Comparison of Fecal Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Captive and Wild Asian Elephants.

The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is a flagship species of tropical rainforests, and it has generated much concern. In this case, the gut bacterial communities of captive and wild Asian elephants are particularly noteworthy. We aim to compare the differences in bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) subtypes in fecal samples of Asian elephants from different habitats, which may affect host health. Analyses reveal that differences in the dominant species of gut bacteria between captive and wild Asian elephants may result in significant differences in ARGs. Network analysis of bacterial communities in captive Asian elephants has identified potentially pathogenic species. Many negative correlations in network analysis suggest that different food sources may lead to differences in bacterial communities and ARGs. Results also indicate that the ARG levels in local captive breeding of Asian elephants are close to those of the wild type. However, we found that local captive elephants carry fewer ARG types than their wild counterparts. This study reveals the profile and relationship between bacterial communities and ARGs in different sources of Asian elephant feces, providing primary data for captive breeding and rescuing wild Asian elephants.

Complete mitochondrial genome of a potential vector louse fly, Lipoptena grahami (Diptera, Hippoboscidae).

Lipoptena grahami Bequaert, 1942 (Diptera, Hippoboscidae) was first described in China almost 80 years ago. Species of Lipoptena were obligate blooding-feeding insects and commonly reported as vectors of wild animals of Cervinae. The complete mitochondrial genome of L. grahami was assembled to 16,953 bp in length. The AT content of L. grahami mitogenome is 80.59%. In total, 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) were annotated from L. grahami's mitogenome. The typical clover-leaf structure of tRNAs was also analyzed and confirmed except the tRNA-Ser (AGN). A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on L. grahami with some other fly species.

A new species of Kurixalus (Anura, Rhacophoridae) from Guizhou, China.

We describe a new species of the genus Kurixalus, Kurixalus raoi sp. nov., from Guizhou Province, China, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetically, the new species is sister to K. idiootocus, but is distinguishable from all known congeners by a combination of the following characters: small body size (snout-vent length 28.2‒32.2 mm in males; 38.6 mm in female); snout rounded, with no prominence on tip; single internal vocal sac; dorsal surface brown, rough, scattered with several small warts; chin clouded with blackish marking; pair of large symmetrical dark blotches on chest; vomerine teeth present; iris brown; tibiotarsal articulation reaching center of eye; nuptial pad slight; flank rough; mandibular symphysis weak; throat skin granular; and toes moderately webbed, formula I2‒2II1.5‒3III2‒3IV3‒2V. The genetic distances between the new species and K. idiootocus were 2.9% and 5.4% for 16S rRNA and COI, respectively.

The complete mitogenome of the omei toothed toad, Oreolalax omeimontis (Anura: Megophryidae) with phylogenetic analysis.

We sequenced and annotated the complete mitogenome sequence of Oreolalax omeimontis (17,675 bp long). The mitogenome encoded 13 protein-coding genes (PCG), 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 23 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region (GenBank accession number MN803321). The phylogenetic tree conforms the close relationship of O. omeimontis and O. multipunctatus, and a monophyletic clade of genus Oreolalax.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the blue-crested lizard, Calotes mystaceus (Squamata, Agamidae) in China.

A complete mitogenome sequence of the blue-crested lizard (Calotes mystaceus) was determined in this study. The 16,506 bp genome consists 13 protein-coding genes (PCG), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region. The phylogenetic tree reveals that the Calotes mystaceus is closely related to the C. versicolor. This report provides the basic data for further studies of Calotes species classification and phylogeny.

From mainland to islands: colonization history in the tree frog Kurixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae).

