Lower Disease Severity Research Articles

Physiological and Biochemical Aspects of Silicon-Mediated Resistance in Maize against Maydis Leaf Blight.

Maydis leaf blight (MLB), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Bipolaris maydis, has caused considerable yield losses in maize production. The hypothesis that maize plants with higher foliar silicon (Si) concentration can be more resistant against MLB was investigated in this study. This goal was achieved through an in-depth analysis of the photosynthetic apparatus (parameters of leaf gas exchange chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence and photosynthetic pigments) changes in activities of defense and antioxidative enzymes in leaves of maize plants with (+Si; 2 mM) and without (-Si; 0 mM) Si supplied, as well as challenged and not with B. maydis. The +Si plants showed reduced MLB symptoms (smaller lesions and lower disease severity) due to higher foliar Si concentration and less production of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and radical anion superoxide compared to -Si plants. Higher values for leaf gas exchange (rate of net CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance to water vapor, and transpiration rate) and Chl a fluorescence (variable-to-maximum Chl a fluorescence ratio, photochemical yield, and yield for dissipation by downregulation) parameters along with preserved pool of chlorophyll a+b and carotenoids were noticed for infected +Si plants compared to infected -Si plants. Activities of defense (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, polyphenoloxidase, peroxidase, and lipoxygenase) and antioxidative (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase) enzymes were higher for infected +Si plants compared to infected -Si plants. Collectively, this study highlights the importance of using Si to boost maize resistance against MLB considering the more operative defense reactions and the robustness of the antioxidative metabolism of plants along with the preservation of their photosynthetic apparatus.

520 - Evaluating the expression of OX40 and OX40 ligand in lesional skin versus non-lesional skin in volunteers with atopic dermatitis and in healthy control skin

Abstract Introduction/Background Growing evidence suggests that blocking the OX40 ligand (OX40L)/OX40 costimulatory pathway could have therapeutic effects in inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD). Amlitelimab (SAR445229; KY1005) is a potential first-in-class, fully human, non-depleting anti-OX40L monoclonal antibody that blocks OX40L-OX40 interactions. We report OX40L and OX40 expression from skin biopsies collected in two studies: an amlitelimab Phase 2a (Ph2a) study in patients with moderate-to-severe AD, and a small-scale study of patients with mild AD and healthy volunteers. Objectives Assess OX40L and OX40 expression in AD skin (lesional and non-lesional) and healthy control skin. Methods As part of a Ph2a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (NCT03754309) of amlitelimab in moderate-to-severe AD, 174 baseline-paired lesional/non-lesional skin biopsies were collected from all patients (n=87). In a separate small-scale study, 24 skin biopsies were collected, including healthy control skin from healthy volunteers (n=6) and paired lesional/non-lesional skin from patients with mild AD (n=9). Each biopsy underwent immunohistochemical (IHC; formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded) analyses using various antibodies (OX40L: rabbit IgG antibody from Cell Signaling Technology for Ph2a biopsies, proprietary mouse IgG2a KY1005 for small-scale study biopsies; OX40: clone Ber-ACT35 from BioLegend for all biopsies). A trained pathologist assessed IHC staining in the dermis and/or epidermis using semi-quantitative scoring (0 [no stained cells] to 10 [all cells stained]) or quantitative methods (cells/mm2, Tissue Studio 4.0, and HALO link image analysis software). Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test was used to assess IHC staining of Ph2a biopsies. Ph2a biopsies also underwent transcriptomic analyses (stored in RNALater) for OX40L (TNFSF4) and OX40 (TNFRSF4) on sequenced RNA using a linear mixed model with Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment. Results In baseline Ph2a biopsies, IHC analysis revealed elevated OX40L and OX40 staining in lesional versus non-lesional AD skin (P <0.0001 for both markers). For OX40L, the median score was 3 (lesional) versus 1 (non-lesional) and the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test found P<0.0001. For OX40+ cells, the median expression was 179.8 cells/mm2 in lesional AD skin versus 54.45 cells/mm2 in non-­lesional AD skin (P<0.0001 using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test). These findings were confirmed by RNA sequencing analysis, with TNFSF4 (OX40L) and TNFRSF4 (OX40) differentially expressed in lesional and non-lesional AD skin (P<0.01 and P<0.0001, respectively). A larger scale study is ongoing that may further support this finding. In the small-scale study including patients with mild AD and healthy volunteers, there was a trend for an increase of mean OX40L+ and OX40+ cells/mm2 in lesional skin versus non-lesional skin and healthy control skin in the dermis and epidermis (OX40L+ dermal lesional, non-lesional, healthy, respectively: 17.6, 11.2, 11.5; OX40L+ epidermal: 5.8, 2.1, 1.9; OX40+ dermal: 5.7, 2.1, 0.4; OX40+ epidermal: 10.9, 9.0, 1.8); the increase was significant for lesional versus healthy control skin for dermal OX40+ cells/mm2 (P<0.001). Conclusions We confirm with IHC and RNA sequencing that OX40L and OX40 expression is elevated in skin lesions of patients with moderate-to-severe AD. We also demonstrate a trend to elevated OX40L and elevated OX40 in mild AD skin versus healthy volunteers. A potential explanation for the lower levels of OX40L and OX40 in patients with mild AD in this study may be their lower disease severity versus Ph2a study patients. These findings support the OX40L/OX40 pathway as a relevant target in T cell immune dysregulation; its blockade may represent a novel treatment approach for moderate-to-severe AD.

