A stable antimicrobial peptide with dual functions of treating and preventing citrus Huanglongbing.

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by a vector-transmitted phloem-limited bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. Currently, there are no effective strategies to prevent infection or to cure HLB-positive trees. Here, using comparative analysis between HLB-sensitive citrus cultivars and HLB-tolerant citrus hybrids and relatives, we identified a novel class of stable antimicrobial peptides (SAMPs). The SAMP from Microcitrusaustraliasica can rapidly kill Liberibacter crescens (Lcr), a culturable Liberibacter strain, and inhibit infections of CLas and CL. solanacearum in plants. In controlled greenhouse trials, SAMP not only effectively reduced CLas titer and disease symptoms in HLB-positive trees but also induced innate immunity to prevent and inhibit infections. Importantly, unlike antibiotics, SAMP is heat stable, making it better suited for field applications. Spray-applied SAMP was taken up by citrus leaves, stayed stable inside the plants for at least a week, and moved systemically through the vascular system where CLas is located. We further demonstrate that SAMP is most effective on α-proteobacteria and causes rapid cytosol leakage and cell lysis. The α-helix-2 domain of SAMP is sufficient to kill Lcr Future field trials will help determine the efficacy of SAMP in controlling HLB and the ideal mode of application.

Evidências científicas da prática da violência contra a pessoa idosa: revisão integrativa / Evidencias científicas de la práctica de violencia contra personas mayores: revisión integradora / Scientific evidence of the violence against the older adult: an integrative review

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar as evidências científicas da violência praticada contra a pessoa idosa, com destaque para a prevalência, o perfil da vítima e os fatores de risco. Métodos: Revisão integrativa de artigos disponíveis nas bases de dados da PubMed®, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Banco de Dados em Enfermagem (BDENF), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), publicados entre 2015 a 2019, a partir dos descritores: "idoso", " elderly ", " older person " , " aged ", " old ", " exposure to violence ", "exposição à violência", " aging ", envelhecimento", " elder abuse " , " domestic violence " , " violence ", "violência", "maus-tratos ao idoso" e "violência doméstica". Para refinamento, foram utilizadas as quatro fases do diagrama de fluxo de seleção de artigos do PRISMA. Resultados: Foram identificados 17 artigos que apresentaram como fatores de risco aumentados para a violência contra a pessoa idosa idade avançada, disfuncionalidade familiar, falta de acesso a direitos sociais e condições crônicas de incapacidade. Conclusão: O estudo traz contribuições diretas para os profissionais e setores interessados no enfrentamento da violência contra a pessoa idosa, a qual possui alta prevalência na sociedade atual.

Resumen Objetivo: Analizar las evidencias científicas de la violencia practicada contra personas mayores, con énfasis en la prevalencia, el perfil de la víctima y los factores de riesgo. Métodos: Revisión integradora de artículos disponibles en las bases de datos de PubMed®, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Banco de Dados em Enfermagem (BDENF), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) y Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud (LILACS), publicados entre 2015 y 2019, a partir de los descriptores: "anciano", " elderly ", " older person " , " aged ", " old ", " exposure to violence ", "exposición a la violencia", " aging ", "envejecimiento", " elder abuse " , " domestic violence " , " violence ", "violencia", "malos tratos al anciano" y "violencia doméstica". Para refinar la búsqueda, se utilizaron las cuatro fases del diagrama de flujo de selección de artículos PRISMA. Resultados: Se identificaron 17 artículos que presentaron los siguientes factores de riesgo aumentados en la violencia contra personas mayores: edad avanzada, disfuncionalidad familiar, falta de acceso a derechos sociales y condiciones crónicas de incapacidad. Conclusión: El estudio contribuye directamente para los profesionales y sectores interesados en el enfrentamiento a la violencia contra personas mayores, que tiene una alta prevalencia en la sociedad actual.

