Prophylaxis Research Articles

AI in agriculture: Smart greenhouses and indoor farming systems

This comprehensive article examines the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on modern indoor agriculture, focusing on key technological advancements in smart greenhouse management and controlled environment agriculture. The article explores critical areas, including precision environmental control, nutrient management in hydroponic systems, plant health monitoring and disease management, harvest optimization, quality control, and energy management with sustainability practices. AI-driven solutions have revolutionized traditional farming approaches by integrating deep learning algorithms, computer vision systems, and IoT sensor networks, enabling unprecedented levels of automation, resource efficiency, and crop yield optimization. Implementing these technologies has significantly improved agricultural metrics, from disease detection and prevention to harvest timing and quality assessment, while substantially reducing operational costs and environmental impact.

Mpox: emergence following smallpox eradication, ongoing outbreaks and strategies for prevention.

This review focuses on the temporal relationship between the discontinuation of the global smallpox eradication effort with the rise of mpox in Africa and worldwide. It also discusses the global 2022 clade II mpox epidemic and the current 2024 clade I mpox outbreak. Newer findings on viral evolution and pathogenesis, plus current and future strategies for disease prevention, are reviewed. The temporal association between the incidence of mpox and the World Health Organization's Global Smallpox Eradication Program (GSEP) is presented. The 2022 global mpox epidemic is discussed. Recent data show that clade IIb monkeypox virus (MPXV)-2022 has novel genetic features supporting a greater propensity for mutations that may be responsible for enhanced human-to-human transmissibility, increased disease severity and accelerated viral evolution. In 2023, another outbreak of mpox began in Africa, this time due to the potentially more virulent MPXV clade Ib strains. This outbreak remains ongoing in Africa, and clade Ib mpox cases have recently been reported elsewhere including the United States and Great Britain. The World Health Organization has deemed mpox to be a global public health emergency. Two smallpox vaccines are approved for mpox prevention in the United States; a third smallpox vaccine and an improved diagnostic test have recently received WHO Emergency Use authorization. Newer mRNA-based vaccines for evolving orthopoxvirus infections are discussed. Vaccination to prevent smallpox provides immunologic cross-protection against infection with other members of genus Orthopoxvirus, including mpox. Discontinuation of the global smallpox eradication program in the 1980s and the subsequent waning of herd immunity contributed to the 2022 multinational epidemic of human clade IIb mpox infections. A second multinational outbreak with clade Ib MPXV is ongoing. Vaccination against smallpox remains the gold standard for mpox prevention, however newer multiepitope mRNA-based vaccines are in development and hold promise for prevention of mpox and other orthopoxvirus outbreaks.

Studies on the effects of methanolic extracts of wild melon (Adenopus breviflorus) on growth response, odour and disease control protocols of finishing broilers

Studies on the effects of methanolic extracts of wild melon (Adenopus breviflorus) on growth response, odour and disease control protocols of finishing broilers

The effect of sarpogrelate compared to aspirin in high- or very-high-risk diabetes for primary prevention

The benefit of aspirin in primary prevention for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) is questionable due to bleeding complications. We analyzed the Korean National Health Insurance data to compare the efficacy and overall bleeding of sarpogrelate, an antiplatelet agent with lower bleeding risk, versus aspirin in high-/very-high-risk diabetic populations without prior ASCVD. The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical events (NACE), defined as a composite of efficacy and overall bleeding. The efficacy was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, whereas overall bleeding included intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. A total of 10,778 high-/very-high-risk diabetic patients (9550 on aspirin, 1228 on sarpogrelate) were analyzed. After propensity score matching, sarpogrelate was linked to a lower incidence of NACE (HR:0.71; 95% CI 0.57–0.88), mainly driven by 62% reductions in overall bleeding (0.38; 0.17–0.81), a composite of 64% and 72% lower rate of GI bleeding and ICH, respectively. Additionally, there was no significant differences in MI or stroke between groups. In high- or very-high-risk diabetic patients without ASCVD, sarpogrelate use was associated with net clinical benefit mainly due to the reduction of significant reduction in overall bleeding events.

Identification, biological characterization of Cladobotryum mycophilum and its control during the fruiting process of Lyophyllum decastes.

