Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

BMC Genomics 2021 Apr 14;22(1):265. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Biointeractions and Plant Health, Wageningen Plant Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Background: Bacterial plant pathogens of the Pectobacterium genus are responsible for a wide spectrum of diseases in plants, including important crops such as potato, tomato, lettuce, and banana. Investigation of the genetic diversity underlying virulence and host specificity can be performed at genome level by using a comprehensive comparative approach called pangenomics. A pangenomic approach, using newly developed functionalities in PanTools, was applied to analyze the complex phylogeny of the Pectobacterium genus. Read More

One Health Outlook 2021 31;3. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster, OH 44691 USA.

Although healthy plants are vital to human and animal health, plant health is often overlooked in the One Health literature. Plants provide over 80% of the food consumed by humans and are the primary source of nutrition for livestock. However, plant diseases and pests often threaten the availability and safety of plants for human and animal consumption. Read More

Life (Basel) 2021 Mar 9;11(3). Epub 2021 Mar 9.

Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Comparative Biology Laboratory, Cra 72A Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.

Mycosphaerellaceae is a highly diverse fungal family containing a variety of pathogens affecting many economically important crops. Mitochondria play a crucial role in fungal metabolism and in the study of fungal evolution. This study aims to: (i) describe the mitochondrial genome of , and (ii) compare it with closely related species (, , and ) available online, paying particular attention to the Sigatoka disease's complex causal agents. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 2;22(5). Epub 2021 Mar 2.

School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.

During the infection of a host, plant pathogenic fungi secrete small proteins called effectors, which then modulate the defence response of the host. In the species complex (FOSC), the secreted in xylem () gene effectors are important for host-specific pathogenicity, and are also useful markers for identifying the various host-specific lineages. While the presence and diversity of the genes has been explored in many of the pathogenic lineages of , there is a limited understanding of these genes in non-pathogenic, endophytic isolates of . Read More

Plant Dis 2021 Mar 24. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 4902 Victoria Avenue North, Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0, Canada, Vineland, Ontario, Canada;

Moldy core is a fungal disease of apple fruits that is characterized by mycelial growth in the seed locules and is sometimes accompanied by penetration of the immediate surrounding flesh. The disease can go undetected until the fruit is cut open, as no external symptoms appear on the fruit. Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Coniothyrium, Epicoccum, Phoma and Stemphylium are some of the common pathogens associated with moldy core (Serdani et al. Read More

Plant Dis 2021 Mar 17. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Crop Improvement, Tiruchirapalli, India;

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is one of the most destructive soil-borne fungi causing Fusarium wilt disease in banana. Read More

Pak J Biol Sci 2021 Jan;24(1):53-65

Background And Objective: Postharvest disease caused by Colletotrichum spp. caused major losses. The species of Colletotrichum are difficult to distinguish if only seen from their morphology. Read More

BMC Public Health 2021 Mar 4;21(1):437. Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Background: From January to May 2019, large measles outbreaks affected Nigeria. Borno state was the most affected, recording 15,237 suspected cases with the state capital of Maiduguri having 1125 cases investigated and line-listed by March 2019. In Borno state, 22 of the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs or Districts), including 37 internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps were affected. Read More

mBio 2021 02 23;12(1). Epub 2021 Feb 23.

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Plant pathogens can adapt to quantitative resistance, eroding its effectiveness. The aim of this work was to reveal the genomic basis of adaptation to such a resistance in populations of the fungus , a major devastating pathogen of banana, by studying convergent adaptation on different cultivars. Samples from populations showing a local adaptation pattern on new banana hybrids with quantitative resistance were compared, based on a genome scan approach, with samples from traditional and more susceptible cultivars in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Read More

Front Plant Sci 2021 4;12:629859. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Technology for Plant Protection, Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.

species have been identified as pathogens causing many different plant diseases, and here we report an emerging banana leaf blight (BLB) caused by () discovered in Guangdong, China. From the symptomatic tissues collected in the field, a fungal isolate was obtained, which induced similar symptoms on healthy banana seedlings after inoculation. Koch's postulates were fulfilled after the re-isolation of the pathogen. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Jan 26;11(1):2266. Epub 2021 Jan 26.

Hainan Key Laboratory of Banana Genetic Improvement, Haikou Experimental Station, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), Haikou, 571101, Hainan, China.

