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Mango fruits' quality, marketability, and shelf life are significantly influenced by postharvest decay. Mango fruit disease development during storage is inhibited by fungicides. The objective of this investigation was to assess the relative effectiveness of two fungicides, azoxystrobin 18.2% + difenoconazole 11.4% SC and hexaconazole 5% SC, in mitigating postharvest deterioration of mango cv. 'Langra' during low temperature storage. Three pathogens were found associated with postharvest decay of mango, i.e. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Alternaria alternata , and Penicillium expansum. In comparison to untreated ones, the preharvest application of fungicide treatments provided noticeably better disease control. The foliar application of azoxystrobin 18.2% + difenoconazole 11.4% SC (0.1%) 15 days before the harvesting of fruits significantly improved fruit firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, reduced the disease incidence, percentage disease index, and lesion diameter followed by the application of hexaconazole 5% SC (0.1%) compared to the control. Furthermore, it was found that pre-harvest fungicide spraying of azoxystrobin 18.2% + difenoconazole 11.4% SC (0.1%) was an effective treatment for lowering postharvest deterioration and enhancing the physio-chemical characteristics of mango fruits during low-temperature storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of our study was to determine the effect of total core length (TCL) for prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 3 lesions to facilitate clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection based on the lesion diameter. Materials and methods: A total of 149 patients with at least 1 lesion with a PI-RADS 3 were evaluated retrospectively. The lesions with diameters of < 1 cm were categorized as small lesions and lesions of ≥ 1 cm were categorized as large lesions. The lengths of biopsy cores from PI-RADS 3 lesions were summed for each lesion separately, and TCL was calculated. The relationship between TCL and csPCa was analyzed separately for the small and large groups with multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 208 lesions were detected by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MpMRI) in 149 males included in the study. The mean TCL was 44.68 mm (26–92) and the mean lesion diameter was 10.73 mm (4–27) in PIRADS 3 lesions. For small diameter lesions (< 1 cm), the odds of finding clinically insignificant prostate cancer (ciPCa) increase by 1.67 times if TCL increases by one unit. Hence, increasing TCL for small lesions only increases the odds of ciPCa detection. For large diameter lesions (≥ 1 cm), if TCL increases by one unit, the odds of finding ciPCa increase 1.13 times and the odds of finding csPCa increases1.16 times. Accordingly, large lesions are more likely to have both csPCa and ciPCa as TCL increases. Conclusions: Our study showed that for PI-RADS 3 lesions, both more csPCa and more ciPCa were detected as TCL increased. However, in lesions with a size of < 1 cm, only ciPCa was detected more frequently as TCL increased. In conclusion, taking more and longer biopsy cores in PI-RADS 3 lesions below 1 cm does not contribute to the detection of csPCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the value of prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) and lesion diameter (LD) combination in prostate cancer (PCa) detection. Methods: 181 patients who were detected to have prostate imaging-reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 3 lesions in mpMRI and underwent prostate biopsies were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, and pathological data of all patients were evaluated. The patients were divided into four groups according to PSAD and LD status (PSAD <0.15 ng/mL/cc + LD <1 cm, PSAD <0.15 ng/mL/cc + LD ≥1 cm, PSAD ≥0.15 ng/mL/cc + LD <1 cm, and PSAD ≥0.15 ng/mL/cc + LD ≥1 cm). Diagnostic ability for PCa and clinical significant PCa (csPCa) was evaluated by PSAD and LD. Results: PSAD ≥0.15 ng/mL/cc (OR = 6; 95% Cl = 2.847–12.647; p < 0.001), LD ≥1 cm (OR = 7.341; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.91–18.52; p < 0.001), and combination of PSAD ≥0.15 ng/mL/cc and LD ≥1 cm (OR = 10.023; 95% CI = 4.32–23.252; p < 0.001) were associated with PCa detection rates. The most sensitivity, specificity, negative, and positive predictive values were found in PSAD ≥0.15 ng/mL/cc + LD ≥1 cm group for both PCa and csPCa detection (48.8%, 92%, 85.2%, and 65.6% for any PCa detection; 66.7%, 85.2%, 97.3%, and 24.2% for csPCa detection, respectively). Conclusion: The presence of PSAD ≥0.15 ng/mL/cc or LD ≥1 cm in mpMRI of patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions is associated significantly with the finding of PCa and particularly with the detection of csPCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pre-treatment diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used in prostate cancer detection and staging; however, little is known about its potential for radiotherapy treatment decision, or its prognostic value. We investigated the findings on pre-treatment MRI and its potential influence on treatment decisions, and its ability to predict biochemical recurrence in patients treated with radiotherapy. Methods: Files of patients treated by radiotherapy from 2014 to 2022 were searched for if they had had an MRI within 12 months before radiotherapy. Prostate Imaging Reporting & Data System (PI-RADS) score, index lesion diameter and the presence of organ confined disease or extra-prostatic extension were correlated with their Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score. Distribution of radiological and clinical features between groups were estimated using a chi-squared test. Results: Out of 1280 patients, 314 (24.5%) had an MRI. The distribution depended on the treatment received: 22.5% who received low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy as monotherapy, 24.0% treated with high-dose rate (HDR) boost and 32.0% treated with external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) (P =.017). The CAPRA score significantly correlated with the PI-RADS score (r =.342, P <.01) and the diameter of the index lesion (r =.473, P <.01). A clinically significant number of 22% patients with CAPRA ≤ 3 disease presented with lesions ≥15 mm and were less likely to be treated with LDR monotherapy (P <.01). 39 patients had a recurrence, only 5 had an MRI: 4 had a lesion of ≥20 mm and 3 a seminal vesicle invasion. Conclusion: More than twenty percent of patients with CAPRA ≤3 presented on MRI a ≥15 mm lesion. An MRI could potentially affect treatment choice, and although exploratory our results suggest an important prognostic potential. Visual Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed at evaluating the influence of water-chestnut starch-based coatings loaded with rosemary essential oil (REO) at concentrations of 0.10%, 0.25% and 0.50% (w/v) on postharvest cold storage stability of apple var. Golden delicious for 120 days. Average droplet diameter of nanoemulsions was in range of 315–450 nm and it increased with increase in the REO concentration. Minimum weight loss was observed in fruits treated with coating material containing 0.50% REO. Samples coated with starch+0.50% REO exhibited highest firmness value of 68.22 ± 1.02 N under controlled atmosphere storage (CAS). Anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were retained in all samples coated with formulated emulsion. Antifungal assay against Pencillium expansum indicated that 0.50% REO had maximum antifungal activity. Increase in REO concentration from 0.10 to 0.50% in starch coating formulations resulted in reduced lesion diameter in coated samples under both the storage conditions. Lesion diameter (LD) was found highest in control (39.40 ± 0.20 mm) under ambient conditions. Coated fruit samples showed a significant (p≤0.05) reduction in LD under both the ambient and CAS conditions however, more pronounced effect was reported under CAS. Fruits coated with edible coatings enriched with different REO concentrations under CAS exhibited significantly (p≤0.05) lower chilling injury index (ST+0.50%REO

