Deep learning and hierarchical graph-assisted crosstalk-aware fragmentation avoidance strategy in space division multiplexing elastic optical networks.

Space division multiplexing elastic optical networks (SDM-EONs) with multi-core fiber (MCF) are the promising candidate for future optical networks due to their high transmission capacity and high flexibility. However, the inherent defects of inter-core crosstalk and spectrum fragmentation may have some negative impact on the performance of SDM-EONs. A deep learning and hierarchical graph-assisted crosstalk-aware fragmentation avoidance (DLHGA) strategy is proposed in this paper. Firstly, we introduce a deep learning (DL) model to predict future requests, so as to achieve reasonable scheduling of resource in advance. Then, considering the inter-core crosstalk of MCF, we abstract the core, spectrum and time resource as a three-dimensional (3D) model with the hierarchical graphs. Therefore, the resource allocation process is simplified to be mitigating the crosstalk and fragmentation from the perspective of inter-core and intra-core, respectively. Finally, based on DL traffic prediction and different characteristics of hierarchical graph, we present an adaptive resource allocation algorithm considering relieving core adjacency and downgrading modulation format to achieve efficient resource scheduling. We evaluate our DLHGA strategy in different topologies, and the results show that our strategy can efficiently improve network performance in terms to inter-core crosstalk and bandwidth blocking probability compared to earlier approaches.

Morphological and molecular characterizations of Sarcocystis miescheriana and Sarcocystis suihominis in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) in China.

In this study, 36.8% (28/76) of tissue samples collected from domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) contained sarcocysts, as determined by light microscopy. The organisms were identified as Sarcocystis miescheriana and Sarcocystis suihominis based on their morphological and molecular characteristics. Four genetic markers, i.e., 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS-1 region (ITS-1), and the mitochondrial COX1 gene (COX1), of the two parasites were sequenced and analyzed, and the 28S rDNA and ITS-1 of S. suihominis obtained from pigs constituted the first records of these markers in GenBank. The sequences of the four loci (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS-1, and COX1) of S. miescheriana shared high identities with those of S. miescheriana obtained from domestic and/or wild pigs in GenBank, with similarities of 99.6%, 99.6%, 95.9%, and 95.4%, respectively. The 18S rDNA sequences of S. suihominis exhibited 99.4% identity with those of S. suihominis from domestic and wild pigs. The comparison of the newly obtained sequences of the four genetic markers between the two parasites revealed that the interspecific similarities of 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS-1, and COX1 were 97.7%, 96.6%, 80.3%, and 81.2%, respectively. Therefore, the two species could be better discriminated with ITS-1 and mitochondrial COX1 compared with 18S rDNA or 28S rDNA. The phylogenetic analysis using 28S rDNA indicated that the two Sarcocystis species in domestic pigs had a close relationship.

Characterization of an Unusual Foodborne Illness Including an Outbreak and Sporadic Illness Caused by Three Bacterial Pathogens Via a Takeaway Service.

Takeaway food services are an emerging business in China and have a potential impact on food safety. An unusual foodborne illness associated with takeaway food delivered through a logistics company on August 27, 2018 is reported. Epidemiological investigations showed that 28 patients from 2 companies were diagnosed with gastroenteritis symptoms. The major symptoms included nausea (24, 85.71%), vomiting (24, 85.71%), diarrhea (22, 78.57%), and abdominal pain (22, 78.75%). Laboratory investigations showed that six Staphylococcus aureus isolates, three Salmonella enteria serovar livingstone isolates, and one Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolate were detected. Six S. aureus isolates were detected from one patient, food, and a food handler, and all six S. aureus isolates had the same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) genotype. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A was detected from food and the six S. aureus isolates. These results confirmed that S. aureus isolates were the major agent causing this foodborne illness. Three Salmonella isolates with the same PFGE pattern and MLST genotype were detected from patients. This was the first time that Salmonella isolates have been identified as causing a foodborne disease outbreak in China. Only one O4:K8 serotype of V. parahaemolyticus with the tdh gene isolate was detected from one patient. These results confirmed that this was an unusual foodborne illness that included an outbreak associated with two different pathogens and a third pathogen sporadic illness. Takeaway services pose a risk to public health because they have the potential to distribute contaminated products over a large geographic area within a short time. Therefore, more attention should be paid to prevent and control foodborne illnesses caused by contaminated food from takeaway services.

