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Although many biomarkers have been proposed, and several are in widespread clinical use, there is no single readout or combination of readouts that correlates tightly with gluten exposure, disease activity, or end-organ damage in treated patients with celiac disease. Challenges to developing and evaluating better biomarkers include significant interindividual variability-related to immune amplification of gluten exposure and how effects of immune activation are manifest. Furthermore, the current "gold standard" for assessment of end-organ damage, small intestinal biopsy, is itself highly imperfect, such that a marker that is a better reflection of the "ground truth" may indeed appear to perform poorly. The goal of this review was to analyze past and present efforts to establish robust noninvasive tools for monitoring treated patients with celiac disease and to highlight emerging tools that may prove to be useful in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An annual review of patients with axial spondyloarthritis encompassing disease activity, severity, comorbidities, employment, psychological factors, and lifestyle is recommended. • The specific content of this annual review has never been proposed. • This initiative provided a reporting framework including all components needing to be assessed during this review. • This document was obtained after a literature search and an expert consensus-driven approach. National and international scientific societies advocate for a regular, systematic, and standardized global evaluation of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients. However, there are no recommendations specifying the content of this global evaluation. This initiative aimed to propose a standardized reporting framework, using evidence-based and consensus approaches, to collect data on all domains of axSpA. A literature review and consensus process involved a steering committee and an expert panel of 37 rheumatologists and health professionals. The first steering committee took place in March 2022 and identified the main domains for inclusion in the standardized report. A hierarchical literature review was conducted to identify items within these domains and tools for assessment. The items and tools for assessment were discussed and consensus was reached through a vote session during an expert meeting that took place in March 2023. The steering committee identified four main domains to include in the standardized reporting framework: disease assessment, comorbidities, lifestyle, and quality of life. Items and tools for assessment were adopted after the expert meeting. Additionally, recommendations regarding digital tools (websites, apps, social media) were provided. This initiative led to a consensus, based on evidence and expertise, on a reporting framework for use during periodic systematic global evaluations of axSpa in daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is the major pathogen affecting common beans yield worldwide and an adequate disease quantification is demanded in some trials. However, a set of standard area diagrams (SADs) to aid visual assessment of severity of white mold (SWM) is lacking. This study developed SADs consisting of eight color images of diseased leaflets with severity values that ranged from 0.4 to 53.7%. Twenty raters [10 experienced (ER) and 10 inexperienced (IR)] validated the SADs by assessing the same set of 50 images twice, the first without SADs and the second using it as an aid. The SADs significantly improved both accuracy and precision for IR as evidenced by increases from 0.86 to 0.98 in the coefficients of bias (C b) from 0.93 to 0.98 in correlation coefficient (r) and from 0.86 to 0.96 in overall agreement [Lin's concordance correlation coefficients (ρ c)] without and with SADs, respectively, whereas for ER only precision (r) was improved by SADs. The SWM estimates were also more reliable because inter-rater reliability (coefficient of determination, R 2 ) was significantly increased for both ER and IR by using SADs. Therefore, the SADs presented is thought to be a valuable tool to provide accurate, precise and reliable estimates of the SWM on common bean leaflets in epidemiological studies, evaluation of disease control methods, assessment of aggressiveness of pathogen isolates, disease resistance and other types of surveys regarding the common beans- S. sclerotiorum interaction. Highlights • The standard area diagrams (SADs) were very helpful to assess white mold severity on the leaflets of common bean plants. • The SADs significantly improved both accuracy and precision for disease evaluation. • The SADs can be used in any study involving the common bean- Sclerotinia sclerotiorum interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the drawbacks of conducting research on Goss's bacterial wilt and leaf blight disease, caused by the bacterium Clavibacter nebraskensis (Cn) on corn ( Zea mays L.), is the lack of standardized and validated inoculation and disease assessment methods. Here we report foliar and root inoculation techniques with a standardized scale for reliable assessment of symptoms to allow for disease assessment of the Goss's wilt disease on corn. The leaf inoculation method allowed for the application of equal amounts of inoculum, which ensured consistency in measurements and prevented inoculum run off from the inoculation site. The reliability of a leaf inoculation method based on either lesion length or disease severity, and root inoculation based on disease severity was validated statistically using two Cn isolates, Cmn14-5-1 and DOAB232, which possess high and low levels of aggressiveness, respectively. The leaf disease-severity and the lesion length methods for disease assessment clearly provided the most precise estimation of the level of aggressiveness of Cn isolates among the tested years (2015, 2016, and 2017 growing seasons). In addition, the disease severity based on the root inoculation method was validated, but the high variation among experimental