Health monitoring of plants by their emitted volatiles: A temporary increase in the concentration of nethyl salicylate after pathogen inoculation of tomato plants at greenhouse scale

This paper describes a method to alert growers of the presence of a pathogen infection in their greenhouse based on the detection of pathogen-induced emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from plants. Greenhouse-grown plants were inoculated with spores of a fungus to learn more about this concept. The specific objective of the present study was to determine whether VOCs are detectable after inoculation, and if so, to determine the time course of the concentrations of these compounds. To achieve this objective, we inoculated 60 greenhouse-grown tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum) with an aqueous suspension of Botrytis cinerea spores. Upon inoculation, the greenhouse air was sampled semi-continuously with a one hour time interval until 72 hours after inoculation (HAI). The samples were transferred to the laboratory and analysed using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Ten leaves were randomly selected to monitor the visible symptoms of infection. The severity of these visual symptoms was assessed at 0, 24, 48, and 72 HAI. Results demonstrated no detection of C6-compounds, and an almost constant concentration of all monoterpenes, most sesquiterpenes, and (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene. However, the concentration of methyl salicylate increased 10-fold and 3-fold at 32 and 34 HAI respectively. At 24 HAI, 10% of the selected leaves showed mild symptoms while 20% of the selected leaves showed mild symptoms at 48 HAI. These results indicate that methyl salicylate might alert a grower of the presence of a B. cinerea infection of tomato plants at greenhouse scale. Further research is required to confirm these findings

Measurement of the O17(p,α)N14 cross section at stellar energies

The cross section for the astrophysically important O17(p,α)N14 reaction was measured at proton energies of 75 and 65 keV. Thick, high-purity Ta2O5 targets (77% enriched O17) and large-area detectors were used with beam currents of 0.45 mA. Backgrounds were measured using Ta2O5 targets of natural isotopic composition. The expected resonance at Ep=70 keV was observed in the data taken at 75 keV, and its proton width was found to be 22± 3stat±2target -1beam+2 neV

Measurement of 7Li(n,γ0)8Li cross sections at En=1.5-1340 eV

The 7Li(n,γ)8Li cross section is important in inhomogeneous big bang models, and as a constraint on model parameters used to determine the solar 7Be(p,γ)8B reaction rate. Values of the 7Li(n,γ0)8Li reaction cross section were measured for neutron energies between 1.5 and 1340 eV at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator. The normalization of the cross section was determined by measuring the gamma-ray yield from the 7Li(n,γ0)8Li reaction relative to that from the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction. The cross section was found to have the inverse neutron-velocity relationship (1/υ) indicative of s-wave capture. These results help resolve ambiguities in previous measurements

Performance of the 4-Level Pulmonary Embolism Clinical Probability Score (4PEPS) in the diagnostic management of pulmonary embolism:An external validation study

Background: The recently published 4-level Pulmonary Embolism Clinical Probability Score (4PEPS) integrates different aspects from currently available diagnostic strategies to further reduce imaging testing in patients with clinically suspected pulmonary embolism (PE). Aim: To externally validate the performance of 4PEPS in an independent cohort. Methods: In this post-hoc analysis of the prospective diagnostic management YEARS study, the primary outcome measures were discrimination, calibration, efficiency (proportion of imaging tests potentially avoided), and failure rate (venous thromboembolism (VTE) diagnosis at baseline or follow-up in patients with a negative 4PEPS algorithm). Multiple imputation was used for missing 4PEPS items. Based on 4PEPS, PE was considered ruled out in patients with a very low clinical pre-test probability (CPTP) without D-dimer testing, in patients with a low CPTP and D-dimer &lt;1000 μg/L, and in patients with a moderate CPP and D-dimer below the age-adjusted threshold. Results: Of the 3465 patients, 474 (14 %) were diagnosed with VTE at baseline or during 3-month follow-up. Discriminatory performance of the 4PEPS items was good (area under ROC-curve, 0.82; 95%CI, 0.80–0.84) as was calibration. Based on 4PEPS, PE could be considered ruled out without imaging in 58 % (95%CI 57–60) of patients (efficiency), for an overall failure rate of 1.3 % (95%CI 0.86–1.9). Conclusion: In this retrospective external validation, 4PEPS appeared to safely rule out PE with a high efficiency. Nevertheless, although not exceeding the failure rate margin by ISTH standards, the observed failure rate in our analysis appeared to be higher than in the original 4PEPS derivation and validation study. This highlights the importance of a prospective outcome study.</p

Expanding the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of ACTA2-related vasculopathies in a Dutch cohort

