Dual chemical labeling enables nucleotide-resolution mapping of DNA abasic sites and common alkylation damage in human mitochondrial DNA.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) modifications play an emerging role in innate immunity and inflammatory diseases. Nonetheless, relatively little is known regarding the locations of mtDNA modifications. Such information is critically important for deciphering their roles in mtDNA instability, mtDNA-mediated immune and inflammatory responses, and mitochondrial disorders. The affinity probe-based enrichment of lesion-containing DNA represents a key strategy for sequencing DNA modifications. Existing methods are limited in the enrichment specificity of abasic (AP) sites, a prevalent DNA modification and repair intermediate. Herein, we devise a novel approach, termed dual chemical labeling-assisted sequencing (DCL-seq), for mapping AP sites. DCL-seq features two designer compounds for enriching and mapping AP sites specifically at single-nucleotide resolution. For proof of principle, we mapped AP sites in mtDNA from HeLa cells under different biological conditions. The resulting AP site maps coincide with mtDNA regions with low TFAM (mitochondrial transcription factor A) coverage and with potential G-quadruplex-forming sequences. In addition, we demonstrated the broader applicability of the method in sequencing other DNA modifications in mtDNA, such as N7-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine and N3-methyl-2'-deoxyadenosine, when coupled with a lesion-specific repair enzyme. Together, DCL-seq holds the promise to sequence multiple DNA modifications in various biological samples.

Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Ependymoma Receiving Radiotherapy: A Single Institution Experience.

INTRODUCTION: The study explored the failure pattern and clinical outcomes in patients with ependymoma undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: Between January 2004 and June 2022, we included 32 patients with ependymoma who underwent radiotherapy as part of the multimodality treatment at our institution. Of these, 27 (84.4%) underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, four received radiotherapy after local recurrence, and one received definitive CyberKnife radiotherapy (21 Gy in three fractions). The median prescribed dose was 54 Gy in patients who received conventional radiotherapy. We analyzed the local progression-free survival (LPFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and potential prognostic factors. RESULTS: The median age was 29.8 years. Approximately 28.1% were pediatric patients. Fifteen tumors (46.9%) were World Health Organization (WHO) grade II, 10 (31.3%) were WHO grade III, and seven (22.8%) were WHO grade I. Among them, 15 patients (46.9%) had posterior fossa tumors, 10 (31.3%) had supratentorial tumors, and seven (22.8%) had spinal tumors. Of the 31 patients who underwent upfront surgical resection, 19 (61.3%) underwent gross total resection or near total resection. Seventeen of 19 patients with first failures (89.5%) had isolated local recurrences. Of the 19 patients with disease progression, 11 (57.9%) were disease-free or had stable disease after salvage therapy, and five (26.3%) had disease-related mortality. Most of the first local recurrences after radiotherapy occurred in the infield (13 of 16, 81.3%). The 5-year LPFS, DMFS, PFS, and OS rates were 48.5%, 89.6%, 45.1%, and 88.4%, respectively, at a median follow-up of 6.25 years. Subtotal resection was associated with poorer LPFS and PFS in patients with intracranial ependymoma (hazard ratio = 3.69, p = 0.018 for LPFS; hazard ratio = 3.20, p = 0.029 for PFS). CONCLUSION: Incorporating radiotherapy into multimodal treatment has led to favorable outcomes in patients with ependymoma, and the extent of resection is a prognostic factor for the local control of intracranial ependymoma.

Cul3-KLHL20 Ubiquitin Ligase Governs the Turnover of ULK1 and VPS34 Complexes to Control Autophagy Termination.

Autophagy, a cellular self-eating mechanism, is important for maintaining cell survival and tissue homeostasis in various stressed conditions. Although the molecular mechanism of autophagy induction has been well studied, how cells terminate autophagy process remains elusive. Here, we show that ULK1, a serine/threonine kinase critical for autophagy initiation, is a substrate of the Cul3-KLHL20 ubiquitin ligase. Upon autophagy induction, ULK1 autophosphorylation facilitates its recruitment to KLHL20 for ubiquitination and proteolysis. This autophagy-stimulated, KLHL20-dependent ULK1 degradation restrains the amplitude and duration of autophagy. Additionally, KLHL20 governs the degradation of ATG13, VPS34, Beclin-1, and ATG14 in prolonged starvation through a direct or indirect mechanism. Impairment of KLHL20-mediated regulation of autophagy dynamics potentiates starvation-induced cell death and aggravates diabetes-associated muscle atrophy. Our study identifies a key role of KLHL20 in autophagy termination by controlling autophagy-dependent turnover of ULK1 and VPS34 complex subunits and reveals the pathophysiological functions of this autophagy termination mechanism.

