Optimized helical intermedium-period fiber grating for breathing monitoring.

The investigation into the spectral properties and refractive index (RI) sensitivities at low RI region of helical intermedium-period fiber gratings (HIPFGs) with varied periods ranging from 10-48 µm is presented in detail for the first time. The structure of HIPFG is optimized for RI sensing in the RI range of 1.3-1.33 by comparing the optical properties of HIPFGs with different grating periods. The HIPFG with optimized structure is demonstrated to have a high average sensitivity of 302.5 nm/RIU in the RI ranging from 1.3 to 1.33, which is two orders more elevated than the traditional long-period fiber gratings. The improved HIPFG is also experimentally applied to breath monitoring in different states. Normal breath, slow breath, fast breath, and unhealthy breath are distinguished based on breathing rate, intensity, and time of exhalation and inhalation. The fastest response time is determined to be 10 ms. The results demonstrate that the optical fiber's sensitivity in the low RI region can be increased by shortening its period, offering a special strategy for improving detection performance of HIPFGs. By verifying its performance in breathing monitoring, it is proved that the optimized HIPFG sensor has the great potential to expand medical applications.

Effects of supplemental Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide on growth performance and intestinal health in weaned piglets.

In this study, we investigated the effects of supplemental Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GCP) on growth performance and intestinal health of weaned piglets. Ninety piglets weaned at 28 days of age were randomly allocated to three groups with five replicates per treatment. Piglets were fed the following diets for 28 days: (1) CON (control group), basal diet; (2) G500, CON + 500 mg/kg GCP; (3) G1000, CON + 1000 mg/kg GCP. The results showed that supplementation with 1000 mg/kg GCP increased the average daily gain (ADG) and decreased the feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) (P < 0.05). Serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactic acid (DL-A) levels were lower in the G1000 group (P < 0.05). Dietary GCP 1000 mg/kg improved mucosal trypsin activity in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum and increased lipase and amylase activity in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Moreover, in the G1000 group, ZO-1, claudin 1 and occludin levels were increased in the jejunum mucosa, whereas interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-6 levels were decreased (P < 0.05). The 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that dietary 1000 mg/kg GCP altered the jejunal microbial community, with increased relative abundances of beneficial bacteria. In conclusion, dietary GCP 1000 mg/kg can improve growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal immunity, barrier function and microbial community in weaned piglets.

Evaluation of hepatic AMPK, mTORC1, and autophagy-lysosomal pathway in cows with mild or moderate fatty liver.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the activity of AMPK and mTORC1 as well as TFEB transcriptional activity and autophagy-lysosomal function in the liver of dairy cows with mild fatty liver (FL) and cows with moderate FL. Liver and blood samples were collected from healthy dairy cows (n = 10; hepatic triglyceride content <1% wet weight) and cows with mild FL (n = 10; 1% ≤ hepatic triglyceride content < 5% wet weight) or moderate FL (n = 10; 5% ≤ hepatic triglyceride content < 10% wet weight) that had a similar number of lactations (median = 3, range = 2-4) and days in milk (median = 6 d, range = 3-9). Blood parameters were determined using a Hitachi 3130 autoanalyzer with commercially available kits. Protein and mRNA abundances were determined using western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. Activities of calcineurin and ß-N-acetylglucosaminidase were measured with commercial assay kits. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with subsequent Bonferroni correction. Blood concentrations of glucose were lower in moderate FL cows (3.03 ± 0.21 mM) than in healthy (3.71 ± 0.14 mM) and mild FL cows (3.76 ± 0.14 mM). Blood concentrations of ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB, 1.37 ± 0.15 mM in mild FL, 1.88 ± 0.17 mM in moderate FL) and free fatty acids (FFA, 0.69 ± 0.05 mM in mild FL, 0.96 ± 0.09 mM in moderate FL) were greater in FL cows than in healthy cows (BHB, 0.76 ± 0.12 mM; FFA, 0.42 ± 0.04 mM). Compared with healthy cows, phosphorylation of AMPK was greater and phosphorylation of its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 was lower in cows with mild and moderate FL. Phosphorylation of mTOR was lower in cows with mild FL compared with healthy cows. In cows with moderate FL, phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream effectors was greater than in healthy cows and cows with mild FL. The mRNA abundance of TFEB was downregulated in cows with moderate FL compared with healthy cows and mild FL cows. In mild FL cows, the mRNA and protein abundances of TFEB were greater than in healthy cows. Compared with healthy cows, the mRNA abundances of autophagy markers sequestosome-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II, and the protein and mRNA abundances of lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 and cathepsin D were increased in mild FL cows but decreased in moderate FL cows. Compared with healthy cows, the mRNA abundance of mucolipin 1 and activities of ß-N-acetylglucosaminidase and calcineurin were higher in cows with mild FL but lower in cows with moderate FL. These data demonstrate that hepatic AMPK signaling pathway, TFEB transcriptional activity, and autophagy-lysosomal function are increased in dairy cows with mild FL; the hepatic mTORC1 signaling pathway is inhibited in mild FL cows but activated in moderate FL cows; and activities of AMPK and TFEB as well as autophagy-lysosomal function are impaired in moderate FL cows.

Effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide on growth, serum biochemistry, immunity, and egg laying in quail.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GCP) on growth performance, serum biochemistry, immunity, and egg laying in female quail. 300 1-day-old female quail were sorted into four dietary treatments with five replicate cages of 15 birds each. The basic diet in the four treatment groups was supplemented with 0, 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg GCP, and the experiment continued for 80 days. Results showed that dietary supplementation with GCP significantly (p < 0.05) increased average daily gain in a dose-dependent fashion, and decreased (p < 0.05) the feed-to-gain ratio and mortality. The relative weights of the thymus and bursa of Fabricius increased (p < 0.05) linearly with increasing dose of GCP from 0 to 1500 mg/kg on day 20. GCP birds showed higher serum levels of protein, glucose, immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin M, but lower serum triglycerides (p < 0.05) on day 50. GCP increased (p < 0.05) average laying rate and average egg weight linearly from days 60 to 80, whereas feed to egg ratio was decreased (p < 0.05). Taken together, these results revealed that GCP could improve growth performance, serum biochemistry, immunity, and egg laying in female quail. Therefore, GCP may be a potential replacement for antibiotic growth promoters in poultry.

Effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide supplementation on growth performance, intestinal antioxidants, immunity and microbiota in weaned piglets.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GCP) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal antioxidants, immunity and microbiota in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty 28-day-old weaned piglets were randomly assigned into five groups (four replicates per group) and fed a basal diet with GCP at 0, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg for four weeks, respectively. Results showed that 1000 mg/kg GCP improved piglets' ADG and ADFI and reduced FCR (p < .05). Thus, the 0 and 1000 mg/kg GCP dose were selected for subsequent experiments. We found that 1000 mg/GCP increased SOD and T-AOC and decreased MDA in the jejunal mucosa (p < .05). Dietary 1000 mg/kg GCP also resulted in high levels of sIgA, IL-10 and TGF-ß, whereas IL-2 dropped dramatically (p < .05). The relative expression levels of ZO-1, CLDN, OCLDN, TLR-4, IL-10, TGF-ß, Nrf-2, SOD1 and CAT increased in the jejunal mucosa, whereas INF-γ decreased (p < .05). 1000 mg/kg GCP treatment altered the diversity and community composition of cecal microbiota in pigs, with increasing relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Lactobacillus at phylum and genus levels (p < .05), respectively. The results suggested that dietary 1000 mg/kg GCP could improve growth performance and intestinal health of weaned piglets.

Study on the taste-masking effect and mechanism of Acesulfame K on berberine hydrochloride.

OBJECTIVE: In our previous taste-masking study, we found that Acesulfame K (AK) had a better taste-masking effect than other high-efficiency sweeteners for several representative bitter natural drugs in aqueous decoction. Furthermore, we performed a preliminary taste-masking study of AK for representative bitter API Berberine Hydrochloride (BH) and found that it had a good taste-masking effect. We also found that flocculent precipitation was generated in the BH solution, but it was not clear whether it was related to the good taste-masking effect. This study was conducted to explore the taste-masking effect and mechanism of AK on BH. METHODS: The taste-masking effect of AK on BH was evaluated based on the Traditional Human Taste Panel Method and the electronic tongue evaluation method. DSC, XRD, and molecular simulation techniques were used to explore the mechanism of AK on BH, from the macro level and molecular level, respectively. RESULTS: When evaluating the taste-masking effect, we found that 0.1% AK had the best taste-masking effect on BH, while higher concentrations had a worse taste-masking effect. DSC and XRD revealed that the flocculent precipitation was a complex AK-BH. Finally, by simulating the binding of AK, BH, and TAS2R46 receptors, we found the unique taste-masking mechanism of AK. CONCLUSION: The sweet taste stimulus of AK can mask the bitter taste stimulus of BH, and AK can generate AK-BH with BH to reduce the contact between BH and bitter taste receptors. Additionally, it could block the expression of the TAS2R46 receptors.

Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for patients after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is considered a common surgical option in patients with end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients after TKA. PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and CINAHL were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to 20 August 2021. Included studies were evaluated with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Six RCTs were included. Our study results demonstrated that a significant reduction in pain catastrophing was seen in patients receiving CBT at post-intervention (SMD -0.48, 95% CI = -0.72 to -0.23, I2 17.2%, p = 0.00) but not in 3-month or 12-month follow-up. There were no significant differences between CBT and usual-care patients regarding pain intensity or knee function at different time-points. This is the first time that meta-analysis has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of CBT for patients after TKA. It is necessary to conduct longer follow-ups, include larger samples and conduct rigorous RCTs to further explore this issue.

Effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide on growth performance, blood parameters and immunity in weaned piglets.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary Glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GCP) on growth performance, blood parameters and immunity in weaned piglets. A total of 240 (10.33 ± 0.62 kg body weight) 35-day-old (Duroc × Landrace × White) weaned piglets were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments, with six replicate pens per treatment and 10 piglets per pen (five males and five females). The dietary treatments continued for 21 days and comprised a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control group), 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg GCP. The results showed that the inclusion of 1000 and 2000 mg/kg GCP increased the average daily gain and decreased the feed conversion rate compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The piglets treated with 500 and 1000 mg/kg GCP had a lower diarrhoeal incidence than the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, supplementation with 1000 mg/kg GCP increased the counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, red blood cells, and platelets, and elevated alkaline phosphatase, total protein, globulin, glucose, triglyceride, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, and total antioxidant capacity levels (p < 0.05), and decreased malondialdehyde content compare with the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, relative to the control group, piglets fed 500 and 1000 mg/kg GCP had significantly lower expression of interleukin-6 mRNA in spleen (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that dietary supplementation with GCP can improve growth performance, blood parameters and immunity in weaned piglets. Our study suggests that adding 1000 mg/kg GCP to the diet had the most beneficial effect.

Antioxidant monoammonium glycyrrhizinate alleviates damage from oxidative stress in perinatal cows.

This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant capability of dietary supplementation with monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MAG) in perinatal cows. Glycyrrhizic acid has been shown to have strong antioxidant activity and we hypothesised that the aglycone of glycyrrhizin and MAG, could reduce damage from oxidative stress in perinatal cows by enhancing antioxidant capacity. Blood and milk samples were collected from three groups of healthy perinatal cows that were similar in body weight, parity, milk yield in the last milk cycle, etc., receiving dietary MAG supplementation ([Day 0 = parturition]: 0 g/day, [n = 13)] 3 g/day [n = 13] or 6 g/day [n = 11]) from -28 to 56 day (0 day = parturition). Compared with 0 g/day controls (CON), milk fat was significantly decreased in cows fed with MAG, and 3 g/day had the greatest effect. A diet containing 3 g/day MAG decreased the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level compared with CON at -7 day post-partum. ALT was also lower at 5 day post-partum in cows fed with 3 g/day MAG compared to 6 g/day. The administration of 3 g/day and 6 g/day MAG decreased serum aspartate transaminase (AST) at 3 day post-partum. Supplementation of MAG in cows increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum, and cows given 3 g MAG per day had higher T-AOC than controls on post-partum 7 day. At the end of the experiment, we isolated and cultured primary hepatocytes to determine the effect of MAG on oxidative stress caused by incubation with the sodium oleate (SO). SO increased lipid synthesis, but pre-treatment with MAG prevented the fatty buildup. SO treatment increased AST and ALT levels and malondialdehyde concentration, but decreased T-AOC and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Incubation with MAG increased antioxidant capacity and inhibited oxidant damage in bovine hepatocytes. SO stimulated expression of the antioxidant genes, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) and SOD1, in the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway, and catalase 1 (CAT1); this increase was accentuated by MAG pre-treatment. The results suggest that MAG can alleviate the damage caused by oxidative stress in perinatal cows by enhancing antioxidant activity.

