Switchable hybrid-order optical vortex lattice.

Optical vortex (OV) modulation is a powerful technique for enhancing the intrinsic degrees-of-freedom in structured light applications. Particularly, the lattices involving multiple OVs have garnered significant academic interest owing to their wide applicability in optical tweezers and condensed matter physics. However, all OVs in a lattice possess the same order, which cannot be modulated individually, limiting its versatile application. Herein, we propose, to our knowledge, a novel concept, called the hot-swap method, to design a switchable hybrid-order OV lattice, in which each OV is easily replaced by arbitrary orders. We experimentally generated the switchable hybrid-order OV lattice and studied its characteristics, including interferograms, retrieved phase, energy flow, and orbital angular momentum. Furthermore, the significant advantages of the switchable hybrid-order OV lattice are demonstrated through the independent manipulation of multiple yeast cells. This study provides a novel scheme for accurate control and modulation of OV lattices, which greatly facilitates the diverse applications of optical manipulation and particle trapping and control.

Degree of paraxiality of radially polarized twisted multi-Gaussian Schell-model beams.

The degree of paraxiality (DOP) of a radially polarized twisted multi-Gaussian Schell-model (RPT MGSM) beam is discussed, and the influence of the source parameters on its DOP is studied. It is shown that the parameters of the beam source, including the boundary characteristic, the beam waist width, the coherence width of the source correlation, and the twist factor, have a significant impact on the DOP of the RPT MGSM beam. To explain the behaviors of the DOP, the far-field divergence angle of this beam is also discussed.

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Research on the Germination Process of Panax ginseng Overwintering Buds.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is a perennial plant with a long dormancy period. While some researchers employ gibberellin and other substances to stimulate premature germination, this method is limited to laboratory settings and cannot be applied to the field cultivation of ginseng. The mechanism underlying the germination of ginseng overwintering buds remains largely unexplored. Understanding the internal changes during the dormancy release process in the overwintering buds would facilitate the discovery of potential genes, metabolites, or regulatory pathways associated with it. In this study, we approximately determined the onset of dormancy release through morphological observations and investigated the process of dormancy release in ginseng overwintering buds using transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches. Our analyses revealed that the germination process of ginseng overwintering buds is regulated by multiple plant hormones, each acting at different times. Among these, abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) serve as classical signaling molecules regulating the dormancy process, while other hormones may promote the subsequent growth of overwintering buds. Additionally, metabolic pathways associated with arginine may be involved in the dormancy release process. Polyamines synthesized downstream may promote the growth of overwintering buds after dormancy release and participate in subsequent reproductive growth. This study provides insights into the germination process of ginseng overwintering buds at the molecular level and serves as a reference for further exploration of the detailed mechanism underlying ginseng overwintering germination in the future.

Generation of arbitrarily structured optical vortex arrays based on the epicycle model.

Optical vortex arrays (OVAs) are complex light fields with versatile structures that have been widely studied in large-capacity optical communications, optical tweezers, and optical measurements. However, generating OVAs with arbitrary structures without explicit analytical expressions remains a challenge. To address this issue, we propose an alternative scheme for customizing OVAs with arbitrary structures using an epicycle model and vortex localization techniques. This method can accurately generate an OVA with an arbitrary structure by pre-designing the positions of each vortex. The influence of the number and coordinates of the locating points on customized OVAs is discussed. Finally, the structures of the OVA and each vortex are individually shaped into specifically formed fractal shapes by combining cross-phase techniques. This unique OVA will open up novel potential applications, such as the complex manipulation of multiparticle systems and optical communication based on optical angular momentum.

Exposure to Molybdate Results in Metabolic Disorder: An Integrated Study of the Urine Elementome and Serum Metabolome in Mice.

The increasing use of molybdate has raised concerns about its potential toxicity in humans. However, the potential toxicity of molybdate under the current level of human exposure remains largely unknown. Endogenous metabolic alterations that are caused in humans by environmental exposure to pollutants are associated with the occurrence and progression of many diseases. This study exposed eight-week-old male C57 mice to sodium molybdate at doses relevant to humans (0.01 and 1 mg/kg/day) for eight weeks. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) were utilized to assess changes in urine element levels and serum metabolites in mice, respectively. A total of 838 subjects from the NHANES 2017-2018 population database were also included in our study to verify the associations between molybdenum and cadmium found in mice. Analysis of the metabolome in mice revealed that four metabolites in blood serum exhibited significant changes, including 5-aminolevulinic acid, glycolic acid, l-acetylcarnitine, and 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octanoate. Analysis of the elementome revealed a significant increase in urine levels of cadmium after molybdate exposure in mice. Notably, molybdenum also showed a positive correlation with cadmium in humans from the NHANES database. Further analysis identified a positive correlation between cadmium and 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octanoate in mice. In conclusion, these findings suggest that molybdate exposure disrupted amino acid and lipid metabolism, which may be partially mediated by molybdate-altered cadmium levels. The integration of elementome and metabolome data provides sensitive information on molybdate-induced metabolic disorders and associated toxicities at levels relevant to human exposure.