Investigations into Economic Returns Resulting from Foliar Fungicides and Application Timing on Management of Tar Spot in Indiana Hybrid Corn.

Tar spot, caused by Phyllachora maydis, is the most significant yield-limiting disease of corn (Zea mays L.) in Indiana. Currently, fungicides are an effective management tool for this disease, and partial returns from their use under different disease severity conditions has not previously been studied. Between 2019 and 2021, two separate field experiments were conducted in each year in Indiana to assess the efficacy of nine foliar fungicide products and nine fungicide application timings based on corn growth stages on tar spot symptoms and stromata, canopy greenness, yield, and influence on partial returns. All fungicides evaluated significantly suppressed tar spot development in the canopy and increased canopy greenness over the nontreated control. Additionally, applications of mefentrifluconazole + pyraclostrobin, metconazole + pyraclostrobin, cyproconazole + picoxystrobin at tassel, and propiconazole + benzovindiflupyr + azoxystrobin between the tassel and dough growth stages were the most effective at significantly reducing disease severity, increasing canopy greenness, protecting yield, and offered the greatest partial return. Fungicide products varied in their ability to protect yield under low and high disease severity conditions relative to the nontreated control. Consistently, positive yield increases were observed when disease severity was high, which translated to greater profitability relative to low severity conditions. On average, the yield increases across foliar fungicide products and timed application treatments were 544.6 and 1,020.7 kg/ha greater, and partial returns using a grain value of $0.17/kg were $92.6/ha and $173.5/ha greater, respectively, when high severity conditions occurred. This research demonstrates that foliar fungicides and appropriately timed fungicide applications can profitably be used to manage tar spot in Indiana under high disease severity conditions.

The clinical efficacy and suitable implementation of two extracorporeal blood purification therapies: AN69-oXiris versus PMX-HP.

In septic shock patients, pathogens and excessive endotoxins continuously overstimulate the host's immune system with a cytokine storm that can lead to multi-organ failure and even mortality. Various types of extracorporeal blood purification treatments have recently been introduced to remove excessive endotoxins and cytokines. Herein, we compared the clinical efficacy of two blood purification methods, PMX-HP and AN69-oXiris, and discussed their detailed indications according to disease severity. From December 2016 to April 2023, patients who underwent emergent surgery due to septic shock secondary to peritonitis and subsequently received blood purification treatment with AN69-oXiris or PMX-HP were enrolled. Propensity score (PS)-matching was conducted to adjust for baseline characteristics between the two groups, and the changes in clinical parameters and outcomes were compared. Clinical outcomes were assessed in subgroups of patients who underwent PMX-HP treatment divided according to SOFA scores into low (0-7), intermediate (8-13), and high (> 13) disease severity groups. Forty patients received blood purification therapy with either PMX-HP or AN69-oXiris during the study period. After 1:2 PS matching, six patients in the AN69-oXiris group and 12 patients in the PMX-HP group were finally analyzed. Vasoactive-inotropic scores (VISs) decreased in both groups after 48 h of treatment compared to the baseline values, but the change in VISs was more pronounced in the PMX-HP group {-57.6 [interquartile range (IQR) = -166.4 - (-10)] vs. -22.9 [IQR = -64-0], respectively, p = 0.041}. Decreases in cardiovascular SOFA scores were significantly pronounced in the PMX-HP group [-1.5 (IQR = -4 - 0) vs. 0 (IQR = -1 - 1), respectively, p = 0.035]. The 7-day mortality rate was significantly lower than the predicted mortality rate in a subgroup analysis of patients treated with PMX-HP in both the low disease severity group and the intermediate disease severity group. PMX-HP and AN69-oXiris could be therapeutic options for refractory septic shock patients with intra-abdominal origins, especially after the surgical elimination of the infectious sources. A tailored modality choice that takes into account patient characteristics, such as disease severity and cost burden, could optimize the efficacy of this strategy.

