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Plant Disease May 2023Pandanus amaryllifolius, also known as pandan, is a perennial herb, growing in Indonesia, China and the Maluku Islands (Wakte et al. 2009). It is the only plant with...
Pandanus amaryllifolius, also known as pandan, is a perennial herb, growing in Indonesia, China and the Maluku Islands (Wakte et al. 2009). It is the only plant with aromatic leaves in the Pandanaceae. It is widely used in food, medicine, cosmetics and other industries, and is also known as "Oriental Vanilla." Pandan is planted in Hainan province over 1,300 ha and is the main plant intercropped among the forest trees. From 2020, the leaf spot was surveyed for three years. Diseased leaves occurred on 30 to 80% of the surveyed plants, with an incidence of 70% and yield losses of 40%. The disease occured from mid-November to April and was most severe at low temperatures and humidity. Initial symptoms were pale green spots, that formed dark brown, nearly circular lesions. As the lesions expanded, their centers became greyish white, with yellow halos at the junction of the diseased and healthy tissue. When the humidity was high, there were small black spots scattered in the center of the lesion. Symptomatic leaf samples were collected from four different sites. The leaf surface was disinfested with 75% ethyl alcohol for 30 s and washed with sterile distilled water three times. Samples from the junction of diseased and healthy tissue (0.5 × 0.5 cm) were removed and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium containing 100 µg/mL of cefotaxime sodium and cultivated in a dark incubator at 28°C. After two days, hyphal tips from the edges of growing colonies were transferred to fresh PDA plates for further purification. Following Koch's postulates, colonies from strains were used as inoculum in pathogenicity tests. Colonies with 5 mm diameter were inoculated upside onto fresh and healthy pandan leaves via wounding method (pinpricked by sterilized needles) and non-wounding method. Sterilized PDA was used as control. All plants were setted three replicates and were incubated at 28℃ for 3 to 5 days. When symptoms on leaves similar to those in the field appeared, the fungus were reisolated The colonies formed on PDA were also consistent with the original isolate (Scandiani et al, 2003). After seven days, the colony covered the whole petri dish with white, petal-shaped growth with a slight concentric, annular bulge in the center, irregular edges, with black acervuli emerging at a later stage of colony growth. Conidia were fusiform, 18.1±1.6 × 6.4±0.3 μm, showing four septations and five cells, the middle three cells were brownish black to olivaceous, and the apical cell colorless with two to three filaments, 21.8±3.5 μm long. The caudate cell was colorless with one stalk 5.9±1.8 μm long (Zhang et al. 2021; Shu et al. 2020). According to the colony and conidia characteristics, the pathogen was initially identified as Pestalotiopsis spp. (Benjamin et al. 1961). To confirm the pathogen identity, we used the universal primers ITS1/ITS4, targeting primers EF1-728F/EF1-986R and Bt2a/Bt2b sequences (Tian et al. 2018). The sequences of the PCR products were deposited in NCBI GenBank with accession numbers OQ165166 (ITS), OQ352149 (TEF1-α) and OQ352150 (TUB2). BLAST results showed that the sequences of the ITS, TEF1-α and TUB2 genes shared 100% homology with the sequences of Pestalotiopsis clavispora. The maximum likelihood method was used in the phylogenetic analysis. The result showed that LSS112 was clustered with Pestalotiopsis clavispora with a support rate of 99%. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics, the pathogen was confirmed as Pestalotiopsis clavispora. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot of pandan caused by Pestalotiopsis clavispora in China. This research will be immediately helpful for the diagnosis and control the disease on pandan.
PubMed: 37157095
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-02-23-0302-PDN -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2023Ochratoxin A is historically the most notable secondary metabolite of on account of its toxicity to animals and fish. Currently, over 150 compounds of diverse structure...