runs within each year suggested that it might be the least reliable method for assessment of the disease severity. Our results indicated no significant trend in overall isolate aggressiveness over the years using the leaf inoculation method based on either lesion length or leaf disease-severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blister blight caused by the biotrophic fungus, Exobasidium vexans Massee, is the most problematic foliar disease of tea in Sri Lanka. A reliable and accurate method is needed for field assessment of severity of the disease for epidemiological studies, formulating disease control strategies and crop improvement programmes. A field assessment key with 0–6 scores was developed for blister blight, considering the lowest (0) and highest (>30%) limits of disease severity observed in the field and different stages of symptom development. The key was validated by six raters, 3 experienced and 3 inexperienced. The field assessment trials made using the key were accurate and precise (R 2 > 0.80). The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), calculated using the disease severity levels obtained using the assessment key, was used to combine multiple observations of disease progress into a 0–9 susceptible scale. Ascending numbers in the scale represent increasing susceptibility. The new scale was proposed to discriminate blister blight resistance in tea accessions/cultivars in field screening. Screening trials for validation of the susceptible scale, conducted using tea cultivars of known resistance or susceptibility levels and newly developed accessions of tea, at three locations, revealed that the 0–9 scale is simple to apply, offers a fine discrimination of blister blight resistance levels, and allows objective evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a general framework of user-based collaborative filtering (CF) is developed with a new p -moment-based similarity measure. The p -moment-based statistics (PMS) of individual rating data are employed to analyze the user rating habit, thereby facilitating the performance improvement of the CF algorithm. On the basis of the PMS, a new yet comprehensive similarity measure is proposed to quantify the distance between two users with focus on both the users' preferences on items and their rating habits. Compared with the traditional ones, our proposed similarity measure is more general with clearer application insights in complicated situations. Furthermore, the weights of different statistics are regarded as adjustable parameters that are determined by utilizing the particle swarm optimization technique so as to achieve good prediction performance. Based on the proposed similarity measure with optimized weights, the neighborhood set consisting of similar users is formed and then the user-based rating prediction is eventually provided. The developed CF algorithm has advantages of high prediction accuracy and wide application potential. Moreover, this CF algorithm is applied on a real-world disease (Friedreich's ataxia) assessment system in order to assist diagnosis for patients with uncertain/missing information. Experimental results demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Anthracnose of cashew (Anacardium occidentale) was studies on various genotypes and locations in Mozambique. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was identified as the anthracnose causal agent using polymerase chain reaction. The relationships between incidence and severity of anthracnose on cashew genotypes were statistically analyzed by regression. Anthracnose leaf incidence, which is practically easy to evaluate, was consistently associated with leaf severity, and their relationships can be estimated using the restricted exponential function across locations, crop seasons, genotype and fungicide trials. Pooled data enabled estimation of initial incidence of 1.43% with percentage variance accounting for 83.2 and standard error of 8.3. By computing incidence data into the summary equation, 24 changes of 0, 1, 5, 10 and 40%, resulted in changes of severity estimates of 0.01, 0.05, 0.10, 0.50 and 1.00%, respectively. The maximum disease incidence was estimated as 80% when the severity reached only 5%. Increase in severity was observed afterward, approached a maximum of 25% when leaf detachment is observed. The use of incidence data for epidemic comparisons, genotype and fungicide evaluation in cashew orchards is recommended. Anthracnose incidence on leaves however, could not predict incidence on nuts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fusarium head blight is a fungal disease causing yield losses and mycotoxin contamination in wheat and other cereals. Wheat kernels (cultivar Ritmo) were sampled in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006 and Fusarium-damaged kernels were separated from sound grain based on visual assessment. Subsequently, grain lots containing 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of damaged kernels were compiled. Each lot was split and the spectrometric reflectance (wavelengths 350–2500nm) was measured using subgroup one, while the concentration of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography in subgroup two. DON concentrations in batches classified as sound were not significantly different from 0. Estimating DON contents from the percentage of Fusarium-damaged kernels was impeded by vast variability, resulting in a coefficient of determination of 0.49. Using spectrometric data subjected to partial least square regression allowed estimating DON contents with higher accuracy, in particular at elevated percentages of damaged kernels. The coefficient of determination was 0.84 for the relationship between DON contents estimated based on spectrometric data and the DON contents measured. The intercept of a regression line fitted through a plot of estimated versus measured DON contents was 0.89±3.61mg/kg. Since intercept+standard error was larger than the actual legal limit (1.25mg DON per kg dry grain in the European Union), the spectrometric