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First Report of Anthracnose Disease on Young Stems of Bawanghua (Hylocereus undatus) Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in China

Ma WJ, Yang X, Wang XR, Zeng YS, Liao MD, Chen CJ, et al.

Plant Dis, 2014 Jul;98(7):991.
PMID: 30708879 DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-06-13-0609-PDN

Hylocereus undatus widely grows in southern China. Some varieties are planted for their fruits, known as dragon fruits or Pitaya, while some varieties for their flowers known as Bawanghua. Fresh or dried flowers of Bawanghua are used as routine Chinese medicinal food. Since 2008, a serious anthracnose disease has led to great losses on Bawanghua flower production farms in the Baiyun district of Guangzhou city in China. Anthracnose symptoms on young stems of Bawanghua are reddish-brown, sunken lesions with pink masses of spores in the center. The lesions expand rapidly in the field or in storage, and may coalesce in the warm and wet environment in spring and summer in Guangzhou. Fewer flowers develop on infected stems than on healthy ones. The fungus overwinters in infected debris in the soil. The disease caused a loss of up to 50% on Bawanghua. Putative pathogenic fungi with whitish-orange colonies were isolated from a small piece of tissue (3 × 3 mm) cut from a lesion margin and cultured on potato dextrose agar in a growth chamber at 25°C, 80% RH. Dark colonies with acervuli bearing pinkish conidial masses formed 14 days later. Single celled conidia were 11 to 18 × 4 to 6 μm. Based on these morphological characteristics, the fungi were identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc (2). To confirm this, DNA was extracted from isolate BWH1 and multilocus analyses were completed with DNA sequence data generated from partial ITS region of nrDNA, actin (ACT) and glutamine synthetase (GS) nucleotide sequences by PCR, with C. gloeosporioides specific primers as ITS4 (5'-TCCTCCGCTTATTGATATGC-3') / CgInt (5'-GGCCTCCCGCCTCCGGGCGG-3'), GS-F (5'-ATGGCCGAGTACATCTGG-3') / GS-R (5'-GAACCGTCGAAGTTCCAC-3') and actin-R (5'-ATGTGCAAGGCCGGTTTCGC-3') / actin-F (5'-TACGAGTCCTTCTGGCCCAT-3'). The sequence alignment results indicated that the obtained partial ITS sequence of 468 bp (GenBank Accession No. KF051997), actin sequence of 282 bp (KF712382), and GS sequence of 1,021 bp (KF719176) are 99%, 96%, and 95% identical to JQ676185.1 for partial ITS, FJ907430 for ACT, and FJ972589 for GS of C. gloeosporioides previously deposited, respectively. For testing its pathogenicity, 20 μl of conidia suspension (1 × 106 conidia/ml) using sterile distilled water (SDW) was inoculated into artificial wounds on six healthy young stems of Bawanghua using sterile fine-syringe needle. Meanwhile, 20 μl of SDW was inoculated on six healthy stems as a control. The inoculated stems were kept at 25°C, about 90% relative humidity. Three independent experiments were carried out. Reddish-brown lesions formed after 10 days, on 100% stems (18 in total) inoculated by C. gloeosporioides, while no lesion formed on any control. The pathogen was successfully re-isolated from the inoculated stem lesions on Bawanghua. Thus, Koch's postulates were fulfilled. Colletotrichum anthracnose has been reported on Pitaya in Japan (3), Malaysia (1) and in Brazil (4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of anthracnose disease caused by C. gloeosporioides on young stems of Bawanghua (H. undatus) in China. References: (1) M. Masyahit et al. Am. J. Appl. Sci. 6:902, 2009. (2) B. C. Sutton. Page 402 in: Colletotrichum Biology, Pathology and Control. J. A. Bailey and M. J. Jeger, eds. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, 1992. (3) S. Taba et al. Jpn. J. Phytopathol. 72:25, 2006. (4) L. M. Takahashi et al. Australas. Plant Dis. Notes 3:96, 2008.
Fulltext Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with different frequencies on neuropathic orofacial pain: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

Liao M, Diao Y, Pan J, Wong LS, Subramaniam G, Vasanthi RK, et al.

J Oral Facial Pain Headache, 2024 Jun;38(2):48-67.
PMID: 39801095 DOI: 10.22514/jofph.2024.013

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive technique used to treat neuropathic orofacial pain (NOP). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rTMS in managing NOP and reducing health risks. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in various databases, including PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase and Clinical Trials.gov. Thirteen relevant articles were identified and assessed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was utilized to evaluate the evidence rating for the studies. The analysis of the thirteen randomized controlled trials, involving 355 eligible patients, demonstrated moderate evidence supporting the significant effect of rTMS in reducing pain intensity (Mean Difference (MD): -1.01, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) -2.39 to -1.48, p < 0.001) and improving the quality of life (QOL) based on various instruments (MD: -9.23, 95% CI -11.91 to -6.54, p < 0.001; MD: -2.1, 95% CI -3.74 to -0.45, p < 0.05). Patients also reported favorable improvements in global impression (MD: -0.54, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.07, p < 0.05) and sensory status (Standardized Mean Difference (SMD): -1.30, 95% CI -1.74 to -0.87, p < 0.001). However, there were no significant improvements in sleep quality (MD: -1.72, 95% CI -4.13 to 0.68, p > 0.05) or psychological status (p > 0.05). Overall, the study demonstrated that rTMS is an effective and safe way to reduce pain, improve QOL, enhance sensory status, and create a positive clinical impression in patients with NOP. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of rTMS on sleep and psychological well-being in individuals with NOP.
Who Prefers Death to Life in Composite Time Trade-off Interviews, and Why? A Mixed-Methods Study among Asians in Singapore

