Disease Management Strategies Research Articles

AGING WITH HIV: ASSOCIATION OF ART REGIMEN AND ADHERENCE TO VIRAL SUPPRESSION

Abstract Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is essential to effective management of HIV among an increasing population of older adults. Newer ART regimens are more “forgiving” of poor adherence allowing for viral suppression at lower adherence levels (i.e., < 90%). This is especially promising for some older adults who may struggle with adherence due to high rates of multimorbidity and polypharmacy. We aimed to determine how ART forgiveness varies depending on ART type and adherence. Data came from 2017-2019 claims and clinical records of 1,044 HIV-positive members of a Medicaid managed care plan who were 50 to 65 years of age. Pharmacy fill data were examined on a quarterly basis to characterize ART medications using latent class analysis (LCA), which captures the complexity of real-world ART usage (i.e., multiple medications, ART switching). LCA yielded five distinct ART utilization patterns over three years, mostly characterized by recent medications and formulations of ART, though they varied in number of tablets and in medication class (e.g., boosted protease inhibitors). Logistic regression models adjusting for demographics and health-related covariates revealed that ART medication patterns did not consistently differ in odds of maintaining viral suppression across adherence levels (< 50%, 50% to < 80%, 80% to < 85%, 85% to < 90%, and >=90%). In contrast, other factors, including nadir CD4 count and behavioral health conditions, were related to viral suppression across models. This highlights the importance of life-course illness trajectories when considering disease management and treatment strategies for older adults living with HIV, especially those with difficulty maintaining near-perfect adherence.

Elucidation of molecular variability among isolates Pyricularia griseacausing blast disease in forage pearl millet

Pearl millet is an important nutri-cereal for humans and a forage crop for livestock. It is ()Pennisetum glaucumthe only cereal crop that is proficient in adopting punitive climate conditions and peripheral soil. The blast disease caused by is a major problem in pearl millet, causing significant losses in high-yield Pyricularia griseahybrids/varieties grown for fodder. Blast disease is a major biotic threat in the cultivation of pearl millet in northern Madhya Pradesh, especially Gwalior, Morena, Bhind and Sheopur. In this investigation, we studied eight isolates of that cause pearl millet blast disease. We used RAPD and ISSR molecular markers to P. griseaassess their morphology, pathogenicity and genetics. Mycelium growth was investigated maximum in isolate PGMP1, howeverThe pearl millet blast , two isolates ., PGMP1 and PGMP8 were found to be highly virulent. vizfungus population in northern Madhya Pradesh is genetically diverse. RAPD and ISSR markers reliablyexplained the relationships among the different isolates. Our results on the characterization of blast pathogen might be advantageous in devising location-specific disease management strategies in pearl millet against blast disease.

First Report of Wilt Disease of Ginger Caused by Achromobacter xylosoxidans in China

