Jasmonate-dependent plant defense restricts thrips performance and preference

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The western flower thrips (<it>Frankliniella occidentalis </it>[Pergande]) is one of the most important insect herbivores of cultivated plants. However, no pesticide provides complete control of this species, and insecticide resistance has emerged around the world. We previously reported the important role of jasmonate (JA) in the plant's immediate response to thrips feeding by using an <it>Arabidopsis </it>leaf disc system. In this study, as the first step toward practical use of JA in thrips control, we analyzed the effect of JA-regulated <it>Arabidopsis </it>defense at the whole plant level on thrips behavior and life cycle at the population level over an extended period. We also studied the effectiveness of JA-regulated plant defense on thrips damage in Chinese cabbage (<it>Brassica rapa </it>subsp. <it>pekinensis</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thrips oviposited more on <it>Arabidopsis </it>JA-insensitive <it>coi1-1 </it>mutants than on WT plants, and the population density of the following thrips generation increased on <it>coi1-1 </it>mutants. Moreover, thrips preferred <it>coi1-1 </it>mutants more than WT plants. Application of JA to WT plants before thrips attack decreased the thrips population. To analyze these important functions of JA in a brassica crop plant, we analyzed the expression of marker genes for JA response in <it>B. rapa</it>. Thrips feeding induced expression of these marker genes and significantly increased the JA content in <it>B. rapa</it>. Application of JA to <it>B. rapa </it>enhanced plant resistance to thrips, restricted oviposition, and reduced the population density of the following generation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicate that the JA-regulated plant defense restricts thrips performance and preference, and plays an important role in the resistance of <it>Arabidopsis </it>and <it>B. rapa </it>to thrips damage.</p

Cluster analysis after TAVR

Aims The aim of this study was to identify phenotypes with potential prognostic significance in aortic stenosis (AS) patients after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) through a clustering approach. Methods and results This multi-centre retrospective study included 1365 patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR between January 2015 and March 2019. Among demographics, laboratory, and echocardiography parameters, 20 variables were selected through dimension reduction and used for unsupervised clustering. Phenotypes and outcomes were compared between clusters. Patients were randomly divided into a derivation cohort (n = 1092: 80%) and a validation cohort (n = 273: 20%). Three clusters with markedly different features were identified. Cluster 1 was associated predominantly with elderly age, a high aortic valve gradient, and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy; Cluster 2 consisted of preserved LV ejection fraction, larger aortic valve area, and high blood pressure; and Cluster 3 demonstrated tachycardia and low flow/low gradient AS. Adverse outcomes differed significantly among clusters during a median of 2.2 years of follow-up (P < 0.001). After adjustment for clinical and echocardiographic data in a Cox proportional hazards model, Cluster 3 (hazard ratio, 4.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.76–9.94; P = 0.001) was associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. In sequential Cox models, a model based on clinical data and echocardiographic variables (χ2 = 18.4) was improved by Cluster 3 (χ2 = 31.5; P = 0.001) in the validation cohort. Conclusion Unsupervised cluster analysis of patients after TAVR revealed three different groups for assessment of prognosis. This provides a new perspective in the categorization of patients after TAVR that considers comorbidities and extravalvular cardiac dysfunction

Pain following COVID-19 vaccination

Pain at the injection site is the most frequent reaction among COVID-19 vaccine recipients, but its characteristics were not fully described yet. The purpose of this study was to investigate multiple domains of pain following BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. We included 107 subjects undergoing primary shot of the vaccination twice into deltoid muscle with a 3-week interval. They completed 6 sessions of pain assessments, one before the first and second dose (1-0, 2-0), and 1st / 7th day after the first and second dose (1-1 / 1-7, 2-1 / 2-7). Pain visual analog scale (VAS), pain distribution, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) on deltoid muscle were evaluated in each session. The mean VAS (at rest / shoulder motion) was 6.0 / 27.6 mm at 1-1, and 12.8 / 34.0 mm at 2-1. Approximately, 90% of recipients showed localized pain within the upper arm. Percentage change of PPTs at 1-1 and 2-1 was bilaterally (ipsilateral / contralateral) decreased to 87.4 / 89.4% and 80.6 / 91.0%, which was recovered to the baseline level at 1-7 and 2-7. Temporary, mild-to-moderate intensity, localized distribution, concomitant with bilateral mechanical hyperalgesia on the deltoid muscle, were typical pain characteristics following this vaccination. These findings provide a rationale that will be informative for future recipients

