Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Findings in Birdshot Chorioretinitis: A Cross Sectional Study of 21 Patients.

PURPOSE: Birdshot chorioretinitis (BSCR) is a form of posterior uveitis that is classically characterized by hypopigmented choroidal lesions outside of the major arcades. However, little is known about the extent of choroidal involvement in the macula. We aim to describe the vascular abnormalities observed at the level of the choriocapillaris (CC) in the maculae of BSCR patients, using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted. Eligible patients underwent clinical examination and SS-OCTA imaging. The main outcome measures were the frequency of vascular abnormalities observed at the level of the CC on SS-OCTA and foveal choriocapillaris vascular density (CVD). RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were included, with a median age of 61.5 years. All patients had bilateral disease with a median disease duration of 6 years. All but one patient received systemic immunosuppressive drug therapy, and 19 patients had suppressed inflammation on treatment at the time of the SS-OCTA assessment. Of the 42 affected eyes, 39 (92.9%) had gradable SS-OCTA images, with a mean LogMAR visual acuity of 0.18 (Snellen equivalent 20/30). In total, 34 of 39 (87.2%) eyes had some degree of pathologic flow loss, and after controlling for patient age and disease activity, both worse VA and longer disease duration remained statistically significantly associated with reduced foveal CVD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that pathologic CC flow loss in the macula is frequently encountered and may contribute to visual function decline in patients with BSCR. Further studies with longitudinal follow-up are needed to characterize the evolution of these areas of pathologic CC flow loss over time.

Scleral Cross-Linking in Form-Deprivation Myopic Guinea Pig Eyes Leads to Glaucomatous Changes.

Purpose: To investigate the potential glaucomatous changes caused by scleral cross-linking (CXL) in a guinea pig form-deprivation (FD) myopia model. Methods: Eighty 4-week-old tricolor guinea pigs were divided into four groups: FD only, genipin CXL only, FD plus CXL, and control. Refractive error, axial length (AL), intraocular pressure (IOP), and structural and vasculature optic disc changes in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) were measured at baseline and day 21. CXL efficacy was evaluated by scleral rigidity Young's modulus values. Histological and molecular changes in the anterior chamber angle, retina, and sclera were assessed. Results: Baseline parameters were similar among groups (P > 0.05). The FD plus CXL group at day 21 had the least increase of AL (0.14 ± 0.08 mm) and highest IOP elevation (31.5 ± 3.6 mmHg) compared with the FD-only group (AL: 0.68 ± 0.17 mm; IOP: 22.2 ± 2.6 mmHg) and the control group (AL: 0.24 ± 0.09 mm; IOP: 17.4 ± 1.8 mmHg) (all P < 0.001). OCT and OCTA parameters of the optic disc in the FD plus CXL group at day 21 showed glaucomatous changes and decreased blood flow signals. Sclera rigidity increased in the CXL and FD plus CXL groups. Advanced glycation end products deposited extensively in the retina, choroid, and sclera of FD plus CXL eyes. Conclusions: CXL causes increased IOP and subsequent optic disc, anterior segment, and scleral changes while inhibiting myopic progression and axial elongation in FD guinea pig eyes. Therefore, applying CXL to control myopia raises safety concerns.

Chickpea Seed Rot and Damping-Off Caused by Metalaxyl-Resistant Pythium ultimum and Its Management with Ethaboxam.

Metalaxyl and its isomer mefenoxam have been the primary fungicides used as seed treatments in managing Pythium seed rot and damping-off of chickpea (Cicer arietinum). However, outbreaks of seed rot and damping-off of metalaxyl-treated chickpea seeds were found in the dryland agriculture regions of southeastern Washington and northern Idaho. Pythium spp. isolated from rotten seeds and associated soils showed high levels of resistance to metalaxyl. Large proportions (31 to 91%) of Pythium isolates resistant to metalaxyl were detected in areas where severe chickpea damping-off occurred and were observed in commercial chickpea fields over several years. All metalaxyl-resistant (MR) isolates were identified as Pythium ultimum var. ultimum. The metalaxyl resistance trait measured by EC50 values was stable over 10 generations in the absence of metalaxyl, and no observable fitness costs were associated with metalaxyl resistance. Under controlled conditions, metalaxyl treatments failed to protect chickpea seeds from seed rot and damping-off after inoculation with MR Pythium isolates. In culture, ethaboxam inhibited mycelial growth of both MR and metalaxyl-sensitive isolates. Greenhouse and field tests showed that ethaboxam is effective in managing MR Pythium. Ethaboxam in combination with metalaxyl is commonly applied as seed treatments in commercial chickpea production.

Genotype distribution of norovirus around the emergence of Sydney_2012 and the antigenic drift of contemporary GII.4 epidemic strains.

