Isolates from the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex, mainly F. sacchari, have been reported to be the causal agents of pokkah boeng in sugarcane in Brazil. However, inadequate information was ...available on the occurrence and genetic diversity of F. sacchari in Northeast Brazil, which is a limiting factor on management. Thus, isolates of F. subglutinans sensu lato from sugarcane plants with symptoms of pokkah boeng were evaluated using the sexual cross‐fertility to determine species. All the isolates produced black perithecia when they were crossed with the test isolates of F. sacchari. Three weeks after the crossing, the formation of fertile ascospores cirri was observed. Thirty‐four isolates were self‐sterile hermaphrodites, while 21 were fertile only as males. Five isolates were homothallic. The effective size Ne(f) of the population as a function of the frequency of hermaphrodites and female sterile strains was 95.5%. The F. sacchari isolates were separated into four genetic groups independent of geographic location. The mean of polymorphism among all populations was 79%, and the average unbiased genetic diversity (uh) was considered moderate (0.31). This study in addition to confirming that F. sacchari as the main species associated with pokkah boeng in sugarcane in Northeast Brazil, reveals the relationship of mating type and genetic diversity of F. sacchari. The unrestricted gene flow between regions is probably the best explanation for the low geographic correlation. This knowledge will help in the adoption of management measures with fungicides or resistant cultivars.
Sugarcane pineapple rot is an important sugarcane stem disease that also affects germination and sprouting. In Brazil, the disease is caused by
Thielaviopsis paradoxa sensu
lato which has been split ...into at least five distinctive phylogenetic and biological species in the reinstated genus
Thielaviopsis
. In this study, three purported strains of
T. paradoxa
s. lat. isolated from sugarcane stems were characterized and compared with a strain from pineapple fruit, using morphology, DNA sequence analyses and sexual compatibility tests. Inoculations were also performed on asymptomatic stems of plants to assess the pathogenicity of the four fungal strains on sugarcane. Based on results of the phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS and TEF-1a gene sequences, the strains were identified as
T. ethacetica
. This was also supported by sexual compatibility tests, as crossings between the pineapple strain and some sugarcane strains resulted in the formation of perithecia exuding ascospore masses at their apices. The inoculation test on sugarcane resulted in stem rot and in reduced germination of buds.
Thielaviopsis ethacetica
is thus the species causing pineapple sett rot disease in Brazil.
Among the several factors that negatively influence cowpea culture, weeds have been responsible for the reduction of growth, development and productive performance of the crop, making it necessary to ...establish management strategies based on phytosociological studies of weed species in growing areas. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the floristic composition of weeds, aiming to identify the main species and their dynamics, and to consider their distribution in time and space as pertaining to the cultivation of a modern variety of cowpea, cv. BRS Novaera, in dystrophic Red-Yellow Argisol, in the Midnorth region of the state of Piaui, Brazil. The phytosociological survey of weeds was carried out in three sessions: the first one was immediately before the area was desiccated with glyphosate (15 days before sowing the cowpea), and the others were at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS). Following the quantification of species and number of individuals, the following phytosociological parameters were calculated: frequency and relative frequency; density and relative density; abundance and relative abundance; and importance value index. It was concluded that there were few changes in the floristic composition of the weed community according to the epoch of the phytosociological surveys. The main weed plants at 20 DAS of cowpea (vegetative phase) were 'Chamaesyce hirta, Digitaria insularis, Alternanthera tenella, Cleome affinis, Mollugo verticillata and Portulaca oleracea'. At 40 days (reproductive phase), the weed species with a large establishment and acting as potential competitors with cv. BRS Novaera cowpea were 'Digitaria insularis, Chamaesyce hirta' and 'Mollugo verticillata'.
Among the several factors that negatively influence cowpea culture, weeds have been responsible for the reduction of growth, development and productive performance of the crop, making it necessary to ...establish management strategies based on phytosociological studies of weed species in growing areas. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the floristic composition of weeds, aiming to identify the main species and their dynamics, and to consider their distribution in time and space as pertaining to the cultivation of a modern variety of cowpea, cv. BRS Novaera, in dystrophic Red-Yellow Argisol, in the Midnorth region of the state of Piaui, Brazil. The phytosociological survey of weeds was carried out in three sessions: the first one was immediately before the area was desiccated with glyphosate (15 days before sowing the cowpea), and the others were at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS). Following the quantification of species and number of individuals, the following phytosociological parameters were calculated: frequency and relative frequency; density and relative density; abundance and relative abundance; and importance value index. It was concluded that there were few changes in the floristic composition of the weed community according to the epoch of the phytosociological surveys. The main weed plants at 20 DAS of cowpea (vegetative phase) were 'Chamaesyce hirta, Digitaria insularis, Alternanthera tenella, Cleome affinis, Mollugo verticillata' and 'Portulaca oleracea'. At 40 days (reproductive phase), the weed species with a large establishment and acting as potential competitors with cv. BRS Novaera cowpea were 'Digitaria insularis, Chamaesyce hirta' and 'Mollugo verticillata'.