Integrating network pharmacology and drug side-effect data to explore mechanism of liver injury-induced by tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are highly efficient small-molecule anticancer drugs. Despite the specificity and efficacy of TKIs, they can produce off-target effects, leading to severe liver toxicity, and even some of them are labeled as black box hepatotoxicity. Thus, we focused on representative TKIs associated with severe hepatic adverse events, namely lapatinib, pazopanib, regorafenib, and sunitinib as objections of study, then integrated drug side-effect data from United State Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) and network pharmacology to elucidate mechanism underlying TKI-induced liver injury. Based on network pharmacology, we constructed a specific comorbidity module of high risk of serious adverse effects and created drug-disease networks. Enrichment analysis of the networks revealed the depletion of all-trans-retinoic acid and the involvement of down-regulation of the HSP70 family-mediated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as key factors in TKI-induced liver injury. These results were further verified by transcription data. Based on the target prediction results of drugs and reactive metabolites, we also shed light on the association between toxic metabolites and severe hepatic adverse reactions, and thinking HSPA8, HSPA1A, CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 were potential therapeutic or preventive targets against TKI-induced liver injury. In conclusion, our research provides comprehensive insights into the mechanism underlying severe liver injury caused by TKIs, offering a better understanding of how to enhance patient safety and treatment efficacy.

Therapeutic mechanisms of ginseng in coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common clinical manifestation of cardiovascular disease. It is characterized by myocardial ischemia, which is caused by coronary atherosclerosis. CHD is a significant global health problem with increasing prevalence every year because of significant changes in the lifestyles and diets. Ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that has been used in food preparations and traditional medicine for several centuries. Several studies have demonstrated that ginseng improved cardiac function by normalizing blood glucose levels and decreasing blood pressure, oxidative stress, platelet aggregation, and lipid dysregulation in vivo. This review describes the current understanding of the mechanisms by which ginseng alleviates CHD, and provides a reference for the clinical development and application of ginseng as an alternative therapy for CHD.

Twisted sinc-correlation Schell-model array beams.

We introduce a class of twisted sinc-correlation partially coherent array sources, by applying the construction theory of correlation function. Spectral density of such novel focused beam propagating in free space is analyzed. It is shown that the intensity distribution presents a good twisted effect and splitting phenomenon upon propagation. The array dimension, the intensity distribution and spatial distribution of the lobes can be flexibly regulated by altering the source parameters. We also explore the spatial evolution of multiple correlation singularities of this light field, where the phase distribution appears as a rotational spiral windmill profile during propagation. Furthermore, the coherence orbital angular momentum of the twisted source beam is investigated. These findings could be useful in the particle manipulation and free-space optical communication.

WIPI2 enhances the vulnerability of colorectal cancer cells to erastin via bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification.

Introduction: WD Repeat Domain Phosphoinositide Interacting 2 (WIPI2) is a WD repeat protein that interacts with phosphatidylinositol and regulates multiprotein complexes by providing a b-propeller platform for synchronous and reversible protein-protein interactions assembled proteins. Ferroptosis is a novel iron-dependent form of cell death. It is usually accompanied with the accumulation of membrane lipid peroxides. Our study is to focus on investigating the effect of WIPI2 on the growth and ferroptosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and its potential mechanism. Methods: We analyzed the expression of WIPI2 in colorectal cancer versus normal tissues through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the relationship between clinical traits and WIPI2 expression and prognosis was assessed by univariate and multifactorial cox analysis. Next, we constructed the siRNAs targeting the WIPI2 sequence si-WIPI2 to further investigate the mechanism of WIPI2 in CRC cells through vitro experiments. Results: Public data from the TCGA platform showed that WIPI2 expression was significantly elevated in colorectal cancer tissues compared to paracancerous tissues, and high WIPI2 expressionpredicted poor prognosis for CRC patients. Moreover, we found that the knockdown of WIPI2 expression could inhibit the growth and proliferation of HCT116 and HT29 cells. Furthermore, we found that the expression level of ACSL4 decreased and that of GPX4 increased when WIPI2 was knocked down, suggesting that WIPI2 can potentially positively regulate CRC ferroptosis. Meanwhile, both NC and si groups were able to further inhibit cell growth activity, as well as increase WIPI2 and decrease GPX4 expression when treated with Erastin, but the rate of cell viability inhibition and the trend of protein changes were more significantly in the NC group than si groups, which indicated that Erastin induced CRC ferroptosis through the WIPI2/GPX4 pathway thereby enhancing the sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to Erastin. Conclusions: Our study suggested that WIPI2 had a promotional effect on the growth of colorectal cancer cells, and it also played an important role in the ferroptosis pathway.