WD40 domain-containing proteins constitute one of the most abundant protein families in all higher plants and play vital roles in the regulation of plant growth and developmental processes. To date, WD40 protein members have been identified in several plant species, but no report is available on the WD40 protein family in mango (Mangifera indica L.). Read More

Front Plant Sci 2020 7;11:600704. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs)/Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangzhou, China.

Anthocyanins spatiotemporally accumulate in certain tissues of particular species in the banana plant, and MYB transcription factors (TFs) serve as their primary regulators. However, the precise regulatory mechanism in banana remains to be determined. Here, we report the identification and characterization of , an R2R3-MYB repressor TF, characterized by the presence of EAR (ethylene-responsive element binding factor-associated amphiphilic repression) and TLLLFR motifs. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2021 Mar 7;402:113127. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA, 09042, Italy. Electronic address:

Most odors of foods and drinks are mixtures of molecules. By means of the coupled Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O) technique, single components of flavor mixtures can be separated, identified and verbally evaluated by subjects. The number of single molecules smelled by subjects during GC-O analysis (i. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 Jan 6;15(1):e0008267. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya.

African trypanosomiasis (AT) is a neglected disease of both humans and animals caused by Trypanosoma parasites, which are transmitted by obligate hematophagous tsetse flies (Glossina spp.). Knowledge on tsetse fly vertebrate hosts and the influence of tsetse endosymbionts on trypanosome presence, especially in wildlife-human-livestock interfaces, is limited. Read More

Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr 2020 ;30(5):411-425

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

Pectinase enzymes from different plants have many possible biotechnological applications in various industries. Considering industrial significance of pectinolytic enzymes, the polygalacturonase (PG) gene from grapes was cloned into Escherichia coli DH5α using pTZ57R/T vector. Homologous sequences established a close link to Vitis vinifera. Read More

J Arthropod Borne Dis 2020 Jun 30;14(2):202-213. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.

Background: The attraction of phlebotomine sand flies to plant and animal hosts is due to the produced chemical compounds, affecting the olfactory receptors of the insects. Therefore, novel and effective methods, such as Attractive Toxic Sugar Baits (ATSB) and Attractive Toxic Baits (ATB), are based on the effective materials that attract sand flies toward the host. The present study was designed to identify the attractive materials in plants and animals for using in ATSB and ATB. Read More

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2021 Apr 9;320(4):L600-L614. Epub 2020 Dec 9.

School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

The growing interest in regulating flavored E-liquids must incorporate understanding of the "flavoring profile" of each E-liquid-which flavorings (flavoring chemicals) are present and at what concentrations not just focusing on the flavor on the label. We investigated the flavoring profile of 10 different flavored E-liquids. We assessed bronchial epithelial cell viability and apoptosis, phagocytosis of bacteria and apoptotic cells by macrophages after exposure to E-cigarette vapor extract (EVE). Read More

Ann Bot 2021 01;127(1):iv-v

Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.

mBio 2020 12 1;11(6). Epub 2020 Dec 1.

Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China

is an important and aggressive bacterial phytopathogen that can cause substantial economic losses in banana and rice plantations. We previously showed that c-di-GMP signaling proteins (cyclases/phosphodiesterases) in strain EC1 play a significant role in the bacterial sessile-to-motile transition. To determine whether there is any synergistic effect among these c-di-GMP signaling proteins, we prepared a series of mutant strains by generating consecutive in-frame deletions of the genes encoding diguanylate cyclases (which make c-di-GMP) and phosphodiesterases (which break down c-di-GMP), respectively, using EC1 as a parental strain. Read More

New Phytol 2021 03 30;229(6):3453-3466. Epub 2020 Dec 30.

Phytopathology, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany.

Fusarium spp. cause severe economic damage in many crops, exemplified by Panama disease of banana or Fusarium head blight of wheat. Plants sense immunogenic patterns (termed elicitors) at the cell surface to initiate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Read More

Food Res Int 2020 11 17;137:109675. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical fruit that is highly relished for its unique aroma and sweet taste. It is renowned as a flavourful fruit since it contains a number of volatile compounds in small amounts and complex mixtures. Pineapple is also a rich source of minerals and vitamins that offer a number of health benefits. Read More

Pathogens 2020 Oct 25;9(11). Epub 2020 Oct 25.

Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.

