Effect of solarized potting mixture on growth of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) rooted cuttings in the nursery

Solarized potting mixture in combination with nutrients and biocontrol agents was evaluatedfor production of vigorous disease free rooted cuttings of black pepper. Plants raised insolarized potting mixture had better growth than plants raised in nonsolarized pottingmixture (soil, sand, and farm yard manure 2:1:1proportion). Among the various treatments,plants raised in solarized potting mixture with recommended nutrients (urea,superphosphate, potash and magnesium sulphate 4:3:2:1)  showed significant increase innumber of leaves(5.3), length of roots (20cm), leaf area (177cm2), nutrient contents andbiomass (3.7g pl-1). The results indicated the superiority of solarized potting mixture forreducing the incidence of diseases besides yielding vigorous planting material. Cost ofproduction of rooted cuttings with biocontrol agents was found to be cheaper in the case ofrooted black pepper cuttings raised in solarized potting mixture. Bio control agents or biofertilizers can be mixed with solarized potting mixture. &nbsp

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung Cancer: Underlying Pathophysiology and New Therapeutic Modalities

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are major lung diseases affecting millions worldwide. Both diseases have links to cigarette smoking and exert a considerable societal burden. People suffering from COPD are at higher risk of developing lung cancer than those without, and are more susceptible to poor outcomes after diagnosis and treatment. Lung cancer and COPD are closely associated, possibly sharing common traits such as an underlying genetic predisposition, epithelial and endothelial cell plasticity, dysfunctional inflammatory mechanisms including the deposition of excessive extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, susceptibility to DNA damage and cellular mutagenesis. In fact, COPD could be the driving factor for lung cancer, providing a conducive environment that propagates its evolution. In the early stages of smoking, body defences provide a combative immune/oxidative response and DNA repair mechanisms are likely to subdue these changes to a certain extent; however, in patients with COPD with lung cancer the consequences could be devastating, potentially contributing to slower postoperative recovery after lung resection and increased resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Vital to the development of new-targeted therapies is an in-depth understanding of various molecular mechanisms that are associated with both pathologies. In this comprehensive review, we provide a detailed overview of possible underlying factors that link COPD and lung cancer, and current therapeutic advances from both human and preclinical animal models that can effectively mitigate this unholy relationship

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2–4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

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Not AvailableNutmeg, a major crop of India provides two important spices. During the monsoon season of 2011, a serious leaf and nut fall occurred in nutmeg plantations and Phytophthora ramorum was reported as the causal organism. P. ramorum being an alien species, the aetiology warranted a detailed investigation. Phytophthora isolated from different endemic locations were studied for morphological and molecular characterization using ITS, ITS-RFLP, MLST, SSCP and hybrid analysis. The isolates showed papillate, ovoid-obovoid sporangia with pedicel length > 20 μm which is distinct from the semi-papillate, caducous sporangia with short pedicel of <5 μm characteristic of P ramorum. The isolates failed to grow at 10 °C or at 37 °C and chlamydopsores were not produced in culture, a characteristic distinct to P. ramorun. MLST analysis placed the isolates in Clade 2 while P. ramorum belongs to Clade 8. P. ramorum has a unique set of morphological characteristics and a unique molecular sequence at the ITS region which delineate it from other Phytopthora species. Among the eight isolates studied, ITS region of six isolates (13–01–13-06) showed similarity to P. meadii and two isolates (13–55 and 98–68) to P. tropicalis. In SSCP, the isolates formed a separate group distinct from P.meadii of cocoa and cardamom. The double peaks in the ITS chromatograms indicated hybridity and further hybrid analysis placed them under P. citrophthora and P. meadii (Cit-Med) lineage. Thus due to the distinct differences from P. ramorum and evidences of shared lineage with P. citrophthora and P. meadii, we propose to call these isolates as P. citromeadii (13–01- 13-06) and P. citrocaptalis (13–55 and 98–68).Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableSolarized potting mixture in combination with nutrients and biocontrol agents was evaluatedfor production of vigorous disease free rooted cuttings of black pepper. Plants raised insolarized potting mixture had better growth than plants raised in nonsolarized pottingmixture (soil, sand, and farm yard manure 2:1:1proportion). Among the various treatments,plants raised in solarized potting mixture with recommended nutrients (urea,superphosphate, potash and magnesium sulphate 4:3:2:1) showed significant increase innumber of leaves(5.3), length of roots (20cm), leaf area (177cm2), nutrient contents andbiomass (3.7g pl-1). The results indicated the superiority of solarized potting mixture forreducing the incidence of diseases besides yielding vigorous planting material. Cost ofproduction of rooted cuttings with biocontrol agents was found to be cheaper in the case ofrooted black pepper cuttings raised in solarized potting mixture. Bio control agents or biofertilizers can be mixed with solarized potting mixture.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableNutmeg, a major crop of India provides two important spices. During the monsoon season of 2011, a serious leaf and nut fall occurred in nutmeg plantations and Phytophthora ramorum was reported as the causal organism. P. ramorum being an alien species, the aetiology warranted a detailed investigation. Phytophthora isolated from different endemic locations were studied for morphological and molecular characterization using ITS, ITS-RFLP, MLST, SSCP and hybrid analysis. The isolates showed papillate, ovoid-obovoid sporangia with pedicel length > 20 μm which is distinct from the semi-papillate, caducous sporangia with short pedicel of <5 μm characteristic of P ramorum. The isolates failed to grow at 10 °C or at 37 °C and chlamydopsores were not produced in culture, a characteristic distinct to P. ramorun. MLST analysis placed the isolates in Clade 2 while P. ramorum belongs to Clade 8. P. ramorum has a unique set of morphological characteristics and a unique molecular sequence at the ITS region which delineate it from other Phytopthora species. Among the eight isolates studied, ITS region of six isolates (13–01–13-06) showed similarity to P. meadii and two isolates (13–55 and 98–68) to P. tropicalis. In SSCP, the isolates formed a separate group distinct from P.meadii of cocoa and cardamom. The double peaks in the ITS chromatograms indicated hybridity and further hybrid analysis placed them under P. citrophthora and P. meadii (Cit-Med) lineage. Thus due to the distinct differences from P. ramorum and evidences of shared lineage with P. citrophthora and P. meadii, we propose to call these isolates as P. citromeadii (13–01- 13-06) and P. citrocaptalis (13–55 and 98–68).Not Availabl