Objective: The objective of the study is to identify the rate of significant prostate cancer (PCa) detection in PI-RADS3 lesions in AA patients stratified by PSAD threshold of < 0.15 vs. ≥ 0.15 ng/ml2 and lesion diameter of < 1 cm vs ≥ 1 cm. Methods: We analyzed our institutional database of MRI-TB to identify the rate of significant prostate cancer (PCa) detection in PI-RADS3 lesions in AA patients stratified by PSAD threshold of < 0.15 vs. ≥ 0.15 ng/ml2 and lesion diameter of < 1 cm vs ≥ 1 cm. Significant prostate cancer was defined as Gleason grade group 2 or higher on MRI-TB of the PI-RADS 3 lesion. Results: Of 768 patients included in the database, 211 (27.5%) patients identified themselves as AAs. Mean age of AA patients was 63 years and mean PSAD was 0.21. Sixty nine (32.7%) AA patients were found to have PI-RADS 3 lesions. Mean PSAD of AA patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions was 0.21 ng/ml2 as well. Fifty percent of AA patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions had PSAD ≥ 0.15 ng/ml2. Significant PCa detection rate for AA patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions was 9% for PSAD of ≥ 0.15 vs. 0.03% percent for AA patients with PSAD < 0.15 ng/ml2 (OR 7.056, CI 1.017–167.9, P = 0.04). Stratification by lesion diameter (< 1 cm vs. > 1 cm) resulted in missing 0% of significant PCa when only AA patients with PSAD ≥ 0.15 ng/ml2 and lesion diameter ≥ 1 cm received MRI-TB. Conclusions: We report on the performance of a reported PSAD density threshold in detecting significant PCa in one of the largest series of AA patients receiving MRI-TB of the prostate. Our results have direct clinical implications when counseling AA patients with PI-RADS 3 lesion on whether they should undergo MRI-TB of such lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To investigate the safety, efficacy, and follow-up outcomes of microwave ablation (MWA) in patients with breast fibroadenoma. Methods An institutional review board-approved this study of patients treated with MWA for breast fibroadenoma from October 2017 to March 2019. Clinical features of patients and breast fibroadenoma were analyzed. At follow-up all patients received physical examination and ultrasound imaging. Results In total, 171 patients with 271 lesions were enrolled. The mean lesion diameter was 1.35 ± 0.47 cm. The results revealed differential lesion states, including stability, enlargement, reduction, and complete regression, at 1-6, 6-12, and >12 months of follow-up. The size was reduced in 22.14% (31/140), 26.36% (29/110), and 36.36% (16/44) of the lesions at 1-6, 6-12, and >12 months of follow-up, respectively. The proportion of lesions with complete regression was 24.29% (34/140) at 1-6 months, 45.45% (50/110) at 6-12 months, and 40.91% (18/44) at >12 months of follow up. There was no significant relationship between the curative effect and age, lesion location, and blood flow in patients with breast fibroadenoma after MWA (p > .05), but there was statistically significant relationship with lesion diameter (categorized as

Blue mold rot, caused by Penicillium expansum, is one of the most economically important post-harvest diseases of apple worldwide. The goals of this study were threefold: to evaluate the diversity of P. expansum isolates for mycelial growth, spore production and lesion diameter on apples; to estimate the effects of cold-storage facility conditions on P. expansum population structure; and to investigate the efficacy of three essential oils against P. expansum. The results showed that storage facilities applying fungicides and storing diverse fruit species selected for P. expansum isolates with a larger lesion diameter on apples. In addition, application of fungicides and diversification in stored fruit species significantly select for P. expansum isolates with higher levels of mycelial growth and spore production, respectively. Moreover, the diversity of host species of stored fruit accounted for 38% of the variability observed between storage facilities for the measured fitness parameters in P. expansum isolates and had a stronger effect on P. expansum population structure than fungicide treatment. Essential oils from Mentha pulegium and Syzygium aromaticum significantly decreased mycelial growth and spore production of P. expansum isolates in vitro. Mentha pulegium essential oil also significantly decreased the size of lesions associated with the blue mold rot of apples. Reducing the diversity of stored host species and applying M. pulegium essential oil may be useful in counter-selecting for aggressive P. expansum isolates and reducing losses due to blue mold rot during fruit storage.