Purpose: Heterozygous pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in the ACTA2 gene confer a high risk for thoracic aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. This retrospective multicenter study elucidates the clinical outcome of ACTA2-related vasculopathies. Methods: Index patients and relatives with a P/LP variant in ACTA2 were included. Data were collected through retrospective review of medical records using a standardized questionnaire. Results: A total of 49 individuals from 28 families participated in our study. In total, 20 different ACTA2 variants were detected. Aortic events occurred in 65% of the cases (78.6% index patients and 47.6% relatives). Male sex and hypertension emerged as significantly associated with aortic events. Of 20 individuals, 5 had an aortic diameter of <45 mm (1.77 inches) at the time of the type A dissection. Mean age at first aortic event was 49.0 ± 12.4 years. Severe surgical complications for type A and type B dissection occurred in 25% and 16.7% of the cases and in-hospital mortality rates were 9.5% and 0%, respectively. Conclusion: P/LP ACTA2 variants are associated with an increased risk for an aortic event and age-related penetrance, which emphasizes the importance of early recognition of the disease. Caregivers should be aware of the risk for aortic dissections, even in individuals with aortic diameters within the normal range

Observation of the astrophysically important 3+ state in 18Ne via elastic scattering of a radioactive 17F beam from 1H

The 17F(p, γ)18 reaction is important in stellar explosions, but its rate has been uncertain because of an expected 3+ state in 18Ne that has never been conclusively observed. This state would provide a strong l = 0 resonance and, depending on its excitation energy, could dominate the stellar reaction rate. We have observed this missing 3+ state by measuring the 1H(17F, p)17F excitation function with a radioactive 17F beam at the ORNL Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility. We find that the state lies at a center-of-mass energy of Er = 599.8 ± 1.5stat ± 2.0sys keV (Ex = 4523.7 ± 2.9keV) and has a width of Γ = 18 ± 2stat ± 1sys keV

The astrophysically important 3+ state in 18Ne and the 17F(py)18Ne stellar rate

Knowledge of the [Formula Presented] reaction rate is important for understanding stellar explosions, but it was uncertain because the properties of an expected but previously unobserved [Formula Presented] state in [Formula Presented] were not known. This state would provide a strong s-wave resonance for the [Formula Presented] system and, depending on its excitation energy, could dominate the stellar reaction rate at temperatures above 0.2 GK. We have observed this missing [Formula Presented] state by measuring the [Formula Presented] excitation function with a radioactive [Formula Presented] beam at the ORNL Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF). We find that the state lies at a center-of-mass energy of [Formula Presented] keV [Formula Presented] and has a width of [Formula Presented] The measured properties of the resonance are only consistent with a [Formula Presented] assignment

Imatinib in patients with severe COVID-19: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial

Background The major complication of COVID-19 is hypoxaemic respiratory failure from capillary leak and alveolar oedema. Experimental and early clinical data suggest that the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor imatinib reverses pulmonary capillary leak.Methods This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was done at 13 academic and non-academic teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Hospitalised patients (aged >= 18 years) with COVID-19, as confirmed by an RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2, requiring supplemental oxygen to maintain a peripheral oxygen saturation of greater than 94% were eligible. Patients were excluded if they had severe pre-existing pulmonary disease, had pre-existing heart failure, had undergone active treatment of a haematological or non-haematological malignancy in the previous 12 months, had cytopenia, or were receiving concomitant treatment with medication known to strongly interact with imatinib. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either oral imatinib, given as a loading dose of 800 mg on day 0 followed by 400 mg daily on days 1-9, or placebo. Randomisation was done with a computer-based clinical data management platform with variable block sizes (containing two, four, or six patients), stratified by study site. The primary outcome was time to discontinuation of mechanical ventilation and supplemental oxygen for more than 48 consecutive hours, while being alive during a 28-day period. Secondary outcomes included safety, mortality at 28 days, and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. All efficacy and safety analyses were done in all randomised patients who had received at least one dose of study medication (modified intention-to-treat population). This study is registered with the EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT 2020-001236-10).Findings Between March 31, 2020, and Jan 4, 2021, 805 patients were screened, of whom 400 were eligible and randomly assigned to the imatinib group (n=204) or the placebo group (n=196). A total of 385 (96%) patients (median age 64 years [IQR 56-73]) received at least one dose of study medication and were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. Time to discontinuation of ventilation and supplemental oxygen for more than 48 h was not significantly different between the two groups (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.95 [95% CI 0.76-1.20]). At day 28, 15 (8%) of 197 patients had died in the imatinib group compared with 27 (14%) of 188 patients in the placebo group (unadjusted HR 0.51 [0.27-0.95]). After adjusting for baseline imbalances between the two groups (sex, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) the HR for mortality was 0.52 (95% CI 0.26-1.05). The HR for mechanical ventilation in the imatinib group compared with the placebo group was 1.07 (0.63-1.80; p=0.81). The median duration of invasive mechanical ventilation was 7 days (IQR 3-13) in the imatinib group compared with 12 days (6-20) in the placebo group (p=0.0080). 91 (46%) of 197 patients in the imatinib group and 82 (44%) of 188 patients in the placebo group had at least one grade 3 or higher adverse event. The safety evaluation revealed no imatinib-associated adverse events.Interpretation The study failed to meet its primary outcome, as imatinib did not reduce the time to discontinuation of ventilation and supplemental oxygen for more than 48 consecutive hours in patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen. The observed effects on survival (although attenuated after adjustment for baseline imbalances) and duration of mechanical ventilation suggest that imatinib might confer clinical benefit in hospitalised patients with COVID-19, but further studies are required to validate these findings. Copyright (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Pathogenesis and treatment of chronic pulmonary disease