P922 A multicenter retrospective real-world study to determine the optimal cases of vedolizumab-treated UC patients

Abstract Background Vedolizumab (VDZ) is a gut-selective monoclonal antibody approved for ulcerative colitis (UC). This real-world study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of VDZ in the treatment of UC, with the goal of further treatment optimization. Methods In this multicenter, retrospective, observational chart review, 370 patients with UC who received at least one dose of VDZ in clinical practice at 16 tertiary hospitals in Japan were enrolled. Comprehensive analyses of predictors of 2- and 54-week remission, drug persistence, and the development of loss of response were performed. Results Lower partial Mayo scores and lower Mayo endoscopic subscores were significantly associated with 2-week remission in the multivariate analysis. More 2-week remitters achieved clinical remission at Week 52 than non-2-week remitters. Clinical remission rates were significantly higher in biologic-naïve than in biologic-non-naïve patients across Weeks 2 to 54. Higher clinical remission rates at Week 54 were significantly associated with lower baseline disease severity and no prior anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti- TNFα) treatment. Among patients with prior anti-TNFα treatment, longer duration of anti-TNFα treatment was associated with higher clinical remission rates at Week 54 (28.1%, 32.7%, and 60.0% for ≤3 months, >3 to <12 months, and ≥12 months, respectively, p=0.001 between groups). In addition, clinical remission rate at Week 54 was higher in patients who had loss of response to anti-TNFα treatment than in those who had primary nonresponse (54.4% vs 24.6%; p=0.001). The 54-week persistence rate was 64.5%. Concomitant use of tacrolimus (OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.00, 7.62, p=0.05) and shorter disease duration (median:7.8 years), (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.13, 0.82 for ≥7.8 years vs <7.8 years p=0.017) were associated with loss of response to VDZ in the multivariate analysis, but prior use of anti- TNFα treatment was not. Conclusion This retrospective study confirms favorable outcomes with VDZ in patients without prior exposure to anti-TNFα treatment. However, among patients with history of anti-TNFα- exposure, better outcomes were observed among those who experienced loss of response than those with primary nonresponse, as well as those who had a longer duration of anti-TNFα treatment.

P816 Baseline disease severity of patients with Ulcerative Colitis influences rapid symptom relief under filgotinib treatment: post hoc analysis of the phase 2b/3 SELECTION study

Abstract Background Filgotinib (FIL) is an oral, once-daily, Janus kinase 1 preferential inhibitor approved in Europe and Japan for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). A recent analysis of SELECTION trial data (NCT02914522) showed rapid and sustained improvements in UC symptoms with FIL 200 mg (FIL200) treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe UC.1 Here we assess symptomatic remission rates over time with FIL200 induction treatment according to baseline UC disease severity (partial Mayo Clinic Score [pMCS]). Methods SELECTION was a phase 2b/3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients aged 18–75 years were randomized (2:2:1) to receive FIL200, FIL 100 mg or placebo once daily for 11 weeks in induction study A (biologic-naive patients) or induction study B (biologic-experienced patients). In this post hoc analysis, proportions of patients with symptomatic remission (Mayo rectal bleeding sub-score of 0 and Mayo stool frequency sub-score of ≤ 1), from days 2 to 15 and weeks 2 to 10 of the induction study, were analysed at each timepoint by baseline pMCS (pMCS ≥7 and pMCS <7 [cut-off previously used for severe and moderate disease, respectively]2). Symptomatic remission rates were compared between the pMCS ≥7 and pMCS <7 groups within the FIL200 and placebo arms using a Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test adjusted by study randomization stratification factors. Nominal p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results At day 2, symptomatic remission rates with FIL200 treatment were significantly higher in patients with baseline pMCS <7 than in those with baseline pMCS ≥7 (8.4% vs 1.1%, p=0.009 [induction study A]; 8.8% vs 0.7%, p=0.004 [induction study B]) (Figure A and B). From days 2 to 15, symptomatic remission rates increased in both groups and, except for day 7 for induction study A and day 9 for induction study B, continued to be significantly higher in those with baseline pMCS <7. From week 2, symptomatic remission rates with FIL200 treatment generally continued to increase in both pMCS ≥7 and pMCS <7 groups (Figure C and D). By week 10, symptomatic remission rates with FIL200 treatment were no longer significantly different between those with baseline pMCS <7 and those with baseline pMCS ≥7 (54.8% vs 43.3%, p=0.124 [induction study A]; 39.5% vs 26.4%, p=0.099 [induction study B]). Conclusion Symptomatic response to FIL200 occurs more rapidly in patients with lower UC disease severity than in those with higher UC disease severity. However, converging response rates over 10 weeks of treatment leads to symptomatic remission regardless of baseline UC disease severity.