Monilinia laxa causes serious postharvest damage on apricot fruits under shelf-life storage conditions. Plant elicitors of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and salicylic acid (SA) can reduce this damage, and their research can explain the background of the plant defense physiological processes in M. laxa-infected fruits. The aims of this study were: (i) to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of MeJA and SA on brown rot incidence (BRI) and lesion diameter (LD) of apricot fruits; (ii) to measure the temporal patterns for the effect of 0.4 mmol L−1 MeJA and 2 mmol L−1 SA treatments on BRI, LD and seven fruit measures (fruit firmness (FF), lignin content (LC), total soluble phenol content (TSPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and enzyme activities of PAL, POD and SOD) in treatments of M. laxa-inoculated versus (vs.) non-inoculated fruits over an eight-day shelf-life storage period; and (iii) to determine inter-correlations among the seven fruit measures for MeJA and SA treatments. Both MeJA and SA significantly reduced BRI and LD. LC, FF, TAC, TSPC, as well as SOD and PAL activities in the MeJA and SA treatments were higher than the water-treated control in most assessment days and both inoculation treatments. In both inoculation treatments, the activity of POD in the SA-treated fruits was higher than MeJA-treated and control fruits at all dates. In MeJA vs. SA and inoculated vs. non-inoculated treatments, six variable pairs (FF vs. TSPC, FF vs. TAC, TAC vs. PAL, PAL vs. POD, PAL vs. SOD, and POD vs. SOD) showed significant inter-correlation values. Principal component analyses explained 96% and 93% of the total variance for inoculated and non-inoculated treatments, respectively. In inoculated treatments, both PC1 and PC2 explained 41% of the total variance and correlated with FF, TSPC and TAC and with PAL, SOD and POD, respectively. In non-inoculated treatments, PC1 and PC2 explained 49% and 44% of the total variance and correlated with LC, PAL, POD and SOD and with FF, TSPC and TAC, respectively. It can be concluded that MeJA and SA are useful in the practice to enhance the plant defense system against brown rot by reducing fungal growth and by improving physical and antioxidant attributes (FF, LC, TAC and TSPC) and the activity of defense-related enzymes (PAL, POD and SOD) in apricot fruits during shelf-life storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their perishable nature, tropical fruits are prone to pre-and post-harvest loss attributed to biotic and abiotic factors. Although the production of tropical fruits such as banana (Musa acuminata), guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica), papaya (Carica papaya), and passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is in the increasing trend, the post-harvest loss remains a challenge for the production of excess tropical fruits worldwide. Severity and cross-pathogenicity of different Colletotrichum species attributed to the reasonable loss of such fruits, hence molecular detection and discrimination of such fungal species are indispensable for post-harvest disease management. In the present study, the rDNA ITS was used for molecular identification of fungal isolates from five tropical fruits at the post-harvesting stage. Most of the identified fungi belong to the genus Colletotrichum. Furthermore, the cross-pathogenicity and disease symptom severity of the isolates across these fruit samples was also investigated. The result showed that most isolates are host-specific, passion fruit being the ideal host for all the discriminated isolates. The symptoms caused by Colletotrichum isolates showed similar patterns as revealed by lesion diameter analysis. The work provided important data on the cross-pathogenicity and disease symptom characteristics of Colletotrichum pathogens known to affect the five tropical fruits investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of colonoscopy in evaluating the diameter and number of lesions combined with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 242 (CA242) in the identification of colo-rectal polyps and cancer. From January 2018 to January 2020, 212 patients with colo-rectal cancer were selected as the observation group, and 100 patients with colo-rectal polyps during the same period were selected as the control group. The clinical data, the diameter of the lesion, the number of lesions, the expression of CEA and CA242 were compared between the two groups. It was found that after controlling for factors such as age and family history, lesion diameter, number of lesions, adenomatous lesions, CEA and CA242 expression were still significantly correlated with colo-rectal cancer (P<0.05). The AUC of the combined differential diagnosis of colo-rectal cancer was 0.870, which was greater than any single index (P<0.05). Therefore, the diameter, number of lesions