Lyophyllum decastes is a type of edible and medicinal mushroom with high nutritional value. However, it can be infected by fungi during the fruiting process, which impairs the development of the industry. In this study, one pathogenic fungus was isolated from the diseased fruiting bodies of L. decastes. Morphological and molecular identification clarified that the causal agent of the disease was Cladobotryum mycophilum. Koch's postulates showed that C. mycophilum could infect L. decastes, and seriously affect mushroom yields. The biological properties of C. mycophilum were investigated. The data showed that the most suitable temperature for the growth of C. mycophilum was 25°C with a mean growth rate of 21.45mm d- 1 on PDA. C. mycophilum was better suited to growing in neutral or slightly acidic environments. The suitable carbon source and nitrogen source for C. mycophilum growth were lactose and peptone or yeast extract respectively. The IC50s (Half maximal inhibitory concentration) values of carbendazim and prochloraz for inhibiting C. mycophilum are respectively 1.244µg.mL- 1 and 3.323µg.mL- 1. 10µg.mL- 1 carbendazim can effectively control C. mycophilum during the L. decastes fruiting process. The results of this study can provide knowledge for the control of cobweb disease during the L. decastes fruiting process.

The Efficacy and Safety of Durvalumab and Tremelimumab with Concomitant Treatment for MSS/pMMR Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Single Arm Meta-Analysis.

To address the issue that most microsatellite-stable (MSS) and proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients have minimal response to immunotherapy, this meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of durvalumab and tremelimumab with concomitant treatment in treating MSS/pMMR metastatic colorectal cancer. All included trials were prospective studies with a median patient age of 63years, of which 94.2% were MSS/pMMR mCRC patients, with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. Based on durvalumab and tremelimumab treatment, one study performed surgical resection on resectable cases, while the other four studies performed radiotherapy or chemotherapy on unresectable cases. Analyses include objective response rate (ORR).etc. for drug activity, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for therapeutic efficacy, and adverse events (AEs) for safety. The risk of bias was assessed by sensitivity analysis. 5 studies involving 228 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled estimates showed a median OS of 9.26months, median PFS of 2.53months, partial response (PR) of 13.6%, stable disease (SD) of 32.8%, ORR of 12.5% and disease control rate (DCR) of 65.4%. AEs were generally low, with pruritus (27.5%), diarrhea (28.8%), and fatigue (53.9%) being the most common, while other AEs occurred at less frequencies. Durvalumab and tremelimumab with concomitant treatment for MSS/pMMR mCRC patients is relatively effective and safe, which is helpful in addressing the problem of mCRC with MSS/pMMR that has minimal response to immunotherapy.

Treatment of Cutaneous Adnexal Carcinoma With Radiotherapy: A 20-Year, Single-Institution Experience in 49 Patients.

Cutaneous adnexal carcinomas (CACs) are rare skin cancers with no established treatment guidelines. Given the limited data, this study aims to explore the characteristics and outcomes of patients with CAC treated with radiation therapy (RT). Patients diagnosed with CAC between 2000 and 2020 who received RT were included. Kaplan-Meier methods measured time to local recurrence (LR), regional recurrence (RR), locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), and progression-free survival (PFS). Fisher exact test compared frequency distributions. Forty-nine patients with an average age of 65 years were studied. Most were White males with head and neck tumors. Common subtypes were adnexal adenocarcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma, and microcystic adnexal carcinoma. Patients received RT diagnosis or recurrence. The median overall survival was 44 months, with a median follow-up of 41 months for surviving patients. For patients with de novo cancer treated with surgery and adjuvant RT (n=22), 2-year PFS, LR, RR, LRR, DM, and OS were 77%, 5%, 0%, 5%, 10%, and 95%, respectively, with all LRR occurring outside the irradiated area. Patients with de novo cancer who received definitive RT (n=9) experienced 2-year PFS, LR, RR, LRR, DM, and OS of 30%, 46%, 13%, 55%, 40%, and 67%, respectively, with all LRR events occurring within the irradiated area. LR within the irradiated volume was associated with immunosuppression (95% CI: 19-99). Patients treated at recurrence had inferior outcomes. Surgical resection and adjuvant RT effectively control CAC, while definitive RT shows lower disease control. Novel strategies are needed to improve outcomes in patients receiving definitive RT.

Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Escalation to Weekly Adalimumab for Chronic Non-Infectious Uveitis: A Multicenter Study Involving Pediatric and Adult Patients

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and safety of weekly adalimumab (ADA) treatment in non-infectious uveitis (NIU) patients, including both pediatric and adult populations, and identify factors influencing treatment efficacy. Methods A retrospective cohort study at two hospitals in Türkiye included 51 NIU patients (29 children, 22 adults) who escalated from bi-weekly to weekly ADA due to inadequate disease control. Data on six clinical parameters (anterior chamber reaction, vitreous haze, visual acuity, central macular thickness [CMT], prednisone use, uveitis flare-up frequency), adverse effects, and treatment-related factors were collected. Statistical analyses involved non-parametric tests and regression models. Results Weekly ADA led to clinical improvement in 88.2% of patients, with uveitis control achieved in 76.4% by the 6th month. Escalation to weekly dosing significantly improved all clinical parameters compared to the 6-month period before ADA initiation (p < 0.001). Patients on combined weekly ADA and DMARD therapy experienced fewer uveitis attacks (B = - 2.272, 95% CI = [−4.289, −0.254], p = 0.028). Starting ADA as first-line treatment reduced uveitis attacks (p = 0.002) and increased the likelihood of inactive uveitis (OR = 10.349, 95% CI = [1.379, 77.687], p = 0.023). Patients resistant to multiple biologics had worse preADA visual acuity (p = 0.011). Conclusion Weekly ADA is effective and safe for controlling NIU when bi-weekly dosing is insufficient. Combining ADA with DMARDs enhances outcomes and reduce uveitis attacks. Poor preADA visual acuity may suggest resistance to biologics. Prospective studies should validate these findings, explore anti-ADA antibody development, and assess how DMARD addition affects immunological parameters and treatment efficacy.

Effects of the Curcuminoid and Non-Curcuminoid Compounds of Turmeric on the Gut Microbiome and Inflammation: Potential Use in the Treatment and Prevention of Disease.

The gut microbiome is a complex system that directly interacts with and influences many systems in the body. This delicate balance of microbiota plays an important role in health and disease and is highly influenced by lifestyle factors and the surrounding environment. As further research emerges, understanding the full potential of the gut microbiome and the impact of using nutraceuticals to positively influence its function may open the door to greater therapeutic outcomes in the treatment and prevention of disease. Curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from the turmeric rhizome, has been studied in depth for its influence on human health as a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, the therapeutic activity of curcumin is limited by its low oral bioavailability. While most available research has primarily focused on the curcuminoid compounds of turmeric, the non-curcuminoid compounds hold promise to offer therapeutic benefits while synergistically enhancing the bioavailability of curcumin and supporting the gut microbiome. This review summarizes current knowledge of the relationship between the gut and the various systems within the body, and how dysbiosis, or disruption in the gut microbial balance, leads to inflammation and increased risk of chronic disease. The review also summarizes recent research that focuses on the bioactivity of both the curcuminoid and non-curcuminoid compounds that comprise the whole turmeric root and their synergistic role in enhancing bioavailability to support a healthy gut microbiome and promising use in the treatment and prevention of disease.

Best practice portals in health promotion and disease prevention: approaches, definitions, and intervention evaluation criteria

Best practice portals in health promotion and disease prevention: approaches, definitions, and intervention evaluation criteria

Heatstroke characteristics and meteorological conditions in Hefei, China: thresholds and driving factors