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an important commercial crop that has been widely cultivated in China for more than 2500 years. One variety, Tongling white ginger, has been grown in the Yi'an District of Tongling city, Anhui province (30°45 N, 117°43 E), China. In August 2022, symptoms of yellowing and wilting were observed on ginger plants, with a disease incidence rate exceeding 20% in the field. The stem base of the diseased plants became soft, brown and water-soaked. Additionally, the rhizomes displayed symptoms of browning and water-soaked rot, resembling those caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and Enterobacter cloacae (Yu et al. 2003; Nishijima et al. 2004; Liu et al. 2021). Consequently, ginger bacterial wilt disease may potentially emerge from a combination of infections by diverse pathogenic bacteria. To identify novel pathogens causing the wilt disease, stem tissues of the diseased plants from different locations were sterilized with 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for 10 min, followed by at least three time rinses with sterile water. The sterilized samples were then ground with 0.9% saline solution and left at room temperature for 30 min. A 20 μL aliquot of the suspension was serially diluted and cultured on Luria-Bertani (LB) medium at 28°C. A total of 217 isolates was picked and purified for taxonomic identification by 16S rRNA gene analyses with the primer 27F/1492R (Weisburg et al. 1991). Among these isolates, 23 single colony isolates were identified as A. xylosoxidans through NCBI BLASTn analyses. Furthermore, three single isolates from different locations were randomly selected for further experiments. The growing colonies appeared opaque white and round. Microscopic evaluation revealed that cells were rod-shaped with an average length of 1.95 µm and average width of 0.46 µm. The three isolates shared identical 16S rRNA sequences, displayed 99.72% identity with the sequence from A. xylosoxidans strain SeqID2 (GenBank accession NO. MH266081.1). The glutamate synthase (gltB), GTP-binding membrane protein (lepA), NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit L (nuoL), RNA polymerase beta-subunit (rpoB), and the enolase (eno) genes of the three isolates were amplified by PCR using primer pairs gltB-F/gltB-R, lepA-F/lepA-R, nuoL-F/nuoL-R, rpoB-F/rpoB-R and eno-F/eno-R, respectively (Spilker et al. 2012; Vandamme et al. 2016). The gene sequences of 16S rRNA (OQ711945, OQ740153 and OR230037), gltB (OR242732, OQ737692 and OR262112), lepA (OR233727, OQ737693 and OR262113), nuoL (OR233726, OQ737694 and OR262114), ropB (OR233725, OQ737695 and OR262115) and eno (OR242733, OQ737696 and OR262116) for the isolates ZOR02, ZOR05 and ZOR12 were deposited in GenBank database. The gltB, lepA, nuoL, rpoB and eno sequences of the isolates ZOR02, ZOR05 and ZOR12 showed 98.66-99.16%, 98.9-100%, 96.28%-97.34%, 98.47-99.44% and 99.27-99.82% similarity to A. xylosoxidans strain AX27, respectively. Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the 16S rRNA and gltB-lepA-nuoL-rpoB-eno multilocus using the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method with 1000 bootstrap replicates in MEGA11.0 software (Álvarez et al. 2018). For pathogenicity tests, bacterial suspensions were initially prepared in sterile water at a final concentration of 108 CFU mL-1. Subsequently, 10 μL of bacterial suspensions was injected into the stem base of two-month-old ginger plants, while sterile water was used as a control (Wang et al. 2022). These plants were then incubated at 28°C and 70% relative humidity. There were three replicates for each treatment, and each replicate contained five plants. After six days of inoculation, the ginger plants injected with bacterial suspensions alone exhibited severe wilting symptoms similar to those observed in the field. However, water-soaked symptoms were not observed on rhizome tissues from the pathogen-infected plants. Bacterial pathogens were re-isolated from the diseased plants and identified using the morphological and molecular methods to meet Koch's hypothetical tests. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. xylosoxidans causing wilt disease of ginger in China. In 2022, the average yield loss due to wilt disease in the Yi'an District of Tongling exceeded 20%, posing a major threat to local ginger cultivation. Effective disease management strategies are needed to develop for the control and prevention of the disease.

Phenotypic evaluation of USDA peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) mini-core collection for resistance against stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.

Sclerotium rolfsii is a necrotrophic fungus that causes devastating stem rot disease on peanuts under high temperature and humidity conditions. Developing more resistant stem rot varieties is a better disease management strategy from an economic and environmental point of view. In this study, 105 peanut accessions from the USDA mini-core collection were screened for resistance against stem rot under growth chamber and greenhouse conditions at the New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center in Clovis, NM, USA. The accessions were inoculated with a virulent isolate of S. rolfsii, and disease development was monitored and scored at 5, 7, 9, 11, and 17-days post-inoculation (DPI). Mean disease score, lesion length and broad sense heritability were calculated, and cluster analysis was performed. Though the accessions were not significantly different for the mean disease parameters, numerical differences were observed in disease score and lesion length among the accessions at 17-DPI. Eleven accessions showed moderate resistance and performed better than stem rot resistant commercial cultivar, ‘G03L’, and ninety-four accessions were susceptible based on mean disease scores under both growing conditions. Low broad-sense heritability for disease score (0.05 to 0.06) and lesion length (0.03 to 0.06) under different environments indicates that most of the variance for these traits is due to environmental effects, and that stem rot resistance can be a complex trait. The identified resistant accessions can be used for genotyping and finding major QTLs through genome-wide association mapping to dissect genetic basis of stem rot resistance in peanuts. This information would be helpful to the peanut breeding program to develop more resistant varieties.