An acute gastroenteritis outbreak associated with person-to-person transmission in a primary school in Shanghai: first report of a GI.5 norovirus outbreak in China.

BACKGROUND: GII noroviruses are a common cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks in institutional settings globally. However, AGE outbreaks caused by GI norovirus, especially the GI.5 genotype, are relatively uncommon. METHODS: In February 2017, an AGE outbreak occurred in a primary school in Shanghai, China. An outbreak investigation was undertaken, and fecal specimens, rectal swabs, and environmental swabs were collected. Pathogen detection was performed and the positive specimens were characterized by gene sequencing. RESULTS: The descriptive epidemiological analysis suggested that this outbreak, involving 19 cases in two classes (designated classes A and B), was a small-scale propagated epidemic and person-to-person transmission was the most plausible transmission mode. The outbreak comprised two peaks, with 15 cases occurring in class A during the main peak and four cases occurring in class B in the subsequent minor peak. The primary attack rate was 38% and the secondary attack rate was 10%. Univariable logistic regression indicated that contacting a suspect case was a risk factor for norovirus infection, with an unadjusted OR of 5.6 (95% CI: 1.6-20.1). Six fecal specimens were positive for GI norovirus, with a single genotype, GI.5 norovirus, being involved, as characterized by genotyping. This outbreak was the first reported outbreak of GI.5 norovirus in China. CONCLUSIONS: This study implies that GI.5 norovirus is a potential agent of outbreaks spread by person-to-person transmission in institutional settings. The investigation highlights the importance of sensitive surveillance, timely isolation of individuals who are ill, adequate hand hygiene, and proper environmental disinfection for prevention and control of AGE outbreaks caused by norovirus.

First isolation of Sarcocystis caninum sarcocysts from two domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) from China.

The presence of Sarcocystis cysts in the muscle tissue of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), which normally serve as definitive hosts, is unusual and infrequent. Here, S. caninum sarcocysts were identified for the first time in two of 37 dogs (2.7%) from China. Examination using light microscopy found that the S. caninum sarcocysts were up to 1520 µm long and up to 147 µm wide and contained numerous 1.5-3.3 µm wedge-like villar protrusions (vp). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the sarcocysts had pleomorphic vp that closely resembled those of "type 9c." Five loci, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, mitochondrial cox1, ITS1 and ropB, were sequenced and characterized in S. caninum sarcocysts. The sequences of the five loci shared similarities of 99.9-100%, 99.0-100%, 99.4-100%, 99.6-100%, and 99.7-100%, respectively, with those of S. arctica. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of 28S rDNA and mitochondrial cox1 indicated that S. caninum and S. arctica are closely related to Sarcocystis species that use a raptorial bird as their definitive host.

Identification of key aromatic compounds in Congou black tea by partial least-square regression with variable importance of projection scores and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/gas chromatography-olfactometry.

BACKGROUND: Gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) is the most frequently used method to estimate the sensory contribution of single odorant, but disregards the interactions between volatiles. In order to select the key volatiles responsible for the aroma attributes of Congou black tea (Camellia sinensis), instrumental, sensory and multivariate statistical approaches were applied. RESULTS: Using sensory analysis, nine panellists developed eight descriptors: floral, sweet, fruity, green, roasted, oil, spicy, and off-odour. Linalool, (E)-furan linalool oxide, (Z)-pyran linalool oxide, methyl salicylate, ß-myrcene, and phenylethyl alcohol, which were identified from the most representative samples by the GC-O procedure, were the essential aroma-active compounds in the formation of basic Congou black tea aroma. In addition, 136 volatiles were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), among which 55 compounds were determined as the key factors for six sensory attributes by partial least-square regression (PLSR) with variable importance of projection scores. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that headspace solid-phase microextraction/GC-MS/GC-O was a fast approach for isolation and quantification aroma-active compounds. The PLSR method was also considered to be a useful tool in selecting important variables for sensory attributes. These two strategies, which allowed us to comprehensively evaluate the sensorial contribution of a single volatile from different perspectives, can be applied to related products for comprehensive quality control. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dynamic changes in the non-volatile and flavour compounds in withered tea leaves of three different colour cultivars based on multi-omics.

