Contents and health risk assessments of selected heavy metals in vegetables produced through irrigation with effluent-impacted river

The widely consumed vegetables, khat, lettuce, and Swiss chard, in Hirna town, West Hararghe, Ethiopia, are extensively cultivated through irrigation with an effluent-impacted river that flows through the town which denotes that monitoring the safety of the vegetables is crucial. Herein, the contents of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, and Cd in vegetables, water, and soils were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after a wet digestion procedure based on a mixture of HNO3 and HClO4 at 200 °C. pH and electrical conductivity of the water and soil, and health risks associated with vegetable consumption were determined. The pH of the water (6.64) and soil (6.67) was slightly acidic, and electrical conductivity values were 0.416 and 0.024 mS/cm, respectively, indicating both are in good condition. The metal concentrations were in the range of ND-3.12, 3.43-9.22, and 0.15-10.6 mg/L in the water, soil, and vegetables, respectively, and the contents followed a trend of Cu > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cd. The irrigation water contained all metals above the guidelines except Cd, and the soil contained safe levels except Cd which is above the guideline. The obtained metal levels in the vegetables were below the safe limits. Estimated daily intakes and the total target cancer risks were below the guidelines, and the target hazard quotient and the hazard index were below 1 indicating that the vegetables are safe for consumption. In general, the obtained results suggest that the vegetables are safe for consumption. However, continuous monitoring and policy development are required to mitigate contamination of the river.

First report of Fusarium ussurianum causing leaf spot on Hemerocallis citrina in Sichuan Basin of China

Hemerocallis citrina is a popular vegetable crop in China, due to abundant nutrients in its edible flower buds. In March 2021, serious symptoms of leaf spot were observed on nearly 90% cultivated H. citrina seedlings in the fields of Dazhou city (31°17'56″ N, 107°31'59″ E), Sichuan, China. Symptomatic leaves were collected from 15 seedlings in five different sampling sites (3 seedlings per site). Small pieces (5 × 3 mm) of lesion margin were excised, surface disinfected in 70% ethanol for 20 s and 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) for 40 s, washed, dried, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with streptomycin sulfate (50 mg/L) and incubated in dark at 25 ℃ for two days. Finally, eight purified isolates, HHC-FL22, HHC-FL23, HHC-FL25, HHC-FL26, HHC-FL27, HHC-FL28, HHC-FL29 and HHC-FL30, showing similar morphology were obtained through transferring hyphal tips to fresh PDA plates. On PDA plates, mycelia were initially white but gradually became light yellow, and scarlet diffusible pigments were also produced with time. On carnation leaf agar, our isolates produced slightly curved macroconidia with 4 to 8 septa that measured 3.1 to 5.7 × 36.8 to 69.3 µm (n = 30). Microconidia and chlamydospores were not observed. Our isolates were initially identified as Fusarium species based on morphological features (Leslie and Summerell 2006). To further confirm accurate identity, primers EF1/EF2 (O'Donnell et al. 2010), TRI1015B/TRI1013E (Hao et al. 2017), RPB1-F5/RPB1-G2R (O'Donnell et al. 2010), and fRPB2-5F/fRPB2-11aR and RPB2-5f2/RPB2-7cr (O'Donnell et al. 2012) were used to amplify gene sequences of translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF1), 3-O-acetyltransferase (Tri101), and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II largest (RPB1) and second largest subunit (RPB2), respectively. Our sequences were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers OQ860946 to OQ860953 (TEF1), OR393245 to OR393252 (Tri101), OP131893 to OP131900 (RPB1), and OQ860954 to OQ860961 and OP131885 to OP131892 (RPB2), respectively. BLASTN searches of our sequences showed 99 ~ 100% identity with TEF1 (FJ240301.1), Tri101 (FJ240345.1), RPB1 (MW233297.1) and RPB2 (KM361666.1) of F. ussurianum NRRL 45681, and 99.05 ~ 100% identity with TEF1 (FJ240305.1) and Tri101 (FJ240349.1) of F. ussurianum NRRL 45833, respectively. Two independent maximum-likelihood phylogenetic trees based on different combined datasets of TEF1, Tri101, RPB1 and RPB2 of Fusarium species confirmed that our isolates were F. ussurianum. To test pathogenicity, conidial suspension from HHC-FL23 (106 conidia / mL) were sprayed to seedlings of cultivar "chuanhuanghua No.1" (n = 3) and incubated in a greenhouse (25°C under 90% relative humidity, 16/8 h light/dark cycle). Controls were treated with ddH2O. Ten days post-inoculation, natural symptoms appeared on leaves inoculated with HHC-FL23, but control group seedlings remained disease-free. This experiment was repeated three times. All re-isolated pathogens from diseased leaves were molecularly and morphologically identified using methods described above. Consequently, the re-isolated fungi were identical to these inoculated. The leaf spot disease could cause foliar damage and even drastic yield loss of flower buds under severe conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. ussurianum causing leaf spot in H. citrina worldwide. Our study will assist in monitoring causal agent diversity of leaf spot and breeding new resistant varieties in H. citrina.

Investigation of the incidence of heavy metals contamination in commonly used fertilizers applied to vegetables, fish ponds, and human health risk assessments

Overuse of fertilizers on agricultural lands and fish ponds may result in serious pollution problems, such as heavy metals that can enter the food chain and pose serious health problems. Due to this, the present study investigates the incidence of heavy metals in commonly used fertilizers and its association with heavy metals in vegetables, soil, fish species, and pond water. Samples were collected from different sites (fields and ponds) in district Kohat, where the application of fertilizers was common and control groups (no fertilizers used). Heavy metal analysis was carried out through a spectrophotometer. Results showed higher Cd and Cr concentrations in triple superphosphate (TSP), Cu and Pb in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK), while lower concentrations were found in gypsum. In vegetables (onion, tomato, brinjal, and potato) and associated soil, most of the heavy metals concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in fertilizer-applied sites than in the control. Also, the Cd concentration in potatoes and Pb level in all vegetables obtained from sites were greater than the WHO/FAO standard limit. In the case of fish species (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Cyprinus carpio) muscles and their habitat (water), all the understudy heavy metals were notably higher (P < 0.05) in fertilizer-applied sites (ponds) than the control group. Collectively, in all vegetables and muscles of fish species, the bioaccumulation factor was higher in sites compared to the control. The estimated daily intake (EDI) and target hazard quotient (THQ) values were also higher in fertilizer-applied sites (fields and ponds) than control. The health index (HI) value was > 1 in vegetables (onion, tomato, and potato) and fish muscles collected from different sites compared to the control. Thus, there is the possibility of severe health risks. The use of fertilizers must be carefully monitored in order to ensure that humans and animals are safe from exposure to heavy metals.