EfficientCovNet: A CNN-based approach to detect various pulmonary diseases including COVID-19 using modified EfficientNet

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought about severe consequences, including numerous tragic losses of loved ones and significant disruptions to the global economy and daily routines. To curb the spread of the virus, timely and precise detection of COVID-19 cases is crucial. However, the traditional RT-PCR testing system is time-consuming, and its sensitivity can vary depending on the testing environment. In this context, X-ray images of the lungs have emerged as a potential tool for COVID-19 detection, as the virus predominantly affects the lungs. However, distinguishing COVID-19 from other significant pulmonary diseases such as Viral Pneumonia and Lung Opacity is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and ensure appropriate treatment.In this study, we propose a modified efficient Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based architecture named EfficientCovNet for accurate classification of different lung diseases, including COVID-19, Viral Pneumonia, and Lung Opacity, as they all share common symptoms of shortness of breath. Our proposed model achieved a remarkable test accuracy of +2% (96.12%) compared to existing CNN models, as demonstrated pictorially in the later sections. Furthermore, we utilized a comparatively large dataset of 20,000 radiograph images encompassing various disease categories, enhancing the robustness and reliability of our model. Our findings highlight the potential of CNN-based models in accurately classifying lung diseases, including COVID-19, and can aid in effective disease management and containment strategies.

Plant Extracellular Vesicles: Current Landscape and Future Directions.

Plant cells secrete membrane-enclosed micrometer- and nanometer-sized vesicles that, similarly to the extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by mammalian or bacterial cells, carry a complex molecular cargo of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and primary and secondary metabolites. While it is technically complicated to isolate EVs from whole plants or their tissues, in vitro plant cell cultures provide excellent model systems for their study. Plant EVs have been isolated from the conditioned culture media of plant cell, pollen, hairy root, and protoplast cultures, and recent studies have gathered important structural and biological data that provide a framework to decipher their physiological roles and unveil previously unacknowledged links to their diverse biological functions. The primary function of plant EVs seems to be in the secretion that underlies cell growth and morphogenesis, cell wall composition, and cell-cell communication processes. Besides their physiological functions, plant EVs may participate in defence mechanisms against different plant pathogens, including fungi, viruses, and bacteria. Whereas edible and medicinal-plant-derived nanovesicles isolated from homogenised plant materials ex vivo are widely studied and exploited, today, plant EV research is still in its infancy. This review, for the first time, highlights the different in vitro sources that have been used to isolate plant EVs, together with the structural and biological studies that investigate the molecular cargo, and pinpoints the possible role of plant EVs as mediators in plant-pathogen interactions, which may contribute to opening up new scenarios for agricultural applications, biotechnology, and innovative strategies for plant disease management.

Nelumbo nucifera synthesized selenium nanoparticles modulate the immune-antioxidants, biochemical indices, and pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines pathways in Oreochromis niloticus infected with Aeromonas veronii

Bacterial infection is considered one of the major issues in fish culturing that results in economic losses. Metal nanoparticles are a cutting-edge and effective disease management and preventive strategy because of their antibacterial ability. In this investigation, the selenium nanoparticles were prepared by a biological method using Nelumbo nucifera leaves extract. The in-vitro antibacterial activity of N. nucifera synthesized selenium nanoparticles (NN-SeNPs) was tested against Aeromonas veronii. A treatment assay was conducted on 210 Oreochromis niloticus (average body weight: 27 ± 2.00 g). A preliminary approach was conducted on 90 fish for determination of the therapeutic concentration of NN-SeNPs which was found to be 4 mg/L. Fish (n = 120) were categorized into four groups for 10 days; G1 (control) and G2 (NN-SeNPs) were non-challenged and treated with 0 and 4 mg/L NN-SeNPs, respectively. While, G3 and G4 were infected with 2 × 106 CFU/mL of A. veronii and treated with 0 and 4 mg/L NN-SeNPs, respectively. NN-SeNPs exhibited an inhibition zone against A. veronii with a diameter of 16 ± 1.25 mm. The A. veronii infection increased the hepato-renal biomarkers (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases and creatinine) than the control group. An oxidative stress was the consequence of A. veronii infection (higher malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels with lower glutathione peroxidase superoxide, dismutase, and catalase activity). A. veronii infection resulted in lower immunological biomarker values (immunoglobulin M, lysozyme, and complement 3) with higher expression of the inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-ɑ) as well as lower expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β). Therapeutic application with 4 mg/L NN-SeNPs prevented the disease progression; and modulated the hepato-renal function disruptions, oxidant-immune dysfunction, as well as the pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines pathway in the A. veronii-infected fish. These findings suggest that NN-SeNPs, employed as a water therapy, can safeguard fish from the harmful effects of A. veronii and serve as a promising antibacterial agent for sustainable aquaculture.