Virulence and antimicrobial resistance characteristics assessment of Vibrio isolated from shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) breeding system in south China.

The diseases caused by Vibrio during shrimp breeding program have the risk of spreading in different aquatic areas through larvae transportation between different regions. Therefore, the population distribution and the virulence and antibiotic resistance risk of 5 pathogenic Vibrio in shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) breeding system in China were evaluated for the first time. A total of 418 isolates were recovered from shrimp, breeding water and biological baits samples, and 312 isolates were identified as Vibrio genus based on 16s rDNA, among which V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae and V. campbellii were the dominant species. And 10/20 kinds of virulence genes (chiA, luxR, vhh, tlh, chxA, sepro, flaA, vch, VAC and rpoS) were detected among the 5 Vibrio species. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of the 5 dominant Vibrio isolates were 0.13-0.88 %, and 36.5 % isolates with MAR < 0.2. But the antibiotic resistance pattern abundance (ARPA) index ranged from 0.25 to 0.56, which indicated the antibiotic phenotypes of Vibrio species in the shrimp breeding system in China were homogeneity. Furthermore, resistance quotients (RQs) calculation results displayed that the dominant Vibrio species in the shrimp breeding system in China showed no or low selection pressure for resistance to cefoperazone/sulbactam, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, fluoroquine, florfenicol, tetracycline and doxycycline. But only 5 resistance genes were detected, which were strA (43.8 %), strB (11.7 %), QnrVC (2.9 %), sul2 (8.8 %) and Int4 (8.8 %), respectively, and the antimicrobial resistance genotypes were not previously correlated with their phenotypes. The relevant research results provide theoretical basis for epizootic tracking in aquatic system in China, and targeting its final risk in aquatic ecosystem and public health perspectives.

TET1-mediated microRNA-188-5p promoter hydroxymethylation regulates PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

OBJECTIVE: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a common hematopoietic malignancy, and drug resistance greatly blunts the efficacy of chemotherapy in AML treatment. Adriamycin (ADM, also called doxorubicin), is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutics for treating cancers. Herein, we studied the molecular mechanisms underlying microRNA-188-5p (miR-188-5p)-mediated ADM resistance in AML. METHODS: Differentially expressed miRNAs were screened in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells by bioinformatics tools. MiR-188-5p expression in primary bone marrow CD34+ cells and AML cells was evaluated. AML/ADM cells were established using THP-1 and Kasumi-1 cells. The effect of miR-188-5p on the drug resistance in AML/ADM cells was examined by delivery of miR-188-5p-inhibitor. The binding relationship between TET1 and miR-188-5p was analyzed by ChIP, and the downstream target of miR-188-5p was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and validated by dual-luciferase assay. Finally, rescue experiments were carried out in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: miR-188-5p was highly expressed in AML cells, and miR-188-5p-inhibitor sensitized the AML/ADM cells to ADM. Inhibition of TET1 reduced miR-188-5p promoter hydroxymethylation and downregulated miR-188-5p. miR-188-5p bound to the 3'UTR of PTEN to inhibit PTEN expression, and the PI3K/AKT signaling was activated upon inhibition of PTEN. Suppression of PTEN conferred resistance again to AML/ADM cells in the presence of miR-188-5p inhibitor. CONCLUSION: TET1 elevates miR-188-5p expression by promoting miR-188-5p promoter hydroxymethylation, and miR-188-5p inhibits PTEN expression to induce PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation, leading to ADM resistance in AML.