Diabetes and obesity are significant risk factors for morning hypertension: From Ibaraki Hypertension Assessment Trial (I-HAT)

AimsAlthough morning hypertension (HT) has been identified as a major cardiovascular risk, susceptible populations remain unknown. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between morning HT and diabetes or obesity in a large-scale population.Main methodsClinic blood pressure (BP) and BP upon awakening were recorded in 2554 outpatients with HT who attended 101 clinics or hospitals for two weeks. Mean clinic and awakening BP > 140/90 and > 135/85 mm Hg, respectively, were considered as HT. The patients were classified according to values for clinic and home BP, into normal BP, white coat HT, masked HT, and sustained HT.Key findingsMorning BP (mm Hg) significantly and progressively elevated in the order of normal glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes (134.1 ± 12.2, 135.4 ± 13.1 and 137.5 ± 11.5; p < 0.0001). The incidence of morning HT significantly increased and progressively in the same order (53.4%, 55.6%, 66.4%, p < 0.0001). Morning BP was significantly higher among obese patients with diabetes than among non-obese and non-diabetic patients (138.8 ± 10.5, 133.1 ± 11.9, p < 0.0001). In addition, the incidence of morning HT was significantly higher in obese diabetic patients than in non-obese and non-diabetic patients (73.0% vs. 49.9%, p < 0.0001).SignificanceDiabetic or obese patients frequently have morning HT

Host Range Restriction and Pathogenicity in the Context of Influenza Pandemic

Certain viral factors determine the host range restriction and pathogenicity of influenza A viruses

Impact of Coronary Plaque Composition on Cardiac Troponin Elevation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Stable Angina Pectoris : A Computed Tomography Analysis

ObjectivesThe authors used multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) to study the relation between culprit plaque characteristics and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) elevation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).BackgroundPercutaneous coronary intervention is often complicated by post-procedural myocardial necrosis manifested by elevated cardiac biomarkers.MethodsStable angina patients (n = 107) with normal pre-PCI cTnT levels underwent 64-slice MDCT before PCI to evaluate plaque characteristics of culprit lesions. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to presence (group I, n = 36) or absence (group II, n = 71) of post-PCI cTnT elevation ≥3 times the upper limit of normal (0.010 ng/ml) at 24 h after PCI.ResultsComputed tomography attenuation values were significantly lower in group I than in group II (43.0 [26.5 to 75.7] HU vs. 94.0 [65.0 to 109.0] HU, p 1.05; odds ratio: 4.54; 95% confidence interval: 1.36 to 15.9; p = 0.014) and spotty calcification (odds ratio: 4.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.30 to 14.8; p = 0.016) were statistically significant independent predictors for cTnT elevation. For prediction of cTnT elevation, the presence of all 3 variables (CT attenuation value 1.05, and spotty calcification) showed a high positive predictive value of 94%, and their absence showed a high negative predictive value of 90%.ConclusionsMDCT may be useful in detecting which lesions are at high risk for myocardial necrosis after PCI

GRFS and CRFS in alternative donor hematopoietic cell transplantation for pediatric patients with acute leukemia.

