators, partially mitigating SAC’s negative impact. Clinical implications underscore the importance of tailored interventions, emphasizing the strengthening of support systems and consideration of diverse FF domains for personalized approaches. The findings contribute valuable insights for developing targeted interventions customized to the specific needs of AUD caregivers to enhance their overall QoL.

Motion and Mooring Load Responses of a Novel 12-MW Semi-Submersible Floating Wind Turbine: An Experimental Study

Abstract Due to the complexity of the integrated Floating Wind Turbine (FWT) system, obtaining reliable results necessitates extensive experiments. This paper conducts a comprehensive study on the motion performance and mooring load responses of a novel 12-MW semi-submersible FWT through model tests carried out in a wave basin. A multi-blade large-scale wind-generation system, equipped with a rectifier network, was enhanced and constructed to provide a dependable wind field. And a flexible tower was designed and fabricated, achieving an accurate simulation of the tower's stiffness characteristic and its impact on the overall dynamic response. The marine environmental conditions encompass various combinations of wind, waves, and currents. Rigorous calibration and identification tests were undertaken to validate the environmental conditions and the model system. The findings reveal that, under mild wave parameters, the mooring load is primarily influenced by the resonance response with platform motions, particularly surge resonance. The load effect of wind and current induces mean surge and pitch motions, while their damping effect reduces the standard deviation of responses, notably suppressing the pitch response peak at its natural motion frequency. Wave loads predominantly dictate the vibration range of motion responses. When the current velocity reaches a sufficient magnitude, the coupling effect between current and wave in the wave–frequency region significantly amplifies the mooring response. Notably, motions and mooring loads in the 60-deg and 90-deg directions surpass those in the 0-deg direction, with the maximum responses occurring at 60 deg.

Getting Up to Speed: Rapid Pathogen and Antimicrobial Resistance Diagnostics in Sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Time to receive effective therapy is a primary determinant of mortality in patients with sepsis. Blood culture is the reference standard for the microbiological diagnosis of bloodstream infections, despite its low sensitivity and prolonged time to receive a pathogen detection. In recent years, rapid tests for pathogen identification, antimicrobial susceptibility, and sepsis identification have emerged, both culture-based and culture-independent methods. This rapid narrative review presents currently commercially available approved diagnostic molecular technologies in bloodstream infections, including their clinical performance and impact on patient outcome, when available. Peer-reviewed publications relevant to the topic were searched through PubMed, and manufacturer websites of commercially available assays identified were also consulted as further sources of information. We have reviewed data about the following technologies for pathogen identification: fluorescence in situ hybridization with peptide nucleic acid probes (Accelerate PhenoTM), microarray-based assay (Verigene®), multiplex polymerase chain reaction (cobas® eplex, BioFire® FilmArray®, Molecular Mouse, Unyvero BCU SystemTM), matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Rapid MBT Sepsityper®), T2 magnetic resonance (T2Bacteria Panel), and metagenomics-based assays (Karius©, DISQVER®, Day Zero Diagnostics). Technologies for antimicrobial susceptibility testing included the following: Alfed 60 ASTTM, VITEK® REVEALTM, dRASTTM, ASTar®, Fastinov®, QuickMIC®, ResistellTM, and LifeScale. Characteristics, microbiological performance, and issues of each method are described, as well as their clinical performance, when available.

Effects of Alcohol Use on Patient Retention in HIV Care in East Africa.

We sought to investigate the association between hazardous alcohol use and gaps in care for people living with HIV over a long-term follow-up period. Adults who had participated in our previously published Phase I study of hazardous alcohol use at HIV programs in Kenya and Uganda were eligible at their 42 to 48month follow-up visit. Those who re-enrolled were followed for an additional ~ 12months. Hazardous alcohol use behavior was measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) tool. Deidentified clinical data were used to assess gaps in care (defined as failure to return to clinic within 60days after a missed visit). The proportion of patients experiencing a gap in care at a specific time point was based on a nonparametric moment-based estimator. A semiparametric Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the association between hazardous alcohol use at enrollment in Phase I (AUDIT score ≥ 8) and gaps in care. Of the 731 study-eligible participants from Phase I, 5.5% had died, 10.1% were lost to follow-up, 39.5% transferred, 7.5% declined/not approached, and 37.3% were enrolled. Phase II participants were older, had less hazardous drinking and had a lower WHO clinical stage than those not re-enrolled. Hazardous drinking in the re-enrolled was associated with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.88 [p-value = 0.016] for a gap in care. Thus, hazardous alcohol use at baseline was associated with an increased risk of experiencing a gap in care and presents an early target for intervention.