Ochratoxin A is historically the most notable secondary metabolite of on account of its toxicity to animals and fish. Currently, over 150 compounds of diverse structure and biosynthesis is a challenge to predict the array for any particular isolate. A brief focus 30 years ago on the failure to produce ochratoxins in foods in Europe and the USA revealed consistent failures to produce ochratoxin A by isolates from some USA beans. Analysis for familiar or novel metabolites particularly focused on a compound for which mass and NMR analyses were inconclusive. Resort to C-labelled biosynthetic precursors, particularly phenylalanine, to search for any close alternative to ochratoxins, was combined with conventional shredded-wheat/shaken-flask fermentation. This yielded, for an extract, an autoradiograph of a preparative silica gel chromatogram, which was subsequently analysed for an excised fraction using spectroscopic methodologies. Circumstances then delayed progress for many years until the present collaboration revealed notoamide R. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical discovery around the turn of the millennium revealed stephacidins and notoamides, biosynthetically combining indole, isoprenyl and diketopiperazine components. Later, in Japan, notoamide R was added as a metabolite of an sp. isolated from a marine mussel, and the compound was recovered from 1800 Petri dish fermentations. Renewed attention to our former studies in England has since shown for the first time that notoamide R can be a prominent metabolite of , sourced from a single shredded wheat flask culture with its structure confirmed by spectroscopic data, and in the absence of ochratoxins. Renewed attention to the archived autoradiographed chromatogram allowed further exploration, but in particular has stimulated a fundamental biosynthetic approach to considering influences redirecting intermediary metabolism to secondary metabolite accumulation.
Topics: Animals; Aspergillus ochraceus; Ochratoxins; Fermentation; Aspergillus; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
PubMed: 37110751
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28083518 -
PloS One 2023Vaccine hesitancy has been around since the introduction of smallpox vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy has become more intense due to the rise of vaccine information in social...
BACKGROUND
Vaccine hesitancy has been around since the introduction of smallpox vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy has become more intense due to the rise of vaccine information in social media and mass adult vaccination during COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated knowledge, perception, and reasons for rejection of the COVID-19 vaccine among Malaysian adults who refused to get free COVID-19 vaccination.
METHODS
An online cross-sectional survey using an embedded mixed-method study [QUAN(quali)] was conducted among Malaysian adults. The quantitative section consisted of a 49-item questionnaire, whereas the qualitative sections consisted of two open-ended questions (1) "Please state your reason why you have not registered or have no intention to register at all for COVID-19 vaccines?" and (2) "Please tell us if you have any suggestions for improvement about COVID-19 vaccine delivery". Data from respondents who were not willing to get vaccination were extracted from the overall data and further analyzed in this paper.
RESULT
Sixty-one adults completed the online open-ended survey with a mean age of 34.28 years (SD = 10.30). Among factors that influenced them to get vaccinated was information on vaccine effectiveness (39.3%), death due to COVID-19 (37.7%), and recommendations from the Ministry of Health (36.1%). Most of the respondents (77.0%) were knowledgeable about vaccines, with half having high-perceived risks (52.5%) to COVID-19. While 55.7% and 52.5% had, high perceived barriers and benefits to COVID-19 vaccines respectively. The reasons for vaccine rejections included vaccine safety, indecisiveness, underlying medical conditions, herd immunity, non-transparent data, and use of traditional or complementary medicine.
CONCLUSION
The study explored the multitude factors that drive perception, acceptance, and rejection. The qualitative approach with a small sample size provided more data point for interpretations and allowed participants to express themselves. This is important to develop strategies to create public awareness on vaccines not just for COVID-19 but any infectious diseases that can be curbed through vaccination.
Topics: Adult; Humans; COVID-19 Vaccines; COVID-19; Malaysia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Pandemics; Public Opinion; Vaccination
PubMed: 37104381
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284973 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2023Abiotic stress, especially salt stress, is one of the major barriers to crop production worldwide. Crops like onion that belong to the glycophytic group are more...