In this study, metabolomics and proteomics were performed to investigate the fluctuations of non-volatile compounds and proteins in tea leaves from three tea cultivars with varying colours during withering. A total of 2798 compounds were detected, exhibiting considerable variations in amino acids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids. The ZH1 cultivar displayed increased levels of amino acids but decreased levels of polyphenols, which might be associated with the up-regulation of enzymes responsible for protein degradation and subsequent amino acid production, as well as the down-regulation of enzymes involved in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis. The FUD and ZH1 cultivars had elevated levels of flavanols and flavanol-O-glycosides, which were regulated by the upregulation of FLS. The ZJ and ZH1 cultivars displayed elevated levels of theaflavin and peroxidase. This work presents a novel investigation into the alterations of metabolites and proteins between tea cultivars during withering, and helps with the tea cultivar selection and manufacturing development.

l-Theanine Prevents Colonic Damage via NF-κB/MAPK Signaling Pathways Induced by a High-Fat Diet in Rats.

SCOPE: l-Theanine (l-Thea) is an amino acid which is naturally present in tea leaves. It has been associated with possible health advantages, including obesity prevention, but the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A multiomics approach is utilized to examine the mechanism by which l-Thea exerts its antiobesity effects. This study reveals that l-Thea administration significantly ameliorates high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in rats by improving body weight and hyperlipidemia. l-Thea mitigates HFD-induced inflammation and reverses hepatic and colonic damage, and intestinal barrier. This research verifies that the preventive effect of l-Thea on obesity in rats induced by an HFD with colitis is accomplished by suppressing the phosphorylation of important proteins in the NF-κB/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Metabolome analysis reveals that l-Thea regulates HFD-induced metabolic disorders, specifically through modulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis. Microbiome analysis reveals that l-Thea mitigates HFD-induced dysbiosis by increasing the relative abundance of obesity-associated probiotic bacteria, including Blautia coccoides and Lactobacillus murinus, while simultaneously suppressing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: l-Thea alleviates colitis generated by an HFD by restoring the integrity of the intestinal barrier, suppressing inflammation through regulation of MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways, and enhancing microbial metabolism in colon.

Silk Fibroin Encapsulated Icariin Nanoparticles Mitigate Bisphenol A-Induced Spermatogenesis Dysfunction.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a prevalent endocrine disruptor found in natural environments. Exposure to BPA has been associated with male infertility. The natural phytochemical icariin (ICA) has demonstrated significant promise for the treatment of male infertility. However, its effectiveness is limited due to its low bioavailability, poor water solubility, and insufficient targeting abilities. Herein, novel nanoparticles are generated from the natural silk fibroin, which are used to load ICA. The efficient drug delivery system (ICA-SNPs) result in significantly focused drug distribution to spermatogonium, enhancing the anti-infertility properties of ICA, and can effectively mitigate spermatogenesis dysfunction induced by BPA, control serum sex hormone levels, and enhance testicular ultrastructure. Additionally, the ICA-SNPs restore spermatogenesis dysfunction primarily via the hormone biosynthesis, spermatogonium meiosis process, and glycerophospholipid metabolism.