SMSs as an alternative to provider-delivered care for unhealthy alcohol use: study protocol for Leseli, an open-label randomised controlled trial of mhGAP-Remote vs mhGAP-Standard in Lesotho

BackgroundThe World Health Organization’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) is a validated intervention that can be provided by non-specialised healthcare workers to individuals with unhealthy alcohol use. However, it typically requires several in-person sessions at a health facility, which may limit its feasibility and effectiveness in remote settings. This trial compares mhGAP-Standard, a 4 to 6 in-person session intervention, to mhGAP-Remote, a 1 in-person session intervention followed by 8 week of short message service (SMS) in Lesotho. We hypothesise that mhGAP-Remote is superior to mhGAP-Standard in reducing alcohol use (as detailed by the primary and secondary outcomes below).MethodsThis is a two-arm randomised open-label multicentre superiority trial. Participants allocated to mhGAP-Standard receive 4 in-person sessions using motivational interviewing, identifying triggers, and alternative behaviours, with the option of two additional booster sessions. Participants in the mhGAP-Remote arm receive 1 in-person session covering the same content, followed by standardised SMSs over 8 weeks that reinforce intervention content. Non-specialist providers deliver the intervention and receive weekly supervision. Adults (Nplanned = 248) attending participating health facilities for any reason and who meet criteria for unhealthy alcohol use based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ([AUDIT] score ≥ 6 for women, ≥ 8 for men) are individually randomised to the two arms (1:1 allocation, stratified by participant sex and age (≥ 50 vs < 50 years old). Follow-up assessments occur at 8, 20, and 32 weeks post-randomisation. The primary outcome is change in self-reported alcohol use (continuous AUDIT score), from baseline to 8 weeks follow-up. Change in the AUDIT from baseline to 20 and 32 weeks follow-up is a secondary outcome. Change in the biomarker phosphatidylethanol (secondary), liver enzyme values in serum (exploratory), and HIV viral load (for people with HIV only; exploratory) are also evaluated from baseline throughout the entire follow-up period. A linear regression model will be conducted for the primary analysis, adjusted for the stratification factors. Three a priori sensitivity analyses for the primary outcome are planned based on per protocol treatment attendance, recovery from unhealthy alcohol use, and clinically significant and reliable change.DiscussionThis trial will provide insight into feasibility and effectiveness of a shortened and primarily SMS supported version of mhGAP, which is especially relevant for settings where regular clinic attendance is a major barrier.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov NCT05925270. Approved on June 29th, 2023.

Development of A Comprehensive Test for Talent Identification in Chinese Youth Racewalking Athletes

Background and Aim: Talent identification forms the foundation of competitive sports. Scientific selection of young people with strong athletic talent and potential to compete in sports training is key to developing high-level athletes and achieving excellent athletic results. Therefore, this study aims to develop a comprehensive test for talent identification in Chinese youth racewalking athletes. Materials and Methods: This is a research and experimental development (R&amp;D) study. There are approximately 300 youth racewalkers in China, and this study is implemented in 115 athletes. The main steps and methods of the study are as follows: (1) Literature review and content analysis, search and sort out the factors related to excellent racewalking performance; (2) Invite 7 experts to fill in the semi-structured questionnaire and form a preliminary draft of the comprehensive test; (3) Invite 21 experts to conduct a Delphi evaluation of the comprehensive test content and revise the comprehensive test; (4) Implement the comprehensive test and analyze the data, select the key test through correlation analysis, and conduct a Test-retest analysis to confirm test reliability; (5) Complete the second round of Delphi evaluation and to construct the final comprehensive test and norms. Results: The final comprehensive test for talent identification in Chinese youth racewalking athletes includes five aspects: anthropometric, physiological, physical fitness, skill, and psychology. The comprehensive test for males included 11 items as follows: (1) Pelvic Width; (2) Thigh Length; (3) Calf Length; (4) VO2 max; (5) 400m Run; (6) 3000m Run; (7) 1000m Racewalking; (8) Sit and Reach; (9) Willpower; (10) Mental Resilience; and (11) Expectation of Winning. The comprehensive test for females included 8 items as follows: (1) Thigh Length; (2) Calf Length; (3) VO2 max; (4) 400m Run; (5) 1000m Racewalking; (6) Standing Long Jump; (7) Willpower; and (8) Motivation to Participate. Conclusion: The holistic evaluation of Chinese youth racewalking athletes encompasses a diverse range of factors, from physical dimensions to psychological attributes, reflecting a nuanced understanding of talent beyond mere physical prowess.