Factors and challenges contributing to antimicrobial resistance in East African pastoral settings and importance of One Health approach

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is acknowledged as a One Health dilemma because resistant microbial and genes are swiftly appearing and spreading worldwide across humans, animals and the environment. Livestock owners in East African pastoral regions face significant financial and socio-economic challenges owing to animal diseases that can be particularly severe in remote areas, where communities rely solely on their livestock for subsistence. Unfortunately, providing veterinary services in these regions is challenging because of the inadequate infrastructure and limited resources. Consequently, pastoralists may resort to self-medicating their animals, often using antimicrobials in ways that can contribute to the emergence of AMR. Prolonged use, overuse, or misuse of antimicrobial drugs in both human and animal populations in low-income East African pastoral settings is a significant factor that contributes to the emergence of AMR in these regions. Similarly, a significant factor contributing to the spread of AMR in pastoral regions is the disregard for withdrawal periods by pastoralists, owing to a lack of awareness about AMR. Inadequate sanitation protocols and limited access to uncontaminated water sources are additional factors contributing to the dissemination of AMR pathogens in both animals and humans. This leads to critical public health concerns that hinder effective antimicrobial treatment, reduce animal productivity, and have economic consequences for pastoralists. Addressing the challenges associated with AMR requires a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach that can facilitate the coordinated surveillance and monitoring of AMR, promote the rational use of antimicrobials, advocate for alternative disease prevention and management strategies, and raise awareness among communities and healthcare professionals in pastoral areas about the emergence of AMR. The challenges and factors contributing to AMR in pastoral settings are complex; however, the One Health approach offers a promising strategy for reducing the risk of AMR. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of the factors and challenges associated with AMR in pastoral settings, and proposes the adoption of a One Health approach as a solution to this pressing issue. One Health impact statement The review highlights that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in East African pastoral settings is a significant issue that contributes to the emergence and spread of AMR worldwide. Prolonged use, overuse, or misuse of antimicrobials in human and animal populations is a significant factor in the emergence of AMR in these settings. The challenges and factors contributing to AMR in pastoral settings are intricate and call for a multi-faceted approach that encourages rational use of antimicrobials, promotes alternative prevention and management methods, and enhances awareness among Eastern African pastoral communities. The article highlights the significance of adopting the One Health approach in mitigating the hazards of AMR in these settings.

Genetic diversity and pathogenicity of fungi associated with rice sheath rot in the Fogera plain, Northwest Ethiopia

AbstractSheath rot is a widespread rice disease that affects rice crops worldwide. It is particularly prevalent in Ethiopia, with the Fogera plains exhibiting the highest incidence and severity. However, the lack of reliable molecular‐level identification of rice fungal pathogens in Ethiopia has hindered the development of effective management practices. This study aimed to assess the diversity of fungal agents causing sheath rot disease in rice crops around the Fogera plains, Ethiopia, using both morphology and nucleotide sequences of the ITS1 rDNA region. Additionally, the pathogenicity of the isolates was evaluated using attached tiller assay methods. A total of 16 fungal isolates were recovered from diseased plant samples. Among these, five species; Phoma spp., Phoma herbarium, Epicoccum sorghinum, Epicoccum lantuscollum and Microdochium seminicola were identified and reported as new records of sheath rot disease in rice. The predominant genus was Phoma (75%) followed by Epicoccum (18.75%). The pathogenicity caused by E. sorghinum was particularly severe and significantly different from the symptoms caused by other isolates, resulting in a mean lesion length of 167.7 mm and a disease severity of 55.7%. These findings suggest that E. sorghinum is the most important rice pathogen in the region. Our results have identified the most predominant and pathogenic fungal species associated with sheath rot disease in the region. Importantly, this study marks the first report of sheath rot‐causing fungi identified in rice using the ITS rDNA‐sequencing technique in Ethiopia. Therefore, this research may contribute to the development of fungal disease management strategies in rice and provide evidence to initiate a rice breeding program focused on developing sheath‐rot‐resistant rice varieties.