and pathological types of colonoscopy are related to the expression levels of CEA and CA242, which are related factors in the incidence of colo-rectal cancer. The combined detection of various indicators is expected to provide a new method for the diagnosis and differentiation of colo-rectal polyps and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of prostate volume and lesion size on the clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection rates of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies, performed by a cognitive targeting method for sampling peripheral zone lesions. Material and methods: We retrospectively enrolled 219 consecutive patients, who underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging with a 3-T scanner and had peripheral zone lesions suspected for prostate cancer. All of these patients underwent combined cognitive targeted biopsy of suspicious lesions and TRUS-guided systematic biopsy. The detection rates of csPCa according to different lesion diameters (<5 mm, 5--9.9 mm, and ≥10 mm) and prostate volumes (<30 mL, 30--49.9 mL, 50--79.9 mL, and ≥80 mL) were calculated per lesion basis. In addition, subgroup analysis of csPCa detection rates was performed according to Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System scores of lesions. Results: The csPCa detection rates according to lesion diameters <5 mm, 5--9.9 mm, and ≥10 mm were 4%, 9.8%, and 33.1%, respectively, and were significantly lower for lesions <10 mm (p<0.001). The csPCa detection rates were 61.5%, 24.1%, 16.2%, and 6.9%, respectively, for prostate volumes <30 mL, 30--49.9 mL, 50--79.9 mL, and ≥80 mL, and were significantly higher for prostate volumes <30 mL (p<0.001). Conclusions: Clinicians should be very careful when they prefer cognitive targeted prostatic biopsy in patients with periferal zone lesions less than 10 mm and with prostate volumes greater than 30 mL, because of significantly low csPCa detection rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the safety, efficacy, and follow-up outcomes of microwave ablation (MWA) in patients with breast fibroadenoma. An institutional review board-approved this study of patients treated with MWA for breast fibroadenoma from October 2017 to March 2019. Clinical features of patients and breast fibroadenoma were analyzed. At follow-up all patients received physical examination and ultrasound imaging. In total, 171 patients with 271 lesions were enrolled. The mean lesion diameter was 1.35 ± 0.47 cm. The results revealed differential lesion states, including stability, enlargement, reduction, and complete regression, at 1-6, 6-12, and >12 months of follow-up. The size was reduced in 22.14% (31/140), 26.36% (29/110), and 36.36% (16/44) of the lesions at 1-6, 6-12, and >12 months of follow-up, respectively. The proportion of lesions with complete regression was 24.29% (34/140) at 1-6 months, 45.45% (50/110) at 6-12 months, and 40.91% (18/44) at >12 months of follow up. There was no significant relationship between the curative effect and age, lesion location, and blood flow in patients with breast fibroadenoma after MWA (p >.05), but there was statistically significant relationship with lesion diameter (categorized as <1.5 cm and ≥1.5 cm) (p <.05). The current evidence indicates that MWA is a safe and effective method for treating breast fibroadenoma. Nevertheless, further large-scale prospective trials and well-designed future studies are warranted to validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT and ultrasonography in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), and explored the factors that affect the diagnostic performance. Methods 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT and ultrasonography were performed in 50 patients with SHPT within 1 month before they underwent surgery. Imaging results were confirmed by the pathology. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation of PTH level with clinical data. The optimal cutoff value for predicting positive 99mTc-MIBI results was evaluated by ROC analysis in lesions diameter. Results Forty-nine patients had a positive 99mTc-MIBI imaging results and 39 patients had positive ultrasonography results. The sensitivities of 99mTc-MIBI and ultrasonography were 98.00% and 78.00%, respectively. A total of 199 lesions were resected in 50 patients. Among them, 183 lesions were proved to be parathyroid hyperplasia. On per-lesion basis analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc-MIBI and ultrasonography were 59.34% and 75.00% vs 46.24% and 80.00%, respectively. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the serum AKP and PTH level had a significant linear association (r = 0.699, P