Technological anxiety: Analysis of the impact of industrial intelligence on employment in China

Employment is the greatest livelihood. Whether the impact of industrial robotics technology materialized in machines on employment in the digital age is an “icing on the cake” or “adding fuel to the fire” needs further study. This study aims to analyze the impact of the installation and application of industrial robots on labor demand in the context of the Chinese economy. First, from the theoretical logic and the economic development law, this study gives the prior judgment and research hypothesis that industrial intelligence will increase jobs. Then, based on the panel data of 269 cities in China from 2006 to 2021, we use the two-way fixed effect model, dynamic threshold model, and two-stage intermediary effect model. The objective is to investigate the impact of industrial intelligence on enterprise labor demand and its path mechanism. Results show that the overall effect of industrial intelligence on the labor force with the installation density index of industrial robots as the proxy variable is the “creation effect”. In other words, advanced digital technology has created additional jobs, and the overall supply of employment in the labor market has increased. The conclusion is still valid after the endogeneity identification and robustness test. In addition, the positive effect has a nonlinear effect on the network scale. When the installation density of industrial robots exceeds a particular threshold value, the division of labor continues to deepen under the combined action of the production efficiency and compensation effects, which will cause enterprises to increase labor demand further. Further research showed that industrial intelligence can increase employment by promoting synergistic agglomeration and improving labor price distortions. This study concludes that in the digital China era, the introduction and installation of industrial robots by enterprises can affect the optimal allocation of the labor market. This phenomenon has essential experience and reference significance for guiding industrial digitalization and intelligent transformation and promoting the high-quality development of people’s livelihood.

Functional popliteal angle test for identification of hamstring muscle spasticity in patients with a central neurological lesion

Functional popliteal angle test for identification of hamstring muscle spasticity in patients with a central neurological lesion

Microbes Breaking Down Plastic: Insights for Sustainable Waste Management

This research investigates the microbial degradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics by Bacillus sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Salmonella sp. The study employs a systematic approach, isolating microorganisms from plastic-contaminated soil and subjecting them to a series of biochemical tests for identification. The research evaluates the weight loss of LDPE and HDPE over two months, revealing varying degrees of degradation among the bacterial strains. Results suggest a potential greater susceptibility of HDPE to microbial degradation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis provides high-resolution images of the plastic surface, indicating structural changes and biofilm formation during degradation. The findings highlight the unique enzymatic capabilities of each strain and underscore the significance of SEM in elucidating microbial interactions with plastics. The study prompts discussions on optimization, synergistic effects, and the identification of key enzymes in plastic degradation, emphasizing the importance of microbial strategies for waste management. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the potential of bacterial strains for addressing plastic pollution challenges.

Weak identification in discrete choice models

We study the impact of weak identification in discrete choice models, and provide insights into the determinants of identification strength in these models. Using these insights, we propose a novel test that can consistently detect weak identification in commonly applied discrete choice models, such as probit, logit, and many of their extensions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that when the null hypothesis of weak identification is rejected, Wald-based inference can be carried out using standard formulas and critical values. A Monte Carlo study compares our proposed testing approach against commonly applied weak identification tests. The results simultaneously demonstrate the good performance of our approach and the fundamental failure of using conventional weak identification tests for linear models in the discrete choice model context. Lastly, we apply our approach in two empirical examples: married women labor force participation, and US food aid and civil conflicts.