BackgroundDue to climate change and rapid urbanization, the frequency of heatwave events in East China has increased considerably since the 21st century, which has a considerable influence on human health, such as heatstroke. However, few studies have been conducted in this region on the relationship between heatstroke and meteorological conditions. To address this point, this study aimed to analyze the characteristics of heatstroke and their relationship with meteorological conditions in Hefei, China.MethodsThe 2008–2022 heatstroke data from Hefei Center for Disease Control and Prevention was used. The relationship between heatstroke and meteorological conditions was discussed by statistical methods, such as correlation analysis, cluster analysis and linear regression analysis.ResultsThe number of heatstroke cases fluctuated upward from 36 cases in 2008 to 1051 cases in 2022, with 71.5% of all cases for males and females accounting for 28.5%. The highest frequency of heatstroke occurrence was found to be concentrated in the middle age group (40–59 years old). According to the statistical analysis, air temperature and relative humidity were the most important meteorological factors that influenced the occurrence of heatstroke. Then a threshold system of meteorological factors for heatstroke was established by utilizing the relationship: daily average temperature (T) ≥ 30 °C & daily average relative humidity (RH) ≤ 80% and daily maximum temperature (Tmax) ≥ 35 °C & daily minimum relative humidity (RHmin) ≤ 65%. The threshold in group outbreak areas was stricter than it in high incidence areas. Furthermore, the Pacific Subtropical High (PSH) was found to be the primary climatic factor that determined the occurrence of heatstroke occurrence on a seasonal scale. In addition, significant differences in heatstroke risk were found among different groups of people. Heatstroke risk was substantially higher in males than in females due to larger opportunities for outdoor labor. The reduced physical fitness of elderly people raised the risk of heatstroke more than other age groups in extremely high temperatures.ConclusionsA meteorological threshold system had been established to forecast heatstroke occurrence in a short-term time, and a key climate driving factor of heatstroke was found for long-term heatstroke prediction in Hefei. These findings could facilitate the disease control department to take preventive and control measures to reduce the impact of heatstroke on human health and society.

Raman Spectroscopy in Cellular and Tissue Aging Research.

The establishment of various molecular, physiological, and genetic markers for cellular senescence and aging-associated conditions has progressed the aging study. To identify such markers, a combination of optical, proteomic-, and sequencing-based tools is primarily used, often accompanying extrinsic labels. Yet, the tools for clinical detection at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels are still lacking which profoundly hinders advancements in the specific detection and timely prevention of aging-related diseases and pathologies. Raman spectroscopy, with its capability for rapid, label-free, and non-invasive analysis of molecular compositions and alterations in aging cells and tissues, holds considerable promise for invivo applications. In this review, we present recent advancements in the application of Raman spectroscopy to the study of aging in cells and tissues. We explore the use of Raman spectroscopy and related techniques for detecting cellular aging and senescence, focusing on the molecular alterations that accompany these processes. Subsequently, we provide a review of the application of Raman spectroscopy in identifying aging-related changes in various molecules within tissues and organs.

Enhancement of Streptomyces aureoverticillatus HN6 through mutagenesis for improved biocontrol of banana wilt disease: an WGS approach

Fusarium oxysporum-induced Fusarium wilt in bananas is a highly detrimental disease that significantly impedes the progress of the banana industry. In this study, Streptomyces aureoverticillatus HN6 was isolated from soil samples of Hainan Botanical Garden and showed a wide spectrum of bacterial inhibition and a substantial effect on the control of banana wilt disease. While the bacterium demonstrates high inhibitory activity, and the use of live strains is effective, there are limitations in the development and application of this particular strain, such as effective secondary metabolites are difficult to extract; unstable metabolites, and low sporulation rates. Consequently, the strain underwent electron beam mutagenesis, 60Co-γ ray mutagenesis, two cycles of ultraviolet irradiation mutagenesis, and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutation to generate multiple mutant strains. The mutant strain Z20-1 exhibited resistance to elevated temperatures and enhanced enzymatic activities, specifically increased levels of both amylase and cellulase. Moreover, the fermentation broth of the mutant strain E95 substantially improved the bacterial inhibitory activity. Comparative genomic analysis revealed the presence of seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one multiple nucleotide polymorphism (MNP), and three insertion-deletions when comparing the mutant strain E95 with the original strain HN6. Notably, the mutant strain E95 exhibited the highest expression of npmC, a core gene in the niphimycin C synthesis gene cluster. Through mutagenesis of the original strain HN6, several mutant strains with superior characteristics were successfully obtained. These findings serve as a valuable technical reference for the mutation breeding of Streptomyces.Graphical

Risk Factors and Predictors for Persistent Dyspnea Post-COVID-19: A Systematic Review.

