Gracilibacillus eburneus sp.nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from Xinjiang province, China.

A novel Gram-staining positive, moderately halophilic, endospore-forming, motile, rod-shaped and strictly aerobic strain, designated YIM 93565T, was isolated from a salt lake in Xinjiang province of China and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain YIM 93565T grew in the range of pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.0), 10-45 °C (optimum 35-40 °C) and at salinities of 2-24% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 7-10%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM 93565T clustered with members of the genera Gracilibacillus and form a clade with Gracilibacillus bigeumensis KCTC 13130T (95.6% similarity) and Gracilibacillus halophilus DSM 17856T (94.9%), which was well separated from others. The DNA G + C content of this novel strain was 36.8 mol%. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0 and its polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified glycolipid and two unidentified phospholipids. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The cell-wall peptidoglycan was based on meso-diaminopimelic acid. Based on the results of phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic comparative analyses, the isolate is assigned to a novel species of the genus Gracilibacillus, for which the name Gracilibacillus eburneus sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain YIM 93565T (= DSM 23710T = CCTCC AB 2013249T).

Jonesia luteola sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from Xinjiang Province, China.

A Gram-positive, facultative anaerobe microorganism, designated YIM 93067(T), was isolated from a salt lake in Xinjiang Province of China and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain YIM 93067(T) grew at 5-40 °C, 0-8.0 % (w/v) NaCl and pH 7.0-9.0. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the organism belongs to the genus Jonesia and exhibited a sequence similarity of 98.8 % to the closely related type strain Jonesia quinghaiensis DSM 15701(T). The predominant menaquinone was MK-9 and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0 and C16:0. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and one unidentified phospholipid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 57.4 mol%. Based on the results of phylogenetic, physiological and chemotaxonomic comparative analyses, the isolate is assigned to a novel species of the genus Jonesia, for which the name Jonesia luteola sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain YIM 93067(T) (=DSM 21367(T) = CCTCC AB 2014350(T)).

Skermanella rubra sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from the desert of Xinjiang, China.

A Gram-negative, pink-coloured, rod-shaped, motile bacterium, designated YIM 93097(T), was isolated from the desert soil collected from Xinjiang province of China. Strain YIM 93097(T) was found to grow at 20-45 °C (optimum 28-37 °C), pH 5.0-7.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1 %, w/v). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity studies, it belongs to the genus Skermanella. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was identified to be 98.7 % to Skermanella xinjiangensis CCTCC AB 207153(T) while the DNA-DNA hybridization value was found to be only 48.1 %. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was determined to be Q-10. The major fatty acids were identified to be C16:0, C18:1 ω7c and summed feature 4 (consisting of C17:1 anteiso B/iso I). The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified phospholipids and one unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G+C content was found to be 67.2 mol %. The analysis of the genotypic and phenotypic data indicated that strain YIM 93097(T) belongs to a novel species of the genus Skermanella, for which the name Skermanella rubra sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 93097(T) (=DSM 21389(T)=CCTCC AB 2015161(T)).

Aquisalimonas halophila sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from a hypersaline mine.

A Gram-negative, moderately halophilic, strictly aerobic strain, designated YIM 95345(T), was isolated from a soil sample of a hypersaline mine in Yunnan province, PR China, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain YIM 95345(T) grew at 15-45 °C (optimum 30-35 °C), 3.0-23.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 10.0-11.0%, w/v) and pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.0-8.0). Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the organism belongs to the genus Aquisalimonas and exhibited sequence similarity of 96.6% to the sole type strain Aquisalimonas asiatica CG12(T). The predominant isoprenoid quinone was Q-8 and the major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and C18 : 1ω7c. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, three aminolipids and three unidentified phospholipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 59.4 mol%. Based on the results of our comparative phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological analyses, the new isolate is assigned to a novel species of the genus Aquisalimonas, for which the name Aquisalimonas halophila sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain YIM 95345(T) ( = DSM 25902(T) = CCTCC AB 2012043(T)).

What can we learn from Chinese randomized controlled trials? A systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese venlafaxine studies.

This systematic review evaluated Chinese trials examining the efficacy of venlafaxine in the treatment of depression. Chinese databases CNKI and VIP and western databases were searched for blinded randomized controlled trial publications comparing venlafaxine to other antidepressants or placebo (in English or Chinese). Trials had to establish diagnosis of depression according to the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or International Classification of Diseases. Studies were excluded if more than 20% of participants had a primary diagnosis of dysthymia or if more than 15% had a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Effect sizes were calculated as Hedges' g for rating scale scores and Mantel-Haenszel risk ratios (MH RR) for response and remission data. Effect sizes were combined in a fixed-effects model. A total of 25 studies were included. Nine trials compared venlafaxine to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; placebo-controlled trials were lacking. Quality was at best modest, and all trials were underpowered. There were more responders (MH RR, 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.15) and remitters (MH RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.24) in venlafaxine groups compared with those in tricyclic antidepressant group. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale end point scores in the venlafaxine groups were lower (Hedges' g = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.04-0.27), and venlafaxine was better tolerated than tricyclic antidepressant (Hedges' g = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.37-0.74). There were no significant differences between venlafaxine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor on any of these parameters. Analyses of publication bias were inconclusive. Chinese researchers have published a number of randomized controlled trials comparing venlafaxine to active comparators, but study quality was found to be low. To make optimal use of their research potential Chinese, researchers will have to improve trial reporting and the peer-review process.

Childhood infection and subsequent risk of psychotic disorders in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of childhood infection exposure on the risk of subsequent psychosis are unclear and no overview is available. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the link between childhood infection and the risk of psychosis in later life. METHODS: We performed systematic searches of the PubMed and Embase databases to identify relevant articles published up to March 1, 2020. Random-effects models were used to pool the odds ratios [OR] of childhood infection and later psychosis. RESULTS: Thirteen observational studies (seven on hospital exposure to infection and six on central nervous system (CNS) infection) were included in the meta-analysis. Hospital contact with any infection during childhood was associated with an increased risk of psychosis (OR, 1.27; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.13-1.44; p < 0.001; I2 = 84 %) or schizophrenia (OR, 1.44; 95 % CI, 1.19-1.73; p < 0.001; I2 = 54.2 %) later in life. In further analysis, the association also existed for children exposed to CNS infection (OR, 1.68; 95 % CI, 1.08-2.62; p = 0.021; I2 = 68.7 %). However, the risk was modulated by the timing and frequency of infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest an increased risk of psychosis later in life with infection exposure in childhood. However, non-causal explanations for the association cannot be ruled out.

Glycyrrhizic acid inhibits apoptosis and fibrosis in carbon-tetrachloride-induced rat liver injury.

AIM: To investigate anti-apoptotic effects of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) against fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and its contributing factors. METHODS: Liver fibrosis was induced by administration of CCl4 for 8 wk. Pathological changes in the liver of rats were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Collagen fibers were detected by Sirius red staining. Hepatocyte apoptosis was determined by TUNEL assay and the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, α-SMA, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and MMP9 proteins were evaluated by western blot analysis, and α-SMA mRNA, collagen type I and III mRNA were estimated by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Treatment with GA significantly improved the pathological changes in the liver and markedly decreased the positive area of Sirius red compared with rats in the CCl4-treated group. TUNEL assay showed that GA significantly reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells compared with the CCl4-treated group. The expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, Bax, α-SMA, CTGF, MMP2 and MMP9 proteins, and α-SMA mRNA, collagen type I and III mRNA were also significantly reduced by GA compared with the CCl4-treated group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: GA treatment can ameliorate CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis and hepatic stellate cell activation.