Exploring the Sport–Alcohol Relationship: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study of Student-Athlete Drinking Following the Transition out of University

The purpose of this study was to provide new knowledge about the temporal and contextual aspects of the alcohol–sport relationship. Eight U.K. student-athletes completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test in their final year at university, 18 months, and 30 months after graduation. They also completed semistructured interviews about their drinking motives, behaviors, and life circumstances. Results showed that participants reduced their alcohol consumption after leaving university, but despite the onset of some adult responsibilities, most were still drinking at hazardous levels. After university, drinking took place with old friends, new colleagues, and new sporting teammates. At all time points, social drinking motives were the most prevalent. Findings demonstrate a relationship between alcohol and sport that is cemented at university but continues beyond it. Targeted interventions to reduce the role of alcohol in the social experience of sport are needed to support long-term athlete health.

Dupilumab Versus Mepolizumab for Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyposis: An Indirect Treatment Comparison

BackgroundDupilumab and mepolizumab have shown efficacy and safety in treating chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). ObjectiveWithout available results from head-to-head randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing dupilumab with other biologics, we conducted an indirect treatment comparison (ITC) with mepolizumab. MethodsA systematic literature review identified RCTs of biologics in CRSwNP. A Bucher ITC was performed, including nasal polyp score (NPS; range 0–8), nasal congestion (NC; 0–3), loss of smell (LOS; 0–3), University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT; 0–40), visual analog score (VAS; 0–10), Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22; 0–110), systemic corticosteroids (SCS) use or surgery for nasal polyps (NPs), and binary responder analyses for NPS and SNOT-22 improvement by ≥1/≥2 and ≥8.9, respectively. Matching-adjusted indirect comparisons (MAIC) were conducted as supporting analyses. ResultsSINUS-24/-52 (SYNAPSE-like subpopulation only) and SYNAPSE were identified for ITC. At 24 weeks, change from baseline in NPS and proportion of patients with a binary responder outcome of NPS improvement ≥1 were significantly (P<0.05) greater in patients receiving dupilumab versus mepolizumab. At 52 weeks, improvements in NPS, NC, LOS, UPSIT, and VAS were significantly (P<0.05) greater for dupilumab versus mepolizumab. Proportion of patients achieving binary responder outcomes of NPS and SNOT-22 improvement by ≥1/≥2 and ≥8.9, respectively, was significantly (P<0.05) higher, while SCS use was significantly (P<0.05) reduced, for dupilumab versus mepolizumab. Surgery rate was numerically reduced with dupilumab versus mepolizumab. The MAIC analyses confirmed these results. ConclusionsDupilumab was associated with greater improvements in CRSwNP-related outcomes versus mepolizumab.

Olfactory event-related potentials (OERPs) and trigeminal event-related potentials (TERPs) in subjects after Covid-19 infection: single-center prospective study.

Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common symptom associated with Covid-19. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of psychophysical olfactory tests and electrophysiological olfactory assessment increased. The purpose of the study was to analyze the psychophysical olfactory tests and the post-covid curves of olfactory event-related potentials (OERPs) and trigeminal event-related potentials (TERPs). The prospective study included 98 subjects (62 females / 36 males). The average age was 42 years (range 21-84 years). Group I (n = 77) contained participants who had been infected with Covid-19. They were enrolled in the study at least 1 year after Covid-19. Group II (n = 21) was the healthy normosmic control group. In Group I, the OERPs of 18% participants were absent. Patients in Group I were statistically more likely to have an absence of OERPs (p = 0.036) than subjects in Group II. We did not detect a statistical difference in amplitudes and latencies of the OERPs between Group I and Group II. In Group I, N1 latency of the TERPs was significantly longer (p = 0.002) than in Group II. The amplitude of the N1-P2 interval of the TERPs was significantly lower (p = 0.025) in Group I than in Group II. According to the psychophysical Sniffin stick identification test, hyposmia was detected in 39% in Group I versus 0% in the control Group II. OD is a common post-covid symptom. The presence of OERPs is a significant prognostic factor for olfactory function after Covid 19. We detected a lower percentage of absence of OERPs after Covid-19 compared to the previously published studies of post-viral OD and post-infectious OD. For TERPs, we detected a longer N1 latency and a lower amplitude for the N1-P2 interval after Covid-19. OERPs and TERPs can be considered valid biomarkers to evaluate the progress of post-covid OD.