The Mediterranean Diet as a Potential Solution to the Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Psoriasis Patients.

Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MeD) has been associated with lower disease severity in patients with psoriasis. However, the mechanism behind how this diet may lead to disease modification remain understudied. Recent studies have revealed dysbiosis of the gut microbiome in patients with psoriasis suggestive of inflammation and altered immune regulation. Diet affects the gut microbiome and this review aims to evaluate whether correcting this dysbiosis may be one theoretical mechanism by which the MeD may be associated with lower psoriasis severity. A literature search of the PubMed database was conducted for the terms 1) 'psoriasis' and 'microbiome' or 'microbiota,' and 2) 'Mediterranean diet' and 'microbiome' or 'microbiota' with manual screening for relevant articles. In total, we identified 9 relevant primary research studies investigating the gut microbiome in patients with psoriasis and 16 relevant primary research studies investigating changes in the microbiota for those consuming a MeD. Though varying in exact levels of certain bacteria, studies analyzing the microbiome in psoriasis revealed dysbiosis. Those analyzing the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the microbiome revealed beneficial changes, including alleviating some of the same alterations seen in the microbiome of those with psoriasis. Microbiota change is a possible mechanism why the MeD has previously been associated with lower psoriasis severity.

Facilitation between intercropped species increases micronutrient acquisition and controls rust disease on maize

Context or ProblemGlobal food security is threatened by plant disease, and crop diversification often promotes productivity through reduced disease and facilitation for increased nutrient acquisition. However, whether such facilitation is a factor in disease resistance is unknown. Objective or Research QuestionInvestigate how crop diversity affects crop productivity and rust disease on maize, and whether competition or facilitation between crop species correspond with resistance. MethodsFive irrigated intercropping experiments with different fertilization and crop combinations were conducted at two sites for four years. Productivity (542 data points) and disease severity (27150 data points) of maize monoculture, maize - legume and maize - non-legume intercropping were compared. A meta-analysis of literature was performed to confirm the broader applicability of results from these field experiments. ResultsLegume-based intercropping increased the aboveground biomass of intercropped maize by 8% and grain yields by 10% in comparison to non-legume-based intercropping. Disease severity on maize intercropped with legumes was reduced by 45% and 48%, compared to monocultures of maize and maize intercropped with non-legumes, respectively. Moreover, as interactions among intercrops became more facilitative, the concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) in maize increased, and these increases were highly correlated with decreasing disease severity. The global meta-analysis was consistent with our field experiments, as lower disease severity was associated with greater intensity of interspecific facilitation or with lower intensity of interspecific competition. Conclusions or SignificanceLower disease severity was closely related to enhanced acquisition of nutrients that can enhance the resistance to crop diseases, driven by stronger interspecific facilitative effects in intercropping systems. Facilitative effects on maize was increased by the identity of leguminous companion crop species, and was increased by sufficient irrigation, but reduced by applications of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. ImplicationsOur findings identify a novel facilitative mechanism in general and advance the understanding of the facilitative mechanisms that underly disease control through crop diversification.