Endonuclease VIII-like 1 deficiency potentiates nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuron degeneration in a male mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common movement disorder caused by a characteristic loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and degeneration of dopamine terminals in the dorsal striatum. Previous studies have suggested that oxidative stress-induced DNA damage may be involved in PD pathogenesis, as steady-state levels of several types of oxidized nucleobases were shown to be elevated in PD brain tissues. These DNA lesions are normally removed from the genome by base excision repair, which is initiated by DNA glycosylase enzymes such as endonuclease VIII-like 1 (Neil1). In this study, we show that Neil1 plays an important role in limiting oxidative stress-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. In particular, Neil1-deficient male mice exhibited enhanced sensitivity to nigrostriatal degeneration after 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) administration, and Neil1-deficient animals had higher levels of γH2AX-marked DNA damage than wild-type (WT) controls, regardless of treatment status. Moreover, MPTP-treated Neil1-/- male mice had slightly elevated expression of genes related to the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent antioxidant pathway. Treatment with the Nrf2 activator, monomethyl fumarate, reduced PD-like behaviors and pathology in Neil1-/- male mice, suggesting that Neil1 is an important defense molecule in an oxidative cellular environment. Taken together, these results suggest that Neil1 DNA glycosylase may play an important role in limiting oxidative stress-mediated PD pathogenesis.

Direct Thermal Growth of Gold Nanopearls on 3D Interweaved Hydrophobic Fibers as Ultrasensitive Portable SERS Substrates for Clinical Applications.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based biosensors have attracted much attention for their label-free detection, ultrahigh sensitivity, and unique molecular fingerprinting. In this study, a wafer-scale, ultrasensitive, highly uniform, paper-based, portable SERS detection platform featuring abundant and dense gold nanopearls with narrow gap distances, are prepared and deposited directly onto ultralow-surface-energy fluorosilane-modified cellulose fibers through simple thermal evaporation by delicately manipulating the atom diffusion behavior. The as-designed paper-based SERS substrate exhibits an extremely high Raman enhancement factor (3.9 × 1011 ), detectability at sub-femtomolar concentrations (single-molecule level) and great signal reproductivity (relative standard deviation: 3.97%), even when operated with a portable 785-nm Raman spectrometer. This system is used for fingerprinting identification of 12 diverse analytes, including clinical medicines (cefazolin, chloramphenicol, levetiracetam, nicotine), pesticides (thiram, paraquat, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos), environmental carcinogens (benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene), and illegal drugs (methamphetamine, mephedrone). The lowest detection concentrations reach the sub-ppb level, highlighted by a low of 16.2 ppq for nicotine. This system appears suitable for clinical applications in, for example, i) therapeutic drug monitoring for individualized medication adjustment and ii) ultra-early diagnosis for pesticide intoxication. Accordingly, such scalable, portable and ultrasensitive fibrous SERS substrates open up new opportunities for practical on-site detection in biofluid analysis, point-of-care diagnostics and precision medicine.

Clinical outcomes and risk factors of progressive pulmonary fibrosis in primary Sjögren's syndrome-associated interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical outcomes and risk factors associated with progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF-ILD) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome-associated interstitial lung disease (pSjS-ILD). METHODS: During 2015-2021, pSjS patients with ILD were retrospectively identified. Patients were grouped into non-PF-ILD and PF-ILD. Demographics, laboratory data, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), images, survival outcomes were compared between groups. RESULTS: 153 patients with SjS-ILD were reviewed, of whom 68 having primary SjS-ILD (pSjS-ILD) were classified into non-PF-ILD (n = 34) and PF-ILD groups (n = 34). PF-ILD group had persistently lower albumin levels and a smaller decline in immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels at the 3rd month of follow-up. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that persistently low albumin levels were associated with PF-ILD. At the 12th month, the PF-ILD group experienced a smaller increase in FVC and a greater decline in the diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) than at baseline. The 3-year overall survival rate was 91.2%, and PF-ILD group had significantly poorer 3-year overall survival rate than non-PF-ILD group (82.4% vs. 100%, p = 0.011). Poor survival was also observed among female patients with PF-ILD. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with pSjS-ILD, the PF-ILD group had poorer 3-year survival outcomes. Persistent lower albumin level might be the risk factor of PF-ILD. Early lung function tests could be helpful for the early detection of PF-ILD.

Effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in improving mobility in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves mobility in children with spastic cerebral palsy. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched for randomized controlled trials studying the effects of NMES on the lower limbs in children with spastic CP. Randomized controlled trials comparing the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation with that of placebo or conventional therapy on mobility in children with cerebral palsy were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and examined the risk of bias and quality of evidence by using the revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for Randomized Trials (RoB 2.0) and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method. The final search was conducted on May 23, 2022. RESULTS: A total of 14 randomized controlled trials (2 crossover studies and 12 parallel studies including 421 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the control group (conventional physical therapy), the treatment group exhibited greater improvement in walking speed (standardized mean difference = 0.29; 95% confidence interval = 0.02-0.57) and the standing, walking, running, and jumping dimension of the Gross Motor Function Measure (standardized mean difference = 1.24; 95% confidence interval = 0.64-1.83). CONCLUSION: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation improved mobility in children with spastic cerebral palsy, particularly in standing, running, and jumping function, and it is safe for children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Translocation of Fungicides and Their Efficacy in Controlling Phellinus noxius, the Cause of Brown Root Rot Disease.

Brown root rot disease (BRRD), caused by Phellinus noxius, is an important tree disease in tropical and subtropical areas. To improve chemical control of BRRD and deter emergence of fungicide resistance in P. noxius, this study investigated control efficacies and systemic activities of fungicides with different modes of action. Fourteen fungicides with 11 different modes of action were tested for inhibitory effects in vitro on 39 P. noxius isolates from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, and Pacific Islands. Cyproconazole, epoxiconazole, and tebuconazole (Fungicide Resistance Action Committee [FRAC] 3, target-site G1) inhibited colony growth of P. noxius by 99.9 to 100% at 10 ppm and 97.7 to 99.8% at 1 ppm. The other effective fungicide was cyprodinil + fludioxonil (FRAC 9 + 12, target-site D1 + E2), which showed growth inhibition of 96.9% at 10 ppm and 88.6% at 1 ppm. Acropetal translocation of six selected fungicides was evaluated in bishop wood (Bischofia javanica) seedlings by immersion of the root tips in each fungicide at 100 ppm, followed by liquid or gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analyses of consecutive segments of root, stem, and leaf tissues at 7 and 21 days posttreatment. Bidirectional translocation of the fungicides was also evaluated by stem injection of fungicide stock solutions. Cyproconazole and tebuconazole were the most readily absorbed by roots and efficiently transported acropetally. Greenhouse experiments suggested that cyproconazole, tebuconazole, and epoxiconazole have a slightly higher potential for controlling BRRD than mepronil, prochloraz, and cyprodinil + fludioxonil. Because all tested fungicides lacked basipetal translocation, soil drenching should be considered instead of trunk injection for their use in BRRD control.

Investigation of Silicon Core-Based Fiber Bragg Grating for Simultaneous Detection of Temperature and Refractive Index.

In this article, we theoretically designed and simulated a silicon core fiber for the simultaneous detection of temperature and refractive index. We first discussed the parameters of the silicon core fiber for near single-mode operation. Second, we designed and simulated a silicon core-based fiber Bragg grating and applied it for simultaneous sensing of temperature and environmental refractive index. The sensitivities for the temperature and refractive index were 80.5 pm/°C and 208.76 dB/RIU, respectively, within a temperature range of 0 to 50 °C and a refractive index range of 1.0 to 1.4. The proposed fiber sensor head can provide a method with simple structure and high sensitivity for various sensing targets.

Software Defined Radio for GNSS Radio Frequency Interference Localization.

