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Janet Pope,1 Axel Finckh,2 Lucia Silva-Fernández,3 Peter Mandl,4 Haiyun Fan,5 Jose L Rivas,6 Monica Valderrama,6 Maria Montoro6 1Division of Rheumatology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; 2Division of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; 3Rheumatology Department, A Coruña University Hospital Complex, A Coruña, Spain; 4Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 5Pfizer Inc, Collegeville, PA, USA; 6Pfizer SLU, Madrid, SpainCorrespondence: Maria Montoro, Pfizer SLU, Madrid, Spain, Email maria.montoro@pfizer.comPurpose: To evaluate the characteristics, efficacy, and retention of tofacitinib monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and real-world data (RWD).Patients and Methods: Three patient groups receiving tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily (BID) monotherapy were defined for post hoc RCT/long-term extension (LTE) analyses: (1) disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-inadequate responder patients from phase 3/3b/4 RCTs; (2) methotrexate-naïve patients from a phase 3 RCT; and (3) index study patients continuing in an LTE study. Outcomes included low disease activity (LDA)/remission rates defined by Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI); Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28-4), erythrocyte sedimentation rate; DAS28-4, C-reactive protein (DAS28-4[CRP]); and rates of/time to discontinuation due to lack of efficacy/adverse events. RWD were identified by non-systematic literature searches of PubMed, Embase, and American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology congress abstracts (2012– 2022).Results: RCT/LTE analyses included 1000/498 patients receiving tofacitinib 5 mg BID monotherapy. Baseline disease activity was high; patients tended to receive concomitant glucocorticoids; most were biologic DMARD-naïve. CDAI LDA rates were 32.2– 62.2% for Groups 1/2 (months 3– 12) and 64.0– 70.7% for Group 3 (months 12– 72). In Groups 1, 2, and 3, 4.0%, 15.6%, and 27.7% of patients, respectively, discontinued tofacitinib monotherapy due to lack of efficacy/adverse events. From 11 RWD publications, 16.6– 66.1% received tofacitinib monotherapy. Consistent with clinical data, tofacitinib monotherapy effectiveness (month 6 CDAI LDA, 30.2%; month 3 DAS28-4[CRP] remission, 53.4%) and persistence were observed in RWD, with retention comparable to tofacitinib combination therapy.Conclusion: Tofacitinib monotherapy demonstrated clinically significant responses/persistence in RCT/LTE analyses, with effectiveness observed and persistence comparable to combination therapy in RWD.Trial Registration: NCT00814307, NCT02187055, NCT01039688, NCT00413699, NCT00661661 (ClinicalTrials.gov).Keywords: autoimmune, JAK inhibitor, clinical practice, long-term, efficacy, retention

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate intactness scores: the remaining proportion of an intact reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the regions major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems.

Abstract Recently, serious infections related to the use of tofacitinib (TOF) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have raised considerable interest. This study aimed to compare the risk for serious infections in patients with RA upon receiving TOF versus biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) by age at treatment initiation. We identified adult RA patients exposed to TOF or bDMARDs using data collected by the Swiss registry for inflammatory rheumatic diseases (SCQM) from 2015 to 2018. The event of interest was the first non-fatal serious infection (SI) during drug exposure. Missing or incomplete SI dates were imputed as either the lower (left) or upper (right) limit of the known occurrence interval. The ratio of SI hazards (HR) of TOF versus bDMARDs was estimated as a function of age using covariate-adjusted Cox regression applied to each type of imputed time-to-SI. A total of 1687 patients provided time at risk for a first SI during study participation and drug exposure for 2238 different treatment courses, 345 for TOF and 1893 for bDMARDs. We identified 44 (left imputation) or 43 (right imputation), respectively, first SIs (12/12 on TOF versus 32/31 on bDMARDs). Left and right imputation produced similar results. For patients aged ≥ 69 years, the treatment HR started to be increased (lower limit of 95% confidence intervals (LLCIs) > 1). By the age of 76, the difference between TOF and bDMARDs started to be clinically relevant (LLCIs > 1.25). For patients aged

Four new species are described from central and eastern Angola and adjacent NW Zambia. All occur in Kalahari sand savannas rich in endemic and more widely distributed geoxylic suffrutices. Despite being known from very few collections, the conservation status of one of these new species is assessed as Least Concern, as these grasslands are nutrient-poor, are in remote sparsely populated areas, and are not threatened with conversion to agriculture. The remaining three are treated as Data Deficient. In addition, one new combination is provided for Ancylanthos rubiginosus Desf. under Vangueria as V. rubiginosa (Desf.) Lantz is an illegitimate later homonym. We also make orthographic corrections to specific epithets commemorating Ilse von Nolde, a collector who made important collections from Quela in Malange in the 1930s.

