Important Disease Research Articles

Studying the pathogenic Streptomyces strains responsible for causing potato common scab in Iran and assessing the efficacy of native S. fimicarius-ghR and S. rochei-FsG in reducing scab lesion development in both potato and radish hosts in vivo

ABSTRACT Potato common scab an important widespread disease caused by Streptomyces species, usually can diminish the market value of tubers. None of the disease management methods is considered efficient. Non-pathogenic Streptomyces species owing to their source of bioactive compounds can alleviate scab severity and strengthen plant vigour. During our survey, three pathogenic strains with atypical composition of Pathogenicity Island (PAI) marker genes prevented radish seed germination by ≥98% and exhibited coalescing superficial, raised or mild pitted lesions in pot trials. Based on 16S rRNA and rpoB sequencing, Streptomyces sp. (FG1 and AAb) and S. rochei-HGs were identified. Our research findings have led us to identify S. rochei-HGs as a novel scab-causing species of potato. In addition, two beneficial Streptomyces strains obtained from potato rhizosphere and soil, including S. fimicarius-ghR and S. rochei-FsG, inhibited streptomyces sp.-FG1 growth with the inhibition halo ≥30 mm on agar plates, alleviated the lesion severity index and showed the control efficacy of 88.88 ± 6.41% and 83.33 ± 16.94% on potato, respectively under greenhouse conditions. Both of them can produce siderophore, IAA and solubilise phosphate. By measuring the plant growth attributes, the application of ghR and FsG strains in pathogen-infected soil showed enhancement in potato root and shoot length as well as radish compared with the controls. Evaluation of the inhibitory compounds of studied antagonists by chemistry methods is ongoing. The disease suppressiveness of strains and their plant growth induction should also be validated at the field level.

MOF-Based Platform for Kidney Diseases: Advances, Challenges, and Prospects.

Kidney diseases are important diseases that affect human health worldwide. According to the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) report, kidney diseases have become the top 10 causes of death. Strengthening the prevention, primary diagnosis, and action of kidney-related diseases is of great significance in maintaining human health and improving the quality of life. It is increasingly challenging to address clinical needs with the present technologies for diagnosing and treating renal illness. Fortunately, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great promise in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. This review summarizes the research progress of MOFs in the diagnosis and treatment of renal disease in recent years. Firstly, we introduce the basic structure and properties of MOFs. Secondly, we focus on the utilization of MOFs in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. In the diagnosis of kidney disease, MOFs are usually designed as biosensors to detect biomarkers related to kidney disease. In the treatment of kidney disease, MOFs can not only be used as an effective adsorbent for uremic toxins during hemodialysis but also as a precise treatment of intelligent drug delivery carriers. They can also be combined with nano-chelation technology to solve the problem of the imbalance of trace elements in kidney disease. Finally, we describe the current challenges and prospects of MOFs in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases.

Biosensors for Detection of Hepatitis B Virus: Review

Abstract: Hepatitis B is still one of the most important infectious diseases among humans, which is considered a serious threat to their lives. Early diagnosis of this disease can be an effective measure in stopping the chain of transmission and treatment of the disease. In this review study, an attempt has been made to explain the use of biosensors as a fast, high-efficiency, and low-cost method in diagnosis. The biosensors prepared for hepatitis detection included DNA-based, aptamers-based, protein-based, enzyme-based, antibody-based, and polymers-based biosensors, each of which had different advantages. The results of this review showed that almost all introduced biosensors had an acceptable performance. However, we suggest that aptamers are desirable for biosensing applications because they can change their structure to properly bind to their target, are cost-effective to prepare, and are highly sensitive.

First report of Macrophomina phaseolina causing сharcoal rot in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) plants in Uzbekistan.