The use of radio direction finding techniques in order to identify and reject harmful interference has been a topic of discussion both past and present for signals in the GNSS bands. Advances in commercial off-the-shelf radio hardware have led to the development of new low-cost, compact, phase coherent receiver platforms such as the KrakenSDR from KrakenRF whose testing and characterization will be the primary focus of this paper. Although not specifically designed for GNSSs, the capabilities of this platform are well aligned with the needs of GNSSs. Testing results from both benchtop and in the field will be displayed which verify the KrakenSDR's phase coherence and angle of arrival estimates to array dependent resolution bounds. Additionally, other outputs from the KrakenSDR such as received signal strength indicators and the angle of arrival confidence values show strong connections to angle of arrival estimate quality. Within this work the testing that will be primarily presented is at 900 MHz, with results presented from a government-sponsored event where the Kraken was tested at 1575.42 MHz. Finally, a discussion of calibration of active antenna arrays for angle of arrival is included as the introduction of active antenna elements used in GNSS signal collection can influence angle of arrival estimation.

An AI-Enabled Dynamic Risk Stratification for Emergency Department Patients with ECG and CXR Integration.

Emergency department (ED) triage scale determines the priority of patient care and foretells the prognosis. However, the information retrieved from the initial assessment is limited, hindering the risk identification accuracy of triage. Therefore, we sought to develop a 'dynamic' triage system as secondary screening, using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to integrate information from initial assessment data and subsequent examinations. This retrospective cohort study included 134,112 ED visits with at least one electrocardiography (ECG) and chest X-ray (CXR) in a medical center from 2012 to 2022. Additionally, an independent community hospital provided 45,614 ED visits as an external validation set. We trained an eXtreme gradient boosting (XGB) model using initial assessment data to predict all-cause mortality in 7 days. Two deep learning models (DLMs) using ECG and CXR were trained to stratify mortality risks. The dynamic triage levels were based on output from the XGB-triage and DLMs from ECG and CXR. During the internal and external validation, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the XGB-triage model was >0.866; furthermore, the AUCs of DLMs using ECG and CXR were >0.862 and >0.886, respectively. The dynamic triage scale provided a higher C-index (0.914-0.920 vs. 0.827-0.843) than the original one and demonstrated better predictive ability for 5-year mortality, 30-day ED revisit, and 30-day discharge. The AI-based risk scale provides a more accurate and dynamic stratification of mortality risk in ED patients, particularly in identifying patients who tend to be overlooked due to atypical symptoms.

Underestimated Subsequent Sensorineural Hearing Loss after Septicemia.

Background and Objectives: Hearing loss after septicemia has been found in mice; the long-term risk increased 50-fold in young adults in a previous study. Hearing loss after septicemia has not received much attention. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between septicemia and subsequent hearing loss. Materials and Methods: Inpatient data were obtained from the Taiwan Insurance Database. We defined patients with sensorineural hearing loss and excluded patients under 18 years of age. Patients without hearing loss were selected as controls at a frequency of 1:5. The date of admission was defined as the date of diagnosis. Comorbidities in the 3 years preceding the date of diagnosis were retrieved retrospectively. Associations with hearing loss were established by multiple logistic regression and forward stepwise selection. Results: The odds ratio (OR) for the association between sepsis and hearing loss was 3.052 (95% CI: 1.583-5.884). Autoimmune disease (OR: 5.828 (95% CI: 1.906-17.816)), brain injury (OR: 2.264 (95% CI: 1.212-4.229)) and ischemic stroke (OR: 1.47 (95% CI: 1.087-1.988)) were associated with hearing loss. Conclusions: Our study shows that hearing loss occurred after septicemia. Apoptosis caused by sepsis and ischemia can lead to hair cell damage, leading to hearing loss. Clinicians should be aware of possible subsequent complications of septicemia and provide appropriate treatment and prevention strategies for complications.

Glucose and Ethanol Detection with an Affinity-Switchable Lateral Flow Assay.