Monilinia laxa causes serious postharvest damage on apricot fruits under shelf-life storage conditions. Plant elicitors of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and salicylic acid (SA) can reduce this damage, and their research can explain the background of the plant defense physiological processes in M. laxa-infected fruits. The aims of this study were: (i) to evaluate the effect of various concentrations of MeJA and SA on brown rot incidence (BRI) and lesion diameter (LD) of apricot fruits; (ii) to measure the temporal patterns for the effect of 0.4 mmol L−1 MeJA and 2 mmol L−1 SA treatments on BRI, LD and seven fruit measures (fruit firmness (FF), lignin content (LC), total soluble phenol content (TSPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and enzyme activities of PAL, POD and SOD) in treatments of M. laxa-inoculated versus (vs.) non-inoculated fruits over an eight-day shelf-life storage period; and (iii) to determine inter-correlations among the seven fruit measures for MeJA and SA treatments. Both MeJA and SA significantly reduced BRI and LD. LC, FF, TAC, TSPC, as well as SOD and PAL activities in the MeJA and SA treatments were higher than the water-treated control in most assessment days and both inoculation treatments. In both inoculation treatments, the activity of POD in the SA-treated fruits was higher than MeJA-treated and control fruits at all dates. In MeJA vs. SA and inoculated vs. non-inoculated treatments, six variable pairs (FF vs. TSPC, FF vs. TAC, TAC vs. PAL, PAL vs. POD, PAL vs. SOD, and POD vs. SOD) showed significant inter-correlation values. Principal component analyses explained 96% and 93% of the total variance for inoculated and non-inoculated treatments, respectively. In inoculated treatments, both PC1 and PC2 explained 41% of the total variance and correlated with FF, TSPC and TAC and with PAL, SOD and POD, respectively. In non-inoculated treatments, PC1 and PC2 explained 49% and 44% of the total variance and correlated with LC, PAL, POD and SOD and with FF, TSPC and TAC, respectively. It can be concluded that MeJA and SA are useful in the practice to enhance the plant defense system against brown rot by reducing fungal growth and by improving physical and antioxidant attributes (FF, LC, TAC and TSPC) and the activity of defense-related enzymes (PAL, POD and SOD) in apricot fruits during shelf-life storage conditions.

Penicillium expansum infection of apples and mycotoxin patulin (PAT) production has previously been associated with many pre- and postharvest factors other than physiological disorders. In the current study, 'Antei' and 'Krameri tuviõun' apples with and without bitter pit (BP) symptoms and 'Talvenauding' apples with and without superficial scald (SS) symptoms were used in order to determine if the named physiological disorders may influence susceptibility to P. expansum infection and PAT production. Apples were inoculated with 10 μL P. expansum spore suspension with the concentration of 1x105 conidia mL-1 and stored at 24 °C with relative humidity (RH) 80%. After 7 and 11 days, lesion diameters were measured, and apples were pressed into juice. PAT content was determined in pasteurized juice. Two cultivars out of three showed that in fruit with physiological disorders, Penicilllium infection and PAT production proceeded significantly faster compared to apples, which did not have physiological disorders. SS increased the risk for PAT occurrence in juice more than BP: while the juice pressed from BP--affected apples with no visual signs of fungal diseases did not contain PAT, juice pressed from apples with SS contained PAT three times above legislative limits defined by the World Health Organization (50 μg L-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Slovenica is the property of Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This Letter reports on the testing and assessment of an optical computed tomography-navigation system for percutaneous lung interventional, SIRIO, showing how the lesion diameter affects the bioptic procedure. Clinical data, relating to 501 patients, were collected at the Department of Interventional Radiology of Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico. This Letter shows that the diameter of lesion affects only the procedure duration (50.91 ± 18.87 min for lesions of diameter ≤20 mm and 44.98 ± 19.43 min for lesions of diameter >20 and ≤40 mm). For the nodules with a diameter ≤20 mm, there is a significant increase in the duration of the procedure (for each mm less the time increases by 6 s). Other parameters like the mean effective radiation dose and the presence of a diagnostic or non-diagnostic specimen do not depend, instead, on the lesion size. The economic analysis based on the biopsy procedure with SIRIO shows the necessity to adopt a new reimbursement system for percutaneous biopsy performed using navigation systems to stimulate their use to get important non-economic gains such as early diagnosis, reduction of the absorbed dose of X-rays and increasing number of lung cancers in a curable early stage.