The soybean production area is expanding in Uzbekistan. Soybeans were planted on an area of 10 thsd ha and the harvest amounted to 30 thsd metric tons in 2023 (IPAD, https://ipad.fas.usda.gov/countrysummary). Macrophomina phaseolina (Mp) is a soil- and seed-borne fungal pathogen causing economically important diseases of legume crops (Pennerman et al. 2024). Drought stress and a warm climate are favorable to this pathogen (Irulappan et al. 2022). Under these conditions, its microsclerotia survive for a longer period and become more virulent (Chamorro et al. 2015). In August 2022, typical symptoms of charcoal rot were observed in about 25% of "Orzu" soybean cultivar affecting 6 ha located on the experimental base "Durmon" of our institute. Diseased plants displayed the following charcoal rot symptoms: leaves turn yellow, then wilt, die, and remain attached to the plant; the lower portion of the stem and tap root have a light gray or ashy black discoloration; tiny black specks on the lower stem and root; after splitting the stem, it has the appearance of fine charcoal powder. In order to determine the causal agent of these symptoms, a total of 17 diseased plants were collected from focal lesions in soybean plantings. From each plant, twelve sections of stem and root tissue were selected, cut into small 5-mm pieces, and surface sterilized with 1% sodium hypochlorite for four minutes, then rinsed three times with sterile distilled water. The disinfected tissues were dried on sterile filter paper for 5 min and placed on PDA Petri plates, which were incubated in an incubation chamber for 3 days (16 h light (26oC) and 8 h dark (18oC)). Fungi were subsequently subcultured on PDA and incubated for 7 days to obtain pure cultures. Six monohyphal colonies were purified. The colonies showed dense growth, with a gray initial mycelium becoming darker with aging. After 8 days on PDA, black-colored microsclerotia with spherical to oblong shapes were observed. On average, they measured 60 µm in width and 130 µm in length (n = 30). From six isolated monohyphal colonies, one has been chosen for molecular-genetic identification. Molecular-genetic analysis was conducted by amplification and sequencing of the ITS region with the ITS1 and ITS4 primers (White et al. 1990). The resulting sequence was deposited in the NCBI database under accession number OQ073450. After BLAST analysis (Altschul et al. 1990) it was 100% identical with the reference sequences of Mp (accession MT039671, MT039663 and MH496040) isolated in sugar beet, maize and sunflower, respectively, from Serbia. In order to verify the pathogenicity, soybean seedlings (cv. Orzu) were dipped into spore suspension (1 × 107 spores/ml) of sequenced strain R-17 for 1 minute and transferred to a 15 cm diameter plastic pot with 350 g of sterilized soil mix. After 25 days, the inoculated plants showed classic charcoal rot symptoms, while the control plants remained healthy. The pathogen was successfully reisolated from the infected seedlings onto PDA, fulfilling Koch's postulate. The identity of the re-isolated strain was confirmed by morphological features and sequencing of the ITS region. It should be noted that in Uzbekistan, Mp has not been documented in any plants. Therefore, according to our knowledge, this is the first report of this fungus affecting soybean plants in Uzbekistan. Since molecular-genetic analysis of the R-17 strain showed clustering with strains from Serbia, we speculate that there may have been a recent introduction of Mp from Serbia into Uzbekistan. This assumption is additionally confirmed by the fact that Serbia is the largest seed exporter in Uzbekistan. The increase in charcoal rot disease poses a major challenge to soybean production in Uzbekistan. Understanding the genetic diversity of Mp can be utilized to manage this disease, improve soybean yield, and help soybean breeding programs in Uzbekistan.

Cu,Zn,I-Doped Carbon Dots with Boosted Triple Antioxidant Nanozyme Activity for Treatment of DSS-Induced Colitis.

Nanozyme-mediated antioxidative therapy is a promising star for treating a myriad of important diseases through eliminating excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as O2·- and H2O2, a critical mechanism for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This work provides a high biocompatibility iodine-copper-zinc covalent doped carbon dots (Cu,Zn,I-CDs) with the catalase (CAT)-, superoxide dismutase (SOD)- and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like catalytic activities for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) by scavenging overproduced ROS. We found that I dopant aids in counteracting the positive charge at Cu,Zn dopants brought on by low pH, enabling Cu,Zn,I-CDs to process strong triple antioxidant nanozyme activities rather than Cu,Zn-CDs. Vitro experiments displayed that the Cu,Zn,I-CDs could scavenge the excessive ROS to protect cellular against oxidative stress and reduce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. In sodium dextran sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice models, Cu,Zn,I-CDs with excellent biocompatibility could effectively relieve the inflammation of the colon, containing the reduction of the colon length, the damaged epithelium, the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and upregulation of antioxidant genes. Therefore, the therapy of Cu,Zn,I-CD antioxidant nanozymes is an effective approach and provides a novel strategy for UC treatment.

