Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important forage crop with high nutrition for animal feed. In May 2016, a disease showing brown root rot was observed on alfalfa collected from several farms in ...Tongliao City (44°17' N; 121°29' E), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The incidence of brown root rot was approximately 50 to 70% in the 2-year-old alfalfa field. Infected alfalfa exhibited varying degrees of decay in the tap root. Symptomatic roots were cut into 0.5-cm pieces, surface disinfected with 70% ethanol for 5 s and 0.1% HgCl2 for 35 s, then rinsed with sterilize distilled water three times, and placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 26°C in the dark. After 5 days, hyphal tips of the growing colonies were transferred onto PDA plates for purification. Forty-four isolates belonging to five fungal species were obtained from 20 diseased root samples. Six of the isolates resembled the genus Plectosphaerella. Colonies of these isolates were white to cream in color with sparse aerial mycelium, and then gradually became salmon pink with slimy or moist mycelium. The hyphae were transparent and branched. Colonies produced numerous hyphal coils with conidiophores. Conidiogenous cells and conidia were both hyaline, solitary, and smooth. Conidia were 4 to 8.5 ×1.2 to 4.8 µm (n= 100), 0 to 1 septum, elliptical and ovoid, and aggregating to form a head (Palm et al. 1995). According to these morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as P. cucumerina (Lindf.) (Carlucci et al. 2012). To confirm the identification, the genomic DNA of two representative isolates was extracted and their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified and sequenced with the primer pair ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The ITS sequences of the two isolates were deposited in GenBank (acc. nos. MN915126 and MN915127). The two ITS sequences showed 99 to 100% identical to known P. cucumerina strains CBS 131739 (acc. no. KY662258.1) (Su et al. 2017) and MP313 (acc. no. KC756835.1) from alfalfa in China (Wen et al. 2015). To test for pathogenicity, a set of 15 alfalfa seedlings (cv. Aohan) were root-dipped in the conidial suspension of one of the isolates (1×105 conidia /ml) prepared from 7-day-old cultures on PDA. Inoculated seedlings were transplanted in three pots (10×15 cm) with sterilized nursery soil. Another set of five alfalfa seedlings inoculated with sterile water only served as the controls. Treated alfalfa seedlings were maintained in a greenhouse at 25°C to 28°C under a 12-h photoperiod. After 25 days, the roots of all inoculated plants showed brown lesions. P. cucumerina was reisolated from symptomatic tissue. No symptoms were observed on the control plants. P. cucumerina was previously reported on alfalfa in the fields of Huanxi Country (36°20' N; 107°21'), Gansu Province, China (Wen et al. 2015). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. cucumerina causing root rot of alfalfa in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. This disease may cause serious economic losses in the region. It is needed to develop effective management strategies for control of this disease.
SUMMARY
Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction, characterized by preserved peristalsis in conjunction with an elevated integrated relaxation pressure, can result from specific anatomic variants ...or may represent achalasia in evolution. There is limited information on the clinical significance of this diagnosis. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes in our cohort of patients with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction.
Consecutive adult patients who had undergone high-resolution esophageal manometry between February 2013 and November 2015 with a diagnosis of esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction were identified. Electronic medical records were reviewed to determine: (1) secondary causes of esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction; (2) treatment; and (3) natural history. Improvement in symptoms noted during follow-up evaluation was considered to be a favorable outcome. Worsening of symptoms or no change in symptoms was considered to be an unfavorable outcome.
Of 874 manometries performed during this time period, 83 met the criteria for esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction. Of these patients, 11 had secondary causes: paraesophageal hernia (4), Nissen fundoplication (2), esophageal stricture (3), prior laparoscopic band placement (1), and diverticulum (1). All of these secondary causes were identified by barium esophagram. The remaining 72 patients were categorized as idiopathic esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction. Two patients developed type II achalasia on follow-up. An additional two patients had no symptoms as testing was performed for preoperative evaluation prior to bariatric surgery, leaving 68 patients for symptom follow-up analysis. Of these, 19 had a favorable outcome, 18 had an unfavorable outcome, and 31 were lost to follow-up. Of those with a favorable outcome, 6 patients underwent treatment: medication (3), botulinum toxin injection followed by laparoscopic Heller myotomy (1), botulinum toxin injection and medication (1), and bougie dilation (1). Of the 18 patients with an unfavorable outcome, 6 patients underwent treatment: botulinum toxin injection (5) and medication (1). Computed tomography scan or endoscopic ultrasound was performed in 40% of patients with available follow-up and none of these studies revealed secondary causes. The overall median follow-up time was 5 months.
Esophagogastric outflow obstruction is a manometric finding of unclear significance. Secondary causes should first be excluded with structural studies. The evolution of esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction to achalasia is rare. Symptoms in patients with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction do not always require treatment and treatment response is variable. The challenge in managing these patients lies in distinguishing which patients will need intervention. Further studies are needed for consideration of subgrouping this disease or modifying the categorization into clinically relevant entities.
Three reversible transformations following the sequence hexagonal close-packed (hcp)→samarium type (Sm-type)→double hexagonal close-packed (dhcp)→distorted face-center cubic (dfcc) are observed at ...4.4, 26.7, and 40.2GPa in the HoDyYGdTb high-entropy alloy, respectively. The phase transitions are due to the s→d charge transfer during compression.
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•Pressure-induced phase transitions were discovered in HoDyYGdTb high-entropy alloy.•The atomic volume, bulk moduls and bulk moduls pressure derivative of the alloy obey the rule of mixture.•The transitions are strongly correlated s→d charge transfer of the HEA similar with its constituent elements.
