Exploring Factors Conditioning the Expression of Botryosphaeria Dieback in Grapevine for Integrated Management of the Disease.

Species from the Botryosphaeriaceae family are the causal agents of Botryosphaeria dieback (BD), a worldwide grapevine trunk disease. Because of their lifestyle and their adaptation to a wide range of temperatures, these fungi constitute a serious threat to vineyards and viticulture, especially in the actual context of climate change. Grapevine plants from both nurseries and vineyards are very susceptible to infections by botryosphaeriaceous fungi due to several cuts and wounds made during their propagation process and their entire life cycle, respectively. When decline becomes chronic or apoplectic, it reduces the longevity of the vineyard and affects the quality of the wine, leading to huge economic losses. Given the environmental impact of fungicides, and their short period of effectiveness in protecting pruning wounds, alternative strategies are being developed to fight BD fungal pathogens and limit their propagation. Among them, biological control has been recognized as a promising and sustainable alternative. However, there is still no effective strategy for combating this complex disease, conditioned by both fungal life traits and host tolerance traits, in relationships with the whole microbiome/microbiota. To provide sound guidance for an effective and sustainable integrated management of BD, by combining the limitation of infection risk, tolerant grapevine cultivars, and biological control, this review explores some of the factors conditioning the expression of BD in grapevine. Among them, the lifestyle of BD-associated pathogens, their pathogenicity factors, the cultivar traits of tolerance or susceptibility, and the biocontrol potential of Bacillus spp. and Trichoderma spp. are discussed.

Evaluating treatments for the protection of grapevine pruning wounds from natural infection by trunk disease fungi.

Infection of grapevines by fungal pathogens causing grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) primarily arises from annual pruning wounds made during the dormant season. While various studies have showcased the efficacy of products in shielding pruning wounds against GTDs infections, most of these investigations hinge on artificial pathogen inoculations, which may not faithfully mirror real field conditions. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of various liquid formulation fungicides (pyraclostrobin + boscalid) and paste treatments, as well as biological control agents (BCA: Trichoderma atroviride SC1, T. atroviride I-1237, and T. asperellum ICC012 + T. gamsii ICC080), for their potential to prevent natural infection of grapevine pruning wounds by trunk disease fungi in two field trials located in Samaniego (Northern Spain) and Madiran (Southern France) over three growing seasons. Wound treatments were applied immediately after pruning in February. One year after pruning, canes were harvested from vines and brought to the laboratory for assessment of Trichoderma spp. and fungal trunk pathogens. More than 1,200 fungal isolates associated with five GTDs (esca, Botryophaeria, Diaporthe and Eutypa diebacks, and Cytospora canker) were collected from the two vineyards each growing season. Our findings reveal that none of the products under investigation exhibited complete effectiveness against all the GTDs. The efficacy of these products was particularly influenced by the specific year of study. A notable exception was observed with the biocontrol agent T. atroviride I-1237, which consistently demonstrated effectiveness against Botryosphaeria dieback infections throughout each year of the study, irrespective of the location. The remaining products exhibited efficacy in specific years or locations against particular diseases, with the physical barrier (paste) showing the least overall effectiveness. The recovery rates of Trichoderma spp. in treated plants were highly variable, ranging from 17% to 100%, with both strains of T. atroviride yielding the highest isolation rates. This study underscores the importance of customizing treatments for specific diseases, taking into account the influence of environmental factors for BCA applications.

Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 to control Botryosphaeria dieback and black-foot pathogens in grapevine propagation material.