Colic in horses: Effects of dietary factors

Studies on colic, an economically important metabolic disease in horses, have typically emphasized maintenance characteristics. However, recent research has demonstrated that nutrient content also contributes to the development of colic. Microbial fermentation of the diet begins in the stomach and continues through the hindgut. During this process, various substrates are produced, including acetate, propionate, butyrate, and methane. The gut contains bacteria such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, but the dominance of one over the other is influenced by the type of substrate available in the gut, such as oat, barley, wheat, corn, etc. Microbial fermentation in the equine cecum is markedly influenced by the pH balance of the nutrient metabolism. This has varying impacts on the cecal microbiota. Investigations into the effects of different feeding methods and nutrients have yielded diverse outcomes for the etiology of colic and post-colic nutrition. The objective of this review is to assess the impact of nutrition and diet composition on the etiology of colic in horses, investigate the role of additives in preventing colic cases, and analyze the results of several studies.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella contributes to gastrointestinal infections in Morogoro: Evidence from patients attending Morogoro regional referral hospital in Tanzania.

Salmonella is one of the most common causes of food-borne outbreaks and infection worldwide. Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) infections are common and remain a significant public health problem among important bacterial foodborne diseases. The current study aimed to establish the Non typhoidal Salmonella infection and antimicrobial resistance status among selected patients at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH), Morogoro Region, Tanzania, to inform clinical care management and public health interventions. A cross-sectional study was conducted using medical records and samples were collected from hospitalised and outpatients between October and December 2021. A total of 153 participants were enrolled in the study and 132 consented to being sampled. The collected samples were analysed using standard microbiological techniques. The isolates were subjected to molecular genotyping, where Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed targeting the 16S rDNA gene. PCR products were then submitted for sequencing to establish phylogenetic relatedness. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and resistance genes screening were also conducted. The phylogenetic analysis identified two Salmonella serovars; Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium. The isolates were from four adults and seven children patients. The isolates were tested against six antimicrobial agents: tetracycline, trimethoprim, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin and cefotaxime. Further antimicrobial assays were performed by screening 10 antimicrobial resistance genes using PCR. Overall, the highest resistance was observed in ampicillin (100%), whereas the lowest resistance was recorded for ciprofloxacin and gentamicin (9.1%). In addition, four (36.4%) of the isolates were resistant to cefotaxime and three (27.3%) to tetracycline and trimethoprim. The isolates also exhibit the presence of resistance genes for sulfamethoxazole 1&2, tetracycline (tet) A&B, Beta-lactamase CTXM, Beta-lactamase TEM, Beta-lactamase SHV, Gentamycine, Acra and acc3-1 in different occurrences. The overall prevalence of Salmonella species in Morogoro region was 8.3% (11/132) with Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium being the only serovars detected from adults and children stool samples. Our investigation showed that both children and adults had been exposed to Salmonella spp. However, the occurrence of NTS was higher in children (5.3% (7/132) compared to adults (3.0% (4/132). To stop zoonotic infections and the development of antimicrobial resistance in the community, this calls for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and stewardship programmes on rational use of antimicrobials in both health facilities and at the community level.

