A set of software components for the simulation of plant airborne diseases

Models to evaluate the impact of plant diseases on crop production under current and future climatic conditions are increasingly requested by different stakeholders. This paper presents four software components – InoculumPressure, DiseaseProgress, ImpactsOnPlants, AgromanagementDisease – which implement models to simulate the dynamics of generic polycyclic fungal epidemics and interactions with crop physiological processes. The software architecture adopted allows extending the components with alternate approaches to reproduce specific pathosystems or compare predictive capabilities. As proofs of concept, (i) the components are coupled with two crop simulators to reproduce wheat brown rust and rice blast epidemics and their impacts on leaf area and yield formation; (ii) spatially distributed sensitivity analyses are performed for rice in China and wheat in Europe to investigate model behaviour; (iii) a preliminary evaluation against observations of rice blast severity is performed in Northern Italy. The components are explicitly targeted to the modelling of crop–pathogen interactions to perform scenario analysis.     

Inactivation of foodborne pathogens on the surfaces of different packaging materials using low-pressure air plasma

In the present study, low-pressure glow discharge plasma was used for surface decontamination of the common food packaging materials, namely glass, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and paper foil. Low-pressure air plasma was generated over a vacuum pressure range of 0.5–5.0 Torr, and at a power density range of 12.4–54.1 mW/cm³. Compared to plasma-unexposed surfaces, no significant changes in optical properties, color characteristics, surface temperatures, tensile strengths, and deformation strains were observed with plasma-exposed surfaces. On plasma exposure of food pathogens-loaded packaging materials surfaces, as high as 4-log reduction (99.99%) in viable cell counts of tested food pathogens, especially Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus, was observed within 5 min. And, the pathogens inactivation pattern can be better explained by Singh-Heldman model. Therefore, low-pressure air plasma was shown to be effective for inactivation of major foodborne pathogens, and different food packaging materials can be decontaminated using the plasma without adversely affecting their physical properties.     

Metabolites produced during the growth of probiotics in cocoa supplementation and the limited role of cocoa in host-enteric bacterial pathogen interactions

Cocoa contains various compounds that can significantly affect the growth of a broad range of bacteria, and have multiple human health-promoting properties. In this study, the effects of cocoa powder on the growth of Lactobacillus, common milk resident bacteria, and three major foodborne enteric bacterial pathogens; enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC), Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes, were investigated in vitro. Significant (p < 0.05) growth stimulation on beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and other resident bacteria in milk was observed in the presence of 3% cocoa powder. In contrast, growth of three foodborne enteric pathogens was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited within 9 h, but no stimulation was found with longer incubation. In addition, cocoa powder significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited adhesion to and invasion of INT407 cells by these bacterial pathogens in a dose dependent manner. These results suggest that addition of cocoa into dairy products could improve the beneficial effect of probiotics by stimulating their growth, without raising the risk of cross-contamination with enteric pathogens.     

Engineering Sensor Arrays Using Aggregation‐Induced Emission Luminogens for Pathogen Identification

Lacking rapid and reliable pathogen diagnostic platforms, inadequate or delayed antimicrobial therapy could be made, which greatly threatens human life and accelerates the emergence of antibiotic‐resistant pathogens. In this contribution, a series of simple and reliable sensor arrays based on tetraphenylethylene (TPE) derivatives are successfully developed for detection and discrimination of pathogens. Each sensor array consists of three TPE‐based aggregation‐induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) that bear cationic ammonium group and different hydrophobic substitutions, providing tunable logP (n‐octanol/water partition coefficient) values to enable the different multivalent interactions with pathogens. On the basis of the distinctive fluorescence response produced by the diverse interaction of AIEgens with pathogens, these sensor arrays can identify different kinds of pathogens, even normal and drug‐resistant bacteria, with nearly 100% accuracy. Furthermore, blends of pathogens can also be identified accurately. The sensor arrays exhibit rapid response (about 0.5 h), high‐throughput, and easy‐to‐operate without washing steps.     

Droplet and Microchamber‐Based Digital Loop‐Mediated Isothermal Amplification (dLAMP)

Digital loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (dLAMP) refers to compartmentalizing nucleic acids and LAMP reagents into a large number of individual partitions, such as microchambers and droplets. This compartmentalization enables dLAMP to be an excellent platform to quantify the absolute number of the target nucleic acids. Owing to its low requirement for instrumentation complexity, high specificity, and strong tolerance to inhibitors in the nucleic acid samples, dLAMP has been recognized as a simple and accurate technique to quantify pathogenic nucleic acid. Herein, the general process of dLAMP techniques is summarized, the current dLAMP techniques are categorized, and a comprehensive discussion on different types of dLAMP techniques is presented. Also, the challenges of the current dLAMP are illustrated together with the possible strategies to address these challenges. In the end, the future directions of the dLAMP developments, including multitarget detection, multisample detection, and processing nucleic acid extraction are outlined. With recently significant advances in dLAMP, this technology has the potential to see more widespread use beyond the laboratory in the future.     