Abstract Background Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of infection and malignancy compared with the general population. Infection risk is increased further with the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), whereas evidence on whether the use of biologic DMARDs increases cancer risk remains equivocal. This single-arm, post-marketing study estimated the incidence of prespecified infection and malignancy outcomes in patients with RA treated with intravenous or subcutaneous abatacept. Methods Data were included from seven European RA quality registries: ATTRA (Anti-TNF Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis [Czech Republic]), DANBIO (Danish Rheumatologic Database), ROB-FIN (National Registry of Antirheumatic and Biological Treatment in Finland), ORA (Orencia and Rheumatoid Arthritis [France]), GISEA (Italian Group for the Study of Early Arthritis), BIOBADASER (Spanish Register of Adverse Events of Biological Therapies in Rheumatic Diseases), and the SCQM (Swiss Clinical Quality Management) system. Each registry is unique with respect to design, data collection, definition of the study cohort, reporting, and validation of outcomes. In general, registries defined the index date as the first day of abatacept treatment and reported data for infections requiring hospitalization and overall malignancies; data for other infection and malignancy outcomes were not available for every cohort. Abatacept exposure was measured in patient-years (p-y). Incidence rates (IRs) were calculated as the number of events per 1000 p-y of follow-up with 95% confidence intervals. Results Over 5000 patients with RA treated with abatacept were included. Most patients (78–85%) were female, and the mean age range was 52–58 years. Baseline characteristics were largely consistent across registries. Among patients treated with abatacept, IRs for infections requiring hospitalization across the registries ranged from 4 to 100 events per 1000 p-y, while IRs for overall malignancy ranged from 3 to 19 per 1000 p-y. Conclusions Despite heterogeneity between registries in terms of design, data collection, and ascertainment of safety outcomes, as well as the possibility of under-reporting of adverse events in observational studies, the safety profile of abatacept reported here was largely consistent with previous findings in patients with RA treated with abatacept, with no new or increased risks of infection or malignancy.

Abstract In this study fungal strains were investigated, which had been isolated from eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi, and roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum (Brassicaceae). The morphology, the interaction with nematodes and plants and the phylogenetic relationships of these strains originating from a broad geographic range covering Western Europe to Asia Minor were studied. Phylogenetic analyses using five genomic loci including ITSrDNA, LSUrDNA, SSUrDNA, rpb2 and tef1-α were carried out. The strains were found to represent a distinct phylogenetic lineage most closely related to Equiseticola and Ophiosphaerella, and Polydomus karssenii (Phaeosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales) is introduced here as a new species representing a monotypic genus. The pathogenicity tests against nematode eggs fulfilled Koch’s postulates using in vitro nematode bioassays and showed that the fungus could parasitise its original nematode host H. filipjevi as well as the sugar beet cyst nematode H. schachtii, and colonise cysts and eggs of its hosts by forming highly melanised moniliform hyphae. Light microscopic observations on fungus-root interactions in an axenic system revealed the capacity of the same fungal strain to colonise the roots of wheat and produce melanised hyphae and microsclerotia-like structure typical for dark septate endophytes. Confocal laser scanning microscopy further demonstrated that the fungus colonised the root cells by predominant intercellular growth of hyphae, and frequent formation of appressorium-like as well as penetration peg-like structures through internal cell walls surrounded by callosic papilla-like structures. Different strains of the new fungus produced a nearly identical set of secondary metabolites with various biological activities including nematicidal effects irrespective of their origin from plants or nematodes.

Chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs), including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are thought to emerge from an impaired complex network of inter- and intracellular biochemical interactions among several proteins and small chemical compounds under strong influence of genetic and environmental factors. CIDs are characterised by shared and disease-specific processes, which is reflected by partially overlapping genetic risk maps and pathogenic cells (e.g., T cells). Their pathogenesis involves a plethora of intracellular pathways. The translation of the research findings on CIDs molecular mechanisms into effective treatments is challenging and may explain the low remission rates despite modern targeted therapies. Modelling CID-related causal interactions as networks allows us to tackle the complexity at a systems level and improve our understanding of the interplay of key pathways. Here we report the construction, description, and initial applications of the SYSCID map (https://syscid.elixir-luxembourg.org/), a mechanistic causal interaction network covering the molecular crosstalk between IBD, RA and SLE. We demonstrate that the map serves as an interactive, graphical review of IBD, RA and SLE molecular mechanisms, and helps to understand the complexity of omics data. Examples of such application are illustrated using transcriptome data from time-series gene expression profiles following anti-TNF treatment and data from genome-wide associations studies that enable us to suggest potential effects to altered pathways and propose possible mechanistic biomarkers of treatment response.