EFFICACY ANTIMICROBIAL ENDOPHYTICS METABOLITES TO CONTROL SIGATOKA DISEASE (MYCOSPHAERELLA MUSICOLA) ON BANANAS IN NORTHERN SUMATERA

The secondary metabolites show diverse biological activities, including phytotoxic, antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumor. This study aimed to obtain secondary metabolites that are more effective in suppressing the development of Sigatoka disease in bananas. A field trial was performed to screen the antifungal metabolitesactivity of three isolates against Mycosphaerella musicola. This research used a randomised block design with four treatments and six replications. The results showed that the fastest incubation period was obtained at 14 days in the control treatment, and with Bacillus sp occurred after 30 days, 25 days in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 40 days in the treatment of Trichoderma asperellum. The percentage of disease incidence and spot area on the leaves was most significant in the control treatment, 62,5% and 66,45%, then followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively, 41,67% and 34,48%, and the lowest disease incidence and spot area in the treatment, Trichodermasp were 25% and 21,78%, respectively. Further, the lowest disease severity was found in the secondary metabolite of Trichoderma asperellum at 23.36%, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa secondary metabolite at 32.57%. Meanwhile, the highest disease severity was found in the control treatment, with an average of 60.27%. Secondary metabolites of Bacillus sp, Trichoderma asperellum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa effectively suppress Sigatoka disease. The highest banana production was found in the secondary metabolite of Trichoderma asperellum, with a harvestweight of 13.98 kg, and the lowest harvest weight found in the control treatment was 11.90 kg

The Oral Cholate Challenge Test Quantifies Risk for Liver-Related Clinical Outcomes in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

BACKGROUND & AIMSWe quantified hepatic functional impairment using quantitative function tests and linked severity of functional impairment to liver-related complications and outcome in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). METHODSForty-seven patients had baseline testing, and 40 were retested after one year. For each test, cholates labeled with cold, nonradioactive isotopes were administered orally (DuO, SHUNT tests) and intravenously (SHUNT test) and blood was analyzed at 20 and 60 minutes (DuO), or 0, 5, 20, 45, 60, and 90 minutes (SHUNT). Disease severity index (DSI), hepatic reserve (HR%), and portal-systemic shunting (SHUNT%) were calculated. RESULTSThree subgroups with low, moderate, and high disease severity were defined from the age-adjusted results for DSI, HR%, and SHUNT%. Standard laboratory tests, clinical scores, cytokine levels, and clinical outcome correlated with these subgroups. In univariate analysis of baseline tests, SHUNT% was a strong predictor of clinical outcome (n=13 of 47; AUROCs 0.84DuO, 0.90SHUNT). A model combining SHUNT%, DSI (or HR%), platelet count, and changes from baseline was most predictive of outcome (n=10 of 40; AUROCs 0.95DuO, 0.96SHUNT). CONCLUSIONDSI, HR%, and SHUNT% identified subgroups of PSC based on the age-related severity of hepatic impairment that predicted risk for liver-related clinical outcome. Further study is warranted to confirm and validate these intriguing findings both in studies of natural progression of PSC and in clinical trials. DuO enhances the utility of quantitative liver function testing.

Influence of Co-occurring Weakly Pathogenic Bacterial Species on Bacterial Spot Disease Dynamics on Tomato.

Mixed infections caused by multiple pathogenic and weakly pathogenic strains inhabiting the same host plants are common in nature and may modify pathogen dynamics. However, traditional plant pathogen studies have mostly focused on the binary interaction between a single host and a single pathogen. In this study, we have looked beyond this binary interaction and evaluated the impact of coinfection on disease dynamics on tomato using the bacterial spot pathogen Xanthomonas perforans (Xp), the co-occurring weakly pathogenic strain of X. arboricola (Xa), and the co-occurring potential weak pathogenic strain of Pseudomonas capsici (Pc). Time-series coinfection experiments monitoring disease severity and within-host population dynamics revealed higher disease severity in coinfection by three species compared with infection by Xp alone. However, coinfection by dual species, Xp and Pc, or Xa resulted in lower disease severity compared with Xp alone. Thus, coinfection outcomes depend on interacting species. Weak pathogens could exploit Xp to colonize the host plant as indicated by their higher populations in coinfection. However, Xp population dynamics were dependent on the coinfecting partner. While resource competition might be a possible explanation for lower Xp population in dual coinfection, interaction of Pc with the host was found to influence Xp population. Interestingly, Xp population was higher in the presence of three-species interaction compared with Xp and Xa coinfection, suggesting potential modulation of cooperative interactions among Xp and Xa in three-species coinfection rather than competitive interactions. Humidity played a significant role in population dynamics of the three species. Overall, this study highlighted the importance of coinfection dynamics in studying plant disease outbreaks.