Protective Effect of l-Theanine on Cyclophosphamide-Induced Testicular Toxicity in Mice.

l-Theanine is the most abundant free amino acid present in tea. Several tea components have been studied for their impact on male fertility, but little is known about the effects of l-theanine. Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agent that reduces fertility in males. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of l-theanine on CP-induced testicular toxicity in male mice. A single dosage of 50 mg/kg saline or CP was administered intraperitoneally over the course of 5 days. Mice were administered l-theanine (80 mg/kg) or saline by gavage for 30 days. Animals were euthanized 24 h after the last l-theanine administration, and the testes were removed for histopathological and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Histological evaluation and transmission electron microscopy showed that administration of l-theanine alleviated CP-induced damage to the testicles, including spermatogonial cells, epithelial cells, seminiferous tubules, and basement membrane. An integrated proteomics and metabolomics investigation of testes revealed that l-theanine therapy substantially affected the quantity of 719 proteins (395 upregulated and 324 downregulated) and 196 metabolites (75 upregulated and 111 downregulated). The top three enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways for these proteins and metabolites were purine metabolism, choline metabolism in cancer, and arachidonic acid metabolism. This is the first study to reveal the protective effect of l-theanine on CP-induced testicular toxicity. l-Theanine could be a potential natural active substance for resistance to the testis toxicity induced by CP.

Sodium tanshinone â ¡A sulfonate injection as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sodium tanshinone ⅡA sulfonate (STS) injection has been widely used to treat heart failure over the past years in China. However, to the best of our knowledge, neither systematic review nor meta-analysis on the efficacy of STS injection as adjunctive therapy for heart failure has been reported. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to summarize relevant evidence from the published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of STS injection as adjunctive therapy for heart failure. METHODS: RCTs on STS injection as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of heart failure were screened from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Sino-Med, PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Cochrane Library, Embase and Chinese Science Citation Database until July 2021. Two authors independently performed the literature searching, data extraction, and quality evaluation. The meta-analysis was carried out by RevMan 5.3. Based on the methodological quality, years of publication, and sample size of the included RCTs, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were investigated. RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs with a total of 1368 patients were identified in this study. Results from this meta-analysis showed that STS injection as adjunctive therapy was superior to western medicine alone for the treatment of heart failure in improving the total effective rate (RR = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.29; p < 0.00001) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; MD = 6.34; 95% CI 5.25 to 7.43; p < 0.00001), meanwhile reducing the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD; MD = -4.79; 95% CI, -6.44 to -3.15; p < 0.00001), left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD; MD = -3.98; 95% CI, -5.79 to -2.17; p < 0.0001) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP; MD = -118.75; 95% CI, -175.36 to -62.15; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that STS injection as adjunctive therapy seemed to be more effective than western medicine alone in treating heart failure. However, due to the poor methodological quality of the included RCTs, further well-designed RCTs are required to confirm the efficacy of STS injection.

Identification of potential core genes and miRNAs in pediatric ACC via bioinformatics analysis.

Pediatric adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are rare aggressive neoplasms with heterogeneous prognosis, and often produce a most lethal malignant tumor, whereas its aetiology is still unclear. The aim of the present study was to identify the factors responsible for the development of pediatric ACC, a better understanding of the disease, and investigate new molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets. To identify the key genes and miRNAs linked to pediatric ACC, as well as their potential molecular mechanisms, the GSEGSE75415 and GSE169253 microarray datasets were analyzed. A total of 329 differentially produced genes (DEGs) and 187 differentially produced miRNAs (DEMs) were obtained after analyzing the GSEGSE75415 and GSE169253 datasets, respectively. Next, 3,359 genes were obtained by overlapping the target mRNAs of DEMs. Following protein-protein interaction network and Gene Ontology analysis, the ten nodes with the highest degrees were screened as hub genes. Among them, the highly expressed hub genes, MAPK1 and EP300, were associated with a worse overall survival. Additionally, hsa-miR-376, hsa-miR-148, hsa-miR-139, and hsa-miR-1305 were strongly associated with poorer survival. We proposed that the hub genes (MAPK1, EP300, hsa-miR-376, hsa-miR-148, hsa-miR-139, and hsa-miR-1305) may have a definite impact on cellular proliferation and migration in adrenocortical tumors. The roles of these hub genes in adrenocortical tumors may provide novel insight to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pediatric ACC.