procedure was still not precise enough to allow a reliable separation of grain samples with DON contents below 1.25mg/kg from samples with DON contents above the limit. However, spectrometric data also allowed estimating the DON content of the average damaged kernel within a given lot composed of sound and damaged kernels, which is probably the reason for the reduction of the fraction of unexplained variance by 35% compared to the visual approach and illustrates that spectrometric approaches can make a contribution to reducing DON contents of wheat grain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Premature ripening (PR) is one of the most important diseases of sunflower in France since the 90s. Previous results indicated that girdling canker of the stem base, caused by Phoma macdonaldii was its primary cause but elucidation of critical environmental factors involved is crucial for better control of the disease. A field study was conducted in three contrasting cropping seasons (2006–2008) and investigated the effect of N fertilization (0, 75 and 150kgNha−1) and water regime (rainfed, irrigated) on two cultivars with artificial inoculation (AI) and natural infection (NI). Disease assessment was recorded weekly to calculate the area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) and the final percentage of PR plants. Data showed that high levels of N fertilization led to significantly (P <0.05) more PR than non-fertilization. Water deficit conditions were significantly (P <0.05) involved in disease severity, and AUDPC and PR were increased when dry conditions were associated with high N supply. This was true for two cultivars which differed in their susceptibility to the disease but cv. Heliasol RM was significantly (P <0.05) more affected than cv. Melody, partially resistant to PR. Despite contrasting weather patterns, these results demonstrated a clear role of crop management and environmental conditions on the incidence and severity of stem base attacks responsible for the PR syndrome. These findings suggest that sunflower crop husbandry should be adapted to minimize premature ripening induced by P. macdonaldii. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rust resistance of 23 commonly grown biomass willow varieties and 71 genotypes produced from a UK-based willow-breeding programme was tested in laboratory inoculation experiments. Leaf discs were inoculated with six pathotypes of Melampsora larici-epitea and disease was scored based on uredinial pustule area and inoculum density. In the field, rust severity of the same varieties and genotypes was scored using an assessment key. Of the varieties and commonly grown willows tested, several North American willows and Salix schwerinii×Salix viminalis ‘Bjorn’ and ‘Tora’ were highly resistant. Overall, the great majority of the willows produced through breeding showed high levels of resistance to rust. There was a significant correlation between infection-type scores obtained from the laboratory testing and field rust severity (Spearman''s rank correlation coefficient=0.624, P<1×10−6). There was also a good agreement in field disease severity scores between the years (Kendall''s coefficient of concordance=0.669, P<0.001). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anthracnose caused by the fungus Apiognomonia veneta (Sacc. et Speg.) Höhnel., is the most important and frequent disease affecting mature ornamental plane trees ( Platanus × hybrida Brot.= P. × acerifolia (Ait.)Willd.) of central Spain. Symptoms of the disease are: leaf vein and petiole necrosis, bud death, defoliation, proliferation of shoots growing in whorls, short internodes, cankers, necrotic lesions and twigs and branches growing in angles. Based on our previous experience, a disease severity rating scale (DSRS) has been established, consisting of six levels: 0=healthy, 1=initial, 2=low, 3=medium, 4=high and 5=dead. In order to achieve a better and more efficient measure of disease intensity we tried to quantify this visual scale using mathematical criteria. In 2000, 610 mature trees up to 200 years old, divided into 4 age classes, were selected and systematically evaluated using a visual estimation based method. The trees were located in central Spain, mainly in two periurban areas of the town of Aranjuez (south of Madrid) and in three urban areas of Madrid city. Trees were observed in late spring, summer and winter. We recorded visual estimation of disease severity, foliage cover, healthy new shoots, dead branches, shoot growth in whorls and branch growth in angles. The statistical relationship between the parameters, disease severity and all the variables recorded (defoliation, healthy new shoots, etc.) has been evaluated. “Leaf density”, “dead branches” and “healthy shoots” were the variables that help to discriminate better between the different levels of the DSRS. A clearer definition of the different phases of disease severity will facilitate the application of possible control methods and the prediction of the behaviour of other Platanus spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven disease assessment methods to measure severity of downy mildew (Peronospora farinosa f.sp. chenopodii) were tested in eight cultivars of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) in two field experiments in Peru, one at low (Lima) and one at high (Huancayo) disease pressure. Two levels of downy mildew were established by means of fungicide treatments. Area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values were calculated for each method and correlated to the grain yield. In addition to the severity measurements, spectral reflectance was measured throughout the growth season in Huancayo and area under reflectance curve (AURC) values calculated and correlated to yield. The disease level was ten-fold higher in Huancayo compared to Lima. AUDPC based on the Three-leaf method (mean disease severity of three leaves per plant selected randomly from the lower, middle and upper part of the plant), showed the highest negative correlation to yield (r=−0.736) and is