Absence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in organic leafy greens from the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important pathogen with public health implications, including its potential association with vegetables. In this study, we investigated the presence of STEC in vegetables obtained from organic producers located in São Paulo city, Brazil. As part of a routine surveillance study conducted over (years of isolation), a total of 200 samples of organic vegetables were screened using biochemical and PCR methods. Among the vegetable samples tested, 30 (15%) were positive for non-Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. While no STEC was detected in the organic vegetables in this study, the presence of non-STEC in vegetables raises concerns about the lack of proper hygiene practices during vegetable handling. This contamination represents a public health risk, particularly considering that these isolates can still be pathogenic, and vegetables are often consumed raw. To address this important issue, continuous monitoring of these farms is recommended to ensure the quality and safety of organic vegetables produced for both domestic consumption and exportation.

Pesticide residues in common fruits and vegetables in Henan Province, China

In this study 3307 samples of 24 vegetables and fruits from 18 regions of Henan Province, China, were collected in 2021 with the aim of assessing the levels of pesticide residues and analysing the differences between different sources in Henan Province. Thirteen kinds of pesticides were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and detection rates were compared by the chi-square test. In all samples, except ginger, pimento, edible fungi and yam, pesticide residues were detected. The detection rates of difenoconazole, acetamiprid, carbendazim, procymidone, emamectin benzoate, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin and dimethomorph in supermarkets and traditional farmers' markets were different. The difenoconazole group and the dimethomorph group were both statistically different (P < 0.05). This study showed common vegetables and fruits to contain pesticide residues in Henan Province and provided a scientific basis for their evaluation. Different sources take different regulatory measures to control pesticide residues to ensure food safety.

Associations of starchy and non-starchy vegetables with risk of metabolic syndrome: evidence from the NHANES 1999-2018

BACKGROUND

Higher dietary quality, including increased vegetable consumption, was associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, specific vegetable consumption in the development of MetS remains obscure. Our study aimed to investigate the correlation between starchy and non-starchy vegetables and MetS.

METHODS

Secondary data analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2018). MetS was defined by National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult treatment Panel III (NCEP ATPIII) and dietary consumption was assessed by trained staff using two 24-h diet recall methods. Weighted logistic regression analysis was carried out to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression were performed to further investigate specific vegetable subtypes and MetS.

RESULTS

This research enrolled 24,646 individuals (11,725 females and 12,921 males), with an average age of 45.84 ± 0.23 years. Approximately 15,828(64.22%) participants were defined to be with non-MetS and 8818(35.78%) were with MetS. Both total starchy vegetables and potatoes were associated with increased MetS risk, with the corresponding OR per standard deviation (SD) (95%CI, p-trend) being 1.06(1.02-1.11, p-trend = 0.028) and 1.08(1.04-1.13, p-trend = 0.011), respectively. However, an inverse correlation was found between dark-green vegetables and MetS, and the OR per SD (95%CI, p-trend) was 0.93(0.90-0.97, p-trend = 0.010). Subgroup analyses showed that the positive associations of starchy vegetables and potatoes on MetS risk were stronger in non-Hispanic White participants (p for interaction < 0.050).

CONCLUSION

Total starchy vegetables and white potatoes were both associated with an increased risk of MetS, while consumption of dark-green vegetables was negatively associated with MetS risk. These findings might provide a promising and healthy dietary strategy for preventing MetS.

First Report of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. apii race 4 Causing Fusarium Yellows on Celery in China

Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce), which belongs to the family Apiaceae, is one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops in the world. During 2020 and 2021, celery plants with Fusarium yellows and root rot were observed in four approximately 0.3 ha sized fields located in Zhaili village (118°74'E, 36°67'N) of Shouguang city, Shandong province, China. Almost 50% of the plants were infected. Disease symptoms were comprised of wilting of outer-older leaves, overall stunted growth, rotted roots and stems, with eventual death of plants. A total of 7 diseased plants were collected from 4 fields and used for isolation and identification of the causal agent. Diseased root tissues were cut into 3 × 3 mm pieces from the edge of the rotting region, surface sterilized by soaking in 75% ethanol for 1 min, followed by three washes with sterile distilled water, and then placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 28°C for 6 days in the dark. A total of 19 morphologically similar fungal isolates were obtained by single-spore subcultures. The colonies produced abundant, loosely floccose, white aerial mycelia and pale purple pigmentation on PDA. Microconidia were hyaline, zero to one septate, and ranged from 1.7 - 3.6 × 5.3 - 13.7 μm (n = 70). Macroconidia were falciform, hyaline, mostly four to five septate, and ranged from 2.2 - 4.2 × 12.4 - 45.4 μm in size (n = 70). These morphological characteristics were consistent with Fusarium oxysporum (Leslie and Summerell 2006). The genomic DNA of 19 isolates was extracted using the Plant Genomic DNA Kit (Tiangen, China). The translation elongation factor-1α (TEF-1α) and IGS rDNA regions were amplified with primers EF1/EF2 (O' Donnell et al. 1998) and iNL11/FoIGS-R (Epstein et al. 2017). BLAST analysis showed that 19 isolates were highly similar to Fusarium oxysporum, with 100% for TEF-1α (MN507109) and 99% for IGS rDNA (MT671188), respectively. The resulting 683-bp TEF-1α and 930-bp IGS rDNA sequences of isolate QC20091622 were deposited in GenBank with accession nos. ON260806 for TEF-1α and ON260805 for IGS rDNA, respectively. In a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on TEF-1α and IGS rDNA sequences of F. oxysporum, using MEGAX software, isolate QC20091622 was grouped in the same clade with F. oxysporum f. sp. apii race 4, with a low bootstrap value of 54 between race 3 and race 4, indicating that the races are not distinguishable using only these two loci, as reported by Epstein et al (2022). Additional loci and other diagnostic methods are required to identify the race. Furthermore, the total DNA of 19 isolates was amplified by race-specific primers N4851-F/R (F. oxysporum f. sp. apii race 2) and N3875-2F/R (race 4), respectively (Epstein et al. 2017), and 187 bp product was amplified with primer pair N3875-2F/R, but none with primer pair N4851-F/R, so the isolates were identified as F. oxysporum f. sp. apii race 4. Pathogenicity of the 19 isolates was tested on potted celery plants (cv. 'Baimiao'). Ten healthy 6-week-old celery plants were inoculated by dipping the roots in a conidial suspension (107 conidia/mL) for 30 min. Control plants were dipped in sterile distilled water. The plants were then grown in a greenhouse maintained at 15°C (night)/26°C (day) and 90% relative humidity with natural daylight. The pathogenicity test was repeated twice. All inoculated plants started to wilt and developed root rot symptoms 14 days later, which were similar to those observed in the fields. The control plants remained healthy. F. oxysporum f. sp. apii race 4 was reisolated from the symptomatic roots, and their identity was confirmed by PCR, fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. oxysporum f. sp. apii race 4 causing root rot on celery in China. F. oxysporum f. sp. apii race 4 has been a destructive pathogen in celery, prevention and control measures should be considered.

