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Abstract Background Brood pollination mutualism is a special type of plant-pollinator interaction in which adult insects pollinate plants, and the plants provide breeding sites for the insects as a reward. To manifest such a mutualism between Stellera chamaejasme and flower thrips of Frankliniella intonsa, the study tested the mutualistic association of the thrips life cycle with the plant flowering phenology and determined the pollination effectiveness of adult thrips and their relative contribution to the host’s fitness by experimental pollinator manipulation. Results The adult thrips of F. intonsa, along with some long-tongue Lepidoptera, could serve as efficient pollinators of the host S. chamaejasme. The thrips preferentially foraged half-flowering inflorescences of the plants and oviposited in floral tubes. The floral longevity was 11.8 ± 0.55 (mean ± se) days, which might precisely accommodate the thrips life cycle from spawning to prepupation. The exclusion of adult thrips from foraging flowers led to a significant decrease in the fitness (i.e., seed set) of host plants, with a corresponding reduction in thrips fecundity (i.e., larva no.) in the flowers. Conclusions The thrips of F. intonsa and the host S. chamaejasme mutualistically interact to contribute to each other’s fitness such that the thrips pollinate host plants and, as a reward, the plants provide the insects with brooding sites and food, indicating the coevolution of the thrips life cycle and the reproductive traits (e.g., floral longevity and morphology) of S. chamaejasme.

During investigations into freshwater fungi from the Great Mekong Subregion, four Distoseptispora taxa were collected from China and Thailand. Based on morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, SSU, TEF1-α, and RPB2 sequence data, two new species Distoseptispora bangkokensis and D. lancangjiangensis are introduced, and two known species D. clematidis and D. thysanolaenae were first reported in freshwater habitat. Illustrations and descriptions of these taxa are provided, along with comparisons with extant taxa in the genus.

Ganoderma dianzhongense sp. nov. and G. esculentum sp. nov. are proposed as two new species based on both phenotypic and genotypic evidences. Ganoderma dianzhongense is characterized by the stipitate basidiomata, laccate and oxblood red pileus, gray white pore surface, duplex context and broadly ellipsoid basidiospores (9.0–12.5