Identification of Resistance QTLs to Black Leaf Streak Disease (Due to Pseudocercospora fijiensis) in Diploid Bananas (Musa acuminata)

Black Leaf Streak Disease (BLSD), caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora fijiensis, is a recent pandemic and the most economically and environmentally important leaf disease of banana. To assist breeding of varieties with durable resistance to the rapidly evolving P. fijiensis, we used a diploid genitor ‘IDN 110’ with partial resistance to BLSD to search for QTLs. We assessed diploid progeny of 73 hybrids between ‘IDN 110’ and the diploid cultivar ‘Khai Nai On’, which is susceptible to BLSD. Hybrids were phenotyped with artificial inoculation under controlled conditions. This method allowed us to focus on resistance in the early stages of the interaction already identified as strongly influencing BLSD epidemiology. Progeny were genotyped by sequencing. As both parents are heterozygous for large reciprocal translocations, the distribution of recombination was assessed and revealed regions with low recombination rates. Fourteen non-overlapping QTLs of resistance to BLSD were identified of which four main QTLs from the ‘IDN110‘ parent, located on chromosomes 06, 07, 08, and 09, were shown to be of interest for marker-assisted selection. Genes that underline those four QTLs are discussed in the light of previous literature.

Occurrence and characterization of Puccinia triticina in Zimbabwe

Wheat leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina (Pt) is an important disease of bread wheat in Zimbabwe. This study was carried out to determine the distribution, avirulence/virulence profile(s) and genotypic variation among isolates of the pathogen. In total, 104 single-pustule isolates were established from infected wheat samples that were collected from the main wheat production regions in Zimbabwe in surveys conducted from 2019 to 2021. Phenotyping of the isolates on a set of 46 differential and additional wheat lines revealed a single Pt race, MCDS. For genotypic assessment, 48 Pt isolates, including eight South African races, were genotyped with 19 microsatellite markers. Using the Bayesian model, isolates were subdivided into three clusters in both a DARwin neighbour-joining tree and STRUCTURE analysis. The results confirmed a high genetic similarity between the Zimbabwean Pt isolates and the South African races MCDS, MCPS and MFPS. Furthermore, Pt isolates from Zimbabwe were clonal, which was in accordance with all 104 isolates that typed to race MCDS.

Evaluating a Modified Use of the Kaiser Permanente Early-onset Sepsis Risk Calculator to Reduce Antibiotic Exposure: a Retrospective Study

BackgroundEarly-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) remains an important disease entity due to very serious adverse outcomes if left untreated. Lack of diagnostic tools in identifying healthy from diseased neonates, and clinicians’...

Comparison of the performance of SAG2, GRA6, and GRA7 for serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats.

Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii that can infect almost all warm-blooded animals worldwide, including humans. The high prevalence of T. gondii infection and its ability to cause serious harm to humans and animals, especially immunodeficient individuals, make it a key public health issue. Accurate diagnostic tools with high sensitivity are needed for controlling T. gondii infection. In the current study, we compared the performance of recombinant SAG2, GRA6, and GRA7 in ELISA for the serological diagnosis of T. gondii infection in cats. We further investigated the antigenicity of recombinant dense granule protein 3 (rGRA3), rGRA5, rGRA8, and rSRS29A expressed in a plant-based, cell-free expression system for detecting antibodies in T. gondii-infected cats. In summary, our data suggest that GRA7 is more sensitive than the other two antigens for the serodiagnosis of T. gondii infection in cats, and GRA3 expressed in the cell-free system is also a priming antigen in serological tests for detecting T. gondii infection in cats.

Identification, phylogeny, pathogenicity and management of Alternaria burnsii (Uppal, Patel and Kamat) causing blight of cumin

Alternaria blight is one of the important diseases of cumin. The disease initiation was observed at nearly one month age of the crop during warm humid weather in the epidemic form at flowering stage and seeds could not mature to full size. The pathogen was isolated by tissue isolation technique. Pathogenicity test was proved by following Koch’s postulates. The pathogen was identified as Alternaria burnsii based on morphological characters and ITS sequencing. The sequence was submitted to gene bank NCBI and it was accepted by NCBI with accession number MT856660. For effective control of cumin blight with fungicides a field experiment was conducted. Efficacy of eight fungicides was tested under field condition for disease intensity and yield of cumin. Among the eight combined and single fungicides, Azoxystrobin 11% + Tebuconazole 18.30% SC at concentration 0.044% was most effective with 14.76% least mean disease intensity and highest yield of 907 kg/ha followed by Metiram 55 % + Pyraclostrobin 5 % WG at concentration 0.18% with 18.27% least mean disease intensity and yield of 889 kg/ha.