The lateral flow assay (LFA) is one of the most successful analytical platforms for rapid on-site detection of target substances. This type of assay has been used in many rapid diagnoses, for example, pregnancy tests and infectious disease prevention. However, applications of LFAs for very small molecules remain a demanding challenge due to the problem of obtaining the corresponding binding partners to form sandwich complexes. In this paper, we report an affinity-switchable (AS) LFA (ASLFA) for the rapid and selective detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), glucose, and ethanol in blood serum and urine samples. Unlike classical LFAs, which rely on the "always on" interaction between the antigen and the antibody, the working principle of ASLFA is based on the gold nanoparticle-conjugated AS biotin probe Au@H2O2-ASB, which can be activated by H2O2 for binding with the streptavidin (SA) protein. In the presence of glucose and ethanol, glucose oxidase and alcohol oxidase can react with the substrate to generate H2O2 and thereby activate Au@H2O2-ASB for binding with SA. Therefore, this ASLFA approach can be an alternative for classical glucose and ethanol detection methods in a wide variety of samples, where simple and rapid on-site detection is essential.

The emerging role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of COVID-19: Protective effects of nutraceutical polyphenolic compounds against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can cause immunosuppression and cytokine storm, leading to lung damage and death. The clinical efficacy of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs in preventing viral entry into host cells and suppressing viral replication remains inadequate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial to the immune response to and pathogenesis of coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2. However, the specific roles of miRNAs in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. miRNAs can participate in SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis through at least four possible mechanisms: 1. host cell miRNA expression interfering with SARS-CoV-2 cell entry, 2. SARS-CoV-2-derived RNA transcripts acting as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) that may attenuate host cell miRNA expression, 3. host cell miRNA expression modulating SARS-CoV-2 replication, and 4. SARS-CoV-2-encoded miRNAs silencing the expression of host protein-coding genes. SARS-CoV-2-related miRNAs may be used as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for predicting outcomes among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, accumulating evidence suggests that dietary polyphenolic compounds may protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection by modulating host cell miRNA expression. These findings have major implications for the future diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

The effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation of the legs in patients with heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation of the legs in patients with heart failure. METHODS: Data were obtained from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases until August 12, 2021. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of functional electrical stimulation applied to the legs of patients with heart failure, namely changes in cardiopulmonary function, muscle strength, and quality of life. RESULTS: In total, 14 randomized controlled trials (consisting of 518 patients) were included in our article. Pooled estimates demonstrated that functional electrical stimulation significantly improved peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2; standardized mean difference = 0.33, 95% confidence interval = 0.07-0.59, eight randomized controlled trials, n = 321), 6-min walking distance (mean difference = 48.03 m, 95% confidence interval = 28.50-67.57 m, 10 randomized controlled trials, n = 380), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire quality of life score (mean difference = - 8.23, 95% confidence interval = - 12.64 to - 3.83, nine randomized controlled trials, n = 383). Muscle strength of lower extremities was not significantly improved in the functional electrical stimulation group compared with that in the control group (standardized mean difference = 0.26, 95% confidence interval = - 0.18 to 0.71, five randomized controlled trials, n = 218). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis revealed that functional electrical stimulation significantly improved peak VO2, 6-min walking distance, and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire quality of life score in the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction subgroups. CONCLUSION: Functional electrical stimulation can effectively improve the cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in patients with heart failure. However, functional electrical stimulation did not significantly improve muscle strength in the legs.

Successful device closure by Amplatzer vascular plug II of a rare celiacomesenteric trunk-to-right atrium fistula in a repaired giant omphalocele.

Aorto-right-atrial fistula is an uncommon condition with an unclear pathogenesis. We present the case of a 3-year-old girl with a giant omphalocele repaired days after birth and incidentally discovered with a celiacomesenteric trunk-to-right atrium fistula. Three-dimensional reconstruction CT unveiled its anatomical pattern, and the fistula was successfully closed using a Amplatzer vascular plug II percutaneously.

Affinity-Switchable Lateral Flow Assay.

Lateral flow assay (LFA) has been a valuable diagnostic tool in many important fields where rapid, simple, and on-site detection is required, for applications such as pregnancy tests and infectious disease prevention. Currently, two types of LFAs are available: lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) and nucleic acid lateral flow assay (NALFA). Both are generally used for the testing of proteins and nucleic acids. However, enzyme activities and small molecules without the corresponding binding partner cannot be detected by the existing LFAs. In this paper, we introduce a LFA approach termed affinity-switchable lateral flow assay (ASLFA) to overcome the limitations. The detection principle is based on the switchable binding between the affinity-switchable biotin (ASB) probe and avidin protein. In the presence of the target molecule, the activated ASB probe would be captured by the avidin, thereby leaving a distinct test line on the membrane. The ASLFA concept was demonstrated by testing the F ion, NADH cofactor, and nitroreductase activity. Thus, this general ASLFA can be used for the rapid detection of molecules that cannot be accessed by the classical LFAs.

