Due to its fungistatic or fungicidal potential, chitosan, a high molecular-weight polymer that is non-toxic and biodegradable, has become an alternative to conventional fungicides. In addition, ...chitosan is reported to elicit defense mechanisms in plant tissues. In this study, we explored the in vitro fungicidal effect of chitosan on some of the most important grapevine wood fungi, such as Botryosphaeria sp. (dieback and cane blight), Phomopsis sp. (Phomopsis cane and leaf spot), Eutypa lata (eutypa dieback), Neonectria liriodendri (black foot disease), Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (Petri disease and esca) and Fomitiporia sp. (esca). Inhibition of mycelial growth was evaluated at five concentrations 50, 25, 5, 2.5 and 0.5 mg a.i. l⁻¹ of chitosan. Chitosan was effective in reducing mycelial growth of all the fungi. The lowest EC50 values were obtained with Pa. chlamydospora, Fomitiporia sp. and Botryosphaeria sp., and the highest with Neon. liriodendri. All these were inferior to the maximum recommended field rate (8.33 mg a.i. l⁻¹) with exception of the value obtained with Neon. liriodendri. Greenhouse experiments were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of foliar sprays of chitosan on potted grapevine plants (cultivar Castelão) growing in a substrate artificially infested with Pa. chlamydospora or Neon. liriodendri. The effect of chitosan against Neon. liriodendri was similar to that achieved with some selected fungicides (carbendazim+flusilazole, cyprodinil+fludioxonil and tebuconazole). Chitosan significantly improved plant growth (plant height and number of roots) and decreased disease incidence compared with untreated plants. As regards Pa. chlamydospora, chitosan only reduced the disease incidence caused by this fungus.
The ascomycete
is a causal agent of grapevine trunk diseases. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
isolate F98.1 (37.27 Mb, 512 contigs, 112 scaffolds, and 8,087 predicted protein-coding ...genes).
•In this cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and multiethnic background, we found a high frequency of epilepsy.•High glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody titers were associated with ...epilepsy of unknown etiology.•This population has different ethnic and genetic population background compared to previous studies.•The results might contribute towards improving the understanding of epilepsy in T1D patients.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) are at higher risk of epilepsy. T1D is a progressive immune-mediated disease and the etiology of epilepsy remains unknown in most. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) catalyzes GABA formation. GABA-secreting neurons and pancreatic beta cells are the major cells expressing GAD.
Cross-sectional study. Patients with T1D from a multiethnic population underwent GADA measurement to investigate possible association between T1D and epilepsy of unknown etiology.
T1D patients were analyzed (n = 375). Overall frequency of epilepsy was 5.9% (n = 22). Frequency of epilepsy of unknown etiology was 3.2% (n = 12). Of these, 8 (2.1%) had idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) and 4 (1.1%) MRI-negative temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Patients with T1D and epilepsy of unknown etiology did not show differences in GADA frequency (83.3% vs 50%; p = 0.076); however, their titers were higher (106.9 ± 136.5 IU/mL; median 7; IQR 1.65–256 vs 10.2 ± 14.5 IU/ml; median 4.3; IQR 1.9–8.9; p = 0.019) compared to patients without epilepsy. Moreover, epilepsy of unknown etiology was associated with GADA titers ≥ 100 UI/mL odds ratio (OR) 4.42, 95% CI 2.36–8.66.
Epilepsy frequency was elevated in patients with T1D and multiethnic background. Presence of epilepsy of unknown etiology was associated with high titers of GADA in this population with long-standing T1D, which has different ethnic and genetic background compared to previous studies. Further prospective studies are required to identify if GADA presence or its persistence are directly responsible for epilepsy in individuals with T1D.
The effect of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora infection was evaluated in three grapevine cultivars, in relation to the variation in phenolic compounds within the host. Young plants of Vitis vinifera (cv. ...Chardonnay, Touriga Nacional and two clones of cv. Aragonez) were infected using two strains of Pa. chlamydospora and were harvested after five months from inoculation. Overall, a localised increment in the amount of total phenolics within a methanolic extract of grapevine wood tissue was observed following infection. Such pattern was also manifested by a localised increase in non-tannin phenolics. HPLC analysis was used to identify the host phenolic compounds, which were mostly affected by the host-pathogen interaction. trans-Resveratrol was found to augment very significantly in both cv. Chardonnay and cv. Touriga Nacional following infection. ε-Viniferin also increased considerably in infected plants of cv. Touriga Nacional. Significant differences were encountered among infected plants depending not only on the cultivar, but also on the site of inoculation. Overall, cv. Chardonnay and cv. Touriga Nacional contained a higher amount of infection-induced phenolic compounds than both cv. Aragonez clones. Infection of young shoots also led to a greater accumulation of phenolic compounds than that of the trunk. Results are discussed in view of understanding the role of phenolic compounds and especially trans-resveratrol in grapevine defences against Pa. chlamydospora.