Effect of Cultivar and Temperature on Disease Development of Macrophomina Root Rot in Strawberry

Root rot, or charcoal rot, caused by the soilborne fungus Macrophomina phaseolina, is a significant disease affecting strawberry production worldwide. Field trials were conducted for five seasons (2016–2017 to 2020–2021) to evaluate strawberry host plant resistance to Macrophomina root rot (MRR) in California. A wide range of plant resistance to MRR was observed. Because low disease severity occurred in the fifth season, a summary of the first to fourth seasons showed that ‘Osceola’ was highly resistant, whereas ‘Festival’, ‘Sweet Ann’, and ‘Ruby June’ were highly susceptible. Disease severity varied over the seasons for specific cultivars, as did the average final mortality for all cultivars. Models were built to investigate the relationship between environmental variables and final disease mortality among the seasons. Strong positive associations were found between the soil temperature during the first month after planting ( R2 = 0.79, P < 0.0001) or air temperature mid-season ( R2 = 0.79, P < 0.0001) and the final disease mortality of eight cultivars. We concluded that the soil temperature during the early stage of plant development and the mid-season air temperature are important factors in disease development for MRR. Screening new strawberry cultivars and elite breeding lines against MRR should be ongoing as part of a standard process for determining the susceptibility of currently grown and potentially new cultivars.

Management of Covered Kernel Smut (Sporisorium sorghi) Disease of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) at Gabilley District in Somaliland

Sorghum is multi-purpose crop that plays an important role in the socio-economic life of farming communities in Somaliland. However its production and productivity is threatened due to Covered kernel smut disease. A field experiment was carried out at Aburin Agricultural Research Center at Gabilay district in Somaliland in order to identify management options for Covered kernel smut disease of sorghum. The experiment consisted of 12 factorial treatment combinations of three varieties (i.e., Faruryogele, Abadro and Kuso) and three types of seed treatments which includes synthetic and bio-fungicides (i.e., Apron star 42WS%, Cow urine, and Neem seed kernel extract) and including Untreated control, laid out in RCBD with three replications. Parameters such as disease incidence, disease severity, phenological data, grain yield (kg)/plot, actual grain yield/plot, 1000 grains weight (g) and yield loss (%) were collected. The experiment result showed that highest disease (44.0%) incidence was recorded on untreated Kuso variety while lowest disease (4.33%) incidence was Apron star with Abadiro. Similarly, the highest disease severity (37%) was scored from Untreated Abadiro whereas lowest disease severity (4%) was scored from Abadiro with Apron star and Faruryogele with Apron star. Untreated Abadiro variety reached highest AUDPC (1036.0% days). The Apron star treated varieties had the lowest AUDPC and consistently showing markedly low infection rates indicating that they were more effective to the disease relative to the other seed treatments. The highest yield (1896 kg ha-1) was recorded from Faruryogele with Apron star and lowest (933 kg ha-1) was recorded from untreated Abadiro and Faruryogele. So, Apron star was effective to reduce the yield loss of sorghum and could be recommended to manage sorghum covered kernel smut. However, the experiment should be repeated across different environments over years in order to give the right recommendations and its rate may need to be well defined.

Determination of anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) resistance group in shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum)

Shallot anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is a devastating disease in a tropical country with high humidity and rainfall. Chemical control of anthracnose is neither economical nor eco-friendly, and genetic resistance is considered an efficient management method. This study aimed to determine the resistance groups of several shallot varieties and predict resistance heritability characteristics. In this study, a total of 13 Indonesian shallot varieties were evaluated for anthracnose resistance and separated into two groups, resistance and susceptible, based on K-means clustering developed by using disease resistance/susceptibility characteristics such as incubation period, disease incidence, disease severity, and spot diameter. The results indicate that the Agrihorti, Maja Cipanas, Batu Ijo, and Rubaru varieties were identified as resistant groups based on lower disease severity and incidence, smaller spot diameter, and longer incubation period. Maja Cipanas and Rubaru were more consistent in all variables, which is recommended as a source of genetic resistance genotypes. On the other hand, the Biru Lancor, Bima Brebes, Srikayang, Violetta, Slupu Merah, Pancasona, Sakato, Katumi, and Kuning varieties were identified as susceptible groups based on high disease severity and incidence, large spot diameter, and short incubation period.
 Keywords: susceptibility characteristics, genetic resistance, k-means clustering, disease severity

Screening of selected cotton genotypes (Gossypium spp) for resistance to fusarium wilt disease in Tanzania.