Objectives Treatment response is worse in obese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including patients on weight-adjusted therapies like infliximab. We aimed to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and changes in RA disease activity and radiographic progression over time.Methods We included infliximab users with an RA diagnosis in the Swiss Clinical Quality Management in Rheumatic Diseases registry (1997–2020). Two cohorts were defined: (1) starting from their first BMI measurement or disease activity score (DAS28-esr), and (2) from their first BMI measurement or radiographic assessment (Rau score). We evaluated the coefficient and 95% CI of BMI with changes in mean DAS28-esr (cohort 1) and mean Rau scores (a structural joint damage score, cohort 2) using generalised estimation equations, overall and stratified by BMI categories.Results Cohort 1 comprised 412 patients (74% women, mean age 53 years, mean BMI 25). We observed no change in mean DAS28-esr with increasing BMI overall (adjusted coefficient: 0.00, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.02), or in BMI categories. Cohort 2 comprised 187 patients highly alike to those in cohort 1. We observed a significant decrease of 1.05 in mean Rau scores for every increase in BMI unit (adjusted coefficient: −1.05, 95% CI −1.92 to −0.19). Results remained statistically non-significant across BMI categories.Conclusions Our longitudinal investigation suggests that BMI increase may not lead to changes in DAS28-esr in patients receiving infliximab, despite the weight-adapted dose. Yet, there may be a decrease in erosions with increasing weight non-limited to obese patients.

Angola is a tropical country with many biogeographical units and, therefore, has a high floristic diversity. Although an increasing number of floristic studies has been carried out in Angola in recent years, the country is still considered to be underinvestigated as many species being collected were previously unknown there. Several scientific groups working in different parts of Angola contributed to this paper their data from biodiversity assessments. With this we can add 67 species newly recorded for Angola, including two new generic records and five alien species, to the almost 7,300 vascular plant taxa known so far for Angola. Most of the new records for Angola are also present in different neighbouring countries, but they are little known, and their IUCN threat status has not been assessed yet. However, ongoing fieldwork and exploration are needed to complete the floristic knowledge of the understudied country.

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and subsequent development of autoimmunity or pre-clinical manifestations associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in at risk population.MethodsThis is a nested study within a prospective cohort of first-degree relatives of RA patients (RA-FDR). Participants are tested for RA-associated autoantibodies (anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA)/rheumatoid factor (RF)) and clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of early disease. SARS-CoV-2 infections were self-reported between March 2020 and January 2023. All individuals with a pre-pandemic (sample 1) and a post-pandemic sample (sample 2) were included in the analysis. The exposure of interest was self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome was a clinically significant change in RA-associated autoantibody serum titers. Secondary outcomes included: becoming seropositive, becoming symptomatic, developing classifiable RA.ResultsAmong 168 RA-FDRs, 109 reported a SARS-CoV-2 infection between sample 1 and sample 2. During this period, 2 RA-FDRs (1.2%) became anti-CCP2 seropositive, none became anti-CCP3 IgG positive, 6 (3.6%) became RF IgM seropositive, 1 became (0.6%) RF IgA seropositive, 19 (11.3%) became symptomatic and none developed classifiable RA. SARS-CoV-2 infection was not significantly associated with increases in RA autoantibody titers or with secondary outcomes.ConclusionWe could not detect an association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent development of RA-associated autoimmunity, nor signs or symptoms of RA in an at risk population. These findings do not support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 infections triggers the immune onset of RA.

ObjectivesTo investigate the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection on anti-apolipoprotein A-1 IgG (AAA1) humoral response in immunosuppressed inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) patients.MethodsThis is a nested cohort study from the prospective Swiss Clinical Quality Management registry. A total of 368 IRD patients for which serum samples were available before and after the SARS-CoV2 pandemic were included. Autoantibodies against ApoA-1 (AAA1) and its c-terminal region (AF3L1) were measured in both samples. The exposure of interest was anti-SARS-CoV2 spike subunit 1 (S1) seropositivity measured in the second sample. The effect of SARS-CoV2 infection (anti-S1 seropositivity) on becoming AAA1 or AF3L1 positive and on the change of AAA1 or AF3L1 optical density (OD) between the two samples was tested with multivariable regressions.ResultsThere were 12 out of 368 IRD patients who were seroconverted against S1. The proportion of patients becoming AF3L1 seropositive was significantly higher in anti-S1-positive patients, compared with anti-S1-negative patients (66.7% versus 21.6%, p = 0.001). Adjusted logistic regression analyses indicated that anti-S1 seroconversion was associated with a sevenfold increased risk of AFL1 seropositivity (odds ratio: 7.4, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 2.1–25.9) and predicted median increase in AF3L1 OD values (+0.17, 95% CI: 0.08–0.26).ConclusionsSARS-CoV2 infection is associated with a marked humoral response against the immunodominant c-terminal region of ApoA-1 in IRD patients. The possible clinical impact of AAA1 and AF3L1 antibodies on disease progression, cardiovascular complications, or long COVID syndrome deserves future investigations.