regarded as the best method to predict yield loss caused by downy mildew. In addition, this method proved to be the quickest and easiest compared to the other six methods included in the study, which were based on assessments of disease severity of the entire plant or parts of the plant. Yield losses recorded in the tested cultivars ranged from 33% to 99% under the high-disease conditions. The reflectance method was superior to all other methods by showing a higher correlation between AURC and yield (r=0.853), which is explained by its ability to measure pathogen-induced defoliation. Remote sensing is an excellent tool to compare the effect of treatments on disease severity within a cultivar. However, the method does not allow for comparison of disease severity among cultivars as the spectral reflectance is determined by size, shape and colour of the plant.The Three-leaf method provides an easy, cheap and readily applicable tool for researchers and plant breeders to study downy mildew of quinoa, characterise germplasm for resistance and compare results across regions and years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A diagrammatic scale was developed to assess the severity of northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), which is caused by the fungus Setosphaeria turcica. The validation of this new scale in relation to accuracy and precision was carried out by eight evaluators who estimated the severity of the infection on maize leaves showing NCLB symptoms, with and without the use of the scale. The new scale was also evaluated in relation to a published NCLB assessment scale. The precision and accuracy of the assessments were determined by linear regression, relating the estimated versus actual severity of NCLB as determined by image analysis. Using the new diagrammatic scale, evaluators were able to improve the precision and accuracy of NCLB assessments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Color photographs represent the symptoms of the disease as observed in the field, favoring the visual estimation of severity. In order to increase the accuracy, repeatability and reproducibility of Coffea canephora L. rust severity estimates, this study was carried out to elaborate and validate a standard area diagram (SAD) constructed with color photographs (SADcp). To do so, we collected leaves with different intensities of symptoms in crops, and the actual severity was determined with the aid of the software QUANT. The intermediate levels of the scale were determined based on the frequency distribution of severity values. The validation of the diagram was performed by 13 raters who estimated disease severity in 50 leaves of C. canephora with different intensity of symptoms. One assessment without the standard area diagram and two assessments with the diagram were performed at intervals of seven days. Data were analyzed by linear regression and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. The accuracy, precision, repeatability and reproducibility of the estimates were evaluated. To compare the efficiency of SADcp with the existing scale constructed with two-color diagram (SAD2col), these procedures were performed with both scales. Without the scale and with the SAD2col diagram, the raters overestimated the severity of the disease. With the use of SADcp, the raters presented better levels of accuracy, precision, reproducibility and repeatability in the estimates, compared to when they did not use SAD, or when they used SAD2col. Therefore, SADcp was suitable for estimating the severity of coffee leaf rust in C. canephora. Image 1 • Color photographs favor the visual estimation of severity of diseases. • A standard area diagram was constructed with color photographs (SADcp). • The intermediate levels of the SADcp were based on the frequency distribution. • The efficiency of SADcp was compared with scale constructed with two-color diagram. • With the use of SADcp the raters presented better levels of accuracy and precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field surveys were conducted in two major safflower growing states of India for two consecutive cropping seasons (2015-16 and 2016–17). A total of 872 fields spanning 22 districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra were examined to determine the occurrence and distribution of various fungal diseases on safflower. Safflower fields were found to be infested by four fungal diseases, namely Alternaria leaf spot, Fusarium wilt, Cercospora and Ramularia leaf spot. Among these, Alternaria leaf spot and Fusarium wilt were most widespread and found in all the districts investigated, while Ramularia leaf spot was confined to the districts of Karnataka. The disease prevalence, incidence and severity varied among districts, cropping seasons, with sowing periods and cropping patterns. The first survey recorded higher disease in both states. In both cropping seasons, Karnataka showed higher disease parameters compared to Maharashtra. District Dharwad (Karnataka) exhibited the maximum mean disease incidence for both Alternaria leaf spot and Fusarium wilt (55.41% and 41.42%) among all the districts. The disease prevalence was less in fields with late as compared to early sown crops. Intercropping with chickpea, cotton, sorghum alone and chickpea and sorghum together decreased disease prevalence in comparison to monocrop fields of safflower. This is the first comprehensive survey reporting the distribution of fungal diseases on safflower in India. The study encourages agriculturalists to adopt cultural practices such as late sowing and intercropping with chickpea and sorghum as an effective management strategy for reducing disease in safflower. • Four fungal diseases, Fusarium wilt, Alternaria, Cercospora and Ramularia leaf spot were observed. • Alternaria leaf spot was the most prevalent disease followed by Fusarium wilt. • Disease parameters and biophysical factors showed no correlation. • Disease prevalence was associated with sowing time and intercropping practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]