The origin and colonization history of Kurixalus, a genus of small arboreal tree frogs breeding exclusively in shallow swamps, is under disputed. On the basis of comprehensive sampling program, the evolutionary history of Kurixalus is investigated based on 3 mitochondrial genes. Our results indicate that the genus Kurixalus originated in the Asian mainland and subsequently arrived at its current distribution in Borneo, Taiwan, Ryukyu, and Hainan islands by a series of dispersal events. Moreover, the colonization of Taiwan from mainland Asia has occurred 2 times. The initial colonization of Taiwan occurred at 3.46-8.68 Mya (95% highest posterior density), which rejects the hypothesis that Kurixalus probably originated from Taiwan during the early Oligocene and favors the model of Neogene-origin rather than the model of Quaternary-origin for Taiwanese Kurixalus. Kurixalus eiffingeri has dispersed from Taiwan to the Ryukyus once or 2 times pending more data. Both transoceanic dispersal and landbridge dispersal have played a role in the colonization process; the former resulted in the colonization of Taiwan and the Ryukyus and the latter led to the colonization of Borneo and Hainan.

A new species of the genus Kurixalus from Yunnan, China (Anura, Rhacophoridae).

A new species of the genus Kurixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) is described from Yunnan, China based on morphological and molecular evidence. The new species, Kurixalus lenquanensissp. n., is distinguished from other congeneric species by a combination of (1) smaller body size (SVL in males ranges from 25.0 to 28.9 mm), (2) obtusely pointed snout with no prominence on tip, (3) rough and brown dorsum with darker mark, (4) absence of large dark spots on ventral surface, (5) brownish clouded chin, (6) granular throat, chest, and belly, (7) presence of vomerine teeth, (8) serrated dermal fringes along outer edge of limbs, (9) slight nuptial pad, (10) golden brown iris, and (11) single internal vocal sac. The new species is known only from montane scrub vegetation at the type locality (Lenquan Village, Mengzi City, Yunnan Province) and Yangjiatian Village, Gejiu City, Yunnan Province. Genetically, the new species is nested within a clade of Taiwanese Kurixalus and recovered as the sister taxon to Kurixalus idiootocus with strong support values, indicating that the ancestor of this new species might have come from Taiwan Island or the ancestor of this new species may have been widespread in southern China and the descendent species in between Taiwan and Yunnan has become extinct.

Evolving Healthcare Quality in Top Tertiary General Hospitals in China during the China Healthcare Reform (2010-2012) from the Perspective of Inpatient Mortality.

Healthcare reforms (HR) initiated by many countries impacts on healthcare systems worldwide. Being one of fast developing countries, China launched HR in 2009. Better understanding of its impact is helpful for China and others in further pursuit of HR. Here we evaluate inpatient mortality, a proxy to healthcare quality, in 43 top tertiary hospitals in China during this critical period. This is a hospital-based observational study with 8 million discharge summary reports (DSR) from 43 Chinese hospitals from 2010-2012. Using DSRs, we extract the vita status as the outcome, in addition to age, gender, diagnostic codes, and surgical codes. Nearly all hospitals have expanded their hospitalization capacities during this period. As of year 2010, inpatient mortality (IM) across hospitals varies widely from 2‰ to 20‰. Comparing IM of year 2011 and 2012 with 2010, the overall IM has been substantially reduced (OR = 0.883 and 0.766, p-values<0.001), showing steady improvements in healthcare quality. Surgical IM correlates with the overall IM (correlation = 0.60, p-value <0.001), but is less uniform. Over these years, surgical IM has also been steadily reduced (OR = 0.890 and 0.793, p-values<0.001). Further analyses of treatments on five major diseases and six major surgeries revealed that treatments of myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction have significant improvement. Observed temporal and spatial variations demonstrate that there is a substantial disparity in healthcare quality across tertiary hospitals, and that these hospitals are rapidly improving healthcare quality. Evidence-based assessment shed light on the reform impact. Lessons learnt here are relevant to further refining HR.

Amphibians crossing the Bering Land Bridge: evidence from holarctic treefrogs (Hyla, Hylidae, Anura).

Based on an updated, time-calibrated phylogeny and applying biogeographical model testing and diversification analysis, we re-examined systematics and biogeography of the Holarctic treefrog genus Hyla with a focus on the East Asian species. We analyzed four mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S rRNA, tRNA(Leu), ND1) and one nuclear gene (POMC) for 192 samples representing 30 species of Hyla. Based on our results we suggest that H. ussuriensis is a synonym of H. japonica. Specimens from Sakhalin and Kunashir Islands might represent a cryptic species within H. japonica. We confirm earlier hypotheses that the genus Hyla originated during the Eocene to Early Oligocene and that Eurasian species originated from two independent dispersal events from North America via the Bering Land Bridge. Middle Eocene to Oligocene dispersal gave rise to the most recent common ancestor of the West Palearctic H. arborea-group and the East Palearctic, newly defined, H. chinensis-group. The Northeast Asian H. japonica-group resulted from a second wave of colonization from the Nearctic. A trans-Atlantic dispersal route could be excluded. Dispersal of the H. arborea-group to the western Palearctic coincides with the closure of the Turgai Strait at the end of the Oligocene. Diversification of Hyla decreased at the end of the Middle Miocene, possibly coinciding with the end of the Mid Miocene Climatic Optimum and the advent of cooler and drier climates in the Northern Hemisphere.

[Serum gastrin levels and clinical conditions in response to early minimal feeding in premature infants].

OBJECTIVE: To study serum gastrin levels in response to early minimal feeding in premature infants and evaluate the clinical effect of early minimal feeding. METHODS: Premature infants with critical score < or = 90 were randomly assigned into two groups: early minimal feeding group (n = 48), non-early minimal feeding group (n = 47). Other premature infants (n = 30) without any complications (critical score > 90) were assigned as normal control group. The premature infants in normal control group were fed with water at 6 h after birth, 1 - 2 ml/kg every time, after once or twice, they were fed with formula, increasing in the amount of formula gradually, until adequate. The premature infants in early minimal feeding group were fed with formula within 72 h after birth, 0.5 - 1 ml/kg, once every 3 h, the amount of formula was increased gradually, until adequate. The premature infants without early minimal feeding were not fed with formula until the illness was stable, the amount of formula was increased gradually until adequate. Situation of gastrointestinal feeding tolerance, growth and development, and clinical symptoms were observed and recorded for the three groups. Serum gastrin levels were monitored at 1, 3, 7 day after birth by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Serum gastrin concentrations in the three groups elevated from 1 to 7 days. In early minimal feeding group [(82.4 +/- 24.5) ng/L] and non-early minimal feeding group [(87.0 +/- 40.2) ng/L], the concentrations were significantly higher than those in normal control group [(66.4 +/- 19.7) ng/L] at day 1 (F = 3.36, P < 0.05). At day 3 and 7, the concentrations in early minimal feeding group [(96.3 +/- 14.6) ng/L, (113.0 +/- 16.5) ng/L] were significantly higher than those in non-early minimal feeding group [(73.9 +/- 13.5) ng/L, (92.4 +/- 12.2) ng/L] (P < 0.05). There were significant differences among the three groups in infants with feeding intolerance (2/30, 5/48, 14/47), the period reached full enteral feeding [(20.6 +/- 5.7) d, (27.8 +/- 6.1) d, (39.5 +/- 4.7) d], and in number of hospital day [(29.0 +/- 4.6) d, (39.0 +/- 4.8) d, (48.0 +/- 5.6) d] (P < 0.05). There were significant differences between early minimal feeding group and non-early minimal feeding group in the weight gain three and four weeks after birth [(19.1 +/- 2.4) g/d, (11.9 +/- 3.3) g/d], the period reached birthweight [(19.8 +/- 4.2) d, (25.2 +/- 5.1) d] (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference among the three groups in the weight gain in one and two weeks after birth [(5.9 +/- 2.9) g/d vs. (5.0 +/- 2.1) g/d], the numbers of premature infants with infection, anemia, apnea, or hypoglycemia. CONCLUSION: Early minimal feeding in premature infants leads to secretion of gastrin, promotes the development of gastrointestine and may not be associated with occurrence of complications.