BackgroundThe pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is believed to initiate at mucosal sites. The so-called ‘mucosal origin hypothesis of RA’ postulates an increased intestinal permeability before disease onset. Several biomarkers, including lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), have been proposed to reflect gut mucosa permeability and integrity, while serum calprotectin is a new inflammation marker proposed in RA.MethodsWe analyzed serum samples of individuals genetically at increased risk of RA in a nested-case-control study. Participants from a longitudinal cohort of first-degree relatives of RA patients (SCREEN-RA cohort) were divided into three pre-clinical stages of RA, based on the presence of risk factors for subsequent RA onset: 1) low-risk healthy asymptomatic controls; 2) intermediate-risk individuals without symptoms, but with RA-associated auto-immunity; 3) high-risk individuals with clinically suspect arthralgias. Five patients with newly diagnosed RA were also sampled. Serum LBP, I-FABP and calprotectin were measured using commercially available ELISA kits.ResultsWe included 180 individuals genetically at increased risk for RA: 84 asymptomatic controls, 53 individuals with RA-associated autoimmunity and 38 high risk individuals. Serum LBP, I-FAPB or calprotectin concentrations did not differ between individuals in different pre-clinical stages of RA.ConclusionBased on the serum biomarkers LBP, I-FABP and calprotectin, we could not detect any evidence for intestinal injury in pre-clinical stages of RA.

IntroductionThe characterization of the influence of the microbiota on the development and drug responses during rheumatic diseases has intensified in recent years. The role of specific bacteria during disease development has become a central research question. Notably, several lines of evidence point to distinct microbes, e.g., Prevotella copri (P. copri) being targeted by antibodies in clinical phases of rheumatic diseases.MethodsIn the present study, we compiled a broad collection of human serum samples from individuals at risk of developing RA, chronic RA patients as well as patients with new-onset of rheumatic diseases. We evaluated the presence of inflammatory biomarkers in our serum collection as well as serum antibody responses against novel, genetically distinct isolates of P. copri and several oral pathobionts.ResultsOur analysis revealed the presence of increased levels of inflammatory markers already in pre-clinical and new onset rheumatoid arthritis. However, antibody reactivity against the microbes did not differ between patient groups. Yet, we observed high variability between the different P. copri strains. We found total serum IgG levels to slightly correlate with IgG antibody responses against P. copri, but no relation between the latter and presence or prevalence of P. copri in the intestine.DiscussionIn conclusion, our work underlined the importance of strain-level characterization and its consideration during further investigations of host-microbiota interactions and the development of microbiome-based therapeutic approaches for treating rheumatic diseases.

A survey across Germany was undertaken from 2016-2019 to evaluate effects of management system (organic vs conventional), pedo-climatic conditions and crop rotation history on faba bean root health status, diversity of major root rot pathogens and yield. Root rot incidence was generally low and there was no effect of the management system on the spectrum of pathogens isolated. Among the most common fungal species identified, frequencies of Fusarium redolens and Didymella pinodella were significantly higher in roots from organic fields compared with conventional and lower was observed for F. avenaceum, F. tricinctum and F. culmorum. Faba bean roots were colonized at similar rates by F. equiseti and the members of the F. oxysporum (FOSC) and F. solani (FSSC) species complexes in both management systems. Almost no legumes had been grown in the 5-11 years preceding the conventional faba beans surveyed while legumes had almost always been present during this period in the organic fields. This difference in rotational histories between the farming systems led to apparent cropping systems effects on the isolation frequencies of several species. For example, D. pinodella was ubiquitous in organic fields with a high frequency of legumes in the rotations but much rarer and often absent in conventional fields. Pedo-climatic conditions, particularly cool conditions at sowing and plant emergence and/or during the vegetative season favored most of the most prevalent Fusarium species identified in this study. In organic systems, yields correlated negatively with D. pinodella and F. redolens frequencies whereas higher levels of F. tricintum in faba bean roots had a positive correlation with yield. In conventional systems, faba bean yields depended more on the total precipitation before sowing and during the main growing season but were also negatively correlated with the frequencies of FOSC and F. culmorum. Phylogenetic analysis based on the TEF1 alpha locus indicated that the FSSC isolates mainly belonged to the F. pisi lineage. In contrast, the FOSC isolates were placed in 9 different lineages, with a conspicuous dominance of F. libertatis that has until now not been associated with any leguminous host.