A Metabolome and Microbiome Analysis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Insights into the Carnosine-Histidine Metabolic Pathway.

Metabolism underlies the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and can be influenced by gut microbiota. However, the specific metabolic changes in different tissues and the role of gut microbiota in AML remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed the metabolome differences in blood samples from patients with AML and healthy controls using UPLC-Q-Exactive. Additionally, we examined the serum, liver, and fecal metabolome of AML model mice and control mice using UPLC-Q-Exactive. The gut microbiota of the mice were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Our UPLC-MS analysis revealed significant differences in metabolites between the AML and control groups in multiple tissue samples. Through cross-species validation in humans and animals, as well as reverse validation of Celastrol, we discovered that the Carnosine-Histidine metabolic pathway may play a potential role in the occurrence and progression of AML. Furthermore, our analysis of gut microbiota showed no significant diversity changes, but we observed a significant negative correlation between the key metabolite Carnosine and Peptococcaceae and Campylobacteraceae. In conclusion, the Carnosine-Histidine metabolic pathway influences the occurrence and progression of AML, while the gut microbiota might play a role in this process.

Genetic Characterization of Enterobacter hormaechei Co-Harboring bla NDM-1 and mcr-9 Causing Upper Respiratory Tract Infection.

Purpose: With the spread of multiple drug-resistant bacteria, bla NDM-1 and mcr-9 have been detected in various bacteria worldwide. However, the simultaneous detection of bla NDM-1 and mcr-9 in Enterobacter hormaechei has been rarely reported. This study identified an E. hormaechei strain carrying both bla NDM-1 and mcr-9. We investigated the genetic characteristics of these two resistance genes in detail, elucidating various potential mechanisms by which they may be transmitted. Methods: Bacterial genomic features and possible origins were assessed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with Illumina and PacBio platforms and phylogenetic analysis. Subsequent investigations were performed, including antimicrobial susceptibility testing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Results: We isolated an E. hormaechei strain DY1901 carrying both bla NDM-1 and mcr-9 from the sputum sample. Susceptibility testing showed that the isolate was multidrug-resistant. Multiple antibiotic resistance genes and virulence genes are widely distributed in DY1901. S1-PFGE, Southern blotting, and plasmid replicon typing showed that DY1901 carried four plasmids. The plasmid carrying mcr-9 was 259Kb in size and belonged to IncHI2, while the plasmid carrying bla NDM-1 was 45Kb in length and belonged to IncX3. Conclusion: The E. hormaechei strain isolated in this study has a broad antibiotic resistance spectrum, posing a challenge to clinical treatment. Plasmids carrying mcr-9 are fusion plasmids, and those taking NDM are widely disseminated in China, suggesting that we should conduct routine genomic surveillance on such plasmids to curb the spread of drug-resistant bacteria in the region.

Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing Successfully Detects Pulmonary Infectious Pathogens in Children With Hematologic Malignancy.

Background: Pulmonary infection is a leading cause of mortality in pediatric patients with hematologic malignancy (HM). In clinical settings, pulmonary pathogens are frequently undetectable, and empiric therapies may be costly, ineffective and lead to poor outcomes in this vulnerable population. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) enhances pathogen detection, but data on its application in pediatric patients with HM and pulmonary infections are scarce. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 55 pediatric patients with HM and pulmonary infection who were performed mNGS on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from January 2020 to October 2021. The performances of mNGS methods and conventional microbiological methods in pathogenic diagnosis and subsequently antibiotic adjustment were investigated. Results: A definite or probable microbial etiology of pulmonary infection was established for 50 of the 55 patients (90.9%) when mNGS was combined with conventional microbiological tests. The positive rate was 87.3% (48 of 55 patients) for mNGS versus 34.5% (19 of 55 patients) with conventional microbiological methods (P < 0.001). Bacteria, viruses and fungi were detected in 17/55 (30.9%), 25/55 (45.5%) and 19/55 (34.5%) cases using mNGS, respectively. Furthermore, 17 patients (30.9%) were identified as pulmonary mixed infections. Among the 50 pathogen-positive cases, 38% (19/50) were not completely pathogen-covered by empirical antibiotics and all of them were accordingly made an antibiotic adjustment. In the present study, the 30-day mortality rate was 7.3%. Conclusion: mNGS is a valuable diagnostic tool to determine the etiology and appropriate treatment in pediatric patients with HM and pulmonary infection. In these vulnerable children with HM, pulmonary infections are life-threatening, so we recommend that mNGS should be considered as a front-line diagnostic test.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding from a Mallory-Weiss tear associated with transesophageal echocardiography during successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A case report.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, it has been recognized that transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is of great value in resuscitation of cardiac arrest. However, its safety has rarely been reported. CASE SUMMARY: We present a 59-year-old male patient scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery for rheumatic heart disease. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding from a Mallory-Weiss tear appeared following cardiopulmonary resuscitation, TEE, and percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass resuscitation when he suffered from aesthesia-related cardiac arrest. Gastrointestinal injury was diagnosed promptly and treated effectively. However, the exact etiology of gastrointestinal injury was unclear; the interaction of closed-chest cardiac massage and the application of TEE may be involved as a most possible mechanism of injury. CONCLUSION: Serious complications should be considered when TEE is used in patients with special pathophysiological conditions.

