Genetic Diversity and Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia spp. Isolates Associated with Red Cabbage in Samsun (Turkey)

A total of 132 Rhizoctonia isolates were recovered from red cabbage plants with root rot and wirestem symptoms in the province of Samsun (Turkey) between 2018 and 2019. Based on the sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region located between the 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA genes and including nuclear staining, these 124 isolates were assigned to multinucleate Rhizoctonia solani, and eight were binucleate Rhizoctonia. The most prevalent anastomosis group (AG) was AG 4 (84%), which was subdivided into AG 4 HG-I (81%) and AG 4 HG-III (3%), followed by AG 5 (10%) and AG-A (6%), respectively. The unweighted pair group method phylogenetic tree resulting from the data of 68 isolates with the inter-PBS amplification DNA profiling method based on interspersed retrotransposon element sequences confirmed the differentiation of AGs with a higher resolution. In the greenhouse experiment with representative isolates (n = 24) from AGs on red cabbage (cv. Rondale), the disease severity index was between 3.33 and 4.0 for multinucleate AG isolates and ranged from 2.5 to 3.17 for AG-A isolates. In the pathogenicity assay of six red cabbage cultivars, one isolate for each AG was tested using a similar method, and all cultivars were susceptible to AG 4 HG-I and AG 4 HG-III isolates. Redriver and Remale were moderately susceptible, while Rescue, Travero, Integro, and Rondale were susceptible to the AG 5 isolate. The results indicate that the most prevalent and aggressive AGs of Rhizoctonia are devastating pathogens to red cabbage, which means that rotation with nonhost-crops for these AGs may be the most effective control strategy. This is the first comprehensive study of Rhizoctonia isolates in red cabbage using a molecular approach to assess genetic diversity using iPBS-amplified DNA profiling

Salvage HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide for graft failure in non-malignant disorders

Graft failure requires urgent salvage HSCT, but there is no universally accepted approach for this situation. We investigated T-cell replete haploidentical HSCT with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide following serotherapy-based, radiation-free, reduced intensity conditioning in children with non-malignant disorders who had rejected their primary graft. Twelve patients with primary or secondary graft failure received T-cell replete bone marrow grafts from haploidentical donors and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide. The recommended conditioning regimen comprised rituximab 375 mg/m2, alemtuzumab 0.4 mg/kg, fludarabine 150 mg/m2, treosulfan 20–24 g/m2 and cyclophosphamide 29 mg/kg. After a median follow-up of 26 months (7–95), eleven of twelve patients (92%) are alive and well with complete donor chimerism in ten. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment were observed in all patients after a median of 18 days (15–61) and 39 days (15–191), respectively. Acute GVHD grade I was observed in 1/12 patients (8%) and mild chronic GVHD in 1/12 patients (8%). Viral reactivations and disease were frequent complications at 75% and 42%, respectively, but no death from infectious causes occurred. In summary, this retrospective analysis demonstrates that a post-transplantation cyclophosphamide-based HLA-haploidentical salvage HSCT after irradiation-free conditioning results in excellent engraftment and overall survival in children with non-malignant diseases

Microsurgical and endoscopic anatomy of Liliequist's membrane and the prepontine membranes: cadaveric study and clinical implications

Liliequist's membrane is mostly described as having a diencephalic leaf, mesencephalic leaf, and diencephalic-mesencephalic leaves in the literature. Also different descriptions of the prepontine membranes were reported. In this study, we visualized the regular structural forms of membranes without disturbing any attachments and defined infrachiasmatic and prepontine safety zones. We discussed the clinical significance of these structures

GENETIC DIVERSITY AND PATHOGENICITY OF RHIZOCTONIA SPP. ISOLATES ASSOCIATED WITH RED CABBAGE IN SAMSUN (TURKEY)

A total of 132 Rhizoctonia isolates were recovered from red cabbage plants with root rot and wirestem symptoms in the province of Samsun (Turkey) between 2018 and 2019. Based on the sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region located between the 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA genes and including nuclear staining, these 124 isolates were assigned to multinucleate Rhizoctonia solani, and eight were binucleate Rhizoctonia...

Salvage HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with post-transplant cyclophosphamide for graft failure in non-malignant disorders

Graft failure requires urgent salvage HSCT, but there is no universally accepted approach for this situation. We investigated T-cell replete haploidentical HSCT with post-transplantation cyclophosphamide following serotherapy-based, radiation-free, reduced intensity conditioning in children with non-malignant disorders who had rejected their primary graft. Twelve patients with primary or secondary graft failure received T-cell replete bone marrow grafts from haploidentical donors and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide. The recommended conditioning regimen comprised rituximab 375 mg/

Targeting NSG Mice Engrafting Cells with a Clinically Applicable Lentiviral Vector Corrects Osteoclasts in Infantile Malignant Osteopetrosis

Infantile malignant osteopetrosis (IMO) is a rare, lethal, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by nonfunctional osteoclasts. More than 50% of the patients have mutations in the TCIRG1 gene, encoding for a subunit of the osteoclast proton pump. The aim of this study was to develop a clinically applicable lentiviral vector expressing TCIRG1 to correct osteoclast function in IMO. Two mammalian promoters were compared: elongation factor 1α short (EFS) promoter and chimeric myeloid promoter (ChimP). EFS promoter was chosen for continued experiments, as it performed better. IMO osteoclasts corrected in vitro by a TCIRG1-expressing lentiviral vector driven by EFS (EFS-T) restored Ca2+ release to 92% and the levels of the bone degradation product CTX-I to 95% in the media compared to control osteoclasts. IMO CD34+ cells from five patients transduced with EFS-T were transplanted into NSG mice. Bone marrow was harvested 9–19 weeks after transplantation, and human CD34+ cells were selected, expanded, and seeded on bone slices. Vector-corrected IMO osteoclasts had completely restored Ca2+ release. CTX-I levels in the media were 33% compared to normal osteoclasts. Thus, in summary, evidence is provided that transduction of IMO CD34+ cells with the clinically applicable EFS-T vector leads to full rescue of osteoclasts in vitro and partial rescue of osteoclasts generated from NSG mice engrafting hematopoietic cells. This supports the continued clinical development of gene therapy for IMO

Changes in antimicrobial resistance and outcomes of health care-associated infections

To describe the change in the epidemiology of health care-associated infections (HAI), resistance and predictors of fatality we conducted a nationwide study in 24 hospitals between 2015 and 2018. The 30-day fatality rate was 22% in 2015 and increased to 25% in 2018. In BSI, a significant increasing trend was observed for Candida and Enterococcus. The highest rate of 30-day fatality was detected among the patients with pneumonia (32%). In pneumonia, Pseudomonas infections increased in 2018. Colistin resistance increased and significantly associated with 30-day fatality in Pseudomonas infections. Among S. aureus methicillin, resistance increased from 31 to 41%

Characteristics and outcomes of carbapenemase harbouring carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. bloodstream infections: a multicentre prospective cohort study in an OXA-48 endemic setting

A prospective, multicentre observational cohort study of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. (CRK) bloodstream infections was conducted in Turkey from June 2018 to June 2019. One hundred eighty-seven patients were recruited. Single OXA-48-like carbapenemases predominated (75%), followed by OXA-48-like/NDM coproducers (16%). OXA-232 constituted 31% of all OXA-48-like carbapenemases and was mainly carried on ST2096. Thirty-day mortality was 44% overall and 51% for ST2096. In the multivariate cox regression analysis, SOFA score and immunosuppression were significant predictors of 30-day mortality and ST2096 had a non-significant effect. All OXA-48-like producers remained susceptible to ceftazidime-avibactam