In the present study on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in treated wastewater, we used chemical and effect-based tools to analyse 56 wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents from 15 European countries. The main objectives were (i) to compare three different receptor-based estrogenicity assays (ERα-GeneBLAzer, p-YES, ERα-CALUX®), and (ii) to investigate a combined approach of chemical target analysis and receptor-based testing for estrogenicity, glucocorticogenic activity, androgenicity and progestagenic activity (ERα-, GR-, AR- and PR-GeneBLAzer assays, respectively) in treated wastewater. A total of 56 steroids and phenols were detected at concentrations ranging from 25 pg/L (estriol, E3) up to 2.4 μg/L (cortisone). WWTP effluents, which passed an advanced treatment via ozonation or via activated carbon, were found to be less contaminated, in terms of lower or no detection of steroids and phenols, as well as hormone receptor-mediated effects. This result was confirmed by the effect screening, including the three ERα-bioassays. In the GeneBLAzer assays, ERα-activity was detected in 82 %, and GR-activity in 73 % of the samples, while AR- and PR-activity were only measured in 14 % and 21 % of the samples, respectively. 17β-estradiol was confirmed as the estrogen dominating the observed estrogenic mixture effect and triamcinolone acetonide was the dominant driver of glucocorticogenic activity. The comparison of bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ) predicted from the detected concentrations and the relative effect potency (BEQchem) with measured BEQ (BEQbio) demonstrated good correlations of chemical target analysis and receptor-based testing results with deviations mostly within a factor of 10. Bioassay-specific effect-based trigger values (EBTs) from the literature, but also newly calculated EBTs based on previously proposed derivation options, were applied and allowed a preliminary assessment of the water quality of the tested WWTP effluent samples. Overall, this study demonstrates the high potential of linking chemical with effect-based analysis in water quality assessment with regard to EDC contamination.

• Agronomic performance of wheat populations comparable to modern cultivars.• Performance of populations depends on parental cultivar selection.• Agronomic advantage of populations under particular environmental stresses.• Heterogeneous populations better suited to low-input conditions.Since the F5 (2005), three winter wheat composite cross populations (CCPs) based on germplasm specifically suitable for low-input conditions were subjected to natural selection under organic and conventional management. In the F6, each CCP was divided into two parallel populations (12 CCPs in total) and maintained continuously until 2018. Commonly used modern cultivars with different disease susceptibilities were grown alongside to assess the agronomic performance of the CCPs. The organically managed CCPs were comparable in yield and foliar disease resistance to two continuously used reference cultivars, Achat and Capo. In contrast, under conventional management the cv. Capo outyielded the CCPs (Achat was not tested), highlighting the importance of parental cultivar choice for specific management systems. The CCPs were found to be moderately resistant to brown rust and even to the newly emerged stripe rust races prevalent in Europe since 2011. Differences between the CCPs were mainly due to parental genetic background and were significant in the first five generations, but were no longer so in the last five generations. In addition, these differences tended to vary depending on the experimental year and the environmental stresses present. In conclusion, the CCPs despite being derived from older cultivars are able to compete with more recently released reference cultivars under organic farming practices and represent a dynamic germplasm resource.

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) are at increased risk for worse COVID-19 outcomes. Identifying whether mRNA vaccines differ in immunogenicity and examining the effects of immunomodulatory treatments may support COVID-19 vaccination strategies. We aimed to conduct a long-term, model-based comparison of the humoral immunogenicity following BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccination in a cohort of IRD patients. Patients from the Swiss IRD cohort (SCQM), who assented to mRNA COVID-19 vaccination were recruited between 3/2021-9/2021. Blood samples at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 weeks post second vaccine dose were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG (anti-S1). We examined differences in antibody levels depending on the vaccine and treatment at baseline while adjusting for age, disease, and past SARS-CoV-2 infection. 565 IRD patients provided eligible samples. Among monotherapies, rituximab, abatacept, JAKi, and TNFi had the highest odds of reduced anti-S1 responses compared to no medication. Patients on specific combination therapies showed significantly lower antibody responses than those on monotherapy. Irrespective of the disease, treatment, and past SARS-CoV-2 infection, the odds of higher antibody levels at 4, 12, and 24 weeks post second vaccine dose were, respectively, 3.4, 3.8, and 3.8 times higher with mRNA-1273 versus BNT162b2 (p < 0.0001). With every year of age, the odds ratio of higher peak humoral immunogenicity following mRNA-1273 versus BNT162b2 increased by 5% (p < 0.001), indicating a particular benefit for elderly patients. Our results suggest that in IRD patients, two-dose vaccination with mRNA-1273 versus BNT162b2 results in higher anti-S1 levels, even more so in elderly patients.

A winter wheat composite cross population (CCP), created in the UK in 2001, has been grown in Germany, Hungary, and the UK since 2005 (F5 generation). In 2008/09 (F8), a cycling pattern for the populations was developed between partners to test the effects of rapidly changing environments on agronomic performance and morphological characteristics. One CCP was grown by eight partners for one year and subsequently sent to the next partner, creating “cycling CCPs” with different histories. In 2013, all eight cycling CCPs and the three non-cycling CCPs (from Germany, Hungary, and the UK) were included in a two-year experiment in Germany with three line varieties as references. Differing seed weights of the F13 at sowing affected some agronomic parameters under drought conditions in 2014/15 but not under less stressful conditions in 2013/14. In both experimental years, the CCPs were comparable to the line varieties in terms of agronomic performance, with some CCPs yielding more than the varieties under the drought conditions of 2015. The results highlight the potential of CCPs to compete with line varieties, while the overall similarity of the CCPs based on their origin and cycling history for agronomic traits indicates a high buffering potential under highly variable environmental conditions.