Piloting a research registry for dementia: The Egyptian Dementia Network (EDN) registry

AbstractBackgroundDementia and aging problems are currently growing worldwide and are considered public health priorities. The availability of epidemiological and clinical data on the disease greatly impacts our understanding of the disease and, hence, improves disease management and prevention strategies. As part of the development of a national dementia registry for Egypt that would be of great importance as we currently lack the exact epidemiological data and rely only on estimates, the present study is aiming to pilot a cohort for the first national registry for dementia in Egypt, The Egyptian Dementia Network (EDN) registry.MethodEDN will provide a huge set of data as a promising platform for analyzing the prevalence, incidence, and major causes of the disease in Egypt. Our study will coordinate the track of early‐onset AD (EOAD) and vascular dementia cases, which have recently shown a rising pattern, based on the first 100 cases from each cohort and a similar number of matched controls collected from different centers across Egypt.ResultAs a first stage, we developed an SOP for the registry workflow, a network of collaborating centers, and a unified sheet for data collection (both clinical and epidemiological). We will then develop a tool to register the collected data. The use of big data analytics will help analyze the collected data and identify the major causes of dementia in Egypt.ConclusionAs a research registry, the main aim is to start understanding the causes, mechanisms, and courses of dementia in Egypt. The final long‐term goal is to validate the predictive ability of the registry data on the Egyptian HCAP (Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol), where the ability of data to predict future dementia patients will be tested on a longitudinal cohort of aging population.

Monkeypox Knowledge Investigation and Knowledge Gap Analysis: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey in China.

Monkeypox, as a significant public health concern, warrants a thorough investigation into public knowledge and understanding. Especially in non-endemic areas like China, exploring the factors contributing to knowledge and understanding gaps is crucial for effective disease management and prevention strategies. This study aims to assess the level of monkeypox knowledge among the Chinese public and to identify the factors that influence this knowledge, particularly focusing on the knowledge gaps between different educational groups. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 720 participants stratified by age, between July and August 2023. The survey used a modified monkeypox knowledge questionnaire, and hierarchical regression analysis was employed to analyze the data. The study revealed a significant knowledge gap in the understanding of monkeypox among the Chinese public. Key factors influencing this knowledge included educational level, perceived relevance of information, interpersonal communication, and exposure to social media and official health websites. Notably, exposure to social media was found to widen the knowledge gap between different educational groups, with its positive impact more pronounced in individuals with at least a junior high school education. The findings emphasize the need for varied communication strategies to effectively disseminate information about monkeypox and bridge the existing knowledge gaps. Tailoring health communication to different educational levels and utilizing diverse information sources are crucial for improving public understanding and containment of monkeypox.

Piloting a research registry for dementia: The Egyptian Dementia Network (EDN) registry

AbstractBackgroundDementia and aging problems are currently growing worldwide and are considered public health priorities. The availability of epidemiological and clinical data on the disease greatly impacts our understanding of the disease and, hence, improves disease management and prevention strategies. As part of the development of a national dementia registry for Egypt that would be of great importance as we currently lack the exact epidemiological data and rely only on estimates, the present study is aiming to pilot a cohort for the first national registry for dementia in Egypt, The Egyptian Dementia Network (EDN) registry.MethodEDN will provide a huge set of data as a promising platform for analyzing the prevalence, incidence, and major causes of the disease in Egypt. Our study will coordinate the track of early‐onset AD (EOAD) and vascular dementia cases, which have recently shown a rising pattern, based on the first 100 cases from each cohort and a similar number of matched controls collected from different centers across Egypt.ResultAs a first stage, we developed an SOP for the registry workflow, a network of collaborating centers, and a unified sheet for data collection (both clinical and epidemiological). We will then develop a tool to register the collected data. The use of big data analytics will help analyze the collected data and identify the major causes of dementia in Egypt.ConclusionAs a research registry, the main aim is to start understanding the causes, mechanisms, and courses of dementia in Egypt. The final long‐term goal is to validate the predictive ability of the registry data on the Egyptian HCAP (Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol), where the ability of data to predict future dementia patients will be tested on a longitudinal cohort of aging population.

Improved Persistence of Bacteriophage Formulation with Nano N-Acetylcysteine-Zinc Sulfide and Tomato Bacterial Spot Disease Control.