Botryosphaeria parva, Eutypa lata and Phomopsis viticola are ascomyceteous fungi responsible for severe canker and dieback in numerous woody plants. In grapevine, these pathogens colonise the wood ...mainly through pruning wounds, and the diseases gradually develop, leading to partial or total vine death. In the present study, the three fungal species were grown in Czapek Dox modified medium. Under these conditions, fungal colonies are able to distinguish self from non-self. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was analysed by specifically staining for superoxide (O2
.-) or peroxide (O2
2-) radicals. The presence of ROS in both isolated cultures and fungal interactions was confirmed. All fungi produced both radicals, in every interaction. However, the patterns of ROS production depend on the fungus itself and on the fungal species with which it is interacting, being also dependent on the presence of antioxidant compounds in the surrounding medium. It is as though a fungal species hierarchy could be established for every interaction under each set of conditions (i.e. habitat). The results obtained suggest that fungi display more complex behaviours than generally acknowledged. They are able to recognize potential contestants and built up defence reactions, as well as weaken plant defences and structures to induce infection.
Previous surveys conducted in commercial nurseries found that different wood fungi, namely Cylindrocarpon spp., Botryosphaeriaceae, Phomopsis viticola and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora infect grapevine ...cuttings. Two field trials were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of cyprodinil + fludioxonil, pyraclostrobin + metiram, fludioxonil and cyprodinil to prevent or reduce natural infections caused by such fungi. Rootstock and scion cuttings were soaked in fungicidal suspensions for 50 min prior to grafting. After callusing, the grafted cuttings were planted in two commercial field nurseries with and without a previous history of grapevine cultivation. After nine months in the nursery, the plants were uprooted and analysed for the incidence and severity of the wood fungi. Plants uprooted from the field without a previous history of grapevine cultivation were generally less strongly infected by wood fungi. Under this condition, only the mixture cyprodinil + fludioxonil simultaneously reduced the incidence of Cylindrocarpon and Botryosphaeriaceae fungi, as well as the severity of Cylindrocarpon infections. Treatments did not produce significant differences in the incidence and severity of P. viticola, and Pa. chlamydospora. For plants grown in the field with a grapevine history, all fungicides except cyprodinil significantly reduced the incidence and severity of Cylindrocarpon fungi. Also, the incidence and severity of Botryosphaeriaceae pathogens were significantly decreased both by cyprodinil + fludioxonil and by cyprodinil. No significant differences were noticed for P. viticola incidence and severity, and Pa. chlamydospora was not detected again. These results suggest that the practice of soaking grapevine cuttings in selected fungicides prior to grafting significantly reduces Cylindrocarpon spp. and Botryosphaeriaceae infections, thus improving the quality of planting material.
Black foot of grapevine Rego, Cecília; Farropas, Lídia; Nascimento, Teresa ...
Phytopathologia mediterranea,
01/2006, Letnik:
45, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Black foot disease of grapevine is caused by Cylindrocarpon spp., with C. destructans being the main pathogen isolated from vine cuttings and young vineyards in Portugal. Few recommendations for ...black foot disease control are presently available, and they are not easy to implement within commercial nurseries. In this study, 14 fungicides were evaluated for their effect on the mycelial growth and conidium germination of four field isolates of C. destructans. Mycelial growth of the pathogen was inhibited by DMI fungicides, prochloraz (EC50 values <0.09 mg l⁻¹) and to a lesser extent by difenoconazole (EC50 values <2.25 mg l⁻¹), by the benzimidazole fungicide benomyl (EC50 values <0.35 mg l⁻¹), and by the mixtures cyprodinil + fludioxonil and carbendazim + flusilazole, which gave EC50 values <0.75 mg l⁻¹. Among these, only cyprodinil + fludioxonil (EC50 values <0.15 mg l⁻¹), the strobilurin fungicides, azoxystrobin and trifloxystrobin (EC50 values <2.27 mg l⁻¹) and the phenylsulphamide fungicide tolylfluanid (EC50 <0.54 mg l⁻¹) were effective in reducing conidium germination. Results from in vivo studies, carried out on potted grapevine plants (cultivar Castelão) showed that benomyl, tebuconazole and the mixtures carbendazim + flusilazole and cyprodinil + fludioxonil significantly (α=0.05) improved plant growth (plant height and number of roots) and decreased disease incidence compared with non-treated plants.