Angola is a country in south-central Africa, particularly rich in biodiversity. Despite the efforts recently made to document its biodiversity, there is a need for standardized sampling methods to document and compare the variety of ecosystems and plants occurring in the country. With this database report we aim to document the abundance and diversity of woody species in the woodlands of Huíla province. The database hosts the results of a standardised plot-based vegetation survey, consisting of 448 vegetation plots distributed throughout the 14 municipalities and Bicuar National Park. In total, 40,009 individuals belonging to 44 plant families were recorded and measured, belonging to 193 woody species. Species richness per municipality ranged from 32 to 126. The mean stem diameter (DBH) was 10.9 cm ± 7.5 cm. Small-size classes are increasingly dominated by few species, while the largest trees come from a wider range of species; miombo key-species dominated almost all size classes. Our study represents the first plot-based vegetation survey of any Angolan province and constitutes a useful source of information for conservation and management. Additionally, may constitute a powerful dataset to support future studies on biodiversity patterns and vegetation change over time and facilitate the elaboration of vegetation maps. Taxonomic reference: Checklist of Angolan Plants (Figueiredo and Smith 2008), The African Plant Database (version 3.4.0) and A new classification of Leguminosae (LPWG 2017). Abbreviations: DBH = Diameter at Breast Height; GIVD = Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases; LUBA = Acronym of the Herbarium of Lubango

Abstract Pesticide residues are much lower in organic than in conventional food. The article summarizes the available residue data from the EU and the U.S. organic market. Differences between samples from several sources suggest that organic products are declared conventional, when they have residues—but the origin of the residues is not always investigated. A large number of samples are being tested by organic certifiers, but the sampling methods often do not allow to determine if such residues stem from prohibited pesticide use by organic farmers, from mixing organic with conventional products, from short-range spray-drift from neighbour farms, from the ubiquitous presence of such substances due to long-distance drift, or from other sources of contamination. Eight case studies from different crops and countries are used to demonstrate that sampling at different distances from possible sources of short-distance drift in most cases allows differentiating deliberate pesticide application by the organic farmer from drift. Datasets from 67 banana farms in Ecuador, where aerial fungicide spraying leads to a heavy drift problem, were subjected to statistical analysis. A linear discriminant function including four variables was identified for distinguishing under these conditions application from drift, with an accuracy of 93.3%.

Abstract Lupin cultivation worldwide is threatened by anthracnose, a destructive disease caused by the seed- and air-borne fungal pathogen Colletotrichum lupini. In this study we explored the intraspecific diversity of 39 C. lupini isolates collected from different lupin cultivating regions around the world, and representative isolates were screened for their pathogenicity and virulence on white and Andean lupin. Multi-locus phylogeny and morphological characterizations showed intraspecific diversity to be greater than previously shown, distinguishing a total of six genetic groups and ten distinct morphotypes. Highest diversity was found across South America, indicating it as the center of origin of C. lupini. The isolates that correspond to the current pandemic belong to a genetic and morphological uniform group, were globally widespread, and showed high virulence on tested white and Andean lupin accessions. Isolates belonging to the other five genetic groups were mostly found locally and showed distinct virulence patterns. Two highly virulent strains were shown to overcome resistance of advanced white lupin breeding material. This stresses the need to be careful with international seed transports in order to prevent spread of currently confined but potentially highly virulent strains. This study improves our understanding of the diversity, phylogeography and pathogenicity of a member of one of the world’s top 10 plant pathogen genera, providing valuable information for breeding programs and future disease management.

In this study, 56 effluent samples from 52 European wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were investigated for the occurrence of 499 emerging chemicals (ECs) and their associated potential risks to the environment. The two main objectives were (i) to extend our knowledge on chemicals occurring in treated wastewater, and (ii) to identify and prioritize compounds of concern based on three different risk assessment approaches for the identification of consensus mixture risk drivers of concern. Approaches include (i) PNEC and EQS-based regulatory risk quotients (RQs), (ii) species sensitivity distribution (SSD)-based hazard units (HUs) and (iii) toxic units (TUs) for three biological quality elements (BQEs) algae, crustacean, and fish.For this purpose, solid-phase extracts were analysed with wide-scope chemical target screening via liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), resulting in 366 detected compounds, with concentrations ranging from 100 µg/L. The detected chemicals were categorized with respect to critical information relevant for risk assessment and management prioritization including: (1) frequency of occurrence, (2) measured concentrations, (3) use groups, (4) persistence & bioaccumulation, and (5) modes of action. A comprehensive assessment using RQ, HU and TU indicated exceedance of risk thresholds for the majority of effluents with RQ being the most sensitive metric. In total, 299 out of the 366 compounds were identified as mixture risk contributors in one of the approaches, while 32 chemicals were established as consensus mixture risk contributors of high concern, including a high percentage (66%) of pesticides and biocides. For samples which have passed an advanced treatment using ozonation or activated carbon (AC), consistently much lower risks were estimated.