First Report of Diaporthe fruit rot and stem canker of hydroponic cucumber caused by Diaporthe sp. in the United States

Multiple Diaporthe spp. cause root and fruit rots or stem lesions on Cucumis spp.: D. cucurbitae, D. melonis, D. longicolla (syn. D. eres), D. pterocarpi, D. sclerotioides, D. sojae, and D. ueckerae (Broge et al. 2020; Fukada et al. 2018; Udayanga et al. 2012, 2015). From May-August 2021, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) 'Katrina' and 'Alcazar' were grown in a 24-plant, commercial Bato bucket system with rockwool blocks on a perlite substrate in a research greenhouse in Wooster, Ohio. At maturity, plants collapsed rapidly from stem lesions without foliar chlorosis (25% of 'Katrina' and 17% of 'Alcazar'). Lesions were 7.5 to 15 cm in length, tan to golden-brown with black pycnidia and located 5 to 15 cm above the crown. Stems shredded easily with vascular discoloration around the lesion. Two identical fungal strains were isolated on ½ acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA) following surface disinfestation with 0.6% sodium hypochlorite for 30 s and sterile water rinse. Fungal cultures were floccose, white to tan mycelia with pycnidia. Oblong, elliptical, biguttulate, aseptate alpha conidia were observed with mean dimensions: 8.0 µm (5.2-9.8 µm) by 3.1 µm (2.5-3.8 µm) on ½ APDA and 9.8 µm (6.6-12.4 µm) by 3.0 µm (1.9-5.3 µm) on petioles. On prune extract agar, beta conidia mean dimensions were: 19.7 µm (12.0-27.7 µm) by 1.2 µm (0.8-1.8 µm). Fungal DNA was amplified and sequenced bidirectionally with ITS (ITS4/ITS5), CAL (CAL228F/737R), HIS (CYLH3F/H3-1B), TEF1 (EF1-728f/EF1-986R), and TUB2 (Bt1a/Bt1b) primers (Carbone and Kohn 1999; Glass and Donaldson 1995) (GenBank: OP265712-13, OP288460-65, OQ418506-07). Based on a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of concatenated genes, this novel Diaporthe sp., most closely related to D. stewartii, has not been reported on Cucumis spp. Strains were deposited in the USDA-ARS Culture Collection (NRRL# 64461-62). Koch's postulates were conducted in a greenhouse with mean day temperature of 25°C and 12 hr supplemental lighting. One-month old cucumbers 'Katrina,' grown in rockwool cubes (5 plants per isolate) and potting mix (6 plants per isolate), were inoculated with a one-week-old culture of either strain. The second true leaf was cut and a pipette tip containing an inoculated plug of ½ APDA was placed on the remaining petiole (Mathew et al. 2018). Non-inoculated ½ APDA was used for controls. Plants were tarped for 24 hours to increase humidity and pipette tips removed after one week. After two weeks, petioles were shrunken, tan to golden brown with pycnidia. After 3-4 weeks, stem lesions matching those above were observed on inoculated plants, and plants collapsed. For fruit rot, three Beit Alpha cucumbers were rinsed with tap water, dried, a 5 mm plug was removed from the fruit and replaced with a 5 mm plug of one-week-old fungus on ½ APDA. After 3 days, fruits were water soaked and soft. For root rot, two plates of one-week-old cultures were macerated in 500 mL of sterile water and mixed with 1500 mL of vermiculite. Two seeds of cucumber 'Katrina' were planted into three reps of each isolate and control. All control seeds germinated, but all inoculated seeds experienced pre- or post-emergence damping off. No symptoms were ever observed on any controls. Fungi were isolated from all inoculated tissues as described above. Based on morphology, Diaporthe sp. was isolated from all inoculated plants but never from controls. This Diaporthe sp. may be a new constraint to hydroponic cucumber production, but incidence needs to be determined globally.

First Report of Pectobacterium carotovorum and Pectobacterium aroidearum Causing Bacterial Soft Rot on Curly Dwarf Pak Choy (Brassica rapa var. Chinensis) in Malaysia

Brassica rapa var. Chinensis (curly dwarf pak choy) is commonly grown in large-scale vertical farming aquaponic systems. In October 2022, soft rot symptoms and dark brown lesions were observed on B. rapa grown in a commercial aquaponic farm located in Perak, Malaysia. The infected stem appeared brown and water soaked. Severely infected plants produced creamy white ooze on the surface before collapsing entirely (Fig. 1A and B). Infected leaves displayed yellow-brown symptoms and eventually rotted (Fig. 1C); the healthy plants were symptomless (Fig. 1D). About 20 % of the 20,000 B. rapa plants on the farm exhibited symptoms. Ten randomly selected symptomatic plants, five with infected stems and five with infected leaves, were surface sterilized. Each tissue (1.0 cm2) was homogenized and suspended in a saline solution. The suspensions were then serially diluted and plated separately on Luria-Bertani agar. After a 16-h incubation period, stem tissue yielded 12 isolated colonies, while leaf tissue produced 8 colonies. These isolates were subjected to dereplication using RAPD-PCR (Krzewinski et al., 2001), revealing two distinct RAPD patterns. The cultures, named Pathogen Stem 2 (PS2, obtained from the stem) and Pathogen Leaf 2 (PL2, obtained from the leaf), were initially identified as Pectobacterium sp. through 16S rRNA sequence analysis (Frank et al., 2008) on the EzBioCloud 16S database (Yoon et al., 2017). Further identification of the Pectobacterium species was conducted using multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of the icdA, mdh, proA, and mltD genes (Ma et al., 2007). The sequences were deposited in GenBank (OQ660180, OQ660181, and OR206482-OR206489). Based on MLSA phylogeny, PS2 and PL2 were identified as Pectobacterium carotovorum and Pectobacterium aroidearum, respectively (Fig. 2A). Anaerobic assays confirmed their facultative anaerobic nature, while Gram staining revealed Gram-negative, rod-shaped morphology consistent with Pectobacterium (Fig. 2B and C). For the re-inoculation study, one-month-old healthy B. rapa plants were used. PS2 was inoculated into petioles, while PL2 was inoculated into leaves separately (3 biological replicates × 3 leaves for each replicate) using the prick inoculation method (Wei et al., 2019). Sterile needles were used to prick the plant tissues, and 10 µL of bacterial suspensions (2.40×109 CFU/mL) in saline were inoculated onto the pricked spots. Negative control using sterile saline was included. The inoculated plants were maintained in a controlled growth chamber (25 ± 1°C, relative humidity 80 ± 5%). After 48 hpi, the petiole tissue inoculated with PS2 showed bacterial soft rot symptoms (Fig. 1F) and leaves inoculated with PL2 appeared dark brown around the wound (Fig. 1G), similar to the symptoms observed in the commercial farm (Fig. 1B, C); while control plants remained asymptomatic (Fig. 1E). Bacteria were re-isolated from the inoculated petiole and leaf tissue and their identities were confirmed by RAPD-PCR. The RAPD profiles of the bacteria reisolated from the petiole and leaf tissues were the same as those of PS2 and PL2 respectively (Fig. 1H). The pathogenicity of PS2 and PL2 was thus confirmed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial soft rot on B. rapa in aquaponic systems caused by P. carotovorum and P. aroidearum in Malaysia. The identification of these pathogens is crucial for the prevention of disease outbreaks and to develop an effective disease management strategy.