Emotional Impact of COVID-19 and Emotional Eating and the Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder in Peruvian Healthcare Students.

This study aimed to explore the association between the emotional impact of COVID-19 and emotional eating and the risk of alcohol use disorder among Peruvian health science students. We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study in which an online questionnaire was administered to 456 health science interns from four cities in Peru. We used the COVID-19 Emotional Impact Profile questionnaire, Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Spearman's correlations were calculated and two multiple linear regression models were developed. 68.4% of the participants were emotional eaters and 8.6% reported low-risk levels of alcohol use disorder. Based on the results of the first model, the overall emotional impact of COVID-19, being overweight or obese, depression and anxiety levels, and living with only one parent were factors associated with emotional eating. The results of the second model showed that the level of depression, living with just one parent, living alone, sex, and number of months as an intern were factors associated with the risk of alcohol use disorder. To reduce emotional eating and the risk of alcohol use disorder among interns, universities should implement interventions aimed at reducing the emotional impact of COVID-19 and provide nutritional counseling.

Workplace drug use, emotion regulation, and perceived family income among Nigerian employees

This study examined workplace drug use, emotion regulation, and perceived family income among employees in Uyo, Nigeria. Using an analytical cross-sectional design, 454 participants were purposively and randomly selected with mean age of 35.41 (SD = 8.27) years. Data from two standardized instruments—emotion regulation questionnaire and drug use disorders identification test—were analyzed by means of hierarchical regressions, independent subject t-test, Pearson correlation, and descriptive statistics. Emotion regulation correlated significantly and was a major contributing factor to workplace drug use: Employees with high level of emotion regulation reported less workplace drug use whereas those who reported more workplace drug use had low level of emotion regulation (r = −0.23; p < 0.05). However, perceived family income showed no significant difference in workplace drug use [t (452) = −0.35, p > 0.05]. A significant joint prediction was observed between emotion regulation and perceived family income on workplace drug use, F (2, 453) = 12.73, p = 0.00 level of significance. Regulation is a key determining factor to emotional disturbances and such abnormal coping strategies as drug use. Understanding the trends in workplace drug use and providing corresponding motivation and incentives as and when due is capable of maintaining and sustaining positive emotions among employees.

First Report of Rugonectria rugulosa Causing Dieback of Prunus salicina "Banbianhong" in China.