SB431542 alleviates lupus nephritis by regulating B cells and inhibiting the TLR9/TGFß1/PDGFB signaling.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Currently, immunosuppressive treatments for LN are suboptimal and can induce significant side effects. SB431542 is a selective and potent inhibitor of the TGFß/Activin/NODAL pathway. Here, we study the effects of SB431542 treatment on LN and discuss the potential mechanisms. SB431542 ameliorated clinical outcomes with a consequent histological improvement in NZB/W mice. A comparative transcriptional profiling analysis revealed 586 differentially expressed genes (247 downregulated genes) in the SB431542 group compared to the control group. We found that the downregulated genes were mainly enriched in the biological processes of B cell activation, B cell proliferation, B cell differentiation, and B cell receptor signaling. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway analysis revealed that the hematopoietic cell linage pathway was significantly downregulated in the SB431542 group. In addition, we observed that SB431542 reduced the splenic or renal levels of CD20 and the serum levels of anti-dsDNA antibody (IgG) in NZB/W mice. Furthermore, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed that SB431542 inhibits the production of TLR9, TGFß1, and PDGFB. Thus, due to its immunomodulatory activities, SB431542 could be considered for clinical therapy development for LN.

Pain catastrophizing and associated factors in preoperative total knee arthroplasty in Lanzhou, China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Pain catastrophizing in preoperative total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients is associated with several poorly characterised factors in the literature. This study investigated the current state and associated factors of preoperative pain catastrophizing in patients undergoing TKA. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the orthopedics ward of two tertiary hospitals in Lanzhou, China. Pain catastrophizing was measured using the Chinese versions of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Short Form-36 (physical function domain), Numerical Rating Scale, Oxford Knee Score, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Life Orientation Test-Revised. RESULTS: The study included 360 participants. Preoperative TKA pain catastrophizing in all patients was high, with a mean score of 24.92 (SD: 12.38). The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed anxiety (ß = 0.548, P < 0.01), education level (ß = - 0.179, P < 0.01), physical function (ß = - 0.156, P < 0.01), and pain intensity during activity (ß = 0.105, P = 0.015) as associated factors for pain catastrophizing, possibly explaining 51.2% of the total variation (F = 95.149, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Anxiety was the most relevant factor for pain catastrophizing in patients with preoperative TKA. Lower education levels, poor physical function, and stronger pain intensity during the activity were also associated with pain catastrophizing.

First Report of Trichothecium roseum Causing Postharvest Fruit Rot on Purple Passion Fruit in China.

Purple Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is widely cultivated in many regions of southern China as an edible tropical fruit with excellent nutritional value and high economic value. In July 2021, postharvest fruit rot was observed on 20-25% of purple passion fruit in several fruit markets of Dehong City in Yunnan Province. Symptoms on infected fruits were irregular, pink-brown, soft, and water-soaked lesions, which enlarged and formed sunken patches with time as well as producing a small amount of white mycelium. To isolate the causal organism, five diseased fruits were collected from different fruit markets. A conidial mass from an individual sorus observed on an infected fruit was isolated and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) supplemented with 50 µg ml-1 of streptomycin, and five fungal isolates were obtained. These isolates were morphologically similar and produced pale pink colonies on PDA for 7 days containing several conidiophores with abundant conidia. Mycelia were hyaline, 2 µm in diameter, and conidiophores were simple or branched (100 to 286 × 1.5 to 2.5 µm, n=50). Conidia were pyriform, ovate, with papillary protuberances at one end. Almost all conidia were two-celled and single-septate (5.8 to 9.1 × 1.7 to 4.9 µm, n=50). The morphology of the fungi resembled Trichothecium roseum as reported previously (Inácio et al. 2011). To further confirm the fungal species, isolate PASF4 was selected for molecular identification by amplifying and sequencing the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) genes. Primers and PCR amplification were described by Fell et al. (2000). Results showed that both the ITS (GenBank accession OL336243) and LSU (OL336242) gene sequences had 100% similarity to T. roseum in NCBI database (MH856757 and MH868278). Maximum likelihood tree was constructed using MEGA 7 (Felsenstein, 1981) based on concatenated sequences (ITS and LSU) of isolate PASF4 and reference strains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that isolate PASF4 belonged to T. roseum clade. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, isolate PASF4 was identified as T. roseum (Inácio et al. 2011). To confirm their pathogenicity, healthy purple passion fruits (cv. Tainong-1) were disinfected in 0.5% NaClO solution for 2 min, and then washed with sterile water. After wounding with a sterile needle, the fruits were inoculated by placing mycelium agar plugs on the wounds, and mock inoculation with mycelium-free PDA plugs served as control. Five fruits were used in each treatment. All fruits were maintained in plastic boxes at 25 °C. Disease symptoms appeared after inoculation for 4-7 days on all inoculated fruits, which were similar to those observed in fruit markets. No symptoms were observed on fruits used as control. The Trichothecium isolates were re-isolated from symptomatic fruits thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Trichothecium roseum has been reported to cause fruit rot of tomato, apple and orange in Pakistan (Hamid et al., 2014) and fruit rot of pepper in China (Lin et al., 2016). To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. roseum causing fruit rot on purple passion fruit worldwide, and these data will provide useful information for developing effective control strategies.