BACKGROUND: Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are a complex group of diseases that lead to major economic losses in all wine-producing countries. The investigation of biocontrol agents (BCAs) capable of forestalling or at least minimizing the development of GTDs has, recently, become a priority. Nursery experiments were set up to (i) assess the biocontrol effect of Trichoderma atroviride (Ta) SC1 and Bacillus subtilis (Bs) PTA-271, alone and in simultaneous application, against Botryosphaeria dieback (BOT)- and black-foot (BF)- associated pathogens during the grapevine propagation process and (ii) evaluate the success of the BCA inoculation during the grapevine propagation process, using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques. RESULTS: The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the percentage of potentially infected plants and the percentage of fungal isolation from wood fragments of BOT and BF pathogens in nursery material treated with Ta SC1 and Bs PTA-271, respectively. In one of the experiments, simultaneous treatments with Bs PTA-271 and Ta SC1 caused a reduction in percentages of potentially infected plants and fungal isolation, from wood fragments containing BOT and BF pathogens. CONCLUSION: These biological treatments may be relevant components of an integrated approach, using complementary management strategies to limit infection by GTD pathogens, but further research is still needed to elucidate the effectiveness of Bs PTA-271 and the benefits of simultaneous application with Ta SC1 for the control of GTD pathogens in nurseries. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Diversity of Neofusicoccum parvum for the Production of the Phytotoxic Metabolites (-)-Terremutin and (R)-Mellein.

Two Neofusicoccumparvum isolates and a UV mutant were characterized for their phytotoxin production in vitro, their pathogenicity on grapevine, and their genome sequenced. The isolate Np-Bt67 produced high level of (-)-terremutin, but almost no (R)-mellein, and it was the most aggressive on grapevine, triggering apoplexy. Similar symptoms were not induced by purified (-)-terremutin. The isolate Bourgogne S-116 (Np-B) produced 3-fold less (-)-terremutin and high amounts of (R)-mellein, but it was less aggressive on grapevine than Np-Bt67. The UV9 mutant obtained from Np-B (NpB-UV9) no longer produced (-)-terremutin but overproduced (R)-mellein by 2.5-fold, and it was as pathogenic as its parent. NpB-UV9 differed from its parent by simple mutations in two genes (transcription factor UCR-NP2_6692, regulatory protein UCR-NP2_9007), not located neither near (R)-mellein, nor (-)-terremutin biosynthetic genes, but likely involved in the control of (-)-terremutin biosynthesis. Grapevine immunity was disturbed upon challenge with these pathogens or purified phytotoxins, leading to an upregulation of SA-dependent defenses, while (-)-terremutin interfered with host JA/ET-dependent defenses. Our results suggest that neither (-)-terremutin nor (R)-mellein alone is essential for the pathogenicity of N. parvum on grapevine, since isolate/mutant non-producing these toxins in vitro is pathogenic. However, these phytotoxins could play a quantitative role in the infection process.

In Sickness and in Health: The Role of Housework Engagement in Work Productivity despite Presenteeism.

The present study is one of the first to investigate the effects of housework engagement on work productivity despite sickness presenteeism and to explore personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness) and gender differences among couples. Based on a sample of 180 heterosexual couples, an integrated model of both housework and workplace realities was proposed and tested based on the actor-partner interdependence model using structural equation modeling. The results verify that the higher the degree of women's conscientiousness, the greater their and their partners' level of productivity despite presenteeism. In addition, the higher the couple's perception of partner support is, the greater their level of work productivity despite health problems, for both men and women. Results also confirm that housework engagement mediates the relationships between both conscientiousness and perceived partner support and work productivity despite health problems, for women, but not for men. This study denotes an advance in the literature on the relationships between personal and social resources within the family domain and work productivity despite sickness presenteeism. The findings support the applicability of the resource perspective of the Job Demands-Resources theory (JD-R) (i.e., motivational branch) to housework, as well as extend existing presenteeism models by providing evidence for the inclusion of the family domain in explaining this organizational phenomenon.

Satisfaction of General Practice Trainees with the Teaching Skills of Trainers: An Exploratory and Regional Study.