Bacteriophages are biocontrol agents used to manage bacterial diseases. They have long been used against plant pathogenic bacteria; however, several factors impede their use as a reliable disease management strategy. Short-lived persistence on plant surfaces under field conditions results mainly from rapid degradation by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Currently, there are no effective commercial formulations that protect phages from UV. The phage ΦXp06-02-1, which lyses strains of the tomato bacterial spot pathogen Xanthomonas perforans, was mixed with different concentrations of the nanomaterial N-acetylcysteine surface-coated manganese-doped zinc sulfide (NAC-ZnS; 3.5 nm). In vitro, NAC-ZnS at 10,000 μg/ml formulated phage, when exposed to UV for 1 min, provided statistically equivalent plaque-forming unit (PFU) recovery as phages that were not exposed to UV. NAC-ZnS had no negative effect on the phage's ability to lyse bacterial cells under in vitro conditions. NAC-ZnS reduced phage degradation over time in comparison with the nontreated control, whereas N-acetylcysteine-zinc oxide (NAC-ZnO) had no effect. In fluorescent light, without UV exposure, NAC-ZnO-formulated phages were more infective than NAC-ZnS-formulated phages. The nanomaterial-phage mixture did not cause any phytotoxicity when applied to tomato plants. Following exposure to sunlight, the NAC-ZnS formulation improved phage persistence in the phyllosphere by 15 times compared with nonformulated phages. NAC-ZnO-formulated phage populations were undetectable within 32 h, whereas NAC-ZnS-formulated phage populations were detected at 103 PFU/g. At 4 h of sunlight exposure, NAC-ZnS-formulated phages at 1,000 μg/ml significantly reduced tomato bacterial spot disease severity by 16.4% compared with nonformulated phages. These results suggest that NAC-ZnS can be used to improve the efficacy of phages for bacterial diseases.

Molecular and machine learning approaches to study the impact of climatic factors on the evolution of cranberry fruit rot

IntroductionCranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is an important crop grown in the United States and Canada, with the province of Québec being the world’s largest producer of organic cranberry. However, cranberry fruit rot (CFR), caused by 12 fungal species, has become a major issue affecting yield.MethodsA molecular detection tool was used to detect the presence of the 12 CFR fungi and evaluate CFR species across three farms with different fungicide strategies in Québec. The incidence and frequency of CFR fungi were evaluated for 2020 and compared with 2018 data from the same farms in Québec. Machine-learning models were used to determine the possibility of explaining CFR disease and species based on climate, and analyze the effects of weather variables on CFR presence andprimary fungal species.ResultsThe most predominant CFR species remained the same in both years, with Godronia cassandrae and Coleophoma empetri being the two most common, but some species showed changes in relative abundance. Furthermore, this study examined the diversity variations in 2018 and 2020, with data showing an overall increase in diversity over the period. The results showed that fungicide applications impacted the species composition of CFR among the farms. Five weather variables (daily snow on the ground (cm), total daily precipitation (mm), daily atmospheric pressure (kPa), daily relative humidity (%) and daily temperature (°C)) were selected and found to contribute differently to the model with atmospheric pressure being the most important. Surprisingly, temperature and precipitations did not influence much the incidence of fungal pathogen species and each CFR species behaved differently in response to environmental factors.DiscussionOverall, this study highlights the complexity of predicting CFR disease, as caused by 12 fungi, and of developing effective disease management strategies for CFR.

Genetic and molecular landscapes of the generalist phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea.

Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum: Pezizomycotina, class: Leotiomycetes, order: Helotiales, family: Sclerotiniaceae, genus: Botrytis, species: cinerea. B. cinerea infects almost all of the plant groups (angiosperms, gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes). To date, 1606 plant species have been identified as hosts of B. cinerea. This polyphagous necrotroph has extensive genetic diversity at all population levels shaped by climate, geography, and plant host variation. Genetic architecture of virulence and host specificity is polygenic using multiple weapons to target hosts, including secretory proteins, complex signal transduction pathways, metabolites, and mobile small RNA. Efforts to control B. cinerea, being a high-diversity generalist pathogen, are complicated. However, integrated disease management strategies that combine cultural practices, chemical and biological controls, and the use of appropriate crop varieties will lessen yield losses. Recently, studies conducted worldwide have explored the potential of small RNA as an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for combating grey mould. However, additional research is necessary, especially on risk assessment and regulatory frameworks, to fully harness the potential of this technology.

Enabling Population Biology Studies of Stemphylium vesicarium from Onion with Microsatellites.