Abiotic stress, especially salt stress, is one of the major barriers to crop production worldwide. Crops like onion that belong to the glycophytic group are more sensitive to salinity stress. A huge study regarding the influence of salinity stress on the growth and development of crops has already been done and is still ongoing. One of the major targets of the research is to develop genotypes that have enhanced performance under stress environments. The world needs more of these types of genotypes to combat the ever-growing salt-stressed soils. Therefore, a number of germplasm were studied during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons under different salt concentrations to identify tolerant genotypes as well as to study the plants' responses at different growth stages against elevated salinity levels. A 2-year study was conducted where germination potential was evaluated in the first year and carried out in petri dish culture of seeds, followed by plastic pot culture for plant establishment and bulb development evaluation during the second year. Four different saline water solutions having different salt concentrations (0, 8, 10, and 12 dS m) were applied to the petri dishes and pots as the source of water for plants in both seasons. Results indicated that a significant reduction in plants' performance occurs under higher salinity levels. Salt concentration had an adverse impact on germination, leaf development and growth, the height of plants, bulb size and shape, and the bulb weight of onion. All the growth phases of onion are sensitive to elevated concentrations. Variable performances were observed in the genotypes under stress conditions, and a few genotypes (Ac Bog 409, Ac Bog 414, Ac Bog 424, Ac Bog 430, Ac Bog 417, Ac Bog 419, Ac Bog 420, Ac Bog 422, and Ac Bog 425) having some sort of tolerance to salt stress were identified, which might be recommended for mass production. Tolerance indices could successfully be applied in selecting the salt-tolerant genotypes. Thus, the present findings and the identified genotypes could be further utilized in salt stress improvement research on onion.
PubMed: 37063224
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1154051 -
EJNMMI Physics Apr 2023Monte Carlo (MC) simulation in Nuclear Medicine is a powerful tool for modeling many physical phenomena which are difficult to track or measure directly. MC simulation...
PURPOSE
Monte Carlo (MC) simulation in Nuclear Medicine is a powerful tool for modeling many physical phenomena which are difficult to track or measure directly. MC simulation in SPECT/CT imaging is particularly suitable for optimizing the quantification of activity in a patient, and, consequently, the absorbed dose to each organ. To do so, validating MC results with real data acquired with gamma camera is mandatory. The aim of this study was the validation of the calibration factor (CF) and the recovery coefficient (RC) obtained with SIMIND Monte Carlo code for modeling a Siemens Symbia Intevo Excel SPECT-CT gamma camera to ensure optimal [Formula: see text]Tc and [Formula: see text]Lu SPECT quantification.
METHODS
Phantom experiments using [Formula: see text]Tc and [Formula: see text]Lu have been performed to measure spatial resolution and sensitivity, as well as to evaluate the CF and RC from acquired data. The geometries used for 2D planar imaging were (1) Petri dish and (2) capillary source while for 3D volumetric imaging were (3) a uniform filled cylinder phantom and (4) a Jaszczack phantom with spheres of different volumes. The experimental results have been compared with the results obtained from Monte Carlo simulations performed in the same geometries.
RESULTS
Comparison shows good accordance between simulated and experimental data. The measured planar spatial resolution was 8.3[Formula: see text] mm for [Formula: see text]Tc and 11.8±0.6 mm for [Formula: see text]Lu. The corresponding data obtained by SIMIND for [Formula: see text]Tc was 7.8±0.1 mm, while for [Formula: see text]Lu was 12.4±0.4 mm. The CF was 110.1±5.5 cps/MBq for Technetium and 18.3±1.0 cps/MBq for Lutetium. The corresponding CF obtained by SIMIND for [Formula: see text]Tc was 107.3±0.3 cps/MBq, while for [Formula: see text]Lu 20.4±0.7 cps/MBq. Moreover, a complete curve RCs vs Volume (ml) both for Technetium and Lutetium was determined to correct the PVE for all volumes of clinical interest. In none of the cases, a RC coefficient equal to 100 was found.
CONCLUSIONS
The validation of quantification parameters shows that SIMIND can be used for simulating both gamma camera planar and SPECT images of Siemens Symbia Intevo using [Formula: see text]Tc and [Formula: see text]Lu radionuclides for different medical purposes and treatments.
PubMed: 37029829
DOI: 10.1186/s40658-023-00547-6 -
Plant Disease Apr 2023Mango (Mangifera indica L.), belongs to the family Anacardiacea, and is one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world. Stem-end rot is a major postharvest disease...