The preventive and therapeutic effects of anthocyanins on colorectal cancer: A comprehensive review based on up-to-date experimental studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most lethal and the third most diagnosed type of cancer worldwide. More than 75% of CRC cases are sporadic and lifestyle-related. Risk factors include diet, physical inactivity, genetics, smoking, alcohol, changes in the intestinal microbiota, and inflammation-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel diseases. The limits of conventional treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy), as demonstrated by the side effects and resistance of many CRC patients, are making professionals search for new chemopreventive alternatives. In this context, diets rich in fruits and vegetables or plant-based products, which contain high levels of phytochemicals, have been postulated as complementary therapeutic options. Anthocyanins, phenolic pigments responsible for the vivid colors of most red, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables, have been shown protective effects on CRC. Berries, grapes, Brazilian fruits, and vegetables such as black rice and purple sweet potato are examples of products rich in anthocyanins, which have been able to reduce cancer development by modulating signaling pathways associated with CRC. Therefore, this review has as main objective to present and discuss the potential preventive and therapeutic effects of anthocyanins present in fruits and vegetables, in plant extracts, or in their pure form on CRC, taking into account up-to-date experimental studies (2017-2023). Additionally, a highlight is given towards the mechanisms of action of anthocyanins on CRC.

Parasitological assessment of some fruits and vegetables commonly sold in retail outlets in the Mfoundi Division of Cameroon

Background

Fruits and vegetables are very important for human diet as they provide all the nutrients needed to be healthy with just a daily-recommended intake of 400 to 600 mg. However, they constitute one of the major sources of human infectious agents. Thus monitoring of the microbial contaminants of the fruits and vegetables is very crucial for human safety.

Method

A cross sectional study was conducted on fruits and vegetables in four markets (Mfoundi, Mokolo, Huitième and Acacia) of the Yaoundé city from October 2020 to March 2021. In all, 528 samples were purchased (carrots, cucumbers, cabbages, lettuces, leeks, green beans, okra, celeries, pepper, green peppers and tomatoes) and processed for infective agents using the centrifugation methods (Formalin, distilled and saline water). Seventy-four (74) soil/water samples collected from the sale environment were analysed using the same technics.

Results

Overall, 149/528 (28.21%) were contaminated by at least one infective agent: 130 (24.62%) and 19 (3.6%) having one and two pathogen species respectively. Vegetables had high contamination rate (22.34%) than fruits (5.87%). Lettuce (52.08%), carrot (41.66%) and cabbage (35.41%), were the most contaminated while okra was the least (6.25%). Candida spp. (14.01%) and larva of Strongyloides stercoralis (7.76%) were more observed while Hookworms (1.13%) was the least. Frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis (p = 0.001) and Candida spp. (p = 0.01) were statistically high than other pathogens. Contamination rates were similar for washed (27.65%) and unwashed (28.78%) samples before sale. Candida spp. (p = 0.001), Strongyloides stercoralis (p = 0.01) and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (p = 0.017) showed significant contamination rates by month. Contamination trends were high in the rainy season (42.6%) than the dry season (15.1%). Correlation between environment and products sold revealed same pathogens in both cases.

Conclusion

The study highlights that the sale environment and products constitute potential source of microbial contamination. These data raised the concern of stakeholders about health risk related to vegetables and fruits sold in some local markets in Cameroon. Thus the necessity for them to development more appropriate policies on the surveillance of sale environment and on the management of these products during the different process phases by the population.

First report of Leptosphaeria biglobosa 'brassicae' causing leaf spots in Eutrema japonicum in Yunnan, China

Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) is a root vegetable that is cultivated at large scales in southwestern China. In November 2021, approximately 40% of plants in a forested plantation in Dadishui, Yunnan Province, China (25.47°N, 103.22°E), showed leaf spot symptoms. The early symptoms were small black spots that gradually expanded into irregular brown to black lesions (0.5-1.5 cm), which were restricted by leaf veins. Yellow halos were observed at the outer edges of necrotic lesions. To identify the causal agent, we collected 20 diseased leaves and obtained fungal isolates from symptomatic leaf tissues. Following surface sterilization with 75% ethanol for 30 s, the tissues were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates and incubated at 25°C under a 12 h light/12 h dark light cycle. After 7 days of incubation, a total of 12 isolates were obtained through single-spore culture. All isolates had similar colony morphology, and produced fluffy white mycelia and yellow pigment after 1 week of PDA culture at 25°C, and blackish- brown mycelium, tan pigment, and conidia after 2 weeks. The conidia were hyaline and cylindrical, with an average size of 4.6 μm × 2.2 μm. These morphological characteristics similar to the description of Leptosphaeria biglobosa (Shoemaker et. al, 2001) and Leptosphaeria maculans (Vincenot et al. 2008). Genomic DNA was extracted from mycelium of isolate SK-1, which was harvested from 10-day-old PDA culture using a FAST plant genomic DNA Extraction Kit (Biomed, China), following the manufacturer's instructions. The species-specific primers LbigF, LmacF, and LmacR (Liu et al. 2006) were used for identification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A 444-bp fragment characteristic of L. biglobosa 'brassicae' (Lbb), and a 330-bp of L. maculans 'brassicae' (Lmb) were amplified, respectively. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences (592 bp), part of the 5' end of beta-tubulin (968 bp), and actin (899 bp) were also amplified using the primers ITS1/ITS4, BT1/BT2, and ACTF/ACTR (Vincenot et al. 2008), respectively. PCR was performed in a volume of 25 μL containing 12.5 μL 2 × T5 Super PCR Mix (Tsingke Biotech, Beijing, China), 1 μL 10 μM primer (Tsingke Biotech), 1 μL DNA template, and an aliquot of sterile water to attain the total volume. The thermal cycler settings were 5 min at 98°C; 35 cycles of 10 s at 98°C, 10 s at 58°C, and 30 s at 72°C; and extension for 2 min at 72°C. The ITS sequence of isolate SK-1 (GenBank accession no. OQ216838), the partial β-tubulin gene sequence (OQ241183), and the actin gene sequence (OQ241184) indicated 100% query cover and 100% identity with L. biglobosa (DQ458906), Lbb strain B3.6 (AY748995), and Lbb strain 2379-4 (AY748949), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis (King et al. 2022) also identified of isolate SK-1 as Lbb. To determinate its pathogenicity, isolate SK-1 was grown on PDA incubated at 28°C for 2 weeks, and conidial suspensions were prepared at a concentration of 106 conidia/mL. Then, 15 leaves of 4-month-old E. japonicum seedlings were needle-wounded on the front and inoculated by syringe injection of 10 μL of the appropriate conidial suspension. We used 10 μL of the sterilized distilled water as the control under forest growth conditions. All inoculation sites were covered with cotton strips and moistened with 1.0 mL sterile water to maintain humidity. After 12 days of incubation, the leaves developed symptoms similar to those observed in the field, and the fungus was reisolated from diseased leaves, whereas the controls remained healthy. Based on these results, we identified L. biglobosa 'brassicae' as the causal agent of leaf spot on E. japonicum in China. This fungus has been reported to cause blackleg in many Brassica crops in China such as Brassica napus (Fitt et al. 2006), Brassica oleracea (Zhou et al. 2019), B. juncea var. tumida (Deng et al. 2020), Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis (Yu et al. 2021). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. biglobosa causing leaf spots in E. japonicum in China. Our data provide a basis for disease management in E. japonicum production in China.