The most frequently reported post-coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, and cognitive disturbances, with reports of persistent dyspnea ranging between 26% and 41%. There is an urgent need to understand the risk factors and predictors for persistent COVID-19 dyspnea in individuals at all levels of COVID-19 illness severity, to enable the implementation of targeted interventions for those likely to be most affected with persistent dyspnea. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review is to explore the risk factors and predictors that are associated with persistent dyspnea in the post-COVID-19 population. This review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines and registered prospectively in PROSPERO as CRD42023466713. A search strategy was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases, that included studies conducted from 2020 to March 2024. The Covidence platform was used for screening studies, scoring methodologic quality, and performing data extraction using a two-step independent review process. This review included 33 studies, addressing 83,920 participants across 20 countries. The strongest predictive risk factors for persistent dyspnea included the following: female sex, elevated body mass index, pulmonary comorbidities, pre-existing anxiety and depression, pre-COVID-19 physical limitations, the severity of the COVID-19 illness, and socioeconomic differences. Potential risk factors included increased age, smoking history, and COVID-19 variant type. The presence of biomarkers for persistent dyspnea in the post-COVID-19 population can be used by clinicians to prospectively identify those individuals who should be flagged. Early identification may then be leveraged for timely referral for prophylactic and rehabilitative interventions for dyspnea. A personalized plan to target those risk factors that are modifiable should follow.

Self-Management Strategies for Low Back Pain Among Horticulture Workers: Protocol for a Type II Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study.

Low back pain (LBP) is highly prevalent and disabling, especially in agriculture sectors. However, there is a gap in LBP prevention and intervention studies in these physically demanding occupations, and to date, no studies have focused on horticulture workers. Given the challenges of implementing interventions for those working in small businesses, self-management offers an attractive and feasible option to address work-related risk factors and manage LBP. This study will (1) investigate the effectiveness of self-management strategies for nursery and landscape workers by comparing within-subject control and intervention periods and (2) determine if adoption and effectiveness differs between participants randomly assigned to review self-management videos only and those who also receive multimodal implementation support. We will also identify contextual factors impacting effectiveness and implementation. A pragmatic, mixed methods, hybrid effectiveness and implementation design will be used to compare back pain with work tasks, disability, medication and substance use, and psychological factors between a baseline control and intervention periods. We aim to recruit 122 English- and Spanish-speaking horticulture workers with back pain, 30 supervisors, and 12 focus group participants. Participants will review short video modules designed to increase awareness of opioid risk and introduce self-management and ergonomic choices and use 1 self-management and 1 ergonomic strategy for 10 weeks. They will be randomly assigned to 2 implementation groups: video modules only or video + multimodal personalized support (checklist guidance, review of video feedback for ergonomic problem-solving, and text message reminders). Questionnaires will be administered at 3-month time points: baseline, pre- and postintervention, and at 3 and 6 months. Qualitative analysis of field notes, open-ended comments, and focus groups will expand understanding of results with comprehensive documentation of the context, barriers and facilitators, and reasons for adoption. The project was funded on September 29, 2023 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety, CDC NIOSH; U54OH011230-07S1), as a core research grant for the Southeast Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety. The design, creation, and editing of English and Spanish videos was completed in June 2024 after comprehensive formative evaluation. Enrollment began in June 2024 with anticipated completion in 2027. We hypothesize that both self-management interventions will result in reductions in work task pain and disability and that the video enhanced with multimodal personalized support will result in greater reductions than the video alone. If self-management is effective, mitigating pain positively impacts quality of life, productivity, and retention, while increasing the use of nonpharmacological alternatives to opioids addresses an important public health issue. Implementation aims will help inform reasons for results, barriers and facilitators, and potential for similar interventions in these and similar industries with physically challenging outdoor work. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06153199; http://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06153199. DERR1-10.2196/64817.

A practical approach to investigating nosocomial acquisition of Aspergillus.