Introduction: The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) (CPB) is a major threat to potato crops in Europe, Asia, and America. In Europe, it is expected that climate change will cause the species to expand its range northwards and allow for an additional generation per year in regions where it is already established. The effectiveness of insecticides, a common method of control, is decreasing due to the emergence of resistance to several substances. Therefore, research into alternative measures is becoming increasingly necessary. One preventive measure that has already been shown to have great effects in past studies is the use of organic mulch. For organic mulching, conserved or freshly cut plant material is spread on the field usually when the potato emerges. Previous research has mainly used cereal straw for this purpose in plots that are relatively small compared to actual agricultural fields. Materials and methods: To address the lack of large-scale field trials in the literature, a series of on-station and on-farm field trials were conducted in this study. Organic, legume-rich mulches were used primarily, which so far have not been extensively investigated. Over a period of four years and in a total of six field trials, CPB and larval infestations were assessed. Results and discussion: Our results show effects on the initial infestation of young plants by adult CPB and on the emergence time of the first two larval stages. By the time of flowering, when the feeding effect of CPB on yield is known to be greatest, L3 and L4 larvae were reduced by about 30% in the on-station trials and by about 40% in the on-farm trials. In addition, when CPB larval stages were used to calculate a weighted daily leaf consumption per stage, total calculated leaf consumption was on average about 40% lower in the mulch treatments across all sampling dates and all trials. The recorded yields were equal or higher in the mulched treatments. In conclusion, organic mulching can effectively reduce CPB damage even on a large scale and can have a positive impact on yield. Further agronomic benefits of mulching, as well as drawbacks and putative mechanisms of action, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontal disease (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are chronic inflammatory diseases with a bi-directional relationship. Both share common genetic and environmental risk factors and result in the progressive destruction of bone and connective tissue. First degree relatives of patients with RA (FDR-RA) are one of the at-risk populations for RA. The etiopathogenic mechanisms of their susceptibility are currently being explored, focusing mostly on the role of anti–cyclic citrullinated protein/ peptide antibodies (ACPA) in triggering RA. Oral microbiota and their relation with oral health has been suggested as a factor influencing the risk of the FDR-RA developing RA. In particular, compromised periodontal status often correlates with ACPA seropositivity in FDR-RA. The presence of periodontal pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, in oral microbiota has been proposed to increase the risk of developing RA through its uniquely expressed peptidyl arginine deiminase (PPAD), capable of citrullinating both host and bacterial peptides. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and its leukotoxin A (LtxA), also induces hypercitrullination in host neutrophils. Common risk factors of periodontitis and RA such as genetic predisposition, smoking, higher local and systemic inflammatory burden, are discussed in the literature. Based on those mechanisms periodontal disease seems to be presented as one of the factors triggering RA in FDR-RA. Larger studies evaluating all the potential mechanisms linking RA and periodontitis are needed in FDR-RA to confirm that periodontal disease should be considered in the screening of FDR-RA.

Legumes are important drivers of soil fertility, however, their frequent use in rotations fosters long-lived soil-borne pathogens that can seriously compromise legume root health and nitrogen fixation. To overcome this, the current study aims at improving the general soil suppressiveness toward pests and diseases by agroecosystem management that can be predicted by nematode-based bioindicators. Two long-term organically managed agroecosystems comparing plow and shallow non-inversion tillage were analyzed for free-living nematode communities. Soils out of these agroecosystems were evaluated further in a greenhouse assay for their ability to suppress pea root rot caused by Didymella pinodella, Fusarium avenaceum, and F. redolens. There was a general trend for higher levels of pea root rot disease severity following inoculations with single pathogens, however, this effect was heterogeneous among experiments and tillage systems. This was mainly due to an already very high resident population of D. pinodella in soil and the presence of seed-borne F. oxysporum determined by their high incidence in pea roots irrespective of the soil and inoculated pathogens. Additional inoculation with D. pinodella, for example, resulted in only 8.5% biomass reduction compared to the non-inoculated control, in both tillage systems. Similar biomass losses were recorded in non-inversion tilled soils inoculated with F. redolens. When analyzed across inoculation treatments, the pea root rot disease severity was only slightly reduced in non-inversion tilled soils when compared to the plough systems (11% in Exp 1 and, 9% in Exp 2), however in both experiments non-inversion tillage resulted in greater pea biomass (33 and 19% in Exp1 and 2, respectively). Furthermore, the metabolic, enrichment, and bacterivore carbon footprints of nematodes were 88, 81, and 97% higher, respectively, in the non-inversion tilled soils compared to the plough. The metabolic carbon footprint of nematodes correlated negatively with pea root rot disease severity (rho = −0.71, p = 0.047). Hence, non-inversion tillage was effective in controlling pea root rot. The use of nematode metabolic footprints for predicting soil health should be extended for various agroecosystems aiming for its general use in evaluating effects of agroecosystem management through researchers and potentially farm management advisors.

