Microbial-Based Biofungicides Mitigate the Damage Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 1 and Improve the Physiological Performance in Banana.

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) is the most limiting disease in this crop. The phytosanitary emergency caused by FWB since 2019 in Colombia has required the development of ecofriendly control methods. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of microbial-based biofungicides against FWB caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 1 (Foc R1) and correlate such effect with plant physiological parameters. Five Trichoderma (T1 to T4 and T9) and four Bacillus (T5 to T8)-based biofungicides were evaluated in pot experiments. In vitro, dual confrontation tests were also carried out to test whether the in vitro effects on Foc growth were consistent with the in vivo effects. While Trichoderma-based T3, T4, and T9, and Bacillus-based T8, significantly reduced the growth of Foc R1 in vitro, Trichoderma-based T1, T3, T4, and T9 temporarily reduced the Foc population in the soil. However, the incidence progress of FWB was significantly reduced by Bacterial-based T7 (74% efficacy) and Trichoderma-based T2 (50% efficacy). The molecular analysis showed that T7 prevented the inner tissue colonization by Foc R1 in 80% of inoculated plants. The T2, T4, T7, and T9 treatments mitigated the negative effects caused by Foc R1 on plant physiology and growth. Our data allowed us to identify three promising treatments to control FWB, reducing the progress of the disease, delaying the colonization of inner tissue, and mitigating physiological damages. Further studies should be addressed to determine the modes of action of the biocontrol agents against Foc and validate the utilization in the field.

Hydrogel capsules as new delivery system for Trichoderma koningiopsis Th003 to control Rhizoctonia solani in rice (Oryza sativa).

The incorporation of biological control agents (BCAs) such as Trichoderma spp. in agricultural systems favors the transition towards sustainable practices of plant nutrition and diseases control. Novel bioproducts for crop management are called to guarantee sustainable antagonism activity of BCAs and increase the acceptance of the farmers. The encapsulation in polymeric matrices play a prominent role for providing an effective carrier/protector and long-lasting bioproduct. This research aimed to study the influence of biopolymer in hydrogel capsules on survival and shelf-life of T. koningiopsis. Thus, two hydrogel capsules prototypes based on alginate (P1) and amidated pectin (P2), containing conidia of T. koningiopsis Th003 were formulated. Capsules were prepared by the ionic gelation method and calcium gluconate as crosslinker. Conidia releasing under different pH values of the medium, survival of conidia in drying capsules, storage stability, and biocontrol activity against rice sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani) were studied. P2 prototype provided up to 98% survival to Th003 in fluid bed drying, faster conidia releasing at pH 5.8, storage stability greater than 6 months at 18 °C, and up to 67% of disease reduction. However, both biopolymers facilitate the antagonistic activity against R. solani, and therefore can be incorporated in novel hydrogel capsules-based biopreparations. This work incites to develop novel biopesticides-based formulations with potential to improve the delivery process in the target site and the protection of the active ingredient from the environmental factors.

The potential of PGPR and Trichoderma-based bioproducts and resistant cultivars as tools to manage clubroot disease in cruciferous crops.

The objective of this research was to determine the potential use of eco-friendly technologies to reduce the clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, the main constraint of cruciferous crops worldwide. Two commercial bioproducts were evaluated in susceptible broccoli, one based on the PGPR consortium (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus pumilus, and Agrobacterium radiobacter K84) and the other one based on Trichoderma koningiopsis Th003 (Tricotec® WG). Additionally, the resistant broccoli cv. Monclano® was tested under two concentrations of resting spores (RS) of P. brassicae, 1 × 103 and 1 × 105 RS g-1 of soil. The first phase of evaluations with broccoli was carried out under a greenhouse, while susceptible broccoli, cauliflower, and red cabbage were included in a subsequent field phase. Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin mixture and Fluazinam were included as positive controls. The effectiveness of the bioproducts depended on the nature of the biocontrol agent, the concentration of P. brassicae, and the dose of treatment. Tricotec® showed consistent plant growth promotion but no biocontrol effect against clubroot, and the rhizobacteria-based bioproduct significantly reduced the disease in both greenhouse and field experiments. Higher disease severity was observed with the higher dose of Tricotec®. Under field conditions, the rhizobacteria reduced the incidence progress by 26%, 39%, and 57% under high, medium, and low pressure of the pathogen, respectively. However, no reduction of clubroot severity under high pressure of the pathogen was observed. Complete inhibition of club formation in roots was achieved via the fungicide, but a phytotoxic effect was observed under greenhouse conditions. Fungicides reduced the incidence progress of clubroot, but not the severity under high inoculum pressure in the field. The fungicides, the bacterial treatment, and the combination of bioproducts tended to delay the progress of the disease compared with the negative control and Tricotec alone. The resistant broccoli showed a low level of disease under high concentrations of P. brassicae (less than 10% incidence and up to 2% severity). These results suggested the overall potential of commercial tools based on the PGPR consortium and plant resistance to control P. brassicae. The integration of control measures, the role of Trichoderma spp. in P. brassicae-cruciferous pathosystems, and the need to recover highly infested soils will be discussed.