Integrative proteomics and metabolomics approach to identify the key roles of icariin-mediated protective effects against cyclophosphamide-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction in mice.

The alkylating antineoplastic agent cyclophosphamide (CP) is known to be toxic to the male reproductive system, but there are no effective prevention or treatment options. The flavonoid icariin (ICA), which is used in Chinese medicine, has been shown to have a number of biological functions, including testicular protection. The current study looked into the protective effects of ICA in preventing CP-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction. The current study looked into the role of ICA in preventing testicular dysfunction caused by CP. For 5 days, healthy adult mice were given saline or a single dose of CP (50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p). For the next 30 days, mice were given ICA (80 mg/kg) by gavage. Animals were euthanized 12 h after receiving ICA, and testes were removed for biochemical, histopathological, sperm evaluation, and transmission electron microscope analysis (TEM). We also investigated the potential biological effects of ICA on CP-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction in mice using an integrated proteomic and metabolomic approach. The levels of 8309 proteins and 600 metabolites were measured. The majority of the differential proteins and metabolites were found to be enriched in a variety of metabolic pathways, including the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, necroptosis, the mTOR signaling pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and ABC transporters, implying that ICA may have molecular mechanisms that contribute to CP-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction in the testis. Taken together, these findings show that ICA effectively reduces testis injury, implying that ICA may have a role in male infertility preservation.

Etiological and epidemiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory infection caused by multiple viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in adult patients in Jinshan, Shanghai: A pilot hospital-based surveillance study.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) results in a tremendous disease burden worldwide. Available research on active surveillance among hospitalized adult patients suffering from SARI in China is limited. This pilot study aimed to identify associated etiologies and describe the demographic, epidemiological and clinical profiles of hospitalized SARI patients aged over 16 years in Jinshan, Shanghai. METHODS: Active surveillance was conducted at 1 sentinel hospital in Jinshan district, Shanghai, from April 2017 to March 2018. Hospitalized SARI patients aged over 16 years old were enrolled, and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected within 24 hours of admission and tested for multiple respiratory viruses (including 18 common viruses) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Demographic, epidemiological and clinical information was obtained from case report forms. RESULTS: In total, 397 SARI patients were enrolled; the median age was 68 years, and 194 (48.9%) patients were male. A total of 278 (70.0%) patients had at least one underlying chronic medical condition. The most frequent symptoms were cough (99.2%) and sputum production (88.4%). The median duration of hospitalization was 10 days. A total of 250 infection patients (63.0%) were positive for at least one pathogen, of whom 198 (49.9%) were positive for a single pathogen and 52 (13.1%) were positive for multiple pathogens. The pathogens identified most frequently were M. pneumoniae (23.9%, 95/397), followed by adenovirus (AdV) (11.6%, 46/397), influenza virus A/H3N2 (Flu A/H3N2) (11.1%, 44/397), human rhinovirus (HRhV) (8.1%, 32/397), influenza virus B/Yamagata (Flu B/Yamagata) (6.3%, 25/397), pandemic influenza virus A/H1N1 (Flu A/pH1N1) (4.0%, 16/397), parainfluenza virus (PIV) type 1 (2.0%, 8/397), human coronavirus (HCoV) type NL63 (2.0%, 8/397), HCoV 229E (1.5%, 6/397), HCoV HKU1 (1.5%, 6/397), PIV 3 (1.5%, 6/397), human metapneumovirus (HMPV) (1.5%, 6/397), PIV 4 (1.3%, 5/397), HCoV OC43 (1.0%, 4/397), influenza virus B/Victoria (Flu B/Victoria) (0.5%, 2/397), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) type B (0.5%, 2/397), and human bocavirus (HBoV) (0.3%, 1/397). The seasonality of pathogen-confirmed SARI patients had a bimodal distribution, with the first peak in the summer and the second peak in the winter. Statistically significant differences were observed with respect to the rates of dyspnea, radiographically diagnosed pneumonia and the presence of at least one comorbidity in patients who were infected with only M. pneumoniae, AdV, HRhV, Flu A/H3N2, Flu A /pH1N1 or Flu B/Yamagata. The differences in the positivity rates of the above 6 pathogens among the different age groups were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: M. pneumoniae, AdV and Flu A/H3N2 were the main pathogens detected in hospitalized SARI patients aged over 16 years old in Jinshan district, Shanghai. Our findings highlight the importance of sustained multipathogen surveillance among SARI patients in sentinel hospitals, which can provide useful information on SARI etiologies, epidemiology, and clinical characteristics.