Banbianhong (Prunus salicina) is a valuable fruit crop cultivated in the southwestern regions of China for its high quality fruit and substantial economic benefits (Wang et al. 2021). In July 2023, dieback disease was observed in Banbianhong in Suijiang County, Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, with an incidence of up to 10%. The disease caused brownish nodules in the cortex of the infected plant, leading to dry cracking, and exposing grayish-brown xylem, which caused the plant to wither and die. Upon longitudinal cutting of twigs, lesions were evident and characterized by browning and necrosis of the cauline bundle and pith within the tissue. The diseased tissues were sectioned into 2 mm2 pieces and surface disinfected with 70% ethanol and 1% NaClO and rinsed with double distilled water. The tissue fragments were plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated for 7 days at 28°C. A total of six isolates were obtained, and two isolates (WG2-1 and WG2-3) were selected for morphological, molecular identification and pathogenicity testing. On PDA, the colony diameter of WG2-1 and WG2-3 were recorded as 5.50±0.56 mm/day and 6.08±0.37 mm/day, respectively. The microconidia of both isolates were zero-septate, smooth, greenish, subglobose to ellipsoidal, and measured 5 to 10 × 1.5 to 3 µm (n = 50) in size. However, macroconidia were not observed. The internal transcribed spacer rDNA (ITS) and β-tubulin 2 (TUB2) genes were amplified using the primer pairs ITS1/4 (White et al. 1989) and Bt2a/2b (Glass and Donaldson 1995). BLAST analysis of the obtained ITS sequences (accession Nos. PP581792) and TUB2 sequences (accession Nos. PP2815212) sequences showed 100% identity with Rugonectria rugulosa (accession nos. MG991753 for ITS and KM232007 for TUB2). Based on these characteristics, the isolates have been identified as R. rugulosa and have been deposited in the Agricultural Environment and Resource Research Institute plant pathogen lab at Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. In this study, Pathogenicity tests were conducted on one-year-old Prunus salicina "Banbianhong" twigs to complete Koch's postulates. The twigs were wounded using a 1-mm sterile corking borer and 14-day-old mycelium plugs of isolate (WG2-1) were inoculated and covered with sealing films. Sterile PDA plugs were placed into the wounds of control twigs. Eighteen healthy twigs were inoculated with isolates or PDA plugs (n = 6 twigs/treatment, the size of the twigs: 8 cm length and diameter about 0.7 cm, with three replications) and were placed in a closed sterile tray with the wet filter papers in a thermostatic incubator (type, HYC-260) at 28°C, respectively. The twigs inoculated with the isolates exhibited brown lesions site of inoculation, whereas the controls remained asymptomatic. R. rugulosa was successfully reisolated from the lesions but not from these control wounds and was identified by the methods described above. R. rugulosa has been reported to be associated with the die-back disease of Falcataria moluccana in China (Wang et al. 2019). The occurrence and spread of R. rugulosa in growing areas of Prunus salicina "Banbianhong" in Suijiang county have caused severe economic losses. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the die-back disease of Prunus salicina "Banbianhong" caused by R. rugulosa. These results confirm the pathogenicity of R. rugulosa in Prunus salicina "Banbianhong" and provide valuable insights for developing disease management and prevention strategies.

The digital scent device 20: an automated, self-administered odor identification test.

Assessing olfactory function is highly significant in clinical practice, particularly in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Recent approaches in this field emphasize the importance of reducing the time and cost devoted to olfactory testing procedures. Hence, the aim of the present study was to examine the reliability and basic characteristics of Digital Scent Device 20 (DSD-20), an innovative olfactory test consisting of 20 "universal odors", in a European population. A total of 88 participants (mean age = 45.1, SD = 20.3) volunteered for the study. The sample consisted of 37 normosmic controls and 51 dysosmic patients. The correlation between DSD-20 and the total score in Sniffin' Sticks was high (TDI; R = .80, p < .001), and the test correlated with the individual components of the Sniffin' Sticks test. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between DSD-20 test and retest was very high (R = .88, p < .001), which was additionally confirmed by a Bland-Altman plot. Essential characteristics of the DSD-20 are its simplicity in self-administration, speed of application, portability, and the fact that it can be reused. Overall, the present study confirms previous notions on DSD-20 by demonstrating its high reliability and usefulness in separating patients with hyposmia/anosmia and normosmic controls.

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.

The Impact of Minimum Wage Policy on Alcohol Use Disorder: A Quasi-Experimental Study in South Korea.

South Korea's 2018 minimum wage hike was examined for its impact on potential alcohol use disorders among affected individuals, using data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study (2015-2019). The study sample was restricted to workers aged 19-64 employed over the study years. The treatment group was identified as those below minimum wages, and the control group as those earning more than minimum wages in 2016-2017 (n=3,117 control, n=578 treatment). Using outcomes derived from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, our results from difference-in-differences models showed that the 2018 wage hike was linked to a 1.9% increase in the 'high risk' of alcohol use disorder and a 3.6% rise in hazardous consumption in the treatment group. Notably, the effects were more pronounced among men and those aged 50-64. Additionally, we confirmed that the spillover effects extended to workers earning up to 20% above the minimum wage. This study underscores the unintended substance use risk of minimum wage policies in the East Asian context. As wage policies are implemented, integrated public health campaigns targeting at-risk groups are required.