COVID-19 Transmission, Current Treatment, and Future Therapeutic Strategies.

At the stroke of the New Year 2020, COVID-19, a zoonotic disease that would turn into a global pandemic, was identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Although unique in its transmission and virulence, COVID-19 is similar to zoonotic diseases, including other SARS variants (e.g., SARS-CoV) and MERS, in exhibiting severe flu-like symptoms and acute respiratory distress. Even at the molecular level, many parallels have been identified between SARS and COVID-19 so much so that the COVID-19 virus has been named SARS-CoV-2. These similarities have provided several opportunities to treat COVID-19 patients using clinical approaches that were proven to be effective against SARS. Importantly, the identification of similarities in how SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 access the host, replicate, and trigger life-threatening pathological conditions have revealed opportunities to repurpose drugs that were proven to be effective against SARS. In this article, we first provided an overview of COVID-19 etiology vis-à-vis other zoonotic diseases, particularly SARS and MERS. Then, we summarized the characteristics of droplets/aerosols emitted by COVID-19 patients and how they aid in the transmission of the virus among people. Moreover, we discussed the molecular mechanisms that enable SARS-CoV-2 to access the host and become more contagious than other betacoronaviruses such as SARS-CoV. Further, we outlined various approaches that are currently being employed to diagnose and symptomatically treat COVID-19 in the clinic. Finally, we reviewed various approaches and technologies employed to develop vaccines against COVID-19 and summarized the attempts to repurpose various classes of drugs and novel therapeutic approaches.

Massilia rhizosphaerae sp. nov., a rice-associated rhizobacterium with antibacterial activity against Ralstonia solanacearum.

A novel rhizobacterium, designated strain NEAU-GH312T, with antibacterial activity against Ralstonia solanacearum was isolated from rhizosphere soil of rice (Heilongjiang Province, PR China) and characterized with a polyphasic approach. Cells of strain NEAU-GH312T were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, motile with peritrichous flagella and rod-shaped. Colonies were light orange, convex and semi-translucent on Reasoner's 2A (R2A) agar after 2 days of incubation at 28 °C. Growth was observed on R2A agar at 10-40 °C, pH 4.0-8.0 and with 0-5 % (w/v) NaCl. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-8. The major cellular fatty acids of strain NEAU-GH312T were C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c, C16 : 0 and C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c. The main polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and diphosphatidylglycerol. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the well-supported affiliation of strain NEAU-GH312T within the genus Massilia, close to the type strains of Massilia arvi THG-RS2OT (98.7 %), Massilia norwichensis NS9T (98.7 %) and Massilia kyonggiensis TSA1T (98.6 %). Strain NEAU-GH312T had a genome size of 6.68 Mb and an average DNA G+C content of 66.3 mol%. Based on the genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data obtained in this study, strain NEAU-GH312T could be classified as representative of a novel species of the genus Massilia, for which the name Massilia rhizosphaerae sp. nov. is proposed, with strain NEAU-GH312T (=DSM 109722T=CCTCC AB 2019142T) as the type strain.

Massilia cellulosiltytica sp. nov., a novel cellulose-degrading bacterium isolated from rhizosphere soil of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and its whole genome analysis.