We report graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free relapse-free survival (GRFS) (a composite end point of survival without grade III-IV acute GVHD [aGVHD], systemic therapy-requiring chronic GVHD [cGVHD], or relapse) and cGVHD-free relapse-free survival (CRFS) among pediatric patients with acute leukemia (n = 1613) who underwent transplantation with 1 antigen-mismatched (7/8) bone marrow (BM; n = 172) or umbilical cord blood (UCB; n = 1441). Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards models. To account for multiple testing, P \u3c .01 for the donor/graft variable was considered statistically significant. Clinical characteristics were similar between UCB and 7/8 BM recipients, because most had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (62%), 64% received total body irradiation-based conditioning, and 60% received anti-thymocyte globulin or alemtuzumab. Methotrexate-based GVHD prophylaxis was more common with 7/8 BM (79%) than with UCB (15%), in which mycophenolate mofetil was commonly used. The univariate estimates of GRFS and CRFS were 22% (95% confidence interval [CI], 16-29) and 27% (95% CI, 20-34), respectively, with 7/8 BM and 33% (95% CI, 31-36) and 38% (95% CI, 35-40), respectively, with UCB (P \u3c .001). In multivariate analysis, 7/8 BM vs UCB had similar GRFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; 95% CI, 0.87-1.45; P = .39), CRFS (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.82-1.38; P = .66), overall survival (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.80-1.44; P = .66), and relapse (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.03-2.02; P = .03). However, the 7/8 BM group had a significantly higher risk for grade III-IV aGVHD (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.16-2.48; P = .006) compared with the UCB group. UCB and 7/8 BM groups had similar outcomes, as measured by GRFS and CRFS. However, given the higher risk for grade III-IV aGVHD, UCB might be preferred for patients lacking matched donors. © 2019 American Society of Hematology. All rights reserved

Estimation of Central Venous Pressure Using the Ratio of Short to Long Diameter from Cross-Sectional Images of the Inferior Vena Cava

BackgroundLong-axis images of the inferior vena cava (IVC) have limitations as surrogates for IVC morphology in grading central venous pressure (CVP) by two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE), because of the various cross-sectional morphologies and the translational motion of the IVC induced by sniffing. On the basis of the relationship between venous pressure and compliance, it was hypothesized that the cross-sectional morphology of the IVC, which was obtained using three-dimensional echocardiography, might estimate CVP more accurately compared with standard grading by 2DE.MethodsSixty consecutive patients who underwent right-heart catheterization studies were prospectively enrolled. Echocardiography was performed <24 hours before catheterization. From three-dimensional data sets, a cross-section of the IVC was determined that was perpendicular to the long-axis reference of the IVC. Short diameter (SD), long diameter (LD), the ratio of SD to LD (S/L) as the sphericity index, and area were measured on this cross-sectional IVC image.ResultsCVP correlated moderately with SD (r = 0.69, P < .001), strongly with S/L (r = 0.75, P < .001), and modestly with area (r = 0.47, P < .001) but not with LD (r = 0.24, P = .17). The largest areas under the curve by receiver operating characteristic analyses to detect CVP ≥ 10 mm Hg were 0.98 (95% CI, 0.97–1.0; P < .001) for S/L, 0.83 for SD (95% CI, 0.74–0.94; P < .001), and 0.70 for area (95% CI, 0.56–0.84; P = .02). If a cutoff value of 0.69 for S/L was used, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to detect CVP ≥ 10 mm Hg were 0.94, 0.95, and 0.95 and for CVP grading by 2DE were 0.59, 0.98, and 0.85, respectively. Estimations of CVP were more accurately reclassified using S/L rather than grading by 2DE (net reclassification improvement, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.31–0.44; P < .001).ConclusionsS/L of an IVC cross-section measured using three-dimensional echocardiography may be a reliable parameter to estimate CVP compared with standard grading by 2DE

Toll-like receptor pre-stimulation protects mice against lethal infection with highly pathogenic influenza viruses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Since the beginning of the 20th century, humans have experienced four influenza pandemics, including the devastating 1918 'Spanish influenza'. Moreover, H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses are currently spreading worldwide, although they are not yet efficiently transmitted among humans. While the threat of a global pandemic involving a highly pathogenic influenza virus strain looms large, our mechanisms to address such a catastrophe remain limited. Here, we show that pre-stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 increased resistance against influenza viruses known to induce high pathogenicity in animal models. Our data emphasize the complexity of the host response against different influenza viruses, and suggest that TLR agonists might be utilized to protect against lethality associated with highly pathogenic influenza virus infection in humans.</p