BACKGROUND: The pattern of epochal evolution of NoV is ongoing, while novel GII.4 variants emerge and cause new pandemics. Since, the emergence in March 2012, Sydney_2012 had replaced GII.4-2009 as the primary NoV strain in most countries in the northern hemisphere by November 2012. OBJECTIVES: To determine the genotype distribution around the emergence of Sydney_2012 and to investigate the underlying evolution mechanisms of the contemporary GII.4 strains. STUDY DESIGN: From January 2012 to December 2013, molecular epidemiology of norovirus in 846 adults (≥16 years) in Shanghai were conducted. The VP1 proteins of the contemporary GII.4 strains (Den_Haag_2006b, New_Orleans_2009 and Sydney_2012) were expressed in vitro and purified. Receptor binding patterns of these three epidemic strains were determined through histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) binding assays. Convalescent serum from patients infected with GII.4 epidemic strains were employed to investigate the role of antigenic drift in the persistence of GII.4 epidemic strains through receptor-binding blockade assays. RESULTS: Epidemiological studies revealed that Sydeny_2012 has completely replaced Den_Haag_2006b and New_Orleans_2009 and has been the dominant circulating strain in Shanghai since its emergence in October 2012. Interestingly, Den_Haag_2006b and New_Orleans_2009 have been co-circulating in Shanghai before the emergence of Sydeny_2012. The contemporary GII.4 epidemic norovirus strains displayed commonly high tropism to the histo-blood group antigen receptors, whereas Sydeny_2012 was antigenically different from Den_Haag_2006b and New_Orleans_2009. CONCLUSIONS: Antigenic drift, rather than receptor switch, played a key role in the emergence and spreading of Sydney_2012. The contemporary GII.4 strains were evolving via epochal evolution without altered ligand binding profiles.

[The infection and molecular characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from intestinal outpatient in two sentinel hospitals in Shanghai, 2010-2012].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze virulence genes and molecular characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from sporadic cases with diarrhea in tow sentinel hospitals of Shanghai, 2010-2012. METHODS: A total of 2 729 stool samples were collected from two surveillance sentinel hospitals in Shanghai 2010-2012. Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were isolated and identified from diarrhea out patients using TCBS agar plates and biochemical reactions. Thermostable direct hemolysingene (tdh), thermostable-related hemolysin gene (trh), hemolysin gene (tlh) were detected by multiplex PCR method. Isolates were analyzed by PFGE and MLST. The PFGE profiles were analyzed using BioNumerics software. RESULTS: A total of 30 clinical Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated from 2 729 stool samples. The anually Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolation rate during 2010 to 2012 were 1.1%(11/973), 1.0%(11/1 120) and 1.3%(8/636) respectively. The PCR positive rates of virulence genes tlh, tdh and trh were 100%, 97% and 0 respectively. The Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were divided into 13 PFGE types (P1-P13)and 3 ST types (ST-189, ST-799, ST-3). Among 13 PFGE types, P4 was the main PFGE type, accounting for 30%(9/30). P9, P10 were accounting for 12% (4/30) respectively, P1, P2, P12, P13 were accounting for 7%(2/30) respectively, the others types were 3%(1/30) respectively. MLST analysis results showed there are three ST types, ST3 was 84%(25/30), ST189 and ST799 were accounting for 13% (4/30) and 3% (1/30) respectively. CONCLUSION: The infection rate of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was not very high from 2010-2012 in Shanghai, all strains were positive for tlh and negative for trh. ST3 was the major type of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

CmpacC regulates mycoparasitism, oxalate degradation and antifungal activity in the mycoparasitic fungus Coniothyrium minitans.

The PacC/Rim101 pH-responsive transcription factor is an important pathogenicity element for many plant-pathogenic fungi. In this study, we investigated the roles of a PacC homologue, CmpacC, in the mycoparasitic fungus Coniothyrium minitans. CmpacC was confirmed to have the transcriptional activation activity by the transcriptional activation test in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Disruption of CmpacC resulted in impaired fungal responses to ambient pH. Compared to the wild-type, the CmpacC-disruption mutant ΔCmpacC-29 was significantly suppressed for activities of chitinase and ß-1,3-glucanase at pH 5 and 7, consistent with reduced expression levels of Cmch1 and Cmg1 coding for the two enzymes respectively. However, the mutant displayed acidity-mimicking phenotypes such as improved oxalate degradation and increased antifungal activity at pH 6 or higher. Improved efficacy in oxalate degradation by ΔCmpacC-29 was consistent with the enhanced expression level of Cmoxdc1 coding for oxalate decarboxylase. CmpacC transcriptional activation of Cmch1 and Cmg1 and repression of Cmoxdc1 were verified by the presence of the PacC/Rim101 consensus binding-motifs in gene promoter regions and by the promoter DNA-binding assays. This study suggests that CmpacC plays an activator role in regulation of C. minitans mycoparasitism, whereas plays a repressor role in regulation of oxalate degradation and possibly antifungal activity of C. minitans.

Rotavirus infection and its genetic characterization in non-hospitalized adults with acute gastroenteritis in Shanghai, China.

Rotavirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children, while its role as a pathogen in adults has long been underappreciated. In order to describe the epidemiological patterns and genetic characteristics of rotavirus causing sporadic acute gastroenteritis in adults, hospital-based surveillance of rotavirus infections was conducted in Shanghai, China, between June 2010 and May 2011. Stool specimens were collected from outpatients with acute gastroenteritis admitted to three local hospitals. Rotavirus was detected using a colloidal gold test device. G and P genotyping were performed by multiplex PCR assays, and the VP7 gene of G9 strains were sequenced for further genetic characterization. Of 1,479 adult diarrheal stool samples examined during the 1-year surveillance period, 138 (9.3 %) were found to be rotavirus positive. G1 appeared to be the predominant genotype (35.5 %), suggesting a shift from genotype G3 to G1 in the study population in Shanghai. Meanwhile, a high frequency of genotype G9 (27.5 %) was also observed, and G9 was also predominant (38.1 %) in the small number of children (n=123) involved in the present study. Other specificities detected in adults were G2 (12.3 %) and G3 (13.8 %). For P genotyping, only two types, P[8] and P[4], were detected. P[8] was dominant in both children and adults. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these strains could be divided into two different groups, with clustering within G9 lineage 3 and the subcluster of Japanese and Chinese G9 strains, respectively. In comparison to the previous data, G9 strains established themselves in a short time span as an important genotype in Shanghai, China.