Background
123
I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy and clonidine growth hormone test (CGH test) may help to distinguish multiple system atrophy (MSA) from Parkinson’s disease (PD). Their relevance in the ...first-stage parkinsonism of uncertain etiology is unknown.
Methods
Patients experiencing parkinsonism of ambiguous etiology were clinically classified into the PD group or the MSA group as initial clinical diagnosis (ICD). Then, CGH test and myocardial scintigraphy were performed. Clinical assessment was repeated throughout the disease course until the final clinical diagnosis (FCD) could be established according to the criteria of PD and MSA, respectively.
Results
Twenty-five patients with uncertain diagnosis were included (15 MSA and 10 PD as ICD). At the end of a 6-year follow-up, FCD was MSA in 11/25 patients and PD in 14/25. The CGH test and the scintigraphy showed a sensitivity of 82%, and a specificity of 71 and 93%, respectively, for the diagnosis of MSA. The combination of a normal scintigraphy (i.e., with myocardial MIBG uptake) with genitourinary dysfunction was the most relevant test to diagnose MSA, whereas an abnormal scintigraphy with a levodopa response of > 30% or an abnormal scintigraphy with the absence of OH was the most relevant combinations to diagnose PD. All these combinations had an accuracy superior than 90% and a specificity of 100%.
Conclusion
Combinations of myocardial scintigraphy with genitourinary dysfunction, levodopa response of > 30%, or orthostatic hypotension could be of interest for the distinction between PD and MSA when the clinical diagnosis remains ambiguous at the first stage of the disease.
Epilepsy and syncope are clinical conditions with high prevalence rates in the general population, and the differential diagnosis between them is difficult. Objective To assess the frequency of ...syncope in patients diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) without appa-rent heart disease, to investigate the relationship between clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) changes, and to verify the role of the inclination test (IT). Method An open, prospective study from 2004 to 2006, including 35 consecutive patients from the Epilepsy Program of Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho who were diagnosed with DRE without apparent heart disease. Results The frequency of syncope was 25.7% (n=9), with a significant prevalence in women. Vasovagal syncope (VVS) was the most frequent diagnosis. Conclusion We found a significant association between syncope and the presence of autonomic symptoms (p=0.005). The IT plays an important role in the differential diagnosis of patients with DRE presenting with autonomic symptoms, regardless of EEG results and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities.
Une cérébellite bien inhabituelle Rego, Cécilia Alves do; de Seze, Jérome
Revue neurologique,
April 2015, 2015-04-00, Letnik:
171
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Madame G, 56ans, est adressée aux urgences pour des vertiges et des troubles de l’équilibre responsables de chutes à répétition depuis 3 semaines. Dans ses antécédents, on retrouve des facteurs de ...risque cardiovasculaires (diabète de type 2, hypertension artérielle, dyslipidémie, obésité), une auto-immunité (hypothyroïdie, cirrhose avec anticorps anti-muscles lisses), une ACFA et un carcinome hépatocellulaire (nodule de 22mm de découverte récente et qui aurait du être traité par radiofréquence la semaine suivante). Initialement, la patiente présente une désorientation temporo-spatiale et des vertiges non rotatoires sans syndrome cérébelleux ni vestibulaire. Le scanner cérébral est en faveur d’un AVC ischémique bi-cérébelleux avec un début de transformation hémorragique. Elle est donc transférée en UNV pour la suite de la prise en charge.
Malheureusement, elle se dégrade rapidement sur le plan clinique avec l’apparition d’une hyperthermie à 39°, d’un syndrome cérébelleux stato-cinétique, d’un syndrome méningé et d’un opsomyoclonus. Une IRM cérébrale est alors réalisée en urgence et montre un hypersignal en diffusion et en FLAIR au niveau des deux hémisphères cérébelleux essentiellement au niveau du cortex et du vermis partiellement rehaussés après injection de produit de contraste. La séquence ADC montre également un hypersignal dans les mêmes régions excluant l’origine ischémique. Une ponction lombaire est ensuite réalisée et révèle une hyperleucocytose à 97 cellules/mm3 à prédominance lymphocytaire, une hyperprotéinorachie à 2,63g/L, une hypoglycorachie à 0,17g/L, la présence de bandes oligoclonales et l’absence de germe à l’examen direct et de cellules suspectes de malignité. Un traitement probabiliste par aciclovir et amoxicilline est donc rapidement administré en attendant les résultats des examens complémentaires.
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