First Report of Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease Caused by Serratia marcescens on Cucurbits in New York

Cucurbits are one of the most significant commodities in New York, with a value of $92.3 million in 2021 (NASS-USDA 2021). In August 2021, several acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo) cultivar Turbinate plants at Cornell AgriTech research farm in Geneva, NY, had chlorotic, wilting leaves, and older leaves appeared scorched. The phloem of stems, bisected at the crown, had a honey-brown discoloration. The incidence of symptomatic plants was 22% in a one-acre planting field. Most of the symptomatic plants rapidly declined and died. The following year, similar symptoms were observed on muskmelon (Cucumis melo), acorn squash, and winter squash (C. pepo) cultivar Bush Delicata at the same location. These symptoms were typical of Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease (CYVD) caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Serratia marcescens (Bruton et al. 1998, 2003). Moreover, a high incidence of squash bugs (vector of CYVD) was observed. To identify the causal agent, 45 stems from the symptomatic Bush delicata plants were collected. Each stem was cut into small pieces (2 to 3 mm), surface sterilized with 70% ethanol for 60 sec, 10% bleach for 60 sec, and rinsed with sterile water. The tissue was macerated in sterile water, and the resultant suspension was streaked on King's B (KB) medium (King et al. 1954). Plates were incubated at 28°C for 24 h, and 11 developed white, round bacterial colonies that were smooth and creamy in appearance. Single colonies were transferred to new KB plates and incubated for 24 h. The genomic DNA of two isolates (22212 and 22213) was extracted with the Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit Protocol (Promega, Madison, WI). PCR was carried out using YV1 and YV4 primers specific to the 16S rDNA region of S. marcescens and 79F/R primers specific for S. marcescens causing CYVD (Zhang et al. 2005). The DNA sequence of each PCR product was obtained using Sanger sequencing and submitted to GenBank. Accessions OQ584799 and OQ584800 for YV1/YV4 (isolates 22212 and 22213, respectively) exhibited 100% identity to S. marcescens (384/384 bp, nearest accession identity: CP083754). Accession numbers OQ693911 and OQ693912 for 79F/R showed 99% identity to S. marcescens isolates (309/313 bp, nearest accession identity: CP033623). To fulfill Koch's postulates, Bush Delicata squash plants were grown for two weeks in a greenhouse, and three plants per isolate were inoculated using S. marcescens 22212 and 22213, three plants with Escherichia coli DH5a as a non-pathogenic control, distilled water as a mock-inoculated control, and a noninoculated control. Inoculation was performed by taking a single bacterial colony with a small pin and puncturing the plant's lower stem four to five times (Bruton et al. 2003). Twenty-eight days after inoculation, three of the six plants inoculated with the two S. marcescens isolates (two from 22212 and one from 22213) developed CYVD symptoms as observed in the field. Isolations were made from the stems of symptomatic plants and the mock-inoculated controls. PCR was conducted using YV1/YV4 primers and 79F/R primers (Zhang et al. 2005). Only isolations from symptomatic plants amplified with these primers and PCR products were sequenced. These sequences were identical to the original isolates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CYVD and phytopathogenic S. marcescens in New York. The impact of CYVD can be substantial, with losses up to 100% (Zhang et al. 2005). Therefore, more knowledge on S. marcescens is needed to determine its biology and prevalence in New York.

First Report of Anthracnose on Dioscorea opposita Caused by Colletotrichum siamense in Guangdong province in China

Yam is the world's fourth most important tuber crop, after cassava, potato, and sweet potato in the world, the cultivation area of yam from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics Division database (FAOSTAT) is about 8,831,037 ha in 2020. Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) is an economically important root crop throughout China due to its high economic and medicinal value. South China including Guangdong and Guangxi provinces is one of the important production districts of Chinese yam with economic value. A disease affecting the leaves was observed on yam leaves in August 2021 with an incidence of 20 to 90% in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. Symptoms start as pinpoint lesions on yam leaves which enlarged to oval spots and large irregular spots. The spots were brown and surrounded by a chlorotic halo with sunken cavities, which are typical symptoms of anthracnose. To identify the causal agent, 9 symptomatic leaves from 3 different districts were collected in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. Leaf samples were disinfested with 1% NaOCl for 3 min, and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 28 °C for 3 days week. 9 single-spore isolates were recovered from each PDA medium. Colonies on PDA were grayish white with bright orange conidial spore masses. Fungal mycelia were hyaline, septate, and branched. Conidia were born on a long conidiogenous cell, straight, hyaline and cylindrical with rounded ends, 5.3 to 6.8×15.2 to 21.3μm (n = 50). Appressoria were dark, smooth-walled, oval in shape. The isolates were morphologically identified as Colletotrichum sp. (Weir et al. 2012). 3 strains were used for the pathogenicity test, 5 plants at creeping stage were inoculated with each isolate separately and 3-5 leaves of each plant were inoculated. Fresh wounds were made with a sterile needle on the healthy surface of yam leaves and each leaf was covered with a piece of cotton drenched with conidial suspension (106 conidia/mL) from each isolate. Control seedlings were inoculated identically except sterile water was used. Inoculated plants were placed in a moisturizing light incubator at 25℃ and 80% humidity under a 12-h light/dark cycle for 7 days and examined daily to monitor disease symptom development. Small round brown spots were observed at the inoculation sites 3 days after the inoculation and eventually became large brown lesions. No symptoms wre observed in the water-inoculated plants. A Colletotrichum sp. strain based on morphology was reisolated from inoculated leaves, fulfilling Koch's postulates. For molecular identification, the direct colony PCR method (Lu et al. 2012) was used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA, calmodulin (Cal), tubulin (Tub) and Apmat loci of three isolates using primer pairs of ITS4/ITS5, CL1C/CL2C, T1/T2 and AM-F/AM-R (Sharma et al. 2015). A phylogenetic tree derived from a maximum likelihood analysis of a concatenated alignment of ITS, Cal, Tub and ApMAT sequences was created. The accession numbers of the three isolates YamZJCS, YamSXCS and YamYLCS used in this study were OP128056-OP128058 for ITS, OP128059-OP128061 for ApMAT，OP128062-OP128064 for Cal and OP128065-OP128067 for Tub. The sequences of the 3 isolates were aligned with related species of Colletotrichum (Sharma et al. 2015). Analyses based on concatenated data sets of 4 genes showed that the sequences had high levels of identity to that of the C. siamense strains. According to both morphological and sequence analyses, the pathogen was identified as C. siamense. There were reports of anthracnose on yam caused by Colletotrichum sp. in Guangxi (Zhu et al. 2007), Hainan (Lin et al. 2018) and Jiangsu (Han et al. 2020) provinces in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of anthracnose on D. opposita caused by C. siamense in Guangdong province in China.