The bacterial wilt pathogen, first known as Bacillus solanacearum, has undergone numerous taxonomic changes since its first description in 1896. The history and significance of this pathogen is covered in this review with an emphasis on the advances in technology that were used to support each reclassification that finally led to the current separation of Ralstonia solanacearum into three genomic species. Frequent name changes occurred as methodology transitioned from phenotypic, biochemical, and molecular studies, to genomics and functional genomics. Read More

Data Brief 2020 Dec 23;33:106341. Epub 2020 Sep 23.

Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom.

We performed shotgun genome sequencing on a total of 19 different genotypes including representatives of wild banana species and , allopolyploid bananas and plantains, Fe'i banana, pink banana (also known as hairy banana) and abacá (also known as hemp banana). We aligned sequence reads against a previously sequenced reference genome and assessed ploidy and, in the case of allopolyploids, the contributions of the A and B genomes; this provides important quality-assurance data about the taxonomic identities of the sequenced plant material. These data will be useful for phylogenetics, crop improvement, studies of the complex story of intergenomic recombination in AAB and ABB allotriploid bananas and plantains and can be integrated into resources such as the Banana Genome Hub. Read More

Plant J 2020 12 18;104(6):1698-1711. Epub 2020 Nov 18.

CIRAD, UMR AGAP, Montpellier, F-34398, France.

Chromosome rearrangements and the way that they impact genetic differentiation and speciation have long raised questions from evolutionary biologists. They are also a major concern for breeders because of their bearing on chromosome recombination. Banana is a major crop that derives from inter(sub)specific hybridizations between various once geographically isolated Musa species and subspecies. Read More

Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 2021 01 18;21(1):e66-e75. Epub 2020 Aug 18.

Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. Electronic address:

Histiocytic disorders are an exceptionally rare group of diseases with diverse manifestations and a paucity of approved treatments, thereby leading to various challenges in their diagnosis and management. With the discovery of novel molecular targets and the incorporation of targeted agents in the management of various adult histiocytic disorders, their management has become increasingly complex. In an attempt to improve the understanding of the clinical features and management of common adult histiocytic disorders (Langerhans cell histiocytosis, Erdheim-Chester disease, Rosai-Dorfman disease, and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis), we created this document based on existing literature and expert opinion. Read More

PLoS One 2020 15;15(9):e0238806. Epub 2020 Sep 15.

Health-E-Net Limited, Nairobi, Kenya.

Non-physician clinicians (NPCs) in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) often have little physical proximity to the resources-equipment, supplies or skills-needed to deliver effective care, forcing them to refer patients to distant sites. Unlike equipment or supplies, which require dedicated supply chains, physician/specialist skills needed to support NPCs can be sourced and delivered through telecommunication technologies. In LMICs however, these skills are scarce and sparsely distributed, making it difficult to implement commonly used real-time (synchronous), hub-and-spoke telemedicine paradigms. Read More

J Am Med Inform Assoc 2020 11;27(11):1721-1726

Laboratory for Data Security, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Global pandemics call for large and diverse healthcare data to study various risk factors, treatment options, and disease progression patterns. Despite the enormous efforts of many large data consortium initiatives, scientific community still lacks a secure and privacy-preserving infrastructure to support auditable data sharing and facilitate automated and legally compliant federated analysis on an international scale. Existing health informatics systems do not incorporate the latest progress in modern security and federated machine learning algorithms, which are poised to offer solutions. Read More

Food Funct 2020 Sep;11(9):7973-7986

College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, P.O. Box 111, Qinghua Donglu No. 17, Beijing, 100083, PR China.

To enhance the hypoglycemic effects of inulin, banana condensed tannins (BCT) were grafted onto inulin via a free radical method to synthesize the novel BCT grafted inulin (BCT-g-inulin) complex. Spectroscopic methods, XRD, TGA, 1H NMR, GPC and morphology analyses were utilized to characterize the structural properties of the BCT-g-inulin complex, and our results confirmed the conjugation of BCT and inulin. The conjugation possibly occurred between the hydroxyl group attached at the C6 position of inulin and the C6/C8 position of flavon-3-ol units of BCT. Read More

Inj Prev 2020 10 24;26(Supp 1):i125-i153. Epub 2020 Aug 24.

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Background: While there is a long history of measuring death and disability from injuries, modern research methods must account for the wide spectrum of disability that can occur in an injury, and must provide estimates with sufficient demographic, geographical and temporal detail to be useful for policy makers. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 study used methods to provide highly detailed estimates of global injury burden that meet these criteria.

Methods: In this study, we report and discuss the methods used in GBD 2017 for injury morbidity and mortality burden estimation. Read More