INTRODUCTION: In Portugal, requirements for selection and training of General Practice trainers vary across the different regions of the country. The aim of our study was to assess the satisfaction of general practice trainees with their trainers of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Health Administration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: General Practice trainees were the target population for our cross-sectional, exploratory study. The authors developed a 16-item questionnaire based on the existing literature. The questions covered the following domains: patient safety, learning environment, trainer's feedback, the trainee/trainer relationship, assessment of educational progress and continuous professional development of trainers. Items were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Data was collected at a meeting in October 2018 attended by General Practice trainees. RESULTS: A total of 384 questionnaires were distributed, with a response rate of 59.9%. The majority of respondents were female (79.9%) and all years of specialty training were represented. Our study shows that 60.4% of General Practice trainees from the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Health Administration are very satisfied with the teaching skills of their trainers. However, there was lower satisfaction with trainer's continuous professional development, trainer's feedback, and monitoring of educational progress. The majority (57.4%) of respondents did not give feedback to their supervisors about their teaching performance, mostly because they do not feel comfortable doing so or because they have not considered this. DISCUSSION: The findings show a high degree of satisfaction of the general practice trainees with their trainers of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Regional Health Administration. The high response rate attained is one of the strengths of the study. The authors make some suggestions for improvement of domains with lower satisfaction levels. Unfortunately, it is difficult to extrapolate the findings nationwide due to the differences between the training programmes of the different regions. CONCLUSION: Although there is a high level of satisfaction, there is still potential for improvement, including the expansion of training programmes for trainers.

Introdução: Em Portugal, os requisitos para seleção e formação de orientadores em Medicina Geral e Familiar variam nas diferentes regiões do país. Este estudo pretendeu estudar a satisfação dos internos de Medicina Geral e Familiar com os orientadores de formação da Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. Material e Métodos: Os internos de Medicina Geral e Familiar foram a população alvo do nosso estudo transversal e exploratório. As autoras desenvolveram um questionário de 16 itens com base na literatura existente. As perguntas abrangeram os seguintes domínios: segurança do doente, ambiente de aprendizagem, feedback dos orientadores de formação, relação interno/orientador de formação, avaliação do progresso educacional e desenvolvimento profissional contínuo dos orientadores de formação. Os itens foram pontuados numa escala do tipo Likert de cinco pontos. Os dados foram recolhidos numa reunião de internos em outubro de 2018. Resultados: Foram distribuídos 384 questionários com uma taxa de resposta de 59,9%. A maioria dos entrevistados era do sexo feminino (79,9%) e todos os anos de internato foram representados. O nosso estudo mostra que 60,4% dos internos de Medicina Geral e Familiar da Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo estão muito satisfeitos com as competências pedagógicas dos orientadores de formação. No entanto, houve menor satisfação nos domínios do desenvolvimento profissional contínuo dos orientadores de formação, feedback dos orientadores e monitorização do progresso educacional. A maioria (57,4%) dos entrevistados não dá feedback ao seu orientador sobre o desempenho pedagógico, principalmente porque não se sente à vontade ou porque nunca considerou fazê-lo. Discussão: Os resultados revelam um elevado grau de satisfação dos internos de Medicina Geral e Familiar com os respetivos orientadores de formação da Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. A elevada taxa de respostas alcançada é um dos pontos fortes do estudo. Os autores propõem algumas sugestões de melhoria para os domínios que obtiveram menor grau de satisfação. Infelizmente, é difícil extrapolar os resultados a nível nacional devido às diferenças entre os programas de formação das diferentes regiões. Conclusão: Embora exista um alto nível de satisfação, ainda há potencial para melhoria, incluindo a expansão de programas de formação para orientadores de formação.

Genome sequence analysis of the beneficial Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 isolated from a Vitis vinifera (cv. Chardonnay) rhizospheric soil: assets for sustainable biocontrol.

