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A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped (0.3–0.6 × 0.9–2.2 µm), facultatively aerobic, non-motile and yellow-coloured bacterium, designated strain F6397T, was isolated from a marine sediment in Weihai, PR China. Growth of strain F6397T occurred at 4–37 °C (optimum, 30–33 °C), pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, 7.5) and in the presence of 1–12% (optimum, 3.0%) (w/v) NaCl. Strain F6397T showed oxidase- and catalase-positive activities. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the strain was assigned to the genus Winogradskyella. Strain F6397T exhibited 95.5–98.1% sequence similarities to recognized species of the genus Winogradskyella. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) scores with Winogradskyella ludwigii HL116T, Winogradskyella litoriviva KMM 6491 T and Winogradskyella thalassocola KMM 3907 T were 80.1, 78.9 and 82.6%, respectively. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) scores were 23.5, 22.9 and 25.7%, respectively. The genomic DNA G + C content was 33.5 mol%. Strain F6397T contained iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1G, iso-C15:0 3-OH and iso-C17:0 3-OH as the predominant fatty acid and MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone. The polar lipid profiles contained phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids and four unidentified lipids. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain F6397T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Winogradskyella, for which the name Winogradskyella marina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F6397T (= KCTC 82422 T = MCCC 1H00438T).

A Gram-stain-negative, oval or short rod-shaped, non-motile, aerobic bacterium, designated strain S1109LT, was isolated from a marine sediment in Weihai, PR China. Cells were oxidase positive and catalase positive. Growth of strain S1109LT occurred at 10–40 °C (optimum, 30–33 °C), pH 6.5–10.0 (optimum, 7.0–8.0) and in the presence of 1–21% (optimum, 4–6%) (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny indicated that strain S1109LT was associated with the genus Pontibaca of the family Rhodobacteraceae because it showed the highest sequence similarity to Pontibaca methylaminivorans KCTC 22497T (97.5%). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and the digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) scores between strain S1109LT and Pontibaca methylaminivorans KCTC 22497T were 74.6% and 18.7%. The major cellular fatty acids of strain S1109LT were C19:0 cyclo ω8c and C18:1 ω7c. The polar lipids profiles of strain S1109LT were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. Strain S1109LT contained ubiquinone-10 as the major respiratory quinone. The genomic DNA G + C content was 55.9 mol%. On the basis of the evidence presented in this study, strain S1109LT is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Pontibaca, for which the name Pontibaca salina sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of is S1109LT (= KCTC 82411T = MCCC 1H00441T).

Eggerthella lenta is an emerging and uncommon human pathogen that has been under recognized due to the limitations of phenotypic identification. Here we describe two cases of bacteremia caused by E. lenta and summarize the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing according to some previous literatures, which illustrate the importance of identification and treatment of unusual organisms. The most reliable antibiotic treatment options to E. lenta appear to be metronidazole, amoxicillin-clavulanate, carbapenems, vancomycin, cefoxitin, chloramphenicol and clindamycin.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped (0.3-0.6 × 0.9-2.2 µm), facultatively aerobic, non-motile and yellow-coloured bacterium, designated strain F6397

Background To study the clinical and laboratory significance of d ‐lactate in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (BM). Methods The levels of d ‐lactate, l ‐lactate, IL-6, IL-8, and other biochemical markers were determined in 83 CSF samples from different types of meningitis and the controls. Results The CSF values of d ‐lactate, l ‐lactate, IL-6, IL-8, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and protein were higher in patients with BM than those in the controls and patients with viral meningitis. The levels of d ‐lactate, l ‐lactate, IL-6, and erythrocytes in the BM group were higher than those in the tuberculous meningitis group. At the cutoff 12.8 μmol/l, d ‐lactate showed the diagnostic sensitivity of 94.7%. d ‐lactate gave the area under the curve (AUC) 0.905, which was higher than those of other markers. Using multiple marker detection, the AUC reached 0.956, which was the highest among all the parameters. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that d ‐lactate was positively correlated to IL-6 and l ‐lactate ( r = 0.727, 0.789 and P = 0.000, 0.000, respectively). Conclusions The CSF concentrations of d ‐lactate are significantly increased in the presence of BM. Measurement of d ‐lactate provides a rapid diagnosis and differential diagnosis for BM. Combination of d ‐lactate with other biochemical markers improves the specificity.

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a highly reactive glucose metabolic intermediate and a major precursor of advanced glycation end products. MG level is elevated in hyperglycemic disorders such as diabetes mellitus. Substantial evidence has shown that MG is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications. We investigated the impact of MG on insulin secretion by MIN6 and INS-1 cells and the potential mechanisms of this effect. Our study demonstrates that MG impaired insulin secretion by MIN6 or ISN-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. It increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis rate in MIN6 or ISN-1 cells and inhibited mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP production. Furthermore, the expression of UCP2, JNK, and P38 as well as the phosphorylation JNK and P38 was increased by MG. These effects of MG were attenuated by MG scavenger N-acetyl cysteine. Collectively, these data indicate that MG impairs insulin secretion of pancreaticβ-cells through increasing ROS production. High levels of ROS can damageβ-cells directly via JNK/P38 upregulation and through activation of UCP2 resulting in reduced MMP and ATP production, leading toβ-cell dysfunction and impairment of insulin production.

To the Editor: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA),the most common and serious acute complication of diabetes, is characterized by hyperglycemia and severe high–anion-gap metabolic acidosis with ketonemia (1). In DKA, the high anion gap is attributed largely to excessive production of blood ketone bodies, and serum β-hydroxybutyrate quantification is recommended for the diagnosis and monitoring of DKA (2). However, even counting of all the ketone bodies, including β-hydroxybutyrate, does not account for the entire anion gap, suggesting that there are additional sources of anion production in DKA. We recently demonstrated that plasma d-lactate concentrations were greatly increased in DKA compared with the concentrations in diabetic patients or a healthy control group (3). Nevertheless, the clinical value of d-lactate measurement in metabolic acidosis, especially the contribution of d-lactate to the metabolic acidosis and high anion gap in DKA, is not well appreciated. We report here that decreasing d-lactate concentrations are associated with improved clinical situations, whereas increased lactate concentrations are associated with the severity of metabolic acidosis and high anion gap …