New methods to detect bacterial or viral infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Introduction: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are frequently colonized and infected by respiratory pathogens. Identifying these infectious etiologies is critical for understanding the microbial dynamics of COPD and for the appropriate use of antimicrobials during exacerbations.

Areas Covered: Traditional methods, such as bacterial and viral cultures, have been standard in diagnosing respiratory infections.

A Novel Cytotoxic Mechanism for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells Induced by the Type II Heat-Labile Enterotoxin LT-IIc through Ganglioside Ligation.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which constitutes 10-20 percent of all breast cancers, is aggressive, has high metastatic potential, and carries a poor prognosis due to limited treatment options. LT-IIc, a member of the type II subfamily of ADP-ribosylating-heat-labile enterotoxins that bind to a distinctive set of cell-surface ganglioside receptors-is cytotoxic toward TNBC cell lines, but has no cytotoxic activity for non-transformed breast epithelial cells. Here, primary TNBC cells, isolated from resected human tumors, showed an enhanced cytotoxic response specifically toward LT-IIc, in contrast to other enterotoxins that were tested.

Access to health knowledge for health equality: a multi-phase review focused on disability-health.

Background: The existing evidence base indicates increased interest in knowledge translation (KT), or, the dissemination of research to ensure uptake and impact. Given this definition, this study aimed to review existing scholarship on knowledge translation (KT) of health research to people living with disabilities (PLWD), and assess the current state of accessibility of health knowledge for people living with disabilities.

Methods: Given existing heterogeneity in literature as well as a number of varying definitions for both disability and knowledge translation, a reflexive, three-phase approach was utilized to improve methodological soundness.

A Breakthrough in Kitavirids: Genetic Variability, Reverse Genetics, Koch's Postulates, and Transmission of Hibiscus Green Spot Virus 2.

Hibiscus green spot virus 2 (HGSV-2), a member of the genus (family ), is a positive-stranded RNA virus associated with leprosis-like symptoms in citrus and green spots on leaves in hibiscus. HGSV-2 has only been reported in Hawaii, and while it is speculated that mites in the genus might be responsible for its transmission, proper transmission assays have yet to be conducted. This study characterizes additional citrus and hibiscus isolates of HGSV-2 collected from two Hawaiian Islands.

Persistent neurological symptoms and elevated intracranial pressures in a previously healthy host with cryptococcal meningitis.

Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis can occur in both previously healthy and immunocompromised hosts. Here, we describe a 55 year-old HIV-negative male with no known prior medical problems, who presented with three months of worsening headaches, confusion, and memory changes without fever. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated bilateral enlargement/enhancement of the choroid plexi, with hydrocephalus, temporal and occipital horn entrapments, as well as marked periventricular transependymal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) seepage.

Molecular and Biological Characterization of a Novel Tobamovirus Infecting Sunn Hemp () in Hawaii.

Sunn hemp ( L.) cultivar Tropic Sun plants, stunted and displaying mottle and mosaic symptoms on foliage, were observed at a seed farm in Maui County, Hawaii. Lateral flow assays indicated the presence of either tobacco mosaic virus or a serologically related virus.

First detection and complete genome sequence of a new tobamovirus naturally infecting Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Hawaii.

High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (family Malvaceae) plants with virus-like symptoms in Hawaii. Bioinformatic and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of two tobamoviruses, hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus (HLFPV) and a new tobamovirus with the proposed name "hibiscus latent Hawaii virus" (HLHV). This is the first report of the complete sequence, genome organization, and phylogenetic characterization of a tobamovirus infecting hibiscus in Hawaii.

Survey of Viruses Infecting in Hawaii.

Malabar spinach plants (, Basellaceae) with leaves exhibiting symptoms of mosaic, rugosity, and malformation were found in a community garden on Oahu, HI in 2018. Preliminary studies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse-transcription (RT)-PCR identified Basella rugose mosaic virus (BaRMV) in symptomatic plants. However, nucleotide sequence analysis of RT-PCR amplicons indicated that additional potyviruses were also present in the symptomatic Malabar spinach.

Preserving plant samples from remote locations for detection of RNA and DNA viruses.

Viral diseases in plants have a significant impact on agricultural productivity. Effective detection is needed to facilitate accurate diagnosis and characterization of virus infections essential for crop protection and disease management. For sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods, it is important to preserve the integrity of nucleic acids in plant tissue samples.

Examination of the Virome of Taro Plants Affected by a Lethal Disease, the Alomae-Bobone Virus Complex, in Papua New Guinea.