Biosynthesis of Cyclic Lipopeptides by Bacillus velezensis Bs006 and its Antagonistic Activity are Modulated by the Temperature and Culture Media Conditions.

Antagonistic activity of strains from Bacillus species has made them among the preferred agricultural biological control agents against phytopathogenic fungi. These microorganisms' success is mostly based on the production of antagonistic secondary metabolites, mainly those of the non-ribosomal cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) nature, which can affect phytopathogens directly (iturins and fengycins) or indirectly (surfactins and fengycins). However, abiotic factors in the target site can influence the behavior of the biocontrol traits, but to date, few studies attempting to decipher this kind of interaction have been conducted. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature and culture medium on growth, antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali (Foph), and the profile of CLPs produced by Bacillus velezensis Bs006. The data showed that measured traits in Bs006 varied with temperature and medium interaction. The concentration of CLPs, as well as the antagonistic activity against Foph, was increased as the nutritional wealth, temperature, and time of incubation increased. The concentration of fengycins and iturins was higher than surfactins at high temperatures. However, a bacteriostatic effect was detected with a combination of Landy medium and 15 °C, which prevented both the biosynthesis of CLPs and the antagonistic activity. The results of this work highlight the importance of abiotic conditions of the target site where a biocontrol agent will be applied to stay active and develop its full antagonistic potential. This response by Bs006 could partly explain the variability of its biocontrol efficacy in the Foph-golden berry pathosystem.

Effects of Fengycins and Iturins on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali and Root Colonization by Bacillus velezensis Bs006 Protect Golden Berry Against Vascular Wilt.

Bacillus velezensis Bs006 has shown antagonistic activity on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali and biocontrol activity against Fusarium wilt (FW) in golden berry (Physalis peruviana). We hypothesized that strain Bs006 has the ability to synthesize antimicrobial cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) like other members of the same species. However, if so, the real effects of CLPs on F. oxysporum f. sp. physali and their potential as a biocontrol tool against Physalis-FW have not been elucidated. In this study the CLPs profile of Bs006 in liquid culture and antagonist-plant-pathogen interactions were characterized. Also, the potential effects of supernatant free of bacteria against F. oxysporum f. sp. physali and FW were explored and compared with the effects of pure CLPs. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the capacity of Bs006 to synthesize homologous compounds of iturins, surfactins, and fengycins in liquid culture and on the inhibition zone against F. oxysporum f. sp. physali in dual confrontation tests. Bs006 supernatant reduced the germination and growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. physali and caused vacuolization, swelling, and lysis of F. oxysporum f. sp. physali cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Pure fengycins affected the development of F. oxysporum f. sp. physali from 11 mg/liter and iturins from 21 mg/liter. In a gnotobiotic system, Bs006 colonized the root surface of golden berry, inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. physali, and produced CLPs. Individual application of Bs006 and supernatant protected the plants from F. oxysporum f. sp. physali infections by 37 to 53%, respectively. Meanwhile, fengycins reduced the disease progress by 39%. These results suggest further studies to select an optimum combination of Bs006 and supernatant or CLPs, which might be a good option as biofungicide against F. oxysporum f. sp. physali.

A reporting and analysis framework for structured evaluation of COVID-19 clinical and imaging data.

The COVID-19 pandemic has worldwide individual and socioeconomic consequences. Chest computed tomography has been found to support diagnostics and disease monitoring. A standardized approach to generate, collect, analyze, and share clinical and imaging information in the highest quality possible is urgently needed. We developed systematic, computer-assisted and context-guided electronic data capture on the FDA-approved mint LesionTM software platform to enable cloud-based data collection and real-time analysis. The acquisition and annotation include radiological findings and radiomics performed directly on primary imaging data together with information from the patient history and clinical data. As proof of concept, anonymized data of 283 patients with either suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from eight European medical centers were aggregated in data analysis dashboards. Aggregated data were compared to key findings of landmark research literature. This concept has been chosen for use in the national COVID-19 response of the radiological departments of all university hospitals in Germany.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced duodenal adenocarcinoma.