Stemphylium leaf blight (SLB), caused by the fungus Stemphylium vesicarium, is dominant within the foliar disease complex affecting onion production in New York (NY). The disease causes premature defoliation and significant reductions in bulb weight and quality. Foliar diseases of onion are usually managed by an intensive fungicide program, but SLB management is complicated by resistance to multiple single-site modes of action. The design of integrated disease management strategies is limited by incomplete knowledge surrounding the dominant sources of S. vesicarium inoculum. To facilitate genomic-based studies of S. vesicarium populations, nine microsatellite markers were developed. The markers were multiplexed into two PCR assays containing four and five fluorescently labeled microsatellite markers. Initial testing of the S. vesicarium isolates found the markers were highly polymorphic and reproducible with an average of 8.2 alleles per locus. The markers were used to characterize 54 S. vesicarium isolates from major NY onion production regions in 2016 (n = 27) and 2018 (n = 27). Fifty-two multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were identified between these populations. Genotypic and allelic diversities were high in both the 2016 and 2018 populations. A greater degree of genetic variation was observed within populations than between years. No distinct pattern of MLGs according to population was identified and some MLGs were closely related between 2016 and 2018. The lack of evidence for linkage among loci also was strongly suggestive of clonal populations with only minor differences between the two populations. These microsatellite markers will be a foundational resource for the testing of hypotheses surrounding the population biology of S. vesicarium and therefore informing disease management.

Investigation of altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with bronchial asthma using the percent amplitude of fluctuation method: a resting-state functional MRI study

PurposeTo explore the regions of aberrant spontaneous brain activity in asthma patients and their potential impacts using the Percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF) analysis method.Patients and methodsIn this study, a total of 31 bronchial asthma (BA) patients were ultimately included, comprising 17 males and 14 females. Subsequently, 31 healthy control subjects (HCS) were recruited, consisting of 17 males and 14 females, and they were matched with the BA group based on age, sex, and educational status. The PerAF analysis technique was employed to study the differences in spontaneous brain activity between the two groups. The SPM12 toolkit was used to carry out a two sample t-test on the collected fMRI data, in order to examine the differences in PerAF values between the asthma patients and the healthy controls. We employed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) to evaluate the cognitive and emotional states of the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to ascertain the relationship between changes in the PerAF values within specific brain regions and cognitive as well as emotional conditions.ResultsCompared with the healthy control group, areas of the brain with reduced PerAF in asthma patients included the inferior cerebellum, fusiform gyrus, right inferior orbital frontal gyrus, left middle orbital frontal gyrus, left/right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), dorsal lateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdl), left superior temporal gyrus (STG), precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and left/right angular gyrus. BA patients exhibit mild cognitive impairments and a propensity for emotional disturbances. Furthermore, the perAF values of the SFGdl region are significantly positively correlated with the results of the MoCA cognitive assessment, while negatively correlated with the HAMD evaluation.ConclusionThrough the application of PerAF analysis methods, we discovered that several brain regions in asthma patients that control the amplitude of respiration, vision, memory, language, attention, and emotional control display abnormal changes in intrinsic brain activity. This helps characterize the neural mechanisms behind cognitive, sensory, and motor function impairments in asthma patients, providing valuable insights for potential therapeutic targets and disease management strategies.

African Swine Fever: A Review of Current Disease Management Strategies and Risks Associated with Exhibition Swine in the United States

African swine fever is a high-consequence foreign animal disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Sardinia. The U.S. is the world’s third largest pork producer, and ASF introduction would severely disrupt the pork supply chain, emphasizing the need to protect market access for U.S. proteins. However, niche producers raising swine intended for exhibition may not follow stringent biosecurity protocols, and livestock show circuits may promote untracked animal movement across the country, potentially exacerbating virus’ spread in the event of ASF incursion into the U.S. Youth membership in state or national swine organizations offers a route for outreach and educational activities to enhance foreign animal disease preparedness, and adult presence at swine exhibitions allows a wide variety of programming for all ages to better serve all levels of understanding.