Antagonist Test of Trichoderma sp and Gliocladium sp Againts Fungal Pathogens That Cause Diseases on Tomato Plant

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are one of the widely cultivated crops consumed by people worldwide, including Indonesia. Tomato farming often faces various challenges that result in reduced tomato productivity. One of the challenges is the presence of diseases that affect tomatoes, leading to crop failure for farmers. Some important diseases that commonly affect tomato plants include Fusarium wilt and anthracnose. Most farmer use chemical fungicides to control the diseases. These methods have greater negative impacts on both plants and the surrounding environment. One alternative control technique that can be used is the use of biological agents with antagonistic properties, such as Trichoderma sp. and Gliocladium sp. This research aims to assess antagonistic abilities of endophytic fungi Trichoderma sp. and Gliocladium sp. againts the pathogens responsible for suppresing the growth of these disease-causing phatogens in tomato plants. in the Laboratory of Plant Pest and Disease Science, OECF Building, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Mulawarman. The experiment was designed using a completely randomized single-factor design with four treatments and five replications. The data obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance and the least significant difference test at a 5% significance level. The research results indicate that the antagonistic tests of Trichoderma sp. and Gliocladium sp. in vitro significantly differ againts the pathogenic fungi Fusarium sp. and Colletotrichum sp. Furthermore, it was found that the antagonistic fungus Gliocladium sp. is the best fungus capable of suppressing the growth of important pathogenic fungi in tomato plants.Keyword: Gliocladium sp., Trichoderma sp., Fusarium sp., Colletotrichum sp. and Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

BAT-BORNE ZOONOTIC VIRUS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Bats are flying mammals that are known to be reservoirs of many diseases, especially viruses. Several dangerous and zoonotic viruses are transmitted by bats. This paper aims to provide a systematic summary of zoonotic viruses that can be transmitted by bats. This paper uses the PRISMA method. The review showed that some important viral diseases transmitted to humans by bats are Ebola, Nipah, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, Hendra and Rabies. The case fatality rate caused by these diseases is very high to above 50% of the sufferers. It can be concluded that vigilance must continue and be increased against bats that can threaten human and animal health at any time. Understanding and judiciously managing interactions between humans and bats is critical to the prevention of zoonotic diseases.

Variation in symptoms and morphology of Fusarium spp. on shallot associated with basal plate rot disease in Brebes District, Central Java Province, Indonesia

Abstract. Marianah L, Nawangsih AA, Munif A, Giyanto, Tondok ET. 2024. Variation in symptoms and morphology of Fusarium spp. on shallot associated with basal plate rot disease in Brebes District, Central Java Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2198-2208. Basal plate rot disease is an important disease of shallots that causes losses in the field and storage. The disease is caused by Fusarium complex species, with different levels of virulence and host susceptibility. The six species of Fusarium spp. reported to cause basal plate rot disease of onion were F. oxysporum f.sp. cepae, F. proliferatum, F. redolens, F. solani, F. acutatum and F. tricinctum. Information about the variation in symptoms and morphology of fungi that cause basal plate rot disease on shallots, especially in Indonesia, is still very limited. Besides, the species that cause basal plate rot disease on shallots has not been molecularly confirmed using specific primers. The objective of this study was to isolate, identify, and study the variation in symptoms of the fungus associated with basal plate rot disease. The fungi were isolated from shallot plants symptomatic of basal plate rot disease collected from Brebes, Central Java Province. Eight isolates of Fusarium with different morphologies were successfully isolated and identified. Five isolates were identified as F. solani (isolate BC1, BC2, BC3, BBS1, and BBS4), two isolates as F. oxysporum f.sp. cepae (isolate BC4 and BBS6) and one isolate F. proliferatum (isolate BBS5). All eight isolates were pathogenic on shallots with different levels of virulence and symptom variations. BC4 isolate had the highest level of virulence, resulting in plant death, and was identified as F. oxysporum f.sp. cepae.

Combination of Bacillus tequilensis with difenoconazole to control pear black spot and the related synergistic mechanism.