Duodenal adenocarcinoma (ADC) represents only 0.3% of gastrointestinal neoplasms. With the frequency being higher between the ages of 40 and 60, it is predominantly located in the second part of the duodenum and around the periampullary region. Symptoms are nonspecific, so the majority of patients present with advanced disease. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a therapeutic option that has not been well studied. The global literature includes only isolated reports on this subject. This is why we are presenting the following case: a 60-year-old female patient with a locally advanced, inoperable duodenal ADC received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Having presented a favourable response as observed in the post-neoadjuvant extension studies, a pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed without any perioperative complications and with satisfactory progress. The final biopsy reported a complete pathological response. After being monitored for 34 months, the patient was free from locoregional and distant metastatic disease. During the last weeks of monitoring, she developed a second primary breast tumour, which has been corroborated by immunohistochemistry.

Análogos de incretina e inhibidores de la DDP-4: ¿qué papel desempeñan en la prevención primaria de las enfermedades cardiovasculares? / Incretin analogs and inhibitors of DPP-4: which is their role in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases?

La diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) es una enfermedad altamente prevalente, la cual ha mostrado un incremento acelerado en las últimas décadas, pues se ha duplicado el número de personas con esta enfermedad. Diversos estudios epidemiológicos revelan que el 70% de las muertes por diabetes son causadas por eventos cardiovasculares (enfermedad coronaria y accidente cerebrovascular). Recientemente se ha observado una expansión en el descubrimiento de medicamentos para el manejo de la DM2, los mismos que, para su introducción en el mercado, deben mostrar beneficios adicionales para el sistema cardiovascular. Este artículo tiene como propósito determinar el papel de los nuevos medicamentos hipoglicemiantes que actúan en el sistema de las incretinas y sus efectos en la prevención primaria de eventos cardiovasculares.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a highly prevalent disease, which has shown a rapid increase in recent decades, doubling the number of people with this disease. Several epidemiological studies show that 70% of diabetes deaths are caused by cardiovascular events (coronary heart disease and stroke). Recently there has been an expansion in the discovery of drugs for the management of type 2 diabetes. These drugs must demonstrate additional cardiovascular system benefits before its introduction in the market. This paper aims to determine the role of new antidiabetic drugs that act on the incretin system and its effects on the primary prevention of cardiovascular events.

INDUCCIÓN DE RESISTENCIA SISTÉMICA CONTRA Fusarium oxysporum EN TOMATE POR Trichoderma koningiopsis Th003 / Induced Systemic Resistance Against Fusarium oxysporum In Tomato By Trichoderma koningiopsis Th003

Trichoderma koningiopsis Th003 ha mostrado alta eficacia en el control de diferentes fitopatógenos incluyendo Fusarium oxysporum, agente causal de la pudrición del cuello y la raíz del tomate (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.). Con el propósito de estudiar si este agente tiene la capacidad para inducir respuestas sistémicas de defensa, se utilizó como patosistema modelo Fusarium oxysporum -tomate, cuyas plantas se establecieron en cubos de enraizamiento con el sistema radical separado en dos porciones. Cuando Th003 se inoculó en una porción de la raíz 96 h antes de inocular en la otra porción F. oxysporum, se presentó un retraso de la colonización del fitopatógeno en el sistema vascular de la planta, en comparación con las plantas inoculadas solamente con el fitopatógeno. Este resultado sugiere que Th003 estimuló respuestas sistémicas de defensa en la planta, dado que el antagonista y el fitopatógeno permanecieron separados espacialmente. El microorganismo biocontrolador formulado como gránulos dispersables, se aplicó en un cultivo comercial de tomate bajo invernadero y redujo significativamente la incidencia de la pudrición del cuello y las raíces del tomate en 35%, en comparación con el testigo absoluto. El hongo T. koningiopsis Th003 demostró habilidad para controlar F. oxysporum f. sp. radicislycopersici mediante inducción de respuestas de defensa sistémica en las plantas de tomate.

Trichoderma koningiopsis Th003 has proved to be an efficient biocontrol agent of different plant pathogens including Fusarium oxysporum, causing agent of tomato crown and root rot. With the aim to studying whether Th003 has the ability to induce defense systemic responses to control Fusarium oxysporum infection, tomato plants (Solanumlycopersicum Mill.) were sown in pots using split root modified method. When Th003 was applied to one root portion 96 h before inoculating F. oxysporum in the other root portion, delayed colonization of the plant's vascular system was observed as compared with plants inoculated only with the pathogen. Since the antagonist and the pathogen remained spatially separated in the host, the protection effect in plants was attributed to a systemic activity induced by Th003. In a commercial greenhouse the biopesticide based upon Th003 reduced significantly (P<0.05) by 35% the incidence of crown and root rot caused >F. oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici, compared with untreated control. T. koningiopsis Th003 showed ability to control F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici by inducing systemic defense responses in tomato plants.