1株桃果实采后病原真菌的鉴定以及碳源代谢指纹图谱分析

从采后贮藏过程中发病的八月脆桃果实（Amygdalus persica cv.Bayuecui）中分离到1株真菌菌株074#.通过对病原菌形态学观察以及核糖体ITS rDNA序列分析,证明菌株074#为灰葡萄孢霉菌（Botrytis elliptica）.致病性试验结果表明,桃果实为灰葡萄孢霉菌的寄主.通过Biolog FFMicroPlate分析该病原菌对95种碳源的利用能力,结果表明,Botrytis elliptica代谢指纹图谱为最适碳源包括D-果糖、蔗糖、L-苹果酸、琥珀酸、D-葡萄糖酸、L-天门冬氨酸、L-丝氨酸、腺苷、5＇-磷酸腺苷等26种,可利用碳源14种,不可利用碳源55种.     

3株生防芽孢杆菌的筛选及对棉花枯萎病的防治研究

从植物根际土壤中筛选到3株对大豆根腐病、棉花枯萎病、小麦赤霉病等多种作物真菌病害有较强拮抗性的芽孢杆菌菌株Bacillus sp．920,Bacillus sp．930和Bacillus sp．932。用琼脂块法分别测定了它们对11种植物病原真菌的抗菌谱、发酵液的抑菌活性大小及其热稳定性,并对发酵液中的抑菌活性物质进行了初步提取。结果表明,920和932菌株为广谱性抗真菌菌株;930菌株仅表现出对稻瘟病菌具有较强的桔抗性。Bacillus sp．920发酵液中的抑菌活性物质可被酸沉淀,并具有较好的热稳定性。棉花盆栽试验结果表明,接种芽孢杆菌920菌剂可使棉花枯萎病引起的棉苗死亡率由15％降至3．7％,发芽率比对照提高了10％。     

Functionalized Graphene as Extracellular Matrix Mimics: Toward Well‐Defined 2D Nanomaterials for Multivalent Virus Interactions

Polysulfated nanomaterials that mimic the extracellular cell matrix are of great interest for their potential to modulate cellular responses and to bind and neutralize pathogens. However, control over the density of active functional groups on such biomimetics is essential for efficient interactions, and this remains a challenge. In this regard, producing polysulfated graphene derivatives with control over their functionality is an intriguing accomplishment in order to obtain highly effective 2D platforms for pathogen interactions. Here, a facile and efficient method for the controlled attachment of a heparin sulfate mimic on the surface of graphene is reported. Dichlorotriazine groups are conjugated to the surface of graphene by a one‐pot [2+1] nitrene cycloaddition reaction at ambient conditions, providing derivatives with defined functionality. Consecutive step by step conjugation of hyperbranched polyglycerol to the dichlorotriazine groups and eventual conversion to the polyglycerol sulfate result in the graphene based heparin biomimetics. Scanning force microscopy, cryo‐transmission electron microscopy, and in vitro bioassays reveal strong interactions between the functionalized graphene (thoroughly covered by a sulfated polymer) and vesicular stomatitis virus. Infection experiments with highly sulfated versions of graphene drastically promote the infection process, leading to higher viral titers compared to nonsulfated analogues.     

2017—2019年郴州市食源性疾病主动监测病原学特征及耐药分析

目的 了解郴州市食源性疾病的病原学特征和流行规律,为食源性疾病预防控制措施提供科学依据。方法 收集2017—2019年郴州市2家哨点医院主动监测的病例信息、粪便或肛拭子标本,依据《国家食源性疾病监测工作手册》中的方法对标本开展病原学检验、病原体分型以及药敏试验。结果 采集腹泻病例标本825份,病原体总检出率为30.18%（249/825）,其中沙门菌16.24%（134/825）、诺如病毒11.76%（97/825）、致泻大肠埃希菌3.52%（29/825）、副溶血性弧菌0.73%（6/825）、志贺菌0.12%（1/825）;第二、第三季度细菌检出率高,第一、第四季度病毒检出率高;不同年龄段病原体检出率以2～6岁年龄段最高（40.79%,31/76）;可疑暴露食品主要为乳及乳制品、粮食类及其制品和水果类及其制品;检出的沙门菌中以鼠伤寒沙门菌占比最高（74.63%,100/134）,致泻大肠埃希菌中以肠黏附型（EAEC）和产肠毒素型（ETEC）占比最高（34.48%,10/29）,诺如病毒以GⅡ型为主（85.57%,83/97）;沙门菌对四环素（TET）耐药率最高达88.71%（110/124）,沙门菌多重耐药率达85.48%（106/124）;致泻大肠埃希菌对氨苄西林（AMP）耐药率较高（79.31%,23/29）,致泻大肠埃希菌多重耐药率为62.07%（18/29）。结论 郴州市食源性疾病腹泻病例的主要病原体为沙门菌和诺如病毒,沙门菌和致泻大肠埃希菌耐药严重,应针对性地开展食品安全监管,强化抗生素耐药监测,严防抗生素滥用。     

Two-photon luminescence imaging of Bacillus spores using peptide-functionalized gold nanorods

Bacillus subtilis spores (a simulant of Bacillus anthracis) have been imaged by two-photon luminescence (TPL) microscopy, using gold nanorods (GNRs) functionalized with a cysteine-terminated homing peptide. Control experiments using a peptide with a scrambled amino acid sequence confirmed that the GNR targeting was highly selective for the spore surfaces. The high sensitivity of TPL combined with the high affinity of the peptide labels enables spores to be detected with high fidelity using GNRs at femtomolar concentrations. It was also determined that GNRs are capable of significant TPL output even when irradiated at near infrared (NIR) wavelengths far from their longitudinal plasmon resonance (LPR), permitting considerable flexibility in the choice of GNR aspect ratio or excitation wavelength for TPL imaging.