The HoDyYGdTb high-entropy alloy (HEA) was synthesized and its structural phase transitions were determined under compression up to 60.1GPa at room temperature. Three transformations following the sequence hexagonal close-packed (hcp)→samarium type (Sm-type)→double hexagonal close-packed (dhcp)→distorted face-center cubic (dfcc) are observed at 4.4, 26.7, and 40.2GPa, respectively. The high pressure equation of state was determined for the HEA according to third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state. The results show that the bulk modulus and atomic volume of the alloy obey the “additivity law”.
Summary
Dyschromatosis symmetrica hereditaria (DSH) is a rare, autosomal dominant dermatosis, characterized by a mixture of hyperpigmented and hypopigmented macules on the dorsa of the hands and ...feet. The DSH locus has been mapped to chromosome 1q21, and in 2003, pathogenic mutations were identified in the ADAR1 (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA1) gene. In this study, we performed mutation detection of the ADAR1 gene in two Chinese families with DSH. PCR and direct sequencing of the ADAR1 gene were used to identify and confirm the mutations in the two families. Furthermore, we analysed the RNA transcripts by reverse transcriptase (RT)‐PCR. Two aberrant splice products were confirmed with RT‐PCR and DNA direct sequence analysis. These novel findings further extend our understanding of the role of ADAR1 in DSH.
TiO2 films with thicknesses of 100 and 50 nm were deposited on NiTi shape memory alloys (SMA-NiTi) using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. Uniaxial tensile loading, unloading, and water-bath ...heating experiments were conducted. X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and profilometry were used to characterize the phase structures of the NiTi substrates and surface morphologies of the films before and after stretching and after stretching with water-bath heating. Under uniaxial tension, the NiTi substrate experienced a B2 → B19′ martensitic phase transformation. Surface relief appeared on the film and residual deformation persisted in the NiTi after stress-relief. After heating, the NiTi substrate underwent a reverse B19′ → B2 martensitic phase transformation where the surface relief on the film disappeared and the residual deformation was eliminated. Neither cracking nor spalling was observed on the 50-nm film after tensile deformation at a maximum strain of 10%, and the shape was recovered via heating. The 100-nm film withstood a tensile deformation at a maximum strain of 10%, but slight cracking and spalling occurred during shape recovery. This is the first report on the dynamic changes in the surface morphology of inorganic films deposited on SMA-NiTi alloys. The results provide a theoretical and experimental basis for analyzing the reliability of film-modified NiTi alloy devices.
•TiO2 films 100 and 50 nm thick are deposited on NiTi shape memory (SMA-NiTi) alloys.•The film surface morphologies are analyzed before and after stretching and heating.•Uniaxial tension/heating caused B2 → B19′/B19′ → B2 martensitic phase-transformations.•First report of dynamic surface-morphology change of TiO2 film on SMA-NiTi
Adjusting for stroke severity is crucial for stroke outcomes research. However, this information is not available in administrative healthcare data. We aimed to derive an indicator of baseline stroke ...severity using these data.
We identified patients with stroke enrolled in a population-based registry in Ontario, Canada, and used the Canadian Neurological Scale (CNS), documented in the registry, as a measure of stroke severity. We derived an estimated CNS from a linear regression model in which we regressed the observed CNS on predictor variables: age, sex, arrival by ambulance, interhospital transfer, mechanical ventilation, and an emergency department triage score. The effect of stroke severity on the estimated hazard ratios for 30-day mortality was determined in 3 Cox-proportional hazards models with (1) no CNS, (2) observed CNS, and (3) estimated CNS, all adjusted for age, sex, Charlson index, and stroke type. We assessed model discrimination using C statistics. To assess for construct validity, we repeated these analyses in a subset of patients with documented National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and in a cohort of patients with stroke external to the registry. We derived the estimated stroke severity in 41 481 patients (48.7% female, median age of 75 years interquartile range, 64- 83). The magnitude of the association between stroke severity and mortality was similar for the observed and estimated CNS. The discriminative ability of the Cox-proportional hazards models to predict mortality was highest when the observed CNS was included (C statistic, 0.82 95% CI, 0.81-0.82), moderate with estimated CNS (0.76 0.75-0.76), and lowest without CNS (0.69 0.69-0.70. Our findings were replicated with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and in the external cohort.
We derived an estimated measure of stroke severity using administrative data. This can be applied for risk adjustment in population-based stroke outcomes research and in assessments of health system performance.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and correlate the various factors including, but not limited to, educational status, socio-economic condition, body ...mass index (BMI), menstrual history, with the status and severity of POP.
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2021 and September 2022 and suspected patients of POP were considered from the outpatient Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The study has mainly used 3 indicators of socio-economic status, namely, occupation, education, and income. These factors were correlated and statistically analyzed with that of POP.
The study findings revealed that there are more symptomatic patients who are illiterate as compared to asymptomatic POP and with increasing education status, there is a decrease in symptomatic POP patients (p<0.05). Also, there is a significant proportion of symptomatic POP patients in the lower class and lower middle class as compared to asymptomatic patients in each class, respectively (p<0.05). It also found that micturition difficulty and vaginal bulging are significantly correlated with the stages of POP (p<0.05).
Educational status and socio-economic condition are significant indicators of the presence of symptoms or severity of POP. The study further concluded that menopausal females have more symptomatic POP as compared to pre-menopausal females.
A novel nanoporous gold−palladium alloy has been successfully fabricated by electrochemically dealloying a multicomponent metallic glass. In comparison with conventional nanoporous gold prepared by ...dealloying Au−Ag alloys, the nanoporous gold−palladium alloy shows much higher catalytic activity for electrooxidation of methanol as a free-standing electrode. Moreover, a small amount of palladium in the nanoporous alloy is found to dramatically improve the electrochemical stability of nanoporous gold.
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