Among the several factors that negatively influence cowpea culture, weeds have been responsible for the reduction of growth, development and productive performance of the crop, making it necessary to ...establish management strategies based on phytosociological studies of weed species in growing areas. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the floristic composition of weeds, aiming to identify the main species and their dynamics, and to consider their distribution in time and space as pertaining to the cultivation of a modern variety of cowpea, cv. BRS Novaera, in dystrophic Red-Yellow Argisol, in the Midnorth region of the state of Piaui, Brazil. The phytosociological survey of weeds was carried out in three sessions: the first one was immediately before the area was desiccated with glyphosate (15 days before sowing the cowpea), and the others were at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS). Following the quantification of species and number of individuals, the following phytosociological parameters were calculated: frequency and relative frequency; density and relative density; abundance and relative abundance; and importance value index. It was concluded that there were few changes in the floristic composition of the weed community according to the epoch of the phytosociological surveys. The main weed plants at 20 DAS of cowpea (vegetative phase) were 'Chamaesyce hirta, Digitaria insularis, Alternanthera tenella, Cleome affinis, Mollugo verticillata and Portulaca oleracea'. At 40 days (reproductive phase), the weed species with a large establishment and acting as potential competitors with cv. BRS Novaera cowpea were 'Digitaria insularis, Chamaesyce hirta' and 'Mollugo verticillata'.
Among the several factors that negatively influence cowpea culture, weeds have been responsible for the reduction of growth, development and productive performance of the crop, making it necessary to ...establish management strategies based on phytosociological studies of weed species in growing areas. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the floristic composition of weeds, aiming to identify the main species and their dynamics, and to consider their distribution in time and space as pertaining to the cultivation of a modern variety of cowpea, cv. BRS Novaera, in dystrophic Red-Yellow Argisol, in the Midnorth region of the state of Piaui, Brazil. The phytosociological survey of weeds was carried out in three sessions: the first one was immediately before the area was desiccated with glyphosate (15 days before sowing the cowpea), and the others were at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS). Following the quantification of species and number of individuals, the following phytosociological parameters were calculated: frequency and relative frequency; density and relative density; abundance and relative abundance; and importance value index. It was concluded that there were few changes in the floristic composition of the weed community according to the epoch of the phytosociological surveys. The main weed plants at 20 DAS of cowpea (vegetative phase) were 'Chamaesyce hirta, Digitaria insularis, Alternanthera tenella, Cleome affinis, Mollugo verticillata' and 'Portulaca oleracea'. At 40 days (reproductive phase), the weed species with a large establishment and acting as potential competitors with cv. BRS Novaera cowpea were 'Digitaria insularis, Chamaesyce hirta' and 'Mollugo verticillata'.
African ancestry seems to be a risk factor for hypertension; however, few genetic studies have addressed this issue. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of polymorphisms NOS3; rs1799983, ...IGFBP3; rs11977526 and TCF7L2; rs7903146 in Brazilian women of African descent and their association with hypertension.
The prevalences of the less frequent genotypes were 26.5% TT genotype of NOS3; rs1799983, 16.7% AA genotype of IGFBP3; rs11977526, and 18.3% TT genotype of TCF7L2; rs7903146. For these conditions, the prevalence of hypertension and PR (adjusted) relatively to the ancestral genotype were, respectively: 52.0% vs 24.5% (PR = 1.54; p < 0.001), 62.0% vs 24.1% (PR = 1.59; p < 0.001), and 38.9% vs 27.9% (PR = 0.86; p = 0.166). Associations with hypertension were statistically significant, except for the TCF7L2; rs7903146 polymorphism, after adjusted analysis. Brazilian Afro-descendant women with the TT genotype for the NOS3 gene and the AA genotype for the IGFBP3 gene are more susceptible to hypertension. The understanding of underlying mechanisms involving the pathogenesis of hypertension can motivate research for the development of new therapeutic targets related to nitric oxide metabolism and the management of oxidative stress.