A bacterial strain, Gram-stain negative, rod-shaped, aerobic and cellulose-degrading, designated NEAU-DD11T, was isolated from rhizosphere soil of rice collected from Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, North-east China. Base on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain NEAU-DD11T belongs to the genus Massilia and shared high sequence similarities with Massilia phosphatilytica 12-OD1T (98.46%) and Massilia putida 6NM-7 T (98.41%). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and whole genome sequences indicated that strain NEAU-DD11T formed lineage related to M. phosphatilytica 12-OD1T and M. putida 6NM-7 T. The major fatty acids of the strain were C16:0, C17:0-cyclo and C16:1ω7c. The respiratory quinone was Q-8. The polar lipids profile of the strain showed the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified polar lipid and an unidentified phospholipid. In addition, the digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain NEAU-DD11T and M. phosphatilytica 12-OD1T and M. putida 6NM-7 T were 45.4 and 35.6%, respectively, which are lower than the accepted threshold value of 70%. The DNA G + C content of strain NEAU-DD11T was 66.2%. The whole genome analysis showed the strain contained carbohydrate enzymes such as glycoside hydrolase and polysaccharide lyase, which enabled the strain to have the function of degrading cellulose. On the basis of the phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, we conclude that strain NEAU-DD11T represents a novel species of the genus Massilia, for which the name Massilia cellulosiltytica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NEAU-DD11T (= CCTCC AB 2019141 T = DSM 109721 T).

Complete Genomic Data of Enterobacter asburiae Strain SD4L Associated with Bacterial Palea Browning of Rice in China.

Enterobacter asburiae is the causal agent of rice bacterial palea browning disease. Here, we report the complete genome of E. asburiae strain SD4L, which represents the first whole genome sequence of an isolate from rice seedlings in China. The assembled genome consisted of two contigs, with a circular chromosome of 4,574,166 bp, and a plasmid of 85,271 bp, respectively. This complete genome will provide a valuable resource for further studies on bacterial palea browning worldwide.

First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Cladosporium tenuissimum on Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculate) in China.

Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculate) is an ornamental flowering plant native to China and Japan. In August 2019, leaf spot symptoms with about 30% disease incidence were observed on panicle hydrangea in two grower fields (about 0.1 ha in total) of Northeast Agriculture University, China (126.72°E, 45.74°N). Symptoms initially appeared on the lower and older leaves and showed small subcircular brown spots with dark-brown edges on both sides. As the disease progressed, the necrotic spots enlarged, became irregular, coalesced, and the infected leaf blighted in approximately 2 weeks. Panicle hydrangea leaf samples (n=15) from different plants that showed spot symptoms were collected and surface sterilized with 70% ethanol for 10 s, followed by 0.5% NaClO treatment for 4 min, and rinsed in sterile water 3 times. Thereafter, leaf samples were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C for 7 days. Fifteen hyphal-tipped pure cultures were obtained. Colonies growing on PDA for 7 days were olive green to dark green, exhibited a velvet-like texture and sometimes were radially furrowed and wrinkled. Margins varied from white gray to dark green without prominent exudates. The back of the plate showed dark green to black. Conidiophores were up to 180 to 600 µm long, 2.8 to 4.5 µm wide (n=50), subcylindrical-filiform, straight, septate, and unbranched or rarely branched. Ramoconidia were 0 to 1 septate, cylindrical to clavate, smooth-walled, 8 to 22 µm long (n=50). Conidia were single-celled, lemon-shaped, smooth-walled and 2.0 to 5.0 µm (diameter) (n=50). To confirm the identity, three genomic DNA regions, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial translation elongation factor-1 alpha (EF), and actin (ACT) of the representative isolate BAI-1 were amplified with primer pairs ITS1/4, EF1-728F/986R, and ACT-512F/783R, respectively (Bensch et al. 2012; Jo et al. 2018). DNA sequences of the isolate from ITS, EF, and ACT showed 99.81% (514/515 bp), 99.10% (219/221 bp), and 99.54% (216/217 bp) nucleotide identity with those of C. tenuissimum CBS 125995, respectively (GenBank accession nos. HM148197, HM148442, and HM148687). The sequences of isolate BAI-1 were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. MW045455, MW052465, and MW052466). To fulfill Koch's postulates, five healthy 2-year-old panicle hydrangea plants grown in pots were surface sterilized with 70% ethanol, washed twice with sterile distilled water, and sprayed with a conidial suspension of strain BAI-1 (adjusted to 1×106 conidia/ml using a hemocytometer), maintained in a greenhouse at 25°C and 85% relative humidity. Five plants sprayed with sterilized water served as controls. The inoculated plants showed leaf spot symptoms that were similar to those previously observed in the fields after 7 days, whereas control leaves remained healthy. The fungus was reisolated from symptomatic leaves and its identity was confirmed by morphological and molecular method. These experiments were repeated twice. So far, C. tenuissimum was reported to cause leaf spot of alfalfa (Han et al. 2019) and castor (Liu et al. 2019). To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot disease in panicle hydrangea caused by C. tenuissimum in China. Leaf spot has a negative effect on the aesthetic value of panicle hydrangea, and this report will assist with monitoring distribution of the disease as well as developing management recommendations.