Invasive mould disease (IMD) has a high mortality in immunosuppressed patients. Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is the most common IMD. A guideline for preventing IA has been published jointly by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, the Infectious Disease Society of America, and the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Use of high-efficiency particulate air filters, adequate air exchange rates, sealing of patient rooms, and preventing exposure to moulds by nursing patients in areas away from construction sites are recommended by the guideline. However, there is limited information in relation to the actions to be undertaken by infection prevention and control teams in the event of one or more cases of nosocomial aspergillosis. In this review, we describe a systematic approach to aspergillosis by defining possible and probable nosocomial acquisition based on the number of days since hospital admission. We advocate an incremental response to the investigation of nosocomial aspergillosis in patients in protective isolation taking into account the number of cases and the likelihood of nosocomial origin. For single cases of nosocomial IA, we suggest that infection control investigations should focus on case surveillance and walk-through inspection escalating in a step-wise manner to enhanced case surveillance, verification of environmental controls, environmental monitoring, genotyping of clinical and environmental isolates, and review of antifungal prophylaxis for multiple cases and outbreaks. Where applicable, the construction site should be inspected with the aim to reduce the dispersal of conidia. Surveillance systems need to be strengthened to better understand the epidemiology of IA.

Gender Differences in Cardiovascular Events among Patients with Sleep Apnoea Syndrome: A Real-World Data Analysis of a Nationwide Epidemiological Dataset.

Sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) is a common sleep disorder associated with heightened cardiovascular risks, yet sex-specific differences in these risks remain unclear. This retrospective observational cohort study utilized the JMDC Claims Database, covering >5 million individuals in Japan. We analyzed data from 4,173,702 individuals (2,406,930 men, 1,766,772 women) after excluding those with central SAS, cardiovascular disease, and incomplete lifestyle questionnaire data. SAS was identified using ICD-10 codes and treatment records. Cox regression models adjusted for multiple factors examined the association between SAS and cardiovascular outcomes. Among the participants, 39,078 men (1.62%) and 3,960 women (0.22%) were diagnosed with SAS. Over a mean follow-up of 1,290±1,000 days, SAS was associated with an increased risk of composite cardiovascular events, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.27 (95% CI, 1.23-1.31) in men and 1.72 (95% CI, 1.54-1.92) in women compared to those without SAS. The association was significantly stronger in women than in men (P-value for interaction< 0.001) and this sex difference was validated by various sensitivity analyses. Despite the lower prevalence of SAS among women, there was a gender disparity in the cardiovascular impact of SAS, with women demonstrating a significantly higher risk compared to men. This underscores the importance of tailored management strategies aimed at early detection and cardiovascular disease prevention specifically in female patients with SAS.

Generation of IgM+ B cell-deficient Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated IgM knockout

Infectious diseases pose significant challenges to Norwegian Atlantic salmon aquaculture. Vaccines are critical for disease prevention; however, a deeper understanding of the immune system is essential to improve vaccine efficacy. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is the main antibody involved in the systemic immune response of teleosts, including Atlantic salmon. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knock out the two IgM genes in Atlantic salmon. High-throughput sequencing revealed an average mutagenesis efficiency of 97% across both loci, with a predominance of frameshift mutations (78%). Gene expression analyses demonstrated significantly reduced membrane-bound IgM mRNA levels in head kidney and spleen tissues. Flow cytometry revealed a 78% reduction in IgM+ B cells in peripheral blood, and Western blot analyses showed decreased IgM protein levels in serum. Notably, an upregulation of IgT mRNA was observed, suggesting a potential compensatory mechanism. This work presents the first application of CRISPR/Cas9 to disrupt an immune-related gene in the F0 generation of Atlantic salmon, and lays the foundation for generating a model completely lacking IgM+ B cells which can be used to study the role of B cells and antibodies. This study has implications for advancing immune research in teleosts and for developing strategies to improve salmon health and welfare in aquaculture.

Occurrence of Rhizoctonia solani AG-5 Causing Root Rot on Astragalus mongholicus in Northwestern China.