[An entomological and seroepidemiological study of Chagas' disease in an area in central-western Venezuela infested with Triatoma maculata (Erichson 1848)]. / Estudio seroepidemiológico y entomológico sobre la enfermedad de Chagas en un área infestada por Triatoma maculata (Erichson 1848) en el centro-occidente de Venezuela.

This article presents a study on seroepidemiological, entomologic, and risk factors for domiciliary infestation in a circumscribed area infested with Triatoma maculata in Parroquia Xaguas, Urdaneta Municipality, Lara State, Venezuela. One hundred and forty households, 509 persons, and 110 dogs were sampled. Serum anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies were determined by means of ELISA and MABA techniques using recombinant antigens. Tr. cruzi infection in the triatomines was determined by direct microscopy and PCR. According to the results, 1.57% of humans and 6.36% of dogs were positive for serum anti-Tr. cruzi antibodies. Triatomine species were: 97.98% T. maculata, 1.65% Eratyrus mucronatus, and 0.37% Panstrongylus geniculatus. Vector indices were: 0.36% vector infection, 16.4% household infestation, 39.1% household colonization, 8.6% household co-infestation, and 100% vector dispersion. Domiciliary and peridomiciliary infestation was associated with the presence of chickens and disorderly goat corrals, chicken coops, and domiciliary distribution. The results strongly suggest that T. maculata is the predominant Tr. cruzi vector in the area and that due to its capacity to infest and colonize human dwellings, it could be involved in Chagas' disease transmission.

Estudio seroepidemiológico y entomológico sobre la enfermedad de Chagas en un área infestada por Triatoma maculata (Erichson 1848) en el centro-occidente de Venezuela / An entomological and seroepidemiological study of Chagas' disease in an area in central-western Venezuela infested with Triatoma maculata (Erichson 1848)

En el presente trabajo se realizó un estudio seroepidemiológico, entomológico y de factores de riesgo para la infestación de las viviendas en un área infestada por Triatoma maculata (Parroquia Xaguas, Municipio Urdaneta, Estado Lara, Venezuela). Se muestrearon 140 viviendas, 509 personas y 110 cánidos, a los cuales se les determinó anticuerpos séricos anti-Trypanosoma cruzi mediante ELISA y MABA, utilizando antígenos recombinantes. La infección por Tr. cruzi de los triatominos fue determinada por microscopía óptica y PCR. Los resultados mostraron una seroprevalencia en humanos de 1,57 por ciento y en cánidos de 6,36 por ciento. De los 545 triatominos capturados 97,98 por ciento fueron T. maculata, 1,65 por ciento Eratyrus mucronatus y 0,37 por ciento Panstrongylus geniculatus; con índices vectoriales de infección 0,36 por ciento, infestación 16,4 por ciento, colonización 39,1 por ciento, coinfestación 8,6 por ciento y dispersión 100 por ciento. La presencia de vectores en el domicilio y peridomicilio estuvo asociada a la presencia de gallinas, desorden en el peridomicilio, caprinos, gallineros y/o distribución del domicilio. Los resultados permiten concluir que T. maculata es el vector predominante en la región, con capacidad de infestar y colonizar el domicilio y estaría involucrado en la transmisión de la enfermedad de Chagas.

This article presents a study on seroepidemiological, entomologic, and risk factors for domiciliary infestation in a circumscribed area infested with Triatoma maculata in Parroquia Xaguas, Urdaneta Municipality, Lara State, Venezuela. One hundred and forty households, 509 persons, and 110 dogs were sampled. Serum anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies were determined by means of ELISA and MABA techniques using recombinant antigens. Tr. cruzi infection in the triatomines was determined by direct microscopy and PCR. According to the results, 1.57 percent of humans and 6.36 percent of dogs were positive for serum anti-Tr. cruzi antibodies. Triatomine species were: 97.98 percent T. maculata, 1.65 percent Eratyrus mucronatus, and 0.37 percent Panstrongylus geniculatus. Vector indices were: 0.36 percent vector infection, 16.4 percent household infestation, 39.1 percent household colonization, 8.6 percent household co-infestation, and 100 percent vector dispersion. Domiciliary and peridomiciliary infestation was associated with the presence of chickens and disorderly goat corrals, chicken coops, and domiciliary distribution. The results strongly suggest that T. maculata is the predominant Tr. cruzi vector in the area and that due to its capacity to infest and colonize human dwellings, it could be involved in Chagas' disease transmission.