Cheng LJ, Vasan Thakumar A, Chen LA, Tan RL, Liao M, Luo N

Patient, 2026 Mar;19(2):255-267.
PMID: 41175171 DOI: 10.1007/s40271-025-00777-z

OBJECTIVES: The EuroQol Valuation Technology (EQ-VT) uses composite time trade-off (cTTO) with a 10-year lead-time to value health states worse-than-dead (WTD) ranging between - 1 and 0 (dead). While WTD responses are common in EQ-5D-5L studies, their drivers remain understudied in Asia. This mixed-methods study explored socio-demographic factors and reasoning behind WTD preferences in Singapore.
METHODS: We recruited 500 adult Singaporeans using quota sampling. Each participant completed 20 cTTO tasks through computer-assisted interviews, followed by open- and closed-ended questions. Two-part regression models assessed both the likelihood and the extent of WTD ratings, and qualitative content analysis evaluated participants' reasoning for their health state valuations.
RESULTS: Of the 500 participants (mean age 48.1 years; 52.6% had tertiary education), 76.8% identified as Chinese. Overall, 33.0% assigned WTD values, and 16.1% assigned '- 1' values. Age, education, marital status, interviewer and caregiving experience were associated with WTD ratings, though none remained significant in the multivariable analysis. Similar factors were linked to '- 1' values, with middle age being the only factor that remained significant in the multivariable analysis. Qualitative data showed that middle-aged participants often cited worries about imposing physical, mental, or financial burdens on their families.
CONCLUSIONS: Preferences for immediate death over living in poor health are common in Singapore, particularly among middle-aged respondents. Concerns about burdening family members appear to drive these preferences, reflecting broader cultural values. These insights may clarify the high frequency of '-1' values in EQ-5D valuation studies across Asia.
Fulltext PLXNB2 promotes breast cancer progression and lung metastasis through the AMPK signaling pathway

Li X, Cao F, Liao M, Zhang Y, Suhaimi SA, Dahham SS, et al.

Am J Cancer Res, 2026;16(9):4051-4069.
PMID: 42908720 DOI: 10.62347/ZSMG8753

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide, and metastasis remains the leading cause of breast cancer-related mortality. Although PLXNB2 regulates cell migration and intracellular signaling, its expression pattern and mechanistic role in breast cancer progression and lung metastasis remain unclear. This study investigated PLXNB2 expression in breast cancer (BRCA) and examined its contribution to tumor progression and pulmonary metastasis. PLXNB2 expression in tumor and adjacent normal tissues was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), functional enrichment analysis, single-cell transcriptomics, and spatial transcriptomics were used to identify PLXNB2-associated pathways and cellular contexts. Associations with tumor grade and survival were evaluated in clinical cohorts, and the effects of lentiviral PLXNB2 knockdown on proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed in breast cancer cell lines. Tumorigenicity and metastasis were further examined in vivo. PLXNB2 was significantly upregulated in breast cancer and was enriched predominantly in malignant epithelial cells. High PLXNB2 expression independently predicted poor overall survival in the GSE20711 cohort (HR = 1.610; 95% CI, 1.100-2.357; P = 0.013) and was positively associated with tumor grade (P < 0.05). WGCNA and transcriptomic analyses identified AMPK signaling as a key downstream pathway. PLXNB2 knockdown reduced p-AMPK and p-ACC1 levels without altering total AMPK or ACC1 expression, and reciprocal endogenous co-immunoprecipitation detected AMPK in PLXNB2 immunoprecipitates and PLXNB2 in AMPK immunoprecipitates, supporting an association between the two proteins. In vivo, PLXNB2 depletion reduced tumor growth, lung metastasis, and p-AMPK and p-ACC1 expression. These findings indicate that PLXNB2 promotes breast cancer progression and lung metastasis by activating AMPK signaling and may serve as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarker.
Epidemiology and characteristics of the dengue outbreak in Guangdong, Southern China, in 2014

Huang L, Luo X, Shao J, Yan H, Qiu Y, Ke P, et al.

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 2016 Feb;35(2):269-77.
PMID: 26700953 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-015-2540-5

Dengue is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV) and has emerged as a severe public health problem around the world. Guangdong, one of the southern Chinese provinces, experienced a serious outbreak of dengue in 2014, which was believed to be the worst dengue epidemic in China over the last 20 years. To better understand the epidemic, we collected the epidemiological data of the outbreak and analyzed 14,594 clinically suspected dengue patients from 25 hospitals in Guangdong. Dengue cases were then laboratory-confirmed by the detection of DENV non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antigen and/or DENV RNA. Afterwards, clinical manifestations of dengue patients were analyzed and 93 laboratory-positive serum specimens were chosen for the DENV serotyping and molecular analysis. Our data showed that the 2014 dengue outbreak in Guangdong had spread to 20 cities and more than 45 thousand people suffered from dengue fever. Of 14,594 participants, 11,387 were definitively diagnosed. Most manifested with a typical non-severe clinical course, and 1.96 % developed to severe dengue. The strains isolated successfully from the serum samples were identified as DENV-1. Genetic analyses revealed that the strains were classified into genotypes I and V of DENV-1, and the dengue epidemic of Guangdong in 2014 was caused by indigenous cases and imported cases from the neighboring Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia and Singapore. Overall, our study is informative and significant to the 2014 dengue outbreak in Guangdong and will provide crucial implications for dengue prevention and control in China and elsewhere.
Fulltext Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1

Klionsky DJ, Abdel-Aziz AK, Abdelfatah S, Abdellatif M, Abdoli A, Abel S, et al.

Autophagy, 2021 Jan;17(1):1-382.
PMID: 33634751 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1797280

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.