Pear black spot (PBS) is caused by Alternaria alternata and causes severe damage worldwide. It is particularly important to screen for synergistic fungicide combinations to address issues associated with the low efficacy of biocontrol agents, high dosage requirements and poor sustained effectiveness of chemical fungicides. In vitro and in vivo studies were performed to determine the efficacy of a treatment for this important disease. Additionally, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were performed to determine the main molecular and biochemical mechanisms involved in the interaction. Bacillus tequilensis 2_2a has a significant synergistic effect with difenoconazole, causing hyphal entanglement and spore lysis and inhibiting the formation of PBS lesions in vitro. In the field, the control effect of the combination was greater than 95%. The pathways associated with the synergistic effect on the mycelia of A. alternata were divided into two main types: one included glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and MAPK signal transduction, while the other included glycolysis, the TCA cycle, coenzyme A biosynthesis, sterol synthesis, and fatty acid degradation. Both types of pathways jointly affect the cell cycle. The main functions of the key genes and metabolites that have been verified as being affected are glucose synthesis and oxidative respiration, as well as citric acid synthesis, acetyl-CoA synthesis, and sterol synthesis. Both functions involve intracellular pyridine nucleotide metabolism and adenine nucleotide transformation. This study helps to reveal the synergistic mechanisms underlying the combined efficacy of biological and chemical agents, providing a scientific basis for field applications.

The Alternative Host with the Most: Understanding the Ecology of Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae on Noncarrot Crops in Central Oregon.

Bacterial blight of carrot, caused by Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae (Xhc), is an economically important disease in carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) seed production. The objectives of this study were to determine if Xhc was present on noncarrot crops grown in central Oregon and, if detected, evaluate its ability to colonize alternative hosts. Surveys of three carrot seed fields and adjacent fields of rye (Secale cereale), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), parsley root (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) demonstrated that Xhc was present on noncarrot crops. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the ability of Xhc to colonize crops cultivated in the region. Carrot, alfalfa, curly parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Kentucky bluegrass, mint (Mentha × piperita), parsley root, roughstalk bluegrass (Poa trivialis), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) plants were spray-inoculated with Xhc and destructively sampled at 1, 7, 14, and 28 or 25 days post-inoculation. Xhc populations were quantified using viability quantitative PCR and dilution plating. A significant (P ≤ 0.03) effect of crop was observed at 1, 14, and 28 or 25 days in both experiments. While carrot hosted the most Xhc at the final timepoint, other crops supported epiphytic Xhc populations including wheat and both bluegrasses. Mint, parsley root, and alfalfa hosted the least Xhc. Bacterial blight symptoms were observed on carrots but not on noncarrot crops. This suggests that crops grown in central Oregon have the potential to be asymptomatically colonized by Xhc and may serve as reservoirs of the pathogen in carrot seed production systems.

Complete S1 glycoprotein analysis of two distinct groups of GI-19 (QX) infectious bronchitis virus from Indonesia: Molecular phylogenetic and in-silico approaches

Infectious bronchitis (IB) is an important viral disease that impacts poultry productivity, according to many studies. The main important infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) protein, spike glycoprotein subunit 1 (S1), plays a role in pathogenicity and immunogenicity. Conventional molecular detection and analysis of the S1 gene still face many challenges due to its hypervariability. In Indonesia, there were only a few reports on partial S1 gene analysis of IBVs; thus far, there have been no phylogenetic or in-silico approaches to their S1 complete gene. This study aims to reveal molecular pathogenicity and immunogenicity features on the S1 complete gene of IBVs from Indonesia. We analyzed fourteen IBV isolates using conventional RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing and then aligned their verified S1 complete sequences with other Indonesian GI-19 IBVs from Genbank for molecular phylogenetic and in-silico analysis. Phylogenetic analysis consisted of amino acid polymorphism and identity, as well as phylogenetic tree construction. As part of the in-silico analysis, we used proteins that have homology and immunoinformatic predictions (B-cell epitope and N-glycosylation). Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed the division of the Indonesian GI-19 IBVs into two distinct groups. These groups had different amino acid variations at receptor binding sites, hypervariable antigenic sites, and cleavage sites. We also calculated the amino acid identity at 95.4–98.3%. In-silico studies revealed significant similarities in B-cell epitopes, distinct N-glycosylation sites, and the suggestion of a homotrimer protein structure. We found that the S1 full gene of two different groups of GI-19 IBVs (QX strain) from Indonesia predicted changes in their pathogenicity and immunogenicity.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Sodium-Silicate-Induced Resistance against Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 in Potato