Mango (Mangifera indica L.), belongs to the family Anacardiacea, and is one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world. Stem-end rot is a major postharvest disease of mango fruit, causing severe losses during storage in China (Chen et al., 2015). In July 2021, the mango fruits harvested from Baise Municipal National Agricultural Science and Technology Park (23.683568 N, 106.986325 E) of Guangxi province in China developed stem-end rot during storage. The disease incidence reached ca. 8.3%. The initial symptoms appeared as light brown lesions surrounding the peduncle, which quickly expanded becoming large dark-brown lesions. Small pieces of epidermis (5 mm × 5 mm) from 8 typical diseased friuts were cut from the edges of lesions surface-sterilized with 2% sodium hypochlorite and rinsed with sterile distilled water. The tissue was plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 28 ℃ in the dark for 3 days. Fifteen, similarcolonies were isolated from the symptomatic tissue. The representative isolates DF-1, DF-2 and DF-3 were selected for morphological characterization, molecular identification, and pathogenicity testing. The colonies were circular with fluffy aerial mycelium, initially white turning to smoke-gray from the center in upper side and greenish black in reverse side, covering the 90 mm diameter Petri dish after 4 days of incubation on PDA at 28 ℃ in dark. Pycnidia were produced on the surface of the colony after 30 days. Conidia were fusiform, aseptate, hyaline, thin-walled with granular contents, apex sub-obtuse, base subtruncate to bluntly rounded, 14.0-20.3 (16.8±1.6) μm × 3.1-7.2 (5.1±0.9) μm (n=50). The sexual stage was absent. Based on morphology, isolates were preliminarily identified as Botryosphaeria speices. To accurately identify the pathogen, genomic DNA was extracted from the mycelium of the three isolates DF-1, DF-2 and DF-3. The internal transcribed spacer of rDNA region (ITS), elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) and beta-tubulin gene (TUB) genes were amplified using primers ITS1/ITS4, EF1-728F/EF1-986R and Bt2a/Bt2b, respectively (Slippers et al., 2004). The nucleotide sequences were all deposited in GenBank (ITS: OP729176-OP729178 EF-1α: OP758194-OP758196 and TUB: OP758197-OP758199). Based on the BLASTn analysis, the ITS, EF1-α and TUB sequences of three isolates were 100%, 99% and 99% similar to the Botryosphaeria fabicerciana MFLUCC 10-0098 sequences (ITS: JX646789, EF-1α: JX646854 and TUB: JX646839). Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, EF-1α and TUB) showed that the isolate DF-1, DF-2 and DF-3 were clustered within Botryosphaeria fabicerciana clade based on the maximum likelihood , Bayesian inference, and maximum parsimony methods. The pathogenicity test was performed by placing discs mycelium around the peduncle of mature mango fruits by pin-prick method. Each treatment carried out with 12 fruits. The inoculated fruits were placed in plastic boxes at 28 ℃ with three replicates. Three days after inoculation, typical symptoms of stem-end rot were observed. The control fruits were inoculated with sterile PDA discs, and remained symptomless. The same fungus was re-isolated from the symptomatic tissue to complete Koch's postulate. Botryosphaeria fabicerciana (basionym: Fusicoccum fabicercianum) was first reported as pathogen causing senescent twig of Eucalyptus spp. in China (Chen et al., 2011; Phillips et al., 2013). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Botryosphaeria fabicerciana causing stem-end rot of Mangifera indica in China.
PubMed: 37005506
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-11-22-2553-PDN -
Microorganisms Mar 2023Carvacrol is a monoterpenoid phenol found in many essential oils that has antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic activities. Drug loaded-invasome systems are used...
Carvacrol is a monoterpenoid phenol found in many essential oils that has antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic activities. Drug loaded-invasome systems are used to deliver drugs utilizing nanoparticles to improve bioavailability, efficacy, and drug release duration. As a result, the present study developed carvacrol-loaded invasomes and evaluated their acaricidal effect against (cattle tick) and (dog tick). Carvacrol loaded-invasome (CLI) was prepared and characterized using UV/Vis spectrophotometer, zeta potential measurements, Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry Analysis. CLI (5%) induced significant mortality (100%) in adult ticks with LC of 2.60%, whereas the LC of pure carvacrol was 4.30%. Carvacrol and CLI were shown to have a significant larvicidal action on both tick species, with LCs of 0.24 and 0.21% against and 0.27 and 0.23% against , respectively. Carvacrol and CLI (5%) induced significant repellent activities for 24 h against and , as evidenced by the rod method and the petri-dish selective area choice method, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated that the CLI form had 3.86 times the permeability of pure carvacrol. Moreover, carvacrol and CLI inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity and decreased glutathione and malonedealdehyde levels in the treated ticks. In conclusion, invasomes significantly improved adulticidal and repellency activities of carvacrol against both tick species.