Astragalus mongholicus is a perennial Chinese medicinal herb in the family Leguminosae widely cultivated in China. In September 2023, A. mongholicus plants in a field in Weiyuan County, Gansu Province, showed symptoms of circular or irregular brown, sunken and necrotic lesions, multiple lesions coalesced, and brown longitudinal cracks in the roots. An investigation was performed in a 1998 m2 field with a root rot incidence of 10%, and the severity ranged from 5 to 60% of root surface area. Five rotted root samples were collected. Fragments of symptomatic roots were surface sterilized with 75% ethanol for 10 s, 2% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, washed three times with sterilized distilled water, and then blotted dry on sterile filter paper. Fragments were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and incubated at 25 ± 1°C in darkness for 5 days and five isolates were purified by transferring single hyphal tips to new PDA plates. Isolates WY23AM01 and WY23AM05, two of five isolates with similar morphology, were randomly selected for morphological and molecular identification and pathogenicity tests. Colonies of the fungus were white initially, then turned light brown to brown, raised, and with entire or undulate edges. Sclerotia were brown and produced on PDA after 20 days of incubation at 25 ± 1°C in the dark. Genomic DNA from each of the two isolates was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified and sequenced with the primer pair ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The sequences of isolates WY23AM01 and WY23AM05 were deposited in GenBank (PQ362092 and PQ362093). Phylogenetic analyses were performed by the maximum likelihood method with ITS sequences for anastomosis groups (AG) of Rhizoctonia solani using MEGA 10.0. The phylogenetic tree grouped the two isolates within the R. solani AG-5 clade with high bootstrap support (99%). PCR analysis was performed with 21 primers specifically designed to detect individual anastomosis groups or anastomosis subgroups of R. solani (Carling et al., 2002; Misawa and Kurose, 2019; Misawa et al., 2020; Okubara et al., 2008). Among the 21 specific primer pairs, only AG-5 specific primer amplified the fungal DNA, indicating that the two isolates belonged to the R. solani AG-5. For pathogenicity tests, two isolates were grown individually on sterile wheat kernels at 25 ± 1°C for 10 days. Certified pathogen-free seedling stage roots were grown in the plastic pot filled with the commercially available sterilized horticultural soil and inoculated by burying twenty infested wheat kernels in the soil adjacent to the roots. Control plants were inoculated with sterile wheat kernels using the same procedure. Each pot had three roots, and each treatment had 12 pots as replicates. All plants were placed in a greenhouse with 60% relative humidity and a 12h/12h light/dark photoperiod at 15 to 30°C. Sixty days after inoculation, typical root rot symptoms developed on all inoculated plants, similar to symptoms observed in the field, whereas control plants remained symptomless. The pathogenicity test was performed three times and symptoms were similar to those observed in the field. Finally, fungal isolates were reisolated from the symptomatic roots of all inoculated plants and identified as R. solani AG-5 by molecular analysis as the isolates used for inoculation, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed report of R. solani AG-5 causing root rot on A. mongholicus in China. Our findings improve knowledge about R. solani AGs occurring in A. mongholicus fields in China and broadens the host range of R. solani AG-5. Due to serious damages caused by this disease in recent years in China, further studies should be conducted to investigate the diversity, prevalence, disease control measures and fungicide sensitivity of AGs distributed in the main A. mongholicus-producing areas in China.

Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer patients: a retrospective, comparative study

ObjectiveThe clinical benefits of neoadjuvant bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer patients are controversial. This study intended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in these patients.MethodsIn this retrospective study, 71 locally advanced gastric cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant bevacizumab plus chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone were divided into bevacizumab plus chemo group (N = 23) and chemo group (N = 48).ResultsObjective response rate (52.2% vs. 35.4%), disease control rate (91.3% vs. 81.3%), surgical resection rate (95.7% vs. 85.4%), R0 resection rate (87.0% vs. 75.0%), and the proportion of patients with tumor regression grade 0–1 (31.8% vs. 17.1%) tended to increase in bevacizumab plus chemo group versus chemo group, although there was no statistical significance. The 48-month progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 58.3% and 33.4% in bevacizumab plus chemo group and chemo group. The 48-month overall survival (OS) rates were 65.1% and 46.5% in bevacizumab plus chemo group and chemo group, respectively. PFS tended to ascend, but OS did not vary in bevacizumab plus chemo group versus chemo group. Bevacizumab plus chemo (vs. chemo) independently related to longer PFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.263, P = 0.015], but not OS (HR = 0.207, P = 0.056) in locally advanced gastric cancer patients. The incidence of grade 3–4 adverse events did not vary between groups (all P > 0.05).ConclusionNeoadjuvant bevacizumab plus chemotherapy achieves higher treatment response and longer survival to some extent, with tolerable adverse events versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone in locally advanced gastric cancer patients, but its application needs further verification.