Dehydration-rehydration mechanism of vegetables at the cell-wall and cell-membrane levels and future research challenges

The quality of dehydrated vegetables is affected by the degree to which they are returned to their original state during rehydration (restorability). At present, whether this mechanism occurs at the cell-wall or cell-membrane level is unclear. This paper reviews the important factors affecting the mechanism of dehydration-rehydration, focusing on the analysis of the composition and structure of the cell wall and cell membrane, and summarizes the related detection and analytical techniques that can be used to explore the mechanisms of dehydration-rehydration at the cell-wall and cell-membrane levels. The integrity and permeability of the cell membrane affect water transport during the dehydration-rehydration process. The cell wall and cell membrane are supporting materials for tissue morphology. The arabinan side chains of the primary structure and fibers are important for water retention. Water transport may be classified as symplastic and apoplastic. Cell membrane disruption occurs with symbiotic transport but increases the drying rate. An in-depth analysis of the dehydration-rehydration mechanism of vegetables will help develop and improve their processing methods and inspire new applications.

First Report of Exserohilum rostratum Causing Leaf Blight on Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) in China

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is not only an important crop worldwide with a large amount of production and consumption annually, but also rich in biologically active compounds (Surh et al., 2021). In November 2022, an unknown leaf blight was observed in the Broccoli planting area, Wenzhou City of Zhejiang Province (28.05 °N, 120.31 °E). Symptoms initially occurred at the leaf margin with yellow to gray lesions that were irregular and wilting. Approximately 10% of the surveyed plants were affected. To determine the pathogen, leaves with blight were collected randomly from five B. oleracea plants. Tissue blocks (3×3 mm) from diseased leaf portions were disinfected with 75% ethanol, rinsed three times with sterilized water, placed aseptically onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, and incubated for 5 days at 28℃ in darkness. Seven fungal isolates with the same morphology were obtained using the spore method. The observed colonies were circular, taupe, pewter in color with light gray edging and many cottony aerial mycelia. Conidia were straight, curved or slightly bent, ellipsoidal to fusiform, and septate (typically 4-8 septa per conidium), with the size of 50.0-90.0 μm × 10.0-20.0 μm (n=30). The conidia had a slightly protruding and truncate hilum. These morphological characteristics were consistent with Exserohilum rostratum (Sharma et al., 2014). To further identify the pathogen, isolate WZU-XLH1 was chosen as a representative and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-like (GAPDH) gene were amplified and sequenced using primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (White et al., 1990) and Gpd1/Gpd2 (Berbee et al., 1999), respectively. The ITS and gpd gene sequences of isolate WZU-XLH1 were deposited in the GenBank database with accession numbers OQ750113 and OQ714500, respectively. BLASTn analysis showed matches of 568/571 (MH859108) and 547/547 (LT882549) with Exserohilum rostratum CBS 188.68. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was constructed by combining the two sequenced loci, this isolate in the E. rostratum species complex clade at 71% bootstrap support.To verify the pathogenicity of the isolate, ten healthy Broccoli (cultivar 'You Xiu') seedlings with at least five leaves were divided into two groups: one group was inoculated with the isolate, while the other group served as a control. After surface disinfection with 75% ethanol and wiping with sterile water, tiny wounds were made on two leaves (two wounds in one leaf) using an inoculation needle. Fungal culture plugs cut from the isolate were placed on the wounds, while sterile PDA plugs served as the control. The leaves were sealed in wet airtight bags to retain moisture at room temperature with natural light (Cao et al., 2022). After five days, all leaves inoculated with isolate WZU-XLH1 showed symptoms identical to those observed in the field, with no symptoms present in the control group. The pathogenicity was confirmed by repeating the test in triplicate, and fungi re-isolated from symptomatic leaves were identified as E. rostratum by the morphological and molecular methods described above. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of E. rostratum causing leaf blight on broccoli in China. This study contributes to our understanding of B. oleracea leaf blight and establishes a basis for future studies on E. rostratum to develop management strategies.

First Report of White Mold Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Brussels Sprouts in Mexico

The Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) is a cruciferous vegetable with high health-promoting value and Mexico is one of the most valuable exporters worldwide (Data Mexico 2023). From September to November 2021, white mold symptoms (Rimmer et al. 2007) were observed in Brussels sprouts (cv. Confidant) fields in Tonatico, Estado de México, Mexico. Irregular, necrotic lesions were observed on leaves, whereas abundant white mycelium, and later black sclerotia were produced outside and inside of stems. Disease incidence ranged from 20 to 40% in five fields. For fungal isolation, symptomatic stem pieces were surface sterilized with 2% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, rinsed in sterilized distilled water twice, placed on PDA medium, and incubated at 25°C in darkness for 3 days. Sclerotinia-like colonies were consistently obtained and six isolates were purified by the hyphal-tip method. Fungal colonies were white and fluffy. Irregular, black, and small (3 to 6 mm diameter) sclerotia were produced at the edge of colonies after 5 days of incubation. The morphological characters were consistent with those of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Saharan and Mehta 2008). Two representative isolates were selected for molecular analysis and pathogenicity tests. The isolates were deposited in the Culture Collection of Phytopathogenic Fungi at the Colegio Superior Agropecuario del Estado de Guerrero under the accession numbers CSAEG50 and CSAEG51. For molecular identification, genomic DNA was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified by PCR and sequenced using the primer pair ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. OQ878510 and OQ878511). BLASTn searches in GenBank showed 100% identity with the available sequences of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (accession nos. OQ891471, OQ891472, HQ833448, and MT177216). A phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Likelihood method placed isolates CSAEG50 and CSAEG51 in the same clade as S. sclerotiorum. Pathogenicity tests were performed by inoculating 10 healthy Brussels sprout seedlings (cv. Confidant) grown in pots. A mycelial plug was directly placed on the stem of each plant. Five uninoculated Brussels sprout seedlings were used as control. All plants were placed in a moist chamber at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod for 2 days. White mold symptoms appeared on inoculated plants after 3 days, whereas control plants remained symptomless. The fungi were reisolated from the infected plants and found to be morphologically identical to the isolates used for inoculation, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Pathogenicity test was performed twice with similar results. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has been previously reported to infect Brussels sprouts in the USA (Campbell 1947). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causing white mold of Brussels sprouts in Mexico. The disease is widely distributed in Brussels sprouts fields in the central region of Mexico, therefore additional studies are needed to develop effective disease-management strategies.

Food literacy and its relationship with food intake: a comparison between adults and older adults using 2021 Seoul Food Survey data

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to examine the differences in food literacy between adults and older adults and the association of food literacy with food group intake.

METHODS

In total, 4,039 participants from the 2021 Survey for Food Consumption in Seoul were included in this study. The intake of whole grains, high-protein foods, total vegetables, vegetables excluding kimchi and pickles, fresh fruits, and milk and dairy products was assessed using a simple food frequency questionnaire. Food literacy was measured using a food literacy measurement questionnaire.