Cotton is an important commodity in various industries across the globe; however, cotton yield is adversely affected by the existence of pathogenic fungi included Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (FOV), the causative of Fusarium wilt (FW), which is among the major disease threatening cotton production in Tanzania. In this study the screening of 25 selected varieties resistance to FOV were done under greenhouse conditions by inoculating the emerged cotton seedlings with 1.0 x 108 conidia/ml of F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum using root cut dip method. The fusarium wilt disease was evaluated based on foliar symptoms (disease severity scaling and vascular coloration). Out of 25 evaluated cotton candidates, three candidates F 135, HC-B4-75 and UK 66 were significantly higher resistant with lower disease severity than others, while QUIT122, IL85, PSF2-1-1 and UK91 have significantly low resistance.

The Effects of Seed Infestation by Fusarium proliferatum on Root and Crown Rot, Plant Growth and Phenolic Compounds in Roots of Some Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) Cultivars

This study investigates the reactions of four summer pumpkin cultivars (cvs. Çağlayan, Mert Bey, Sena Hanım, TG38) to root and crown rot caused by Fusarium proliferatum by taking into account criteria such as disease severity, plant growth (number of leaves, height, dry and fresh weight of shoot) and the accumulation of phenolic compounds in the roots. Seeds of each cultivar were inoculated with the pathogen and left to develop for 1 month at 25oC in a controlled climate room. The content of phenolic compounds in ethanolic root extracts was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cv. Sena Hanım had the lowest disease severity (4.40%) among the cultivars, followed by cvs. Çağlayan (10.62%) and Mert Bey (11.07%). Plants developed from inoculated seeds of cvs. Çağlayan and Sena Hanım had no decrease in the number of leaves and in length, fresh and dry weight of shoots in comparison to the control (plants from non-inoculated seeds), while cv. Mert Bey demonstrated a decrease at very low rates in shoot fresh and dry weight (2.24% and 0.77%, respectively). The phenolic compound that exhibited the highest increase in root extracts of cv. Sena Hanım compared to the control among the cultivars was p-coumaric acid (6.57-fold). This study demonstrates that p-coumaric acid can play an important role in the resistance of pumpkin to seed infestation by F. proliferatum.

Using Signal Features of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Acute Physiological Score Estimation in ECMO Patients.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a vital emergency procedure providing respiratory and circulatory support to critically ill patients, especially those with compromised cardiopulmonary function. Its use has grown due to technological advances and clinical demand. Prolonged ECMO usage can lead to complications, necessitating the timely assessment of peripheral microcirculation for an accurate physiological evaluation. This study utilizes non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to monitor knee-level microcirculation in ECMO patients. After processing oxygenation data, machine learning distinguishes high and low disease severity in the veno-venous (VV-ECMO) and veno-arterial (VA-ECMO) groups, with two clinical parameters enhancing the model performance. Both ECMO modes show promise in the clinical severity diagnosis. The research further explores statistical correlations between the oxygenation data and disease severity in diverse physiological conditions, revealing moderate correlations with the acute physiologic and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) scores in the VV-ECMO and VA-ECMO groups. NIRS holds the potential for assessing patient condition improvements.

Cerebral microvascular endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles regulate blood − brain barrier function

Autoreactive T lymphocytes crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the central nervous system (CNS) play a crucial role in the initiation of demyelination and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). Recently, extracellular vesicles (EV) secreted by BBB endothelial cells (BBB-EC) have emerged as a unique form of cell-to-cell communication that contributes to cerebrovascular dysfunction. However, the precise impact of different size-based subpopulations of BBB-EC-derived EV (BBB-EV) on the early stages of MS remains unclear. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the content and function of distinct BBB-EV subpopulations in regulating BBB integrity and their role in T cell transendothelial migration, both in vitro and in vivo. Our study reveals that BBB-ECs release two distinct size based EV populations, namely small EV (sEV; 30-150 nm) and large EV (lEV; 150-300 nm), with a significantly higher secretion of sEV during inflammation. Notably, the expression patterns of cytokines and adhesion markers differ significantly between these BBB-EV subsets, indicating specific functional differences in the regulation of T cell migration. Through in vitro experiments, we demonstrate that lEV, which predominantly reflect their cellular source, play a major role in BBB integrity loss and the enhanced migration of pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17.1 cells. Conversely, sEV appear to protect BBB function by inducing an anti-inflammatory phenotype in BBB-EC. These findings align with our in vivo data, where the administration of sEV to mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) results in lower disease severity compared to the administration of lEV, which exacerbates disease symptoms. In conclusion, our study highlights the distinct and opposing effects of BBB-EV subpopulations on the BBB, both in vitro and in vivo. These findings underscore the need for further investigation into the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of BBB-EV in the context of MS.