Listeria monocytogenes Contamination Characteristics in Two Ready-to-Eat Meat Plants From 2019 to 2020 in Shanghai.

Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis and is mostly linked to consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Lack of hygiene in food processing environments may be a primary reason for contamination by L. monocytogenes isolates. In this study, L. monocytogenes strains isolated from two RTE meat processing plants in the Shanghai municipality, China, were characterized during 2019-2020 using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and whole-genome sequencing. Results showed that 29 samples (12.2%) out of 239 were positive for L. monocytogenes, with 21 (18.9%) and 8 (6.25%) isolates from plants A and B, respectively. The packaging room at plant A had the most contamination (14, 48.3%; p < 0.05), with a peak occurrence of 76.5% in processing environments. Nineteen L. monocytogenes isolates belonging to the pulsotype (PT) 7 group were indistinguishable (≥ 95.7%). Furthermore, core-genome multiple loci sequencing typing identified up to nine allelic differences, and the closet pairwise differences among these ST5 isolates included 0-16 small nucleotide polymorphisms. Therefore, L. monocytogenes likely persisted at plant A during 2019-2020 with ongoing clone transmission. In contrast, no L. monocytogenes isolates were identified from processing environments at plant B. Most L. monocytogenes isolates were sampled from raw materials (62.5%). Several isolates (ST378, ST8, and ST120) were detected only once in 2020 and were considered as transient isolates. However, three ST121 isolates with the same PT (PT2) were detected in 2020 and should be noted for their stronger survival ability in harsh environments. These results suggest that continuous monitoring, stringent surveillance, and source tracking are crucial to guaranteeing food safety in RTE food plants.

Identification of Listeria monocytogenes Contamination in a Ready-to-Eat Meat Processing Plant in China.

Listeria monocytogenes is the etiologic agent of listeriosis, which remains a significant public health concern in many countries due to its high case-fatality rate. The constant risk of L. monocytogenes transmission to consumers remains a central challenge in the food production industry. At present, there is very little known about L. monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat (RTE) processing plants in China. In this study, L. monocytogenes in an RTE meat processing plant in Shanghai municipality was characterized using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Furthermore, the biofilm formation ability of the pathogen was also tested. Results revealed that L. monocytogenes isolates were present in 12 samples out of the 48 samples investigated. Most of them (66.7%, 8/12) were identified from the processing facilities irrespective of observed hygiene levels of aerobic plate count (APC) and coliforms. Coliforms were present in only one processing area. ST5 (1/2b) isolates were predominant (83.3%, 10/12) and were identified in two dominant pulsotypes (PTs) (three in PT3 and seven in PT4, respectively). Results of the core-genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST) showed that ST5 in three PTs (PT1, PT3, and PT4) had 0-8 alleles, which confirmed that clonal transmission occurred in the RTE meat processing facilities. In addition, the biofilm formation test confirmed that the isolates from the processing facilities could form biofilms, which helped them colonize and facilitate persistence in the environment. These results indicated that common sanitation procedures regularly applied in the processing environment were efficient but not sufficient to remove L. monocytogenes isolates, especially biofilm of L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, the ST5 isolates in this study exhibited 12 alleles with one ST5 clinical isolate, which contributes to the understanding of the potential pathogenic risk that L. monocytogenes in RTE meat processing equipment posed to consumers. Therefore, strong hygienic measures, especially sanitation procedures for biofilms eradication, should be implemented to ensure the safety of raw materials. Meanwhile, continuous surveillance might be vital for the prevention and control of listeriosis caused by L. monocytogenes.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis wenzeli in chickens (Gallus gallus) in China.