RESULTS

With the exception of milk and dairy, adults had a significantly higher proportion of insufficient food intake than older adults (p<0.001). Both adults and older adults with sufficient food group consumption had higher food literacy scores. Notably, the difference in food literacy scores by level of food intake was highest for fresh fruits (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors affecting food literacy scores, a higher score was associated with a lower probability of having insufficient food intake in all food groups for both adults and older adults. Specifically, those in the highest food literacy score quartile were less likely to have insufficient intake of vegetables (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.43) and fresh fruits (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.43), compared to the lowest quartile.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving food literacy is an important factor for promoting healthy food intake in older adults as well as adults. Therefore, it is necessary to develop intervention programs to work toward this goal.

First Report of Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum Causing Basal Stem Rot on Celery in China

Celery (Apium graveolens L.) is an economically important vegetable crop in China. In recent years, celery has been widely planted in Yuzhong county, Gansu province. From 11 April to 24 May, 2019-2021, basal stem rot of celery was observed with incidences up to 15% in the Yuzhong region (35°49'N, 104°16'E, 1865 m a.s.l.), which caused serious economic losses to local farmers. Typical symptoms of the disease included wilting and darkening of the basal stem, leading to plant death. To identify the cause of the disease, small pieces (5mm×5mm) of the margin of asymptomatic and rotting basal stem tissues were sterilized with 70% ethanol for 30 s and 3% NaClO for 5 min, then placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates, and incubated at 25℃ (Zhao et al. 2021). Twenty-seven single-conidium isolates with morphological characteristics similar to Fusarium spp. were obtained (Ma et al. 2022), which displayed two kinds of colony morphology. On PDA, seven isolates developed white, fluffy aerial mycelium and twenty isolates developed light pink abundant aerial mycelium. Isolate F5 and F55 from each distinct morphological group were cultured on PDA and synthetic low nutrient agar (SNA) for pathogenicity tests, morphological and molecular identification. The macroconidia (18.3 to 29.6 × 3.6 to 5.3 μm, n=50) with 1 to 2 septa and microconidia (7.5 to 11.6 × 2.6 to 3.5 μm, n=50) with 0 to 1 septum were observed in F5. For F55, the size of macroconidia was 14.2 to 19.5 × 3.3 to 4.2 μm (n = 50) with 1 to 2 septa; Microconidia were mostly 0 to 1 septum and measured 7.3 to 12.8 × 2.2 to 4.2 μm (n = 50). To confirm the identity of the isolates, the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF-1α) gene were amplified using primers ITS1/ITS4 and EF-1/EF-2 (Uwaremwe et al. 2020), respectively. The sequence similarities of isolate F5 (GenBank No. OL616048 and OP186480) and F55 (GenBank No. OL616049 and OP186481) with the corresponding sequences of F. solani (MT447508 and MN650097) and F. oxysporum (MG461555 and OQ632904) ranged from 99.22% to 100.00%, with matching base pairs of 531/532, 416/416, 511/515 and 394/395, respectively. The voucher samples were deposited in the sample center of Northwest Institute of Ecological Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Morphological and molecular results confirmed the species of F5 and F55 as F. solani and F. oxysporum, respectively. A pathogenicity test was conducted under greenhouse conditions (19-31°C, avg. 26°C). Conidial suspension (105 spores/mL) of isolates F5 and F55 were poured onto the basal stems of healthy celery seedlings at the age of 1 month and mock-inoculated control treatments with sterile water. Ten plants were inoculated for each treatment. After 21 days, all plants inoculated with both fungal isolates developed symptoms similar to those observed in the field, whereas the mock-inoculated plants remained healthy. The pathogen was successfully reisolated from the inoculated symptomatic plants onto PDA medium and had morphology as described above, confirming Koch's postulates. F. solani and F. oxysporum have been reported to infect many plant species, including carrot (Zhang et al. 2014) and Angelica sinensis (Liu et al. 2022). To our knowledge, this is the first report that F. solani and F. oxysporum cause basal stem rot on celery in China. The identification of pathogens of the observed basal stem rot on celery provides a clear target for the prevention and management of this disease.

Recent insights into Nanoemulsions: Their preparation, properties and applications

The ever-increasing demand for healthy diet by consumers has prompted the research adopting cutting-edge methods that can maintain the quality of fruits and vegetables without the use of preservatives. Emulsion based coating approach has been regarded as a viable way to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. New opportunities are being created in a number of industries, (medicines, cosmetics and food) because of new advancements in the developing field of nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsion based methods are efficient for encapsulating the active ingredients including antioxidants, lipids, vitamins and antimicrobial agents owing to the small droplet size, stability and improved biological activity. This review provides an overview of recent developments in preserving the quality and safety of fresh-cut fruits & vegetables with nanoemulsion as a carrier of functional compounds (antimicrobial agents, antibrowning/antioxidants and texture enhancers). In addition, material and methods used for fabrication of the nanoemulsion is also described in this review. In addition, material and methods used for fabrication, of the nanoemulsion is also present.

Evaluation of dietary food intakes and anthropometric measures in middle-aged men with aggressive symptoms

BACKGROUND

Aggression is one of the most prevalent behavioral disorders in men.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the possible association between dietary intake of food groups and aggression in middle-aged married men.

METHODS

This case-control study included 336 participants (168 men with aggressive behaviors and 168 healthy controls) aged 35-55 years. Demographic information was collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire. A food frequency questionnaire was used to investigate the diet group intake last year. Based on the normality of the data distribution, Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare quantitative variables between the two groups. Categorical variables were compared between cases and controls using the Chi-squared test. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the possible association between food intake and aggression.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, aggressive men had significantly higher mean weight, height, and waist circumference (WC), p = 0.007, p = 0.001, and p = 0.043, respectively. After adjusting WC, energy intake, and educational level, in Model 1, intake of milk, cheese, poultry, red meat, legumes, egg, fruits, and vegetables had a significant protective role on the occurrence of aggression, (Odd Ratio (OR) = 0.36; 95% (Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.204, 0.670; P = 0.001), (OR = 0.440; 95% CI = 0.284, 0.781; P = 0.005), (OR = 0.621; 95% CI = 0.284, 0.781; P = 0.046), (OR = 0.358; 95% CI = 0.198, 0.647; P = 0.001), (OR = 0.434; 95% CI = 0.243, 0.773; P = 0.005), (OR = 0.411; 95% CI = 0.229, 0.736; P = 0.003), (OR = 0.332; 95% CI = 0.180, 0.614; P < 0.001), (OR = 0.310; 95% CI = 0.168, 0.572; P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower WC and a diet containing high-quality protein, fruits, and vegetables can have a protective role against aggression and are recommended for men with an aggressive mood. This diet can affect plasma levels of tryptophan and, therefore, brain levels of serotonin.