Alomae-bobone virus complex (ABVC) is a lethal but still understudied disease that is limited to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. The only virus clearly associated to ABVC is Colocasia bobone disease-associated virus (CBDaV). Taro () plants with and without symptoms of ABVC disease were sampled from two locations in Papua New Guinea and examined for viruses using high-throughput sequencing (HTS).

Development of an ultra-sensitive single-tube nested PCR assay for rapid detection of Campylobacter jejuni in ground chicken.

Traditional culture-based detection methods for Campylobacteri jejuni, a leading cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, are time-consuming, cumbersome, and lacking in reliability. While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been frequently used for pathogen testing, it might generate false-negative results due to inadequate sensitivity. This study was the first to explore novel single-tube nested PCR (STN-PCR) to detect pathogens in food.

Complete genome organization and characterization of Hippeastrum latent virus.

The complete genome sequences of two carlaviruses were determined by high-throughput sequencing of RNA extracted from ringspot and mosaic, disease symptoms on leaves of spider lily plants (Crinum asiaticum, family Amaryllidaceae) growing as landscape plants in Hawaii. One, named Nerine latent virus (NeLV)-Hawaii with a genome of 8281 nucleotide exhibited the highest nucleotide identity and amino acid similarity of 95.5% and 96.

First report of the hibiscus strain of citrus leprosis virus C2 infecting passionfruit (Passiflora edulis).

In Hawaii, passionfruit (Passiflora edulis; Passifloraceae) is grown primarily in residential properties and community gardens (CG). In 2019, passionfruit plants displaying chlorotic spots on young leaves, and green spots in senescing leaves were observed at two CG in Honolulu. Symptoms resembled those of passionfruit green spot virus (PfGSV) infection in Passiflora spp.

Genomic Comparisons and Phenotypic Diversity of Strains Causing Bacterial Soft Rot of Banana in China.

Bacterial soft rot of banana, caused by , is spreading rapidly in important banana growing areas in China and seriously threatens banana production. In this study, we sequenced the high-quality complete genomes of three typical banana strains, MS1 (size: 4,831,702-bp; genome coverages: 538x), MS_2014 (size: 4,740,000-bp; genome coverages: 586x) and MS_2018 (size: 4,787,201-bp; genome coverages: 583x), isolated in 2009, 2014, and 2018, respectively. To determine their genomic and phenotypic diversity with respect to their hosts of origin, they were compared with other .

Genome characterization of fig umbra-like virus.

The complete genome of a new umbra-like virus from edible fig (Ficus carica) was identified by high-throughput sequencing. Based on its similarity to umbra-like virus genome sequences available in GenBank, the proposed name of this new virus is "fig umbra-like virus" (FULV). The genome of full-length FULV-1 consists of 3049 nucleotides organized into three open reading frames (ORFs).

Genomic and Phenotypic Biology of Novel Strains of Isolated From Pineapple and Taro in Hawaii: Insights Into Genome Plasticity, Pathogenicity, and Virulence Determinants.

, a bacterial plant pathogen of the family Pectobacteriaceae, is responsible for a wide range of diseases on potato, maize, rice, banana, pineapple, taro, and ornamentals and significantly reduces crop production. causes the soft rot of taro () and the heart rot of pineapple (). In this study, we used Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to sequence two high-quality complete genomes of novel strains of : PL65 (size: 4.

A novel ampelovirus associated with mealybug wilt of pineapple (Ananas comosus).

Mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP) is the most important and complex viral disease affecting pineapple worldwide. High-throughput sequencing was conducted to characterize a new virus identified only in symptomatic pineapple plants and tentatively named pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus 6 (PMWaV-6). Data analyses revealed a genome of 17,854 nucleotides with an organization resembling members of the genus Ampelovirus, family Closteroviridae.

Characterization of taro reovirus and its status in taro (Colocasia esculenta) germplasm from the Pacific.

Taro reovirus (TaRV) has been reported infecting taro (Colocasia esculenta) in the South Pacific, but information on the virus is limited. Here, we report the genome sequence of a reovirus infecting taro in Papua New Guinea that had 10 genomic segments ranging from 1.1 to 3.

A Virus Infecting Represents an Evolutionary Link Between Cileviruses and Higreviruses.

Hibiscus ( spp.) are popular ornamental and landscape plants in Hawaii which are susceptible to foliar diseases caused by viruses belonging to the genera and (family ). In this study, a virus infecting plants displaying foliar symptoms consistent with infection by a kitavirus, including yellow chlorotic blotches with a green perimeter, was characterized.