BACKGROUND: There has been considerable confusion concerning the number and classification of Sarcocystis spp. in chickens. Scarce nucleotide data of Sarcocystis spp. from chickens are provided in GenBank. The study aimed to investigate the morphological and molecular characteristics of Sarcocystis spp. found in chickens in China. METHODS: Tissues from 33 chickens were collected in 2019. Sarcocysts were observed using light (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Individual sarcocysts from different chickens were selected for DNA extraction, and five loci, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS1 region, the mitochondrial cox1 gene and the apicoplastic rpoB gene, were amplified from each sarcocyst, sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS: Only S. wenzeli was found in 14 of 33 (42.4%) chickens. Under LM, the sarcocysts were microscopic and exhibited palisade-like villar protrusions measuring 1.5-2.8 µm. Ultrastructurally, the sarcocyst wall contained numerous stubby hill-like villar protrusions. The protrusions included scattered microtubules, which extended from the tips of the protrusions into the ground substance. The five loci were successfully sequenced and the sequences deposited in GenBank. At 18S rDNA, ITS1 and cox1, the most similar sequences in GenBank were those of Sarcocystis sp. obtained from the brains of chickens, i.e. 99.9-100%, 98.1-98.5% and 99.3% identity, respectively. The five loci (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, ITS1, cox1 and rpoB) showed different levels of interspecific sequence similarity with other closely related species of Sarcocystis (e.g. 99.8%, 99.0-99.2%, 89.3-89.7%, 98.5%, and 97.5%, respectively, with S. anasi). Phylogenetic analysis based on four of the loci (18S rDNA, cox1, rpoB and ITS1) revealed that S. wenzeli formed an independent clade with Sarcocystis spp. that utilize geese or ducks as intermediate hosts and canines as the known or presumed definitive host. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, the sequences of 28S rDNA and rpoB reported here constitute the first records of genetic markers of Sarcocystis spp. in chickens. Based on molecular analysis, S. wenzeli might be responsible for the neurological disease in chickens, and ITS1 and rpoB are more suitable for discriminating it from closely related Sarcocystis spp. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that S. wenzeli presents a close relationship with Sarcocystis spp. in geese or ducks.

Monitoring the authenticity of pu'er tea via chemometric analysis of multielements and stable isotopes.

Mineral elements and stable isotopes combined with stoichiometric methods were used as a potential tool for first authenticating Chinese tea according to it's production year. A total of 86 mineral elements and stable isotope compositions were determined from the Xiangzhujing Pu'er tea in five different production years using ICP-MS and ICP-OES. On the basis of 78 statistically significant mineral elements and stable isotopes, HCA, PCA, PLS-DA, BP-ANN, and LDA were employed to build authentication models for predicting the Pu'er tea with different production years. The clustering results of the HCA and PCA were worse than that of PLS-DA, BP-ANN, and LDA. The PLS-DA model displayed a perfect model performance (R2X = 0.86, R2Y = 0.974, and Q2 = 0.922). The authentication performance of LDA and BP-ANN revealed their 100% recognition sensitivity and prediction ability and was thus better than that of PLS-DA. Mn, 68Zn, and 203Tl were the markers for enabling the successful authentication of Pu'er tea with different production years. This study contributes toward generalizing the use of mineral element and stable isotope fingerprinting combined with LDA and BP-ANN as a promising tool for authentication of tea worldwide.

Prevalence and morphological and molecular characteristics of Sarcocystis bertrami in horses in China.