A metabolomic study on the effect of prenatal exposure to Benzophenone-3 on spontaneous fetal loss in mice.

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) is widely used in a variety of cosmetics and is prevalent in drinking water or food, and women were under notable high exposure burden of BP-3. Reports show the associations between prenatal exposure to BP-3 and the risk of fetal loss, but its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Pregnant ICR mice were gavaged with BP-3 from gestational day (GD) 0 to GD 6 at doses of 0.1, 10 and 1000 mg/kg/day. The samples were collected on GD 12. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry-based metabolomics was used to detect metabolome changes in fetal mice, the uterus and the placenta to identify the underlying mechanism. The results showed that the body weight and relative organ weights of the liver, brain and uterus of pregnant mice were not significantly changed between the control group and the treatment group. BP-3 increased fetal loss, and induced placental thrombosis and tissue necrosis with enhancement of platelet aggregation. Metabolomic analysis revealed that fructose and mannose metabolism, the TCA cycle, arginine and proline metabolism in the fetus, arginine and proline metabolism and biotin metabolism in the uterus, and arginine biosynthesis and pyrimidine metabolism in the placenta were the key changed pathways involved in the above changes. Our study indicates that exposure to BP-3 can induce placental thrombosis and fetal loss via the disruption of maternal and fetal metabolism in mice, providing novel insights into the influence of BP-3 toxicity on the female reproductive system.

Superimposed high-frequency jet ventilation used for endolaryngotracheal surgery in a child with congenital subglottic stenosis: a case report.

Background: Airway management and anesthesia during endolaryngotracheal surgery in patients with obstructive airway diseases pose a major challenge for anesthesiologists, especially in pediatric patients. Children with obstructive airway disease often have a potentially difficult airway. Adequate airway assessment and preparation before anesthesia is essential. In the formulation of the entire anesthesia strategy, the choice of ventilation mode is the most critical. Superimposed high-frequency jet ventilation (SHFJV) is an enormous step forward in the progress of difficult surgery of the larynx and trachea in neonates, infants and children. However, due to objective factors, it has not been extensively applied worldwide. Case Description: In this article, our airway management strategy and clinical anesthesia experience is presented in a precisely designed, non-invasive and "tubeless" supraglottic SHFJV technique. This technique was used during a successful endolaryngotracheal surgery in a 3-year-old child with congenital subglottic stenosis under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol and remifentanil. Ultimately, the entire procedure and anesthesia were successful, and the child received effective treatment. Conclusions: By summarizing and sharing our airway management strategy and clinical anesthesia experience in this case, anesthesiologists may have a clearer understanding of the challenges in this type of surgery. This case may add a valuable reference for the extensive application of SHFJV in endolaryngotracheal surgery.

Spin-orbit Hall effect in the tight focusing of a radially polarized vortex beam.

When the first-order radially polarized vortex beam propagates in an uniaxial crystal, the spin and the orbital angular momentum parts can be separated. It is called the optical spin-orbit Hall effect. In this study, we investigate the tight focusing of the radially polarized vortex beam theoretically and find the spatial separation of the spin and the orbital angular momentum parts occurs in the focal plane when the polarization order equals 1 and the vortex charge equals 1 (or -1). Moreover, when the initial phase of the polarization state takes π/2, the spatial separation of intensity in the focal plane corresponds to the spatial separation of the spin and the orbital angular momentum parts. This phenomenon can be considered as a manifestation of the optical spin-orbit Hall effect in the tight focusing of radially polarized vortex beam. Also, we show that, when the polarization order is greater than 1, the initial phase change of polarization state just leads to the rotation of the focal field and the spin and the orbital angular momentum density in the focal plane. Our results provide the potential application in the field of optical micro-manipulation.

