Molecular Characterization and Fungicide Sensitivity of Jujube Pathogens Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Sensu Stricto and Colletotrichum nymphaeae in South Korea.

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) is cultivated across South Korea because of its medicinal and economic value. It is used as a sweetener in jam, tea, and snacks and a garnish in many cuisines. Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. accounts for huge economic losses for jujube growers. In 2019 and 2020, severe anthracnose was observed in the jujube-growing areas of South Korea. The infected fruit displayed small, water-soaked, sunken, circular spots. Infected fruit were collected from different commercial orchards of Boeungun and Gyeongsan regions of South Korea, and putative causal agents were isolated on potato dextrose agar. Based on the morphological and molecular characteristics, the fungal isolates were identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu stricto and C. nymphaeae. The pathogenicity of these isolates was confirmed by inoculating a conidial suspension (1 × 106 conidia ml-1) on healthy fruit. The in vitro sensitivity of the fungal isolates to tebuconazole, carbendazim, and azoxystrobin was also tested. All isolates showed high sensitivity to azoxystrobin in terms of mycelial growth inhibition (half maximal effective concentration value of 0.01 to 0.6 µg/ml). To the best of our knowledge, this is also the first report of jujube anthracnose caused by C. nymphaeae in South Korea.

Associations Among Plasma Stress Markers and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Breast Cancer Following Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of present study is to analyze the prevalence of depression and anxiety following breast cancer surgery and to assess the factors that affect postoperative psychological symptoms. METHODS: The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Body Image Scale (BIS), and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to assess the psychological states of patients who had been diagnosed with and had undergone surgery for breast cancer. Blood concentrations of the stress markers adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, arginine-vasopressin, and angiotensin-converting enzyme were measured. Pearson's correlation analysis and multilinear regression analysis were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: At least mild depressive symptoms were noted in 50.5% of patients, while 42.4% of patients exhibited at least mild anxiety symptoms. HAM-D score was positively correlated with HAM-A (r=0.83, p<0.001) and BIS (r=0.29, p<0.001) scores and negatively correlated with RSES score (r=-0.41, p<0.001). HAM-A score was positively correlated with BIS score (r=0.32, p<0.001) and negatively correlated with RSES score (r=-0.27, p<0.001). There were no statistically significant associations between stress markers and depression/anxiety. CONCLUSION: Patients with breast cancer frequently exhibit postoperative depression and anxiety, which are related to low levels of self-esteem and distorted body image.

The Korean Version of the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale: Reliability and Validity.

OBJECTIVE: This study's aim was to develop and standardize a Korean version (SCoRS-K) of the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS), which is used to evaluate the degree of cognitive dysfunction affecting the everyday functioning of people with schizophrenia. METHODS: Eighty-four schizophrenia patients with stable symptoms who were receiving outpatient treatment and rehabilitation therapy, and 29 demographically matched non-patient controls, participated in the study. Demographic data were collected, and clinical symptoms, cognitive function, and social function were evaluated to verify SCoRS-K's reliability and validity. Clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale. Cognitive function was evaluated using a short form of the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Social function was evaluated using the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale, and the Social Functioning Scale. RESULTS: Data analysis demonstrated SCoRS-K's statistically significant reliability and validity. SCoRS-K has high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha; patient 0.941, informant 0.905, interviewer 0.964); test-retest reliability [patient 0.428 (p=0.003), informant 0.502 (p<0.001), interviewer 0.602 (p<0.001); and global rating 0.642 (p<0.001)]. The mean scores of subjects were significantly higher than those of the controls (p<0.001), demonstrating SCoRS-K's discriminant validity. Significant correlations between the total scores and global rating score of SCoRS-K and those of the scales and tests listed above (except WCST) support SCoRS-K's concurrent validity. CONCLUSION: SCoRS-K is a useful instrument for evaluating the degree of cognitive dysfunction in Korean schizophrenia patients.