Three cyst-forming Sarcocystis species have been identified in horsemeat; however, there exists considerable confusion concerning their relationships. Here, 74% (34/46) of the examined tissue samples from horses contained sarcocysts based on examination by light microscopy (LM), and the organism was identified as Sarcocystis bertrami based on cyst structure. The S. bertrami cysts were microscopic (up to 6750 µm in length) and exhibited a striated wall with 2.0-5.1 µm villar protrusions (vps) under LM. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations showed that the vps were tightly packed, similar to "type 11c". Four genetic markers (18S, 28S, ITS1 and the mitochondrial cox1 gene) of S. bertrami were sequenced and analyzed. The 28S and ITS1 sequences are the first records for Sarcocystis in horses. The newly obtained sequences of the 18S and cox1 genes both shared the highest similarities with those of S. bertrami and S. fayeri obtained from horses. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S, 28S and cox1 sequences revealed that S. bertrami and S. fayeri formed an independent clade within a group comprising Sarcocystis spp. from ruminants and pigs. Therefore, S. bertrami and S. fayeri are considered to represent the same species of Sarcocystis in horses, and S. fayeri is a junior synonym of Sarcocystis bertrami.

TITLE: Prévalence et caractéristiques morphologiques et moléculaires de Sarcocystis bertrami chez les chevaux en Chine. ABSTRACT: Trois espèces de Sarcocystis formant des kystes ont été identifiées dans la viande de cheval, mais il existe une confusion considérable concernant leurs relations. Ici, 74 % (34/46) des échantillons de tissus examinés provenant de chevaux contenaient des sarcocystes selon l'examen par microscopie optique (LM), et l'organisme a été identifié comme Sarcocystis bertrami selon la structure du kyste. Les kystes de S. bertrami étaient microscopiques (jusqu'à 6 750 µm de longueur) et présentaient une paroi striée avec des saillies villaires (vp) de 2,0 à 5,1 µm sous LM. Les observations en microscopie électronique à transmission ont montré que les vp étaient très serrées, similaires au « type 11c ¼. Quatre marqueurs génétiques (18S, 28S, ITS1 et le gène mitochondrial cox1) de S. bertrami ont été séquencés et analysés. Les séquences de 28S et ITS1 sont les premières de Sarcocystis chez les chevaux. Les séquences nouvellement obtenues de 18S et des gènes mitochondriaux cox1 partagent les similitudes les plus élevées avec celles de S. bertrami et S. fayeri obtenues à partir de chevaux. Une analyse phylogénétique basée sur les séquences de 18S, 28S et cox1 a révélé que S. bertrami et S. fayeri formaient un clade indépendant au sein d'un groupe comprenant les Sarcocystis spp. des ruminants et des porcs. Par conséquent, S. bertrami et S. fayeri sont considérés comme représentant la même espèce de Sarcocystis chez les chevaux, et S. fayeri est un synonyme plus récent de Sarcocystis bertrami.

Effects of withering on the main physical properties of withered tea leaves and the sensory quality of congou black tea.

To explore the relationship between the moisture content of withered tea leaves and their physical properties (i.e., elasticity, plasticity, flexibility, and texture) during withering, texture analyzer was employed to test the elasticity and flexibility of withered tea leaves with different moisture contents. The texture was evaluated by computer vision technology. The withered tea leaves with different moisture contents were used to process congou black tea, which was then subjected to sensory evaluation. Results showed that good elasticity, optimal flexibility, and plasticity were achieved when the moisture content of the withered tea leaves of Fudingdabai comprising two leaves and one bud varied arranging from 65.51 to 61.48%. The sensory evaluation of congou black tea revealed that moderate withering was better than long-term withering and that both moderate and long-term withering were better than no withering during processing. The moisture content was significantly correlated with the flexibility and plasticity of the withered tea leaves. Fresh tea leaves undergoing moderate withering with moisture content of 65.51-61.48% to process congou black tea, good tea shape and liquor color were achieved. This study provided new evidence that the moisture content of withered tea leaves significantly affected the quality of black tea.