Comprehensive Identification of PTI Suppressors in Type III Effector Repertoire Reveals that Ralstonia solanacearum Activates Jasmonate Signaling at Two Different Steps

Ralstonia solanacearum is the causative agent of bacterial wilt in many plants. To identify R. solanacearum effectors that suppress pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) in plants, we transiently expressed R. solanacearum RS1000 effectors in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and evaluated their ability to suppress the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggered by flg22. Out of the 61 effectors tested, 11 strongly and five moderately suppressed the flg22-triggered ROS burst. Among them, RipE1 shared homology with the Pseudomonas syringae cysteine protease effector HopX1. By yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified jasmonate-ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins, which are transcriptional repressors of the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway in plants, as RipE1 interactors. RipE1 promoted the degradation of JAZ repressors and induced the expressions of JA-responsive genes in a cysteine-protease-activity-dependent manner. Simultaneously, RipE1, similarly to the previously identified JA-producing effector RipAL, decreased the expression level of the salicylic acid synthesis gene that is required for the defense responses against R. solanacearum. The undecuple mutant that lacks 11 effectors with a strong PTI suppression activity showed reduced growth of R. solanacearum in Nicotiana plants. These results indicate that R. solanacearum subverts plant PTI responses using multiple effectors and manipulates JA signaling at two different steps to promote infection

Can the Scapular Dyskinesis Test be Associated with Throwing Related Injuries During the Course of Collegiate Baseball Seasons?

Background A pattern of scapular dyskinesis on the dominant side has been demonstrated to be associated with a decrease in throwing arm conditions identified by a self-report outcome assessment in collegiate baseball pitchers during the course of a single season. However, it is unclear if symptomatic shoulders in baseball pitchers may be associated with the presence of scapular dyskinesis. Purpose To study the relationship between the presence of scapular dyskinesis and throwing-related injury in collegiate baseball pitchers during each respective course of up to four subsequent seasons. Methods A single Division 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association team participated in this study over a four-year-period. The scapular dyskinesis test was implemented during the preseason for baseball pitchers. Players were followed throughout each respective season to track the incidence of throwing-related upper extremity injuries. Results A total of 36 collegiate baseball pitchers (height: 185.3 ± 5.6 cm, weight: 88.8 ± 7.8 kg, age: 20.0 ± 1.5 years) consisting of 57 pitcher seasons were followed in this study, in which 18 pitchers remained with the team for more than one year. Twenty-seven of the 57 pitchers were classified as having scapular dyskinesis demonstrated at around 90° of shoulder flexion on the throwing side. Five injuries (13.2% of a total of 38 injuries) were diagnosed as throwing-related shoulder injuries during the course of the intercollegiate baseball seasons. Four of the five throwing-related shoulder injuries occurred in pitchers who had scapular dyskinesis on their dominant side. Consequently, the odds ratio was 5.04 for the collegiate pitchers with scapular dyskinesis on the throwing arm side associated with a throwing-related shoulder injury compared to those with no scapular dyskinesis (p = 0.16). No relationship was identified between scapular dyskinesis on the throwing arm side and throwing-related elbow injury. Eighty-one percent of the scapular dyskinesis test results were not changed on the throwing side from the previous to the following year for those 18 pitchers who were followed for more than one season, whereas 42.9% of the results remained unchanged on the non-throwing side. Conclusion The results suggest that collegiate baseball pitchers with dominant arm scapular dyskinesis likely are at increased risk of throwing-related shoulder injury. Level of evidence Level 2, Prospective Cohort Study

Relationships Between Humeral Retroversion, Anterior Glenohumeral Laxity, and Forward Scapular Posture in Collegiate Baseball Players

Context: Baseball players are prone to soft tissue and bony adaptations due to repetitive throwing. Humeral retroversion, anterior shoulder laxity, and forward scapular posture are three common adaptations that have been associated with posterior shoulder tightness. Objective: To investigate if relationships exist between humeral retroversion, anterior shoulder laxity, and forward scapular posture among collegiate baseball players. Design: A cross–sectional correlation study. Setting: Athletic training facility at universities. Participants: Forty–eight asymptomatic NCAA Division-I baseball players (age 20.2 ± 1.2, weight 90.39 ± 8.92 kg, height 185.63 ± 6.69 cm). Interventions: Humeral retroversion and anterior shoulder laxity from dominant shoulders and bilateral differences of forward scapular posture were measured twice during the one-time testing session. Main Outcome Measures: Humeral torsion angle and anterior humeral head displacement of dominant shoulder and forward scapular displacement of both shoulders were measured. Results: No significant correlations (p \u3e .385) were found between humeral retroversion, anterior shoulder laxity, and forward scapular posture. Conclusions: While humeral retroversion, anterior shoulder laxity, and forward scapular posture are associated with posterior shoulder tightness, it appears that each variable is a separate entity to the others

Evaluation of Pharyngeal Airway in Acromegaly

Objectives: Perioperative airway management may be particularly challenging in patients with acromegaly undergoing trans‐sphenoidal pituitary surgery (TSS). Management for airway obstruction is required prior to pituitary surgery to minimize perioperative hypoxia. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate airway obstruction by simulation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using computed tomography (CT) images in patients who had undergone TSS. Methods: CT images of the nasopharyngeal airways of patients with acromegaly (n = 5) or nonfunctional pituitary adenoma (n = 6) undergoing TSS from April 2012 to January 2017 were used to construct these airways in three dimensions. Estimated airflow pressure and velocity in the retropalatal airway (RA), oropharyngeal airway (OA), and hypopharyngeal airway (HA) were simulated using CFD. Results: Estimated pharyngeal airflow pressure in the HA, OA, and RA was significantly greater in patients with acromegaly than in those with nonfunctional pituitary adenomas whereas the estimated pharyngeal airflow velocity was significantly impaired only in the RA of patients with acromegaly. Minimum postoperative SpO2 both within 3 hours and from 3 to 12 hours after the end of anesthesia was significantly lower in the patients with acromegaly. Additionally, estimated volume of tongue and pharyngeal airflow pressure in the HA, OA, and RA correlated with minimum postoperative SpO2. Conclusion: Pharyngeal airflow pressure estimated from CT images is high in patients with acromegaly, and these values correlate with postoperative minimum values for SpO2. Preoperative evaluation of CT images by CFD can predict difficulty in airway management and perioperative hypoxia

