Chryseobacterium metallicongregator, sp. nov., a bacterium possessing metallophore activity towards rare earth elements.

A polyphasic taxonomic study was carried out on strain ES2T, isolated from sediment of a wetland created to remediate acid drainage from a coal mine. The rod-shaped bacterium formed yellow/orange pigmented colonies and produced the pigment flexirubin. The 16S rRNA gene sequence results assigned the strain to Chryseobacterium, with 98.9 and 98.3 % similarity to Chryseobacterium vietnamense and Chryseobacterium cucumeris, respectively. Computation of the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values with the closest phylogenetic neighbours of ES2T revealed genetic differences at the species level, which were further substantiated by differences in several physiological characteristics. The dominant fatty acids of strain ES2T were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 1 ω9c, iso C17 : 0 3-OH, and iso-C15 : 0 2-OH. The DNA G+C content was 35.5 mol%. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine while menaquinone-6 was the only menaquinone found. This bacterium has been previously shown to possess metallophore activity towards rare earth elements, and based on genome sequencing, possesses all required genes for siderophore production/activity, possibly identifying the source of this unique ability. On the basis of the results obtained here, this bacterium is assigned to the genus Chryseobacterium as representing a new species with the name Chryseobacterium metallicongregator sp. nov., type strain ES2T (=NRRL B-65679T=KCTC 102120T).

The Use of Authorized Concealment to Minimize Nocebo Side Effects: A Survey of US Public Attitudes.

INTRODUCTION: To minimize nocebo effects, it may be possible to employ authorized concealment, in which clinicians tell patients about the nocebo phenomenon and ask if they would prefer not to be informed about mild treatment side effects. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to understand public evaluations of authorized concealment for reducing nocebo effects. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was completed by a demographically diverse US national community sample between June 2 and 6, 2023. Participants were 1,012 adults residing in 48 states, ages ranging from 18 to 94 (mean = 43.2), 65.4% regularly taking medication, and 66.6% reporting a chronic physical or mental health condition. After learning about nocebo effects, participants rated and estimated their likelihood of consenting to four potential methods for authorized concealment of mild side effects. The four methods were ranked for preference and ranked again with the options of (1) receiving all side-effect information and (2) having the opportunity to select among disclosure methods. RESULTS: A majority of participants (86.2%) positively endorsed at least one authorized concealment method and 88.2% estimated they would consent to at least one method. Authorized concealment in which individuals learned only the most common side effects or had side-effect information available online received more positive ratings and rankings. A final ranking yielded preferences for receiving all side-effect information (30.4%) and having the opportunity to select side-effect disclosure method (31.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that many in the public could be open to authorized concealment for mild side effects when it is explained in reference to nocebo effects.