Longitudinal Trends in Physical Functioning Patient-Reported Outcome Domains for Children with Sickle Cell Disease

Background: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) often experience pain and have impaired physical functioning. Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) tools have previously been shown to be valid and responsive to varied states of health for children with SCD. However, there is limited understanding of the trend of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) over time and the factors associated with this trend and time-dependent changes. The objective of this study was to determine the longitudinal trends in physical functioning domains in children with SCD over a three-year time period and identify factors associated with worse PROs. Methods: Our study included a convenience sample of children with SCD recruited from a tertiary care facility during 2017 - 2020. Eligible children with SCD to self-report PROs were 8 years and older and cognitively capable. Validated PROMIS measures were used to assess fatigue, physical stress experience, strength impact and functioning/mobility over time. The PRO questionnaires were administered every 6 months (with time windows to facilitate completeness of data) for three years to obtain longitudinal data. In addition, we collected clinical data including disease management strategy (hydroxyurea use, chronic transfusion), pain medication, prior acute care use for pain (3 years at baseline and 6 months at follow-up) disease complications (overt stroke, acute chest syndrome, priapism) and other comorbidities. Generalized Estimating Equations with patients as clusters were used to determine changes in PROs over time. This model used compound symmetry covariance structure to account for correlations over time and was adjusted for age and other clinical data. Stepwise regression model was used to identify the significant variables associated with PROs. Results: We recruited 170 children with SCD into our study. Of these, 145 (85.3%) had self-report PRO data for more than one time point. The mean age of the cohort was 10.6 (SD 3.3) years, 53.1% were female. Table 1 shows the demographic and clinical characteristics of our study population. The average T-score for fatigue, physical functioning/mobility, stress experience and strength impact were 47.9, 49.1, 57.2 and 41.5 respectively. Figure 1 shows the unadjusted T-scores over time for each of the listed domains. The regression models showed there were no significant changes in scores for fatigue and physical function mobility over time. However, the stress experience [β (time in months) = -0.13 (95% CI = -0.20 - - 0.07), p-value <0.0001] and strength impact B estimate [β (time in months) = 0.13 (95% CI = 0.08 - 0.18), p-value <0.0001] improved over time. Age at enrollment was significantly associated with strength impact where older kids had a higher strength impact [β (age) = 0.49 (95% CI = 0.15 - 0.83), p = 0.005]. However, age was not associated with any of the other physical functioning domains. Disease severity at baseline, as determined by acute care use in the past three years, was significantly associated with stress experience [β (3 or more acute care visits for pain vs none) = 6.32 (95% CI = 1.71 - 10.93), p-value =.007] and fatigue [β (3 or more acute care visits for pain vs none) = 5.31 (95% CI = 0.95 - 9.66), p-value =.03]. The extent of acute care use within 6 months at follow-up time points was significantly associated with worse fatigue [β (acute care for pain within past 6 months) = 2.19 (95% CI = 0.19 - 4.20), p-value = 0.03] and physical functioning/mobility [β (acute care for pain within past 6 months)=-1.76 (95% CI = -3.24 - - 0.28), p-value = 0.02]. Conclusions: Fatigue and functioning/mobility did not change over time in children with SCD. There were slight improvements in stress experience and strength impact, but the clinical significance of these improvements is unknown. Disease severity, as measured by acute care use at baseline, was significantly associated with worse physical health across all domains.

The Road Not Traveled: Bovine Tuberculosis in England, Wales, and Michigan, USA

Abstract One Health as a concept now enjoys broad and enthusiastic support. However, One Health as a potential strategy for disease management has struggled with the many varying interpretations of what the concept means in practice. This ambiguity obfuscates what the practical goals of One Health are in a disease management context. Opportunities exist to examine how the practical management of well-studied, multihost zoonotic diseases under different locales and governance systems may shed light on what the concept of One Health looks like in application. The case studies of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Michigan, USA and in the United Kingdom provide such an opportunity. To date, management of bTB in the US and UK has had mixed success. Elimination of the disease is hampered by the conflicting interests and priorities of stakeholders, disease managers, and policy makers. This polarization poses a fundamental challenge to the One Health approach. In this retrospective, we reflect on how a One Health approach adopted prior to the onset of bTB in both countries might (or might not) have changed the course of the outbreaks and subsequent effectiveness of management. While recognizing the positive potential of One Health, we also point out where evolution will be necessary to turn concepts into effective practice. We discuss how the effectiveness of One Health generally, and management of bTB specifically, is limited by lack of knowledge from the social sciences and the application of these insights in the governance of a One Health approach. Information © The Authors 2023