Improved brain MRI indices in the acute brain stem infarct sites treated with hydroxyl radical scavengers, Edaravone and hydrogen, as compared to Edaravone alone. A non-controlled study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In acute stage of cerebral infarction, MRI indices (rDWI & rADC) deteriorate during the first 3-7 days after the ictus and then gradually normalize in approximately 10 days (pseudonormalization time), although the tissue is already infarcted. Since effective treatments improve these indices significantly and in less than the natural pseudonormalization time, a combined analysis of these changes provides an opportunity for objective evaluation on the effectiveness of various treatments for cerebral infarction. Hydroxyl radicals are highly destructive to the tissue and aggravate cerebral infarction. We treated brainstem infarction patients in acute stage with hydroxyl radical scavengers (Edaravone and hydrogen) by intravenous administration and evaluated the effects of the treatment by a serial observation and analysis of these MRI indices. The effects of the treatment were evaluated and compared in two groups, an Edaravone alone group and a combined group with Edaravone and hydrogen, in order to assess beneficial effects of addition of hydrogen.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The patients were divided in Edaravone only group (E group. 26 patients) and combined treatment group with Edaravone and hydrogen enriched saline (EH group. 8 patients). The extent of the initial hump of rDWI, the initial dip of rADC and pseudo-normalization time were determined in each patient serially and averages of these data were compared in these two groups and also with the natural course in the literatures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The initial hump of rDWI reached 2.0 in the E group which was better than 2.5 of the natural course but was not as good as 1.5 of the EH group. The initial dip of rADC was 0.6 in the E group which was close to the natural course but worse than 0.8 of the EH group. Pseudonormalization time of rDWI and rADC was 9 days only in EH group but longer in other groups. Addition of hydrogen caused no side effects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Administration of hydroxyl radical scavengers in acute stage of brainstem infarction improved MRI indices against the natural course. The effects were more obvious and significant in the EH group. These findings may imply the need for more frequent daily administration of hydroxyl scavenger, or possible additional hydrogen effects on scavenger mechanisms.</p

Intra-strain elicitation and suppression of plant immunity by Ralstonia solanacearum type-III effectors in Nicotiana benthamiana

Effector proteins delivered inside plant cells are powerful weapons for bacterial pathogens, but this exposes the pathogen to potential recognition by the plant immune system. Therefore, the effector repertoire of a given pathogen must be balanced for a successful infection. Ralstonia solanacearum is an aggressive pathogen with a large repertoire of secreted effectors. One of these effectors, RipE1, is conserved in most R. solanacearum strains sequenced to date. In this work, we found that RipE1 triggers immunity in N. benthamiana, which requires the immune regulator SGT1, but not EDS1 or NRCs. Interestingly, RipE1-triggered immunity induces the accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) and the overexpression of several genes encoding phenylalanine-ammonia lyases (PALs), suggesting that the unconventional PAL-mediated pathway is responsible for the observed SA biosynthesis. Surprisingly, RipE1 recognition also induces the expression of jasmonic acid (JA)-responsive genes and JA biosynthesis, suggesting that both SA and JA may act cooperatively in response to RipE1. Finally, we found that RipE1 expression leads to the accumulation of glutathione in plant cells, which precedes the activation of immune responses. R. solanacearum secretes another effector, RipAY, which is known to inhibit immune responses by degrading cellular glutathione. Accordingly, we show that RipAY inhibits RipE1-triggered immune responses. This work shows a strategy employed by R. solanacearum to counteract the perception of its effector proteins by the plant immune system

Synthesis and antibacterial activity against ralstonia solanacearum for novel hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Ralstonia solanacearum</it>, one of the most important bacterial diseases on plants, is a devastating, soil-borne plant pathogen with a global distribution and an unusually wide host range. In order to discover new bioactive molecules and pesticides acting on tobacco bacterial wilt, we sought to combine the active structure of hydrazone and pyridine together to design and synthesize a series of novel hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A series of hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety were synthesized. Their structures were characterized by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, IR, and elemental analysis. The preliminary biological activity tests showed that compound 3e and 3g exhibited more than 80% activity against <it>Ralstonia solanacearum </it>at 500 mg/L, especially compound 3g displayed relatively good activity to reach 57.0% at 200 mg/L.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A practical synthetic route to hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety by the reaction of intermediates 2 with different aldehydes in ethanol at room temperature using 2-chloronicotinic acid and 2-amino-5-chloro-3-methylbenzoic acid as start materials is presented. This study suggests that the hydrazone derivatives containing a substituted pyridine ring could inhibit the growth of <it>Ralstonia solanacearum</it>.</p

A Conserved EAR Motif Is Required for Avirulence and Stability of the Ralstonia solanacearum Effector PopP2 In Planta

(extract) Overall, this study reveals high conservation of the PopP2 effector in Korean R. solanacearum strains isolated from commercially cultivated tomato and pepper genotypes. Importantly, our data also indicate that the PopP2 conserved repressor motif could contribute to the effector accumulation in plant cells