Stem canker and black scurf of potatoes, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, are economically important diseases. Although the field application of sodium silicate has been shown to improve potato’s resistance against R. solani, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we examined this resistance using transcriptomic analysis. Potato stems inoculated with R. solani were treated with sodium silicate, while a control group received no sodium silicate treatment. The plants were grown under natural environmental conditions at the farm of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University. Potato stems were sampled 4, 8, and 12 days after treatment. Total RNA was extracted using the TRIzol reagent and transformed into cDNA. The cDNA was sequenced, the reads were aligned, and the expression levels of genes were quantified and compared between the treated and control groups. A total of 1491 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Furthermore, these DEGs were found to be involved in hydrolase activity, plant–pathogen interactions, hormone signal transduction, and the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. To confirm the up- and down-regulation of DEGs, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed on randomly selected genes. The results showed that the application of sodium silicate induces a complex defense network in potato plants involving physical barriers, innate immunity, phytohormone signaling, and various phenylpropanoid compounds to combat R. solani infection. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sodium-silicate-induced resistance and its potential for reducing stem canker and black scurf in potato crops.

Understanding breast cancer (BC) from the patient (pt) perspective: A qualitative study of symptoms, impacts and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+, HER2–) BC.

e23184 Background: HR+, HER2– is the predominant BC subtype. Treatment (tx) options across stages are broad; however, there are limited published qualitative data providing insights on pt disease and tx experiences to inform healthcare decision-making. This study aimed to identify the most important disease- and tx-related symptoms and impacts on HRQoL, including exploring how bothersome and worrisome symptoms were, and attribution to tx and disease, in HR+, HER2– early (e) and metastatic (m)BC. Methods: This was an international qualitative study with pt steering committee input. Individual pt concept elicitation interviews were conducted (until saturation). Interviews were audio-recorded, translated into English, transcribed, and anonymized. Transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically. Two pt-centered conceptual models were developed to summarize data for eBC and mBC. Results: Twenty-four female pts (12 eBC; 12 mBC), aged 33–70 yrs old, were interviewed; 17 were postmenopausal. The most common tx was hormone therapy (n = 10) in eBC and cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (n = 7) in mBC. The most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue (eBC n = 11; mBC n = 10) and pain (eBC n = 9; mBC n = 11). In eBC, fatigue was ranked most bothersome (n = 3) and pain most worrisome (n = 3). In mBC, pain was ranked most bothersome and worrisome (n = 7). In eBC, sleep problems, hot flashes, and difficulty concentrating/brain fog were also frequently reported (≥50% of pts) and ranked most bothersome. In mBC, sleep problems and hot flashes were also frequently reported (≥50% of pts), with hot flashes ranked most bothersome; nausea was less frequently reported but ranked most bothersome by two pts. The majority of pts with eBC attributed their most frequently reported symptoms to tx, whereas pts with mBC attributed them to tx alone or tx and their disease. The most frequently reported impacts in eBC were limited exercise/strenuous activity (n = 10), and fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and anxiety (n = 9 each). The most frequently reported impacts in mBC were limited participation in social activities (n = 10), and difficulties with activities of daily living, trouble with mobility, anxiety, and frustration (n = 9 each). Conclusions: These qualitative data highlight similarities in pt symptoms across eBC and mBC (pain and fatigue), with differences in symptom attribution. Compared with eBC, pts with mBC had greater physical functioning impairment and may have experienced more disease-related symptoms. Overall, these data improve understanding of pts’ experience in HR+, HER2– BC, identify the distinct and clinically relevant concepts most important to them, and can help to optimize the selection and development of pt-reported outcomes in research and clinical practice to further inform treatment decision-making.