BACKGROUND: Bacillus subtilis strains have been widely studied for their numerous benefits in agriculture, including viticulture. Providing several assets, B. subtilis spp. are described as promising plant-protectors against many pathogens and as influencers to adaptations in a changing environment. This study reports the draft genome sequence of the beneficial Bacillus subtilis PTA-271, isolated from the rhizospheric soil of healthy Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay at Champagne Region in France, attempting to draw outlines of its full biocontrol capacity. RESULTS: The PTA-271 genome has a size of 4,001,755 bp, with 43.78% of G + C content and 3945 protein coding genes. The draft genome of PTA-271 putatively highlights a functional swarming motility system hypothesizing a colonizing capacity and a strong interacting capacity, strong survival capacities and a set of genes encoding for bioactive substances. Predicted bioactive compounds are known to: stimulate plant growth or defenses such as hormones and elicitors, influence beneficial microbiota, and counteract pathogen aggressiveness such as effectors and many kinds of detoxifying enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: Plurality of the putatively encoded biomolecules by Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 genome suggests environmentally robust biocontrol potential of PTA-271, protecting plants against a broad spectrum of pathogens.

Cultivar Contributes to the Beneficial Effects of Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 to Protect Grapevine Against Neofusicoccum parvum.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are a big threat for global viticulture. Without effective chemicals, biocontrol strategies are developed as alternatives to better cope with environmental concerns. A combination of biological control agents (BCAs) could even improve sustainable disease management through complementary ways of protection. In this study, we evaluated the combination of Bacillus subtilis (Bs) PTA-271 and Trichoderma atroviride (Ta) SC1 for the protection of Chardonnay and Tempranillo rootlings against Neofusicoccum parvum Bt67, an aggressive pathogen associated to Botryosphaeria dieback (BD). Indirect benefits offered by each BCA and their combination were then characterized in planta, as well as their direct benefits in vitro. Results provide evidence that (1) the cultivar contributes to the beneficial effects of Bs PTA-271 and Ta SC1 against N. parvum, and that (2) the in vitro BCA mutual antagonism switches to the strongest fungistatic effect toward Np-Bt67 in a three-way confrontation test. We also report for the first time the beneficial potential of a combination of BCA against Np-Bt67 especially in Tempranillo. Our findings highlight a common feature for both cultivars: salicylic acid (SA)-dependent defenses were strongly decreased in plants protected by the BCA, in contrast with symptomatic ones. We thus suggest that (1) the high basal expression of SA-dependent defenses in Tempranillo explains its highest susceptibility to N. parvum, and that (2) the cultivar-specific responses to the beneficial Bs PTA-271 and Ta SC1 remain to be further investigated.

Bacterial cellulose: a versatile biopolymer for wound dressing applications.

Although several therapeutic approaches are available for wound and burn treatment and much progress has been made in this area, room for improvement still exists, driven by the urgent need of better strategies to accelerate wound healing and recovery, mostly for cases of severe burned patients. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biopolymer produced by bacteria with several advantages over vegetal cellulose, such as purity, high porosity, permeability to liquid and gases, elevated water uptake capacity and mechanical robustness. Besides its biocompatibility, BC can be modified in order to acquire antibacterial response and possible local drug delivery features. Due to its intrinsic versatility, BC is the perfect example of a biotechnological response to a clinical problem. In this review, we assess the BC main features and emphasis is given to a specific biomedical application: wound dressings. The production process and the physical-chemical properties that entitle this material to be used as wound dressing namely for burn healing are highlighted. An overview of the most common BC composites and their enhanced properties, in particular physical and biological, is provided, including the different production processes. A particular focus is given to the biochemistry and genetic manipulation of BC. A summary of the current marketed BC-based wound dressing products is presented, and finally, future perspectives for the usage of BC as wound dressing are foreseen.

The gold nun: a case of a gold ligature from the 15th century and the origins of restorative dentistry in Europe.

ABSTRACT: We here report the discovery of a gold dental ligature from the late 15th century, at the Convent of Santa Clara-a-Velha, in the city of Coimbra, Portugal. A medieval Clare's nun presented the left upper lateral incisor splinted to the canine, since the others three incisors were lost, most probably due to an aggressive periodontal disease. The convent is associated with the medieval upper class, which was well known for its consumption of high levels of sugar. There is a higher prevalence of caries in comparison to other Portuguese skeletal samples of the same time period, as well as a high prevalence of periodontal disease. Thus far, this is one of the earliest findings of dental treatment in Europe.