Molecular identification of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum causing bacterial wilt in tomatoes from Da Nang by using Colony PCR

Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) is the main pathogen causing bacterial wilt disease in tomatoes. This study applied the colony polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to rapidly screen and select RSSC strains from isolated bacteria of diseased tomatoes. This method directly used bacterial colonies on the Petri plate as templates to amplify with RSSC’s specific and multiplex primers. The results showed that the Vietnamese isolates were identified as R. pseudosolanacearum, phylotype I. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S-23S rDNA sequencing also confirmed these results. Therefore, this is the first report to recognize R. pseudosolanacearum phylotype I as the cause of bacterial wilt disease in tomatoes from Danang

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Risk assessment of E. coli, G. lamblia and C. parvum in raw spinach grown on Nhue River in Hanam

Nhue River is water spinach, consuming those raw spinach are at high risk of exposure to microbial. The purpose of this study was to assess the health risks of consuming raw water spinach contaminated by Coliforms, G. lamblia and C. parvum in Nhue River, Hanam Province. A total of 36 water spinach samples and nine water samples were collected for three types of pathogens analyses using Most Probable Number (MPN) and Immuno-fluorescent Antibodies (IFA) methods. We have assumed that 49% of fecal coliforms were E. coli and that 8% of E. coli were pathogenic. To simulate the impact of washing vegetable to remove pathogens from vegetable, water spinach were washed one, two and three times with soak in tap water. The results showed that E. coli O157:H7 in water spinach without washing, one time washing, two and three times washing reduced from 3.23 ± 1.64 to 1.42 ± 1.77 CFU/g. An average number of E. coli O157:H7 in river water were 4.77 log CFU/100ml. The mean amount of raw spinach consumption was estimated at 40.22g/person/meal, mean frequency of raw spinach consumption was 1.39 meals/person/year. The diarrhea risk associated with E. coli O157:H7 when consuming raw water spinach washed three times was 0.25; the diarrhea risks due to G. lamblia and C. parvum were 0 and 0.23, respectively. This study shows the high contamination of microbial in raw water spinach grown on Nhue River. Appropriate practices for raw water spinach preparation and consumption at the household to reduce or prevent infection risk and diarrhea risk by microbial is recommended

Twelve-Month Outcomes of the AFFINITY Trial of Fluoxetine for Functional Recovery After Acute Stroke: AFFINITY Trial Steering Committee on Behalf of the AFFINITY Trial Collaboration

Background and Purpose: The AFFINITY trial (Assessment of Fluoxetine in Stroke Recovery) reported that oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and seizures. After trial medication was ceased at 6 months, survivors were followed to 12 months post-randomization. This preplanned secondary analysis aimed to determine any sustained or delayed effects of fluoxetine at 12 months post-randomization. Methods: AFFINITY was a randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adults (n=1280) with a clinical diagnosis of stroke in the previous 2 to 15 days and persisting neurological deficit who were recruited at 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (4), and Vietnam (10) between 2013 and 2019. Participants were randomized to oral fluoxetine 20 mg once daily (n=642) or matching placebo (n=638) for 6 months and followed until 12 months after randomization. The primary outcome was function, measured by the modified Rankin Scale, at 6 months. Secondary outcomes for these analyses included measures of the modified Rankin Scale, mood, cognition, overall health status, fatigue, health-related quality of life, and safety at 12 months. Results: Adherence to trial medication was for a mean 167 (SD 48) days and similar between randomized groups. At 12 months, the distribution of modified Rankin Scale categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.76–1.14]; P =0.46). Compared with placebo, patients allocated fluoxetine had fewer recurrent ischemic strokes (14 [2.18%] versus 29 [4.55%]; P =0.02), and no longer had significantly more falls (27 [4.21%] versus 15 [2.35%]; P =0.08), bone fractures (23 [3.58%] versus 11 [1.72%]; P =0.05), or seizures (11 [1.71%] versus 8 [1.25%]; P =0.64) at 12 months. Conclusions: Fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke had no delayed or sustained effect on functional outcome, falls, bone fractures, or seizures at 12 months poststroke. The lower rate of recurrent ischemic stroke in the fluoxetine group is most likely a chance finding. REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au/ ; Unique identifier: ACTRN12611000774921