The study aimed at evaluating the influence of water-chestnut starch-based coatings loaded with rosemary essential oil (REO) at concentrations of 0.10%, 0.25% and 0.50% (w/v) on postharvest cold storage stability of apple var. Golden delicious for 120 days. Average droplet diameter of nanoemulsions was in range of 315-450 nm and it increased with increase in the REO concentration. Minimum weight loss was observed in fruits treated with coating material containing 0.50% REO. Samples coated with starch+0.50% REO exhibited highest firmness value of 68.22 ± 1.02 N under controlled atmosphere storage (CAS). Anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were retained in all samples coated with formulated emulsion. Antifungal assay against Pencillium expansum indicated that 0.50% REO had maximum antifungal activity. Increase in REO concentration from 0.10 to 0.50% in starch coating formulations resulted in reduced lesion diameter in coated samples under both the storage conditions. Lesion diameter (LD) was found highest in control (39.40 ± 0.20 mm) under ambient conditions. Coated fruit samples showed a significant (p≤0.05) reduction in LD under both the ambient and CAS conditions however, more pronounced effect was reported under CAS. Fruits coated with edible coatings enriched with different REO concentrations under CAS exhibited significantly (p≤0.05) lower chilling injury index (ST+0.50%REO < ST+0.25%REO<0.10%REO) compared to control., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Background: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT and ultrasonography in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), and explored the factors that affect the diagnostic performance. Methods: 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT and ultrasonography were performed in 50 patients with SHPT within 1 month before they underwent surgery. Imaging results were confirmed by the pathology. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation of PTH level with clinical data. The optimal cutoff value for predicting positive 99mTc-MIBI results was evaluated by ROC analysis in lesions diameter. Results: Forty-nine patients had a positive 99mTc-MIBI imaging results and 39 patients had positive ultrasonography results. The sensitivities of 99mTc-MIBI and ultrasonography were 98.00% and 78.00%, respectively. A total of 199 lesions were resected in 50 patients. Among them, 183 lesions were proved to be parathyroid hyperplasia. On per-lesion basis analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc-MIBI and ultrasonography were 59.34% and 75.00% vs 46.24% and 80.00%, respectively. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the serum AKP and PTH level had a significant linear association (r = 0.699, P < 0.001). The lesion diameter was a statistically significant predictive factor in predicting positive 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT. The optimal cutoff value for predicting positive 99mTc-MIBI results evaluated by ROC analysis in lesions diameter was 8.05 mm. Conclusion: Dual phase 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT imaging had a higher sensitivity in patients with SHPT than ultrasonography. Therefore, using 99mTc-MIBI positioning the lesion could be an effective method pre-surgical in patients with SHPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fusarium species is the most destructive storage pathogen of stored potato tubers. • Mixed infection of Fusarium aggravates the dry rot occurrence during storage. • The fungal infection caused a significant reduction in starch and amylose content of the tubers. • Amylopectin, reducing sugars, sucrose and total soluble sugar content were increased after fungal infection. • Overall there was deterioration in quality parameters of potato tuber due to fungal infection. Fusarium is a major spoilage fungus of potato tubers during post-harvest storage. The dry rot disease caused by Fusarium species severely affects the harvested potatoes and impose a critical loss to processing industries and consumers. In our experiment, we investigated the occurrence of Fusarium sambucinum (FS) and Fusarium oxysporum (FO) as major storage fungus causing Fusarium dry rot in potato tubers. Further, we performed morpho-molecular identification of both the fungi and confirmed their pathogenicity on potato tuber during storage. We evaluated the susceptibility parameters and quality attributes during infection in two popular cultivars namely 'Kufri Pukhraj' (table purpose) and 'Kufri Chipsona 3' (processing purpose). Out of two cultivars, 'Kufri Pukhraj' was shown to have greater susceptibility as compared to 'Kufri Chipsona 3' in terms of lesion diameter, fungus penetration and rot volume during periodic observation of 20, 40 and 60 d of storage. FS was highly aggressive as compared to FO. However, a mixed inoculum of Fusarium species caused higher damage irrespective of cultivars. The physicochemical analysis revealed that fungus infection (individual or mixed inoculum) leads to a reduction in starch and amylose content in both the cultivars after 60 d of storage. Moreover, amylopectin, reducing sugars, sucrose and total soluble sugar content were increased in response to fungal infection in both cultivars. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that lesion diameter and rot volume was negatively correlated (R < -0.80) with starch and amylose content. However, amylopectin, reducing sugar, sucrose and total soluble sugar was positively correlated with susceptibility parameters. This study highlights the impact of storage fungus infection on the nutritional quality parameters of potato tubers which is a critical concern for consumers and processing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The major objectives of the present work were to express, purify and investigate the antifungal activity of the recombinant rice chitinase in controlling grey mould onset after loquat harvest. Rice class I chitinase gene was inserted into the vector pPIC9 to construct pPIC9/Chi, and then expressed in Pichia pastoris strain GS115. The expression level and antifungal activity of the recombinant chitinase against Botrytis cinerea on loquat were analysed. As a result, the chitinase was successfully expressed at a high level in the host yeasts and was enzymatically active. In addition, the chitinase significantly inhibited the spread of the grey mould on the rot region of loquat. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the chitinase has antifungal activities against grey mould and may be developed for an effective biocontrol agent for fruit storage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Feeding and oviposition preference studies of Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse, on leaves and stems of tea, Camellia sinensis L. (O) Kuntze revealed that the insect mostly preferred the second leaf for feeding in comparison to the first, and the third leaf and stems; while the fifth instar nymphs were the most voracious feeders among the life stages, producing the most and largest feeding lesions. The insect preferred to oviposit mainly on stems and very few eggs are found on leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter reports on the testing and assessment of an optical computed tomography-navigation system for percutaneous lung interventional, SIRIO, showing how the lesion diameter affects the bioptic procedure. Clinical data, relating to 501 patients, were collected at the Department of Interventional Radiology of Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico. This Letter shows that the diameter of lesion affects only the procedure duration (50.91 ± 18.87 min for lesions of diameter ≤20 mm and 44.98 ± 19.43 min for lesions of diameter >20 and ≤40 mm). For the nodules with a diameter ≤20 mm, there is a significant increase in the duration of the procedure (for each mm less the time increases by 6 s). Other parameters like the mean effective radiation dose and the presence of a diagnostic or non-diagnostic specimen do not depend, instead, on the lesion size. The economic analysis based on the biopsy procedure with SIRIO shows the necessity to adopt a new reimbursement system for percutaneous biopsy performed using navigation systems to stimulate their use to get important non-economic gains such as early diagnosis, reduction of the absorbed dose of X-rays and increasing number of lung cancers in a curable early stage.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT and ultrasonography in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), and explored the factors that affect the diagnostic performance., Methods: 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT and ultrasonography were performed in 50 patients with SHPT within 1 month before they underwent surgery. Imaging results were confirmed by the pathology. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation of PTH level with clinical data. The optimal cutoff value for predicting positive 99m Tc-MIBI results was evaluated by ROC analysis in lesions diameter., Results: Forty-nine patients had a positive 99m Tc-MIBI imaging results and 39 patients had positive ultrasonography results. The sensitivities of 99m Tc-MIBI and ultrasonography were 98.00% and 78.00%, respectively. A total of 199 lesions were resected in 50 patients. Among them, 183 lesions were proved to be parathyroid hyperplasia. On per-lesion basis analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of 99m Tc-MIBI and ultrasonography were 59.34% and 75.00% vs 46.24% and 80.00%, respectively. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the serum AKP and PTH level had a significant linear association (r = 0.699, P < 0.001). The lesion diameter was a statistically significant predictive factor in predicting positive 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT. The optimal cutoff value for predicting positive 99m Tc-MIBI results evaluated by ROC analysis in lesions diameter was 8.05 mm., Conclusion: Dual phase 99m Tc-MIBI SPECT/CT imaging had a higher sensitivity in patients with SHPT than ultrasonography. Therefore, using 99m Tc-MIBI positioning the lesion could be an effective method pre-surgical in patients with SHPT.