Suchergebnisse

Fruit losses during postharvest storage and handling due to pathogen infections are one of the major problems in the global food chain supply. The application of chemical fungicides to control diseases is currently limited by legislation in some countries and also raises concerns about food and environmental safety. Exploring molecular aspects of pathogen-fruit interactions therefore has biological and economic significance as a means to help develop rational alternatives for disease control. In this review we present the current knowledge of molecular aspects in pathogen-fruit interactions, addressing the following topics: the application of new "omics" technologies for studying these interactions; the molecular mechanisms of fungal pathogen attack; the regulation of virulence by exogenous factors; and, finally, fruit defense mechanisms. ; Work in Tian's lab has been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31530057; 31371863). Work in the LGC lab has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (AGL2011-30519-C03-01 and AGL2014-55802-R) and the Generalitat Valenciana (PrometeoII/2014/027). Work in the IRTA lab has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness by three national projects AGL2008-04828-C01/AGR, AGL2011-30519-C03/AGR and AGL2014-55287-C02. ; Peer reviewed

To establish the prevalence, risk factors and implications of suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection among healthcare workers in the United Kingdom (UK). Cross-sectional observational study. UK-based primary and secondary care. Healthcare workers aged ≥18 years working between 1 February and 25 May 2020. A composite endpoint of laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, or self-isolation or hospitalisation due to suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Of 6,152 eligible responses, the composite endpoint was present in 1,806 (29.4%) healthcare workers, of whom 49 (0.8%) were hospitalised, 459 (7.5%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and 1,776 (28.9%) reported self-isolation. Overall, between 11,870 and 21,158 days of self-isolation were required by the cohort, equalling approximately 71 to 127 working days lost per 1,000 working days. The strongest risk factor associated with the presence of the primary composite endpoint was increasing frequency of contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE): 'Never' (reference), 'Rarely' (adjusted odds ratio 1.06, (95% confidence interval: [0.87-1.29])), 'Sometimes' (1.7 [1.37-2.10]), 'Often' (1.84 [1.28-2.63]), 'Always' (2.93, [1.75-5.06]). Additionally, several comorbidities (cancer, respiratory disease, and obesity); working in a 'doctors' role; using public transportation for work; regular contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients; and lack of PPE were also associated with the presence of the primary endpoint. A total of 1,382 (22.5%) healthcare workers reported lacking access to PPE items while having clinical contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases. Suspected or confirmed COVID-19 was more common in healthcare workers than in the general population and is associated with significant workforce implications. Risk factors included inadequate PPE, which was reported by nearly a quarter of healthcare workers. Governments and policymakers must ensure adequate PPE is available as well as developing strategies to mitigate risk for high-risk healthcare workers during future COVID-19 waves. [Abstract copyright: © 2021 Kua et al.]