Formation and Infrared Spectrum of the Open-Form 2-Bromoethyl Radical (2-C2H4Br•) from Ultraviolet Irradiation of a C2H4/Br2/p-H2 Matrix.

The addition reaction of halogens to alkenes is important in organic synthesis, but the reaction intermediate has rarely been detected. Whether the structure of the intermediate bromoethyl (C2H4Br•) radical is a bridged form or an open form is unclear. We took advantage of the diminished cage effect of solid p-H2 and employed infrared (IR) absorption to record the IR spectrum of C2H4Br• after photolysis of a C2H4/Br2/p-H2 matrix at 254 nm, followed by annealing. New spectral features at 676.9, 776.7, 1068.5, 1148.0, 3041.8, and 3126.8 cm-1 are assigned to the open-form 2-bromoethyl radical, according to their photolytic behavior and comparison with scaled harmonic vibrational wavenumbers and IR intensities calculated with the B2PLYPD3/6-311++G(2df,2p) method.

Biological Control of Collar Rot on Passion Fruits Via Induction of Apoptosis in the Collar Rot Pathogen by Bacillus subtilis.

The seedlings and fresh fruits of passion fruits are of high value in local and global trade. Fusarium solani is a main disease-causing agent affecting passion fruits. The objectives of this study were to develop Bacillus-based biocontrol agents for the management of Fusarium diseases on passion fruits and to investigate their putative control mechanisms. Our studies indicated that B. subtilis YBC and 151B1 show antagonistic activity to F. solani PF7 from passion fruits and inhibited the conidial germination of strain PF7. The application of broth cultures from B. subtilis 151B1 and YBC in SYB medium reduced disease severity of Fusarium wilt on the leaves of passion fruits and enhanced the survival rates of passion fruit seedlings challenged with F. solani PF7. With regard to the putative mechanisms of disease control, the results indicated that treatments consisting of the respective culture filtrates from B. subtilis 151B1 and YBC broths caused aberrant conidial morphology and loss of cell membrane integrity. Additionally, the treatments caused reductions in mitochondrial membrane potential and interfered with the energy metabolism of F. solani PF7. The treatments also enhanced reactive oxygen species accumulation and resulted in the externalization of phosphatidylserine, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation, suggesting their function in triggering apoptotic-like cell death. In conclusion, B. subtilis 151B1 and YBC are potential biocontrol agents for passion fruit disease caused by F. solani. Their control efficacy may result from the surfactins produced to trigger apoptotic-like cell death, reducing mitochondrial membrane potential and interfering with the energy metabolism of the pathogen.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Infrared Spectra of Monohydrogenated Aniline, ortho- and para-HC6H5NH2, Generated in Solid para-Hydrogen.

The isomers of monohydrogenated aniline (HC6H5NH2) are regarded as important intermediates in reduction reactions of aniline, but their spectral identification has been limited to electron paramagnetic resonance in an adamantane matrix. We report here infrared (IR) spectra of two least-energy isomers of HC6H5NH2, produced on electron bombardment during the deposition of a matrix of aniline and para-hydrogen at 3.2 K. The intensities of IR lines of HC6H5NH2 increased during maintenance of the electron-bombarded matrix in darkness for a prolonged period because of the neutralization of protonated aniline, H+C6H5NH2, by trapped electrons and further reactions between aniline and the unreacted hydrogen atoms that were produced during electron bombardment. The observed lines were grouped according to their behaviors on secondary photolysis with light at 520, 465, and 375 nm. On comparison of experimental spectra with quantum chemically predicted spectra for four possible isomers of HC6H5NH2, lines in one group were assigned to the most stable ortho-HC6H5NH2 and those in the other group were assigned to the secondmost stable para-HC6H5NH2. Their photolytic behaviors at varied wavelengths are consistent with predicted ultraviolet absorption bands. The mechanisms of formation of these isomers are discussed according to semiquantitative analysis.