Gut microbiota functional profiling in autism spectrum disorders: bacterial VOCs and related metabolic pathways acting as disease biomarkers and predictors.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder. Major interplays between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the central nervous system (CNS) seem to be driven by gut microbiota (GM). Herein, we provide a GM functional characterization, based on GM metabolomics, mapping of bacterial biochemical pathways, and anamnestic, clinical, and nutritional patient metadata. Fecal samples collected from children with ASD and neurotypical children were analyzed by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry coupled with solid phase microextraction (GC-MS/SPME) to determine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with the metataxonomic approach by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses assessed differential VOC profiles and relationships with ASD anamnestic and clinical features for biomarker discovery. Multiple web-based and machine learning (ML) models identified metabolic predictors of disease and network analyses correlated GM ecological and metabolic patterns. The GM core volatilome for all ASD patients was characterized by a high concentration of 1-pentanol, 1-butanol, phenyl ethyl alcohol; benzeneacetaldehyde, octadecanal, tetradecanal; methyl isobutyl ketone, 2-hexanone, acetone; acetic, propanoic, 3-methyl-butanoic and 2-methyl-propanoic acids; indole and skatole; and o-cymene. Patients were stratified based on age, GI symptoms, and ASD severity symptoms. Disease risk prediction allowed us to associate butanoic acid with subjects older than 5 years, indole with the absence of GI symptoms and low disease severity, propanoic acid with the ASD risk group, and p-cymene with ASD symptoms, all based on the predictive CBCL-EXT scale. The HistGradientBoostingClassifier model classified ASD patients vs. CTRLs by an accuracy of 89%, based on methyl isobutyl ketone, benzeneacetaldehyde, phenyl ethyl alcohol, ethanol, butanoic acid, octadecane, acetic acid, skatole, and tetradecanal features. LogisticRegression models corroborated methyl isobutyl ketone, benzeneacetaldehyde, phenyl ethyl alcohol, skatole, and acetic acid as ASD predictors. Our results will aid the development of advanced clinical decision support systems (CDSSs), assisted by ML models, for advanced ASD-personalized medicine, based on omics data integrated into electronic health/medical records. Furthermore, new ASD screening strategies based on GM-related predictors could be used to improve ASD risk assessment by uncovering novel ASD onset and risk predictors.

Evaluation of wheat genotypes for resistance to bacterial leaf streak caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa in field and greenhouse trials

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa, is a devastating cereal disease that is becoming more common in Iran. A cost-effective and realistic strategy to cope with BLS is planting of BLS-resistant cultivars. To discover BLS-resistant genotypes, 360 hexaploid wheat genotypes were selected and inoculated with a local strain of Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa in the field and greenhouse in two years (2019 & 2020). In the field experiments, disease reaction of wheat plants was assessed based on both percentage of disease incidence (PDI) and the percentage of disease severity (PDS). In the greenhouse experiment, disease reaction was evaluated as the disease severity (DS). The genotypes with PDS, PDI, and DS values ≤ 20% were considered BLS-resistant or semi-resistant. Genotypes with zero or very low PDS, PDI and DS during the first and second years were considered highly resistant to the disease. Despite resistant genotypes being more prevalent than susceptible genotypes in each year, genotype responses to BLS varied over the two years, but in both years, most genotypes showed a resistance response. Forty-six genotypes (12.8%) were consistently BLS-resistant across years in the field and greenhouse trials. In 2020, field BLS intensity ratings (PDI and PDS) were positively correlated with flag leaf width and days to maturity. In contrast, PDI and PDS were negatively correlated with plant height, peduncle length, and spike length. In 2019, no significant correlations were found between PDI, PDS, and phenotypic traits. Cluster heatmaps and principal component analysis (PCA) separated resistant and susceptible genotypes. In BLS-resistant genotypes, plant height, peduncle length, and spike length were significantly longer, but flag leaf width and days to maturity were shorter. This study identified new and diverse sources of resistance to BLS that could be used in wheat breeding efforts.