PubMed: 36985306
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11030733 -
Data in Brief Apr 2023Recent advancements in image analysis and interpretation technologies using computer vision techniques have shown potential for novel applications in clinical...
Recent advancements in image analysis and interpretation technologies using computer vision techniques have shown potential for novel applications in clinical microbiology laboratories to support task automation aiming for faster and more reliable diagnostics. Deep learning models can be a valuable tool in the screening process, helping technicians spend less time classifying no-growth results and quickly separating the categories of tests that deserve further analysis. In this context, creating datasets with correctly classified images is fundamental for developing and improving such models. Therefore, a dataset of urine test Petri dishes images was collected following a standardized process, with controlled conditions of positioning and lighting. Image acquisition was conducted by applying a hardware chamber equipped with a led lightning source and a smartphone camera with 12 MP resolution. A software application was developed to support image classification and handling. Experienced microbiologists classified the images according to the positive, negative, and uncertain test results. The resulting dataset contains a total of 1500 images and can support the development of deep learning algorithms to classify urine exams according to their microbial growth.
PubMed: 36942098
DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109034 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2023Plant based natural products have been widely used as antibacterial and insect repellent agents globally. Because of growing resistance in bacterial plant pathogens and...
Plant based natural products have been widely used as antibacterial and insect repellent agents globally. Because of growing resistance in bacterial plant pathogens and urban pests to current methods of control, combined with the long- and short-term negative impact of certain chemical controls in humans, non-target organisms, and the environment, finding alternative methods is necessary to prevent and/or mitigate losses caused by these pathogens and pests. The antibacterial and insect repellent activities of essential oils of novel cultivars of catnip ( L. cv. CR9) and oregano ( L. cv. Pierre) rich in the terpenes nepetalactone and carvacrol, respectively, were evaluated using the agar well diffusion assay and petri dish repellency assay. The essential oils exhibit moderate to high antibacterial activity against three plant pathogens, , and of economic interest and the individual essential oils, their mixtures and carvacrol possess strong insect repellent activity against the common bed bug ( L.), an urban pest of major significance to public health. In this study, the essential oils of catnip and oregano were determined to be promising candidates for further evaluation and development as antibacterial agents and plant-based insect repellents with applications in agriculture and urban pest management.
PubMed: 36909430
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1124305 -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023Silicon occupies an important position in the nutrient requirements of wheat. It has been reported that silicon enhances plant resistance to phytophagous insects....
Silicon occupies an important position in the nutrient requirements of wheat. It has been reported that silicon enhances plant resistance to phytophagous insects. However, only limited research has been carried out on the effects of silicon application to wheat and populations. In this study, three silicon fertilizer concentrations were treated for potted wheat seedlings, including 0 g/L, 1 g/L, and 2 g/L of water-soluble silicon fertilizer solution. The effect of silicon application on the developmental period, longevity, reproduction, wing pattern differentiation, and other vital life table parameters of the were determined. The cage method and the Petri dish isolated leaf method were used to determine the effect of silicon application on the feeding preference of the winged and wingless aphid. The results showed silicon application had no significant effect on the aphid instar of 1-4; although, 2 g/L silicon fertilizer prolonged the nymph stage and 1 and 2 g/L of silicon application all shortened the adult stage and reduced the longevity and fertility of the aphid. Two instances of silicon application reduced the net reproductive rate (), intrinsic rate of increase (), and finite rate of increase (λ) of the aphid. A 2 g/L silicon application prolonged the population doubling time (), significantly reduced the mean generation time (), and increased the proportion of winged aphids. The results also demonstrated that the selection ratio of winged aphids in wheat leaves treated with 1 g/L and 2 g/L silicon was reduced by 8.61% and 17.88%, respectively. The number of aphids on leaves treated with 2 g/L silicon was significantly reduced at 48 and 72 h of aphids released, and the application of silicon to wheat was detrimental to the feeding preference of . Therefore, the application of silicon at 2 g/L to wheat has an inhibitory effect on the life parameters and feeding preference of .
PubMed: 36903850
DOI: 10.3390/plants12050989