Rhodococcus oryzae sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from rhizosphere soil of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, creamy-white actinobacterium, which has an elementary branching rod-coccus life cycle was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of rice (Oryza sativa L.) collected from Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, north-east PR China, and its taxonomic status was examined by using a polyphasic approach. Results from the 16S rRNA gene sequence study showed that the isolate, designated strain NEAU-CX67T, belonged to the genus Rhodococcus and formed a cluster with Rhodococcus maanshanensis DSM 44675T, Rhodococcus kronopolitis NEAU-ML12T and Rhodococcus tukisamuensis JCM 11308T (98.3, 98.1 and 97.7% gene sequence similarity, respectively). The major fatty acids were C16 : 0, 10-methyl C18 : 0, C18 : 1 ω9c and C16 : 1 ω7c. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-8(H2). Whole-cell hydrolysates contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Arabinose, galactose and ribose were detected as diagnostic sugars from whole-cell hydrolysates. Mycolic acids were detected. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain NEAU-CX67T was 64.6 mol%. Strain NEAU-CX67T exhibited low average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values with R. maanshanensis DSM 44675T (92.1 and 45.4 %) and R. tukisamuensis JCM 11308T (81.9 and 24.4 %). On the basis of results of phylogenetic, genotypic, physiological and chemotaxonomic analysis, strain NEAU-CX67T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Rhodococcus for which the name Rhodococcus oryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NEAU-CX67T (=DSM 107701T=CCTCC AB 2018233T).

Streptomyces oryziradicis sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from rhizosphere soil of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain NEAU-C40T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of rice (Oryza sativa L.) collected from Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, north-east PR China, and was characterized using a polyphasic approach. On the basis of results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain NEAU-C40T belongs to the genus Streptomyces, and shares highest sequence similarities with Streptomyces polygonati CGMCC 4.7237T (97.9%) and Streptomyces abietis DSM 42080T (97.9%). Morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of the strain also supported its assignment to the genus Streptomyces. Cell walls contained ll-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell hydrolysates were glucose, rhamnose and ribose. The major menaquinones were identified as MK-9(H8) and MK-9(H6). The major fatty acids were iso-C16:0, anteiso-C15:0, C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and an unidentified lipid. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain NEAU-C40T was 71.8 mol%. Moreover, multilocus sequence analysis based on five other housekeeping genes (atp D, gyr B, rpo B, rec A and trp B) and the low level of DNA-DNA relatedness allowed the isolate to be differentiated from its most closely related strains. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data, strain NEAU-C40T can be characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces oryziradicis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NEAU-C40T (=DSM 107943T=CCTCC AA 2018038T).

Time-delay signature suppression of polarization-resolved wideband chaos in VCSELs with dual-path chaotic optical injections.

The combining investigation on the time-delay signature (TDS) and chaos bandwidth have been theoretically investigated in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) system with dual-path chaotic optical injections. In this scheme, the polarized chaos with the TDS from an external-cavity master VCSEL is routed into two different paths and then unidirectionally injected into another solitary slave VCSEL. With the aid of the autocorrelation function and the effective bandwidth calculation, the TDS and bandwidth of polarized chaos from the chaotic system are quantitatively evaluated. The results show that, in such a dual-path chaotic optical-injection system, the high-quality polarized chaos with the successful TDS suppression and chaotic bandwidth enhancement can be achieved in wider parameter regions in contrast with the case for the single-path chaotic optical injection. Further research also finds that the injected time-delay difference between two injection paths is desired to mismatch the feedback time delay, which is conducive to suppressing TDS and expanding bandwidth of polarized chaos. Besides, the better chaotic quality with low TDS and wide bandwidth can be expected by choosing the appropriate injection strengths of two injection paths.