Paper-based biosensors relying on core biological immune scaffolds for the detection of procymidone in vegetables

In order to achieve a highly sensitive detection of procymidone in vegetables, three paper-based biosensors based on a core biological immune scaffold (CBIS) were developed, which were time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatography strips with Europium (III) oxide (Eu-TRFICS). Goat anti-mouse IgG and europium oxide time-resolved fluorescent microspheres formed secondary fluorescent probes. CBIS was formed by secondary fluorescent probes and procymidone monoclonal antibody (PCM-Ab). The first type of Eu-TRFICS (Eu-TRFICS-(1)) fixed secondary fluorescent probes on a conjugate pad, and PCM-Ab was mixed with a sample solution. The second type of Eu-TRFICS (Eu-TRFICS-(2)) fixed CBIS on the conjugate pad. The third type of Eu-TRFICS (Eu-TRFICS-(3)) was directly mixed CBIS with the sample solution. They solved the problems of steric hindrance of antibody labeling, insufficient exposure of antigen recognition region and easy loss of activity in traditional methods. They realized multi-dimensional labeling and directional coupling. They replaced the loss of antibody activity. And the three types of Eu-TRFICS were compared, among which Eu-TRFICS-(1) was the best detection choice. Antibody usage was reduced by 25% and sensitivity was increased by 3 times. Its detection range was 1-800 ng/mL, the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.12 ng/mL with the visible LOD (vLOD) of 5 ng/mL.

First report of leaf spot caused by Epicoccum latusicollum on Hemerocallis citrina in China

Hemerocallis citrina is a popular vegetable crop. Its eatable flower buds contain abundant nutrients, especially lecithin (Guo et al., 2022). In March 2021, leaf spot disease was observed on 90% cultivated H. citrina seedlings in Dazhou city (31°17'56″ N, 107°31'59″ E), Sichuan, China. Totally, 15 diseased seedlings were sampled (three samples per 666 m2). The symptomatic leaves were cut into pieces (5 × 3 mm), superficially disinfected with 70% ethanol for 20 s and 1% Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) for 40 s, and washed with sterile distilled water six times. The disinfected tissues were incubated on PDA amended with streptomycin sulfate (50 mg/L) in dark at 25 ℃. Two days later, hyphal tips from the edges of growing colonies were transferred to fresh PDA plates. Finally, 40 purified isolates were obtained. Using primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (Glass & Donaldson, 1995), amplified rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions indicated that these isolates belonged to different genera, mainly including Epicoccum, Fusarium and Colletotrichum. Six isolates of Epicoccum genus similar in morphology, named HHC46, HHC47, HHC491, HHC492, HHC51 and HHC58, were selected for identification. Cultured on oatmeal agar for 7 days, colonies were initially white and villose. Fourteen days later, mycelia started to secrete scarlet pigment. The NaOH spot test showed color changed from green to red, identical to that in Epicoccum species (Boerema et al., 2004). Meanwhile, colonies produced abundant conidia. Conidia were ellipsoidal, aseptate, and 4.1 to 6.5 × 1.3 to 2.9 µm (n = 30). Chlamydospores were also observed, globose to subglobose. The morphological features were similar to those of Epicoccum latusicollum (Xu et al., 2022). The DNA sequences of Beta-tubulin (TUB2) and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) of six isolates were amplified and sequenced, using primer pairs Bt2a/Bt2b (Glass & Donaldson, 1995), and RPB2-5f2/RPB2-7cr (O'Donnell et al., 2012), respectively. BLASTN searches indicated our ITS (OP107240 - OP107245), TUB2 (OP131865 - OP131870) and RPB2 (OP131871 - OP131876) sequences except one TUB2 (OP131867), showed 100% identity to the corresponding sequences of E. latusicollum CGMCC:3.18346 (KY742101, KY742343 and KY742174, respectively). There was a nucleotide divergence between OP131867 and reference sequence. Based on concatenated ITS, TUB2 and RPB2 sequences, the constructed phylogenetic tree of Epicoccum species, confirmed that our isolates were E. latusicollum. To test pathogenicity, 2-year-old healthy seedlings of cultivar "chuanhuanghua No.1" were sprayed with conidial suspension of HHC51 (105 conidia/mL), with controls treated with sterile distilled water. Each treatment (biological replicates = 3) was incubated in a greenhouse (at 25°C under 90% relative humidity, 16/8 h light/dark cycle). The experiment was repeated twice. After 18 days, leaf spot symptom in inoculated seedlings appeared. Whereas, non-inoculated controls showed no symptom. The pathogens were re-isolated from diseased leaves and identified as E. latusicollum, based on morphology and molecular methods described above. E. sorghinum was previously reported as causal agent of leaf spot in H. citrina (Ma et al., 2021). To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. latusicollum causing leaf spot in H. citrina worldwide. Our study will assist with monitoring disease distribution in H. citrina and host diversity of E. latusicollum (Chen et al., 2017).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) presence in food: Comparison among fresh, frozen and ready-to-eat vegetables

There is a worldwide discussion to provide safety limits in food for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of persistent contaminants associated to human disease. Processed food is more at risk of containing increased amounts of PFAS as a consequence of intentionally or non-intentionally contamination during manipulation and packaging. Among food products, also vegetables can be submitted to industrial manipulation; therefore, a different PFAS content correlated to the level of vegetables processing is conceivable. This study assessed the amount and type of PFAS present in fresh, frozen and ready-to-eat vegetables. Differences have been observed between the three groups of samples in the average PFAS content; the difference between ready-to eat and frozen vegetables resulted statistically significative. Organic vegetables displayed a lower total amount of PFAS respect to the traditional counterpart. The impact of industrial manipulation remains to be cleared, but pesticides use during cultivation could be considered a source of PFAS contamination.

Aquaculture sediments amended with biochar improved soil health and plant growth in a degraded soil

Sustainable and safe management of aquaculture sediments is of great concern. Biochar (BC) and fishpond sediments (FPS) are rich in organic carbon and nutrients and thus can be used as soil amendments; however, it is not fully explored how the biochar amended fishpond sediments can affect soil properties/fertility and modulate plant physiological and biochemical changes, particularly under contamination stress. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation was carried out to explore the effects of FPS and BC-treated FPS (BFPS) on soil and on spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) grown in chromium (Cr) contaminated soils. Addition of FPS and BFPS to soil caused an increase in nutrients content and reduced Cr levels in soil, which consequently resulted in a significant increase in plant biomass, chlorophyll pigments, and photosynthesis, over the control treatment. The most beneficial effect was observed with the BFPS applied at 35 %, which further increased the antioxidant enzymes (by 2.75-fold, at minimum), soluble sugars by 24.9 %, and upregulated the gene expression activities. However, the same treatment significantly decreased proline content by 74.9 %, Malondialdehyde by 65.6 %, H₂O₂ by 65.1 %, and Cr concentration in spinach root and shoot tissues. Moreover, the average daily intake analysis showed that BFPS (at 35 %) could effectively reduce human health risks associated with Cr consumption of leafy vegetables. In conclusion, these findings are necessary to provide guidelines for the reutilization of aquaculture sediments as an organic fertilizer and a soil amendment for polluted soils. However, more future field studies are necessary to provide guidelines and codes on aquaculture sediments reutilization as organic fertilizer and soil amendment for polluted soils, aiming for a more sustainable food system in China and globally, with extended benefits to the ecosystem and human.