Abstract Objective: To analyze the scientific evidence of violence against the older adult, with emphasis on the prevalence, the profile of the victim, and the risk factors. Methods: An integrative review of articles available in the PubMed® databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Nursing Database (BDENF), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and Latin American and Caribbean Research on Health Sciences (LILACS), published between 2015 and 2019, using the descriptors: "idoso" , "older adult", "older person", "aged", "old", "exposure to violence", " exposição à violência ", "aging", envelhecimento" , "elder abuse", "domestic violence", "violence", " violência", "maus-tratos ao idoso" and "violência doméstica" . As to refine it, the four phases of the PRISMA study selection flow diagram were used. Results: 17 articles were identified which presented as increased risk factors for violence against the older adult, family dysfunction, lack of access to social rights and chronic conditions of disability. Conclusion: The study brings direct contributions to professionals and sectors interested in facing violence against the older adult, which has a high prevalence in today's society.

Dark Septate Endophytic Fungi Increase Green Manure-15N Recovery Efficiency, N Contents, and Micronutrients in Rice Grains.

An understanding of the interaction between rice and dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi, under green fertilization, may lead to sustainable agricultural practices. Nevertheless, this interaction is still poorly understood. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the accumulation of macro- and micronutrients, dry matter, and protein and N recovery efficiency from Canavalia ensiformis (L.)-15N in rice inoculated with DSE fungi. An experiment under greenhouse conditions was conducted in a randomized complete block design comprising split-plots, with five replicates of rice plants potted in non-sterilized soil. Rice (Piauí variety) seedlings were inoculated with DSE fungi, A101 and A103, or left uninoculated (control) and transplanted into pots containing 12 kg of soil, which had previously been supplemented with dry, finely ground shoot biomass of C. ensiformis enriched with 2.15 atom % 15N. Two collections were performed in the experiment: one at 54 days after transplanting (DAT) and one at 130 DAT (at maturation). Growth indicators (at 54 DAT), grain yield, nutrient content, recovery efficiency, and the amount of N derived from C. ensiformis were quantified. At 54 DAT, the N content, chlorophyll content, and plant height of inoculated plants had increased significantly compared with the control, and these plants were more proficient in the use of N derived from C. ensiformis. At maturation, plants inoculated with A103 were distinguished by the recovery efficiency and amount of N derived from C. ensiformis and N content in the grain and shoot being equal to that in A101 inoculation and higher than that in the control, resulting in a higher accumulation of crude protein and dry matter in the full grain and panicle of DSE-rice interaction. In addition, Fe and Ni contents in the grains of rice inoculated with these fungi doubled with respect to the control, and in A103 inoculation, we observed Mn accumulation that was three times higher than in the other treatments. Our results suggest that the inoculation of rice with DSE fungi represents a strategy to improve green manure-N recovery, grain yield per plant, and grain quality in terms of micronutrients contents in cropping systems with a low N input.

Evaluation of molluscicidal activity of three mangrove species (Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle) and their effects on the bioactivity of Biomphalaria glabrata Say, 1818.

Schistosomiasis is a disease of global extent reaching populations in social vulnerability. One of the control measures of this parasitosis is the use of molluscicidal substances that can fight snails of the genus Biomphalaria, intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni. The aim of this work was to study the toxic activity of three mangrove species (Avicennia schaueriana Stapf. & Leech, ex Moldenke, 1939, Laguncularia racemosa (L.) CF Gaertn, 1807 and Rhizophora mangle L. 1753) on the biological activities of snails Biomphalaria glabrata. Hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared from the stem and leaves of each of the three plant species to which mollusks were exposed. The phytochemical analysis of plants showed the presence of important metabolites in the leaves and stems of L. racemosa and R. mangle, such as tannins and saponins, but the absence of these metabolites in A. schaueriana. Leaf and stem extracts of the three plant species showed low molluscicidal activity, not reaching the standards determined by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1983). L. racemosa and R. mangle has interfered with motility, feeding and oviposition of snails, unlike the extracts of A. schaueriana, which had no effect on these activities.