Cropping system diversification through annual intercropping provides a pathway for agricultural production with reduced inputs of fertilizer and pesticides. While several studies have shown that intercrop performance depends on the genotypes used, the available evidence has not been synthesized in an overarching analysis. Here, we review the effects of genotypes in cereal/legume intercropping systems, showing how genotype choice affects mixture performance. Furthermore, we discuss the mechanisms underlying the interactions between genotype and cropping system (i.e., sole cropping vs. intercropping). Data from 69 articles fulfilling inclusion criteria were analyzed, out of which 35 articles reported land equivalent ratio (LER), yielding 262 LER data points to be extracted. The mean and median LER were 1.26 and 1.24, respectively. The extracted genotype × cropping system interaction effects on yield were reported in 71% out of 69 publications. Out of this, genotype × cropping system interaction effects were significant in 75%, of the studies, whereas 25% reported non-significant interactions. The remaining studies did not report the effects of genotype × cropping system. Phenological and morphological traits, such as differences in days to maturity, plant height, or growth habit, explained variations in the performance of mixtures with different genotypes. However, the relevant genotype traits were not described sufficiently in most of the studies to allow for a detailed analysis. A tendency toward higher intercropping performance with short cereal genotypes was observed. The results show the importance of genotype selection for better in cereal/legume intercropping. This study highlights the hitherto unrevealed aspects of genotype evaluation for intercropping systems that need to be tackled. Future research on genotype effects in intercropping should consider phenology, root growth, and soil nutrient and water acquisition timing, as well as the effects of weeds and diseases, to improve our understanding of how genotype combination and breeding may help to optimize intercropping systems.

Compared to sole crops, intercropping—especially of legumes and cereals—has great potential to improve crop yield and resource use efficiency, and can provide many other ecosystem services. However, the beneficial effects of intercrops are often greatly dependent on the end use as well as the specific species and genotypes being co-cultivated. In addition, intercropping imposes added complexity at different levels of the supply chain. While the need for developing crop genotypes for intercropping has long been recognized, most cultivars on the market are optimized for sole cropping and may not necessarily perform well in intercrops. This paper aims to place breeding targets for intercrop-adapted genotypes in a supply chain perspective. Three case studies of legumes and cereals intercropped for human consumption are used to identify desirable intercrop traits for actors across the supply chains, many of which are not targeted by traditional breeding for sole crops, including certain seed attributes, and some of which do not fit traditional breeding schemes, such as breeding for synchronized maturity and species synergies. Incorporating these traits into intercrop breeding could significantly reduce complexity along the supply chain. It is concluded that the widespread adoption and integration of intercrops will only be successful through the inclusion and collaboration of all supply chain actors, the application of breeding approaches that take into account the complexity of intercrop supply chains, and the implementation of diversification strategies in every process from field to fork.

Species mixtures and heterogeneous crop populations are two promising approaches for diversified ecological cropping systems with increased resilience and reduced dependency on external inputs. Inter- and intraspecific diversity were evaluated in combination using 15 wheat (Triticum aestivum) entries, including line cultivars and heterogeneous populations (HPs), from central Europe and Hungary and one winter pea cultivar under organic conditions. Monocultures and wheat mixtures were evaluated multi-functionally for yield, quality, land use efficiency, crop protection, and wheat entry traits. Mixtures increased cereal grain quality, weed suppression, resource use efficiency, yield gain, and reduced lodging. Effects were stronger in 2018/19, which were characterized by dry and nutrient-poor conditions than in 2019/20 when nutrient levels were higher. Wheat entries varied considerably in protein content and yield in both mixtures and monocultures. Under higher nutrient availability, entry-based variation was reduced in both systems, and peas were suppressed. Because of low disease pressure, the wheat entries varied little in terms of disease protection services, and mixture effects on the disease were low. The multi-criteria framework identified stability of yield, yield gains, and quality under high environmental variability of mixtures as clear agronomic advantages with HPs being considerably more stable than line cultivars. Some line cultivars outperformed the HPs in either protein content or yield across environments but not both simultaneously. Trait analysis revealed a possible link between harvest index and reduced competition in mixtures, which can increase yield performance in specific line cultivars. System cultivar interactions were generally very low and highly dependent on environmental conditions. We conclude that while cultivar breeding for mixtures can be successful in monocultures, high environmental variation highlights the necessity of evaluating cultivars in mixtures. In addition, use of intraspecific diversity within interspecific mixed cropping systems can be a valuable addition to further improve mixture performance and its stability under increasing environmental stresses due to climate change.