Fire-stimulated flowering and fire-stimulated resprouting are associated traits common in plants that evolved in fire-prone habitats, e.g.,
Vellozia pyrantha
, an iconic plant that has economic ...potential and is endemic to a fully protected area. By combining a natural phenomenon that drives demography and in situ evolution, we tested if fire can be used as a novel technique for plant multiplication through vegetative bud activation in
V. pyrantha
. The basal parts of microplants cultivated for 60 days (5 to 6 cm tall) were exposed to a flame using a Bunsen burner for five periods controlled by a timer (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 s) and compared to unburned plants (control). After 30 days, the number of new shoots was counted, and the length of the longest shoot produced per individual was measured. Adventitious shoot development started 7 days after the fire incidence. The number of shoots per individual and length of the longest shoot produced were significantly higher in the 6- to 10-s treatments. Fire was an efficient and cheap way to induce adventitious shoot formation. This new method could also be applied to other resprouter species from fire-prone environments in the world.
Key message
By combining a natural phenomenon that drives evolution with the bud stimulus expected, we found fire as an efficient and cheap way to induce buds.
Purpose
Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery is common and mostly asymptomatic. The ideal target population that will benefit from routine troponin measurements in low and middle income ...countries (LMICs) is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of a cohort of high-risk surgical patients according to high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) in an LMIC setting.
Methods
We conducted a prospective cohort study of 442 high-risk patients undergoing noncardiac surgery at a Brazilian hospital between February 2019 and March 2020. High-sensitivity troponin T levels were measured preoperatively, 24 hr, and 48 hr after surgery and stratified into three groups: normal (< 20 ng·L
−1
); minor elevation (20–65 ng·L
−1
); and major elevation (> 65 ng·L
−1
). We performed survival analysis to determine the association between myocardial injury and one-year mortality. We described medical interventions and evaluated unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admission and complications using multivariable models.
Results
Postoperative myocardial injury occurred in 45% of patients. Overall, 30-day mortality was 8%. Thirty-day and one-year mortality were higher in patients with hsTnT ≥ 20 ng·L
−1
. One-year mortality was 18% in the unaltered troponin group
vs
31% and 41% for minor and major elevation groups, respectively. Multivariable analysis of one-year survival showed a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.94 (95% confidence interval CI, 1.22 to 3.09) for the minor elevation group and a HR of 2.73 (95% CI, 1.67 to 4.45) for the troponin > 65 ng·L
−1
group. Patients with altered troponin had more unplanned ICU admissions (13%
vs
5%) and more complications (78%
vs
48%).
Conclusion
This study supports evidence that hsTnT is an important prognostic marker and a strong predictor of all-cause mortality after surgery. Troponin measurement in high-risk surgical patients could potentially be used as tool to scale-up care in LMIC settings.
Study registration
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04187664); first submitted 5 December 2019.
Purpose
Evidence about factors influencing quality of life after inguinal hernia surgery is scarce. This study aimed to assess patient’s Quality of Life (QoL) after open inguinal hernia repair and to ...identify predictors of low QoL at 3 months after surgery, to guide practice and inform patients at high risk.
Methods
Prospective multicentric cohort study including consecutive patients undergoing elective open inguinal hernia repair in Portuguese hospitals (October–December 2019). The primary outcome was Quality of Life at 3 months after surgery, using the EuraHS-QoL score (higher score correlates with lower QoL). Low QoL was defined as the higher EuraHS-QoL score tertile and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors.
Results
893 patients were included from 33 hospitals. The majority were men 89.9% (800/891), had unilateral hernias 88.7% (774/872) and the most common surgical technique was Lichtenstein’s repair 52.9% (472/893). The median QoL score was 24 (IQR 10–40) before surgery and 2 (IQR 0–10) at 3 months after surgery, showing significant improvement (
p
< 0.001). After adjustment, low QoL at 3 months was associated with low preoperative QoL (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.21–2.57,
p
= 0.003), non-absorbable mesh fixation (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.12–2.41,
p
= 0.011), severe immediate postoperative pain (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.66–5.11,
p
< 0.001) and minor postoperative complications (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.30–3.84,
p
= 0.004).
Conclusion
This study supports the use of the EuraHS-QoL score preoperatively to inform consent. Although significant improvement in QoL is expected after surgery, high scores before surgery are associated with low postoperative QoL. Caution should be taken with non-absorbable mesh fixation and immediate postoperative pain control should be optimised.