First report of Leaf Spot Associated with Boeremia exigua on White Clover in China.

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an important perennial legume forage widely cultivated in China (Zhang et al. 2016). In April 2018, severe necrotic lesions on leaves were observed in a cultivated white clover field in Chongqing, China. Approximately 90% of plants in the field were affected. Leaf spots were amphigenous, dark-brown, elliptic to subcircular, with diameter ranging between 1 to 12 mm, well defined by brown margins and yellow halos. Severely infected leaves became withered and abscised. Stems and flowers were not affected by the disease. Symptomatic leaves were surface sterilized with 70% ethanol for 30 s followed by 0.1% HgCl2 treatment for 3 min, and rinsed in sterile water three times. Thereafter, tissue samples from margins of individual lesions were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 50 mg/L of chloramphenicol and incubated at 25℃ in the dark. An olivaceous gray fungal colony was consistently isolated (90.5% isolation frequency). After 15 days of incubation, subglobose, black pycnidia developed in the cultural medium. Conidia were hyaline, ellipsoid to oblong, nonseptate(n = 50), ranging from 4.0 to 7.5 µm long (5.6 ± 2.3µm) × 2.0 to 3.8 µm wide(2.8 ± 1.0 µm). On the basis of its morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Boeremia sp. (Aveskamp et al. 2010). To confirm the identity, the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU), partial actin (ACT), RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) and beta-tubulin (tub2) genes were amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4, LR0R/LR7, ACT-512F/ACT-783R, RPB2-5F2/fRPB2-7cR, and Btub2Fd/Btub4Rd, respectively, in eight representative isolates and sequenced(Aveskamp et al. 2009; Chen et al. 2015). BLAST results showed 100% identity of the ITS (506/506 nucleotides), LSU (966/966 nucleotides), ACT (244/244 nucleotides) and tub2 (297/297 nucleotides) sequences with those of B. exigua (KY419536, MK398746, EU880878, and MK514090) and 99.83% identity of those of the rpb2 (593/594 nucleotides) sequence with B. exigua (KT389572).Based on morphology and DNA sequence analysis, the associated fungus was identified as B. exigua. Representative sequences of one isolate (BT2-1) were deposited in GenBank (MN826339, MN836592, MT265217, MT265218 and MT265219). In a pathogenicity test, ten 2-month-old potted white clover plants were spray-inoculated with a spore and mycelial suspension (approximately 105 CFU/mL) and the control plants were inoculated with sterile distilled water. Plants were incubated in a greenhouse at 20 to 24°C under natural light and enclosed in plastic bags for the first 3 days to maintain high humidity. After 10 days, typical dark-brown lesions similar to those seen in naturally infected leaves developed on the inoculated leaves and not on the control plants. B. exigua was reisolated from the lesions, thus completing Koch's postulates. There is some evidence that B exigua is capable of invading seedling root tissue of white clover and causing necrotic lesions on roots (Skipp and Christensen,1982). However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot on T. repens caused by B. exigua. This disease severely reduces forage quality and yield. Proper identification of the causal organism is essential in formulating management strategies.

Non-invasive prenatal testing detects duplication abnormalities of fetal chromosome 12.

PURPOSE: The 12q terminal duplication is a chromosomal structural abnormality that has been rarely reported. The common clinical manifestations include intellectual disability and speech delay. We report two cases of patients with a duplication of chromosome 12q which was discovered incidentally during non-invasive prenatal genetic testing (NIPT). METHODS: Next generation sequencing-based NIPT and karyotype analysis confirmed the type and inheritance of the rearrangement, and chromosomal microarray-based analysis also confirmed the end replication. RESULTS: One patient had a 18Mb 12q24.21q24.33 duplication. The other patient had a12.04Mb12.q24.31q24.33 duplication and a 9.56Mb deletion in 18p11.32p11.22. The duplicated regions on chromosome 12 and the deletion on chromosome 18 in the patients were pathogenic, and the fetuses may have clinical characteristics, such as mental retardation, facial deformities, and psychomotor retardation. Ultimately, both pregnant women chose to terminate their pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The cases we reported show that NIPT cannot only detect conventional chromosomes, but can also detect microdeletions and microduplications, which broadens the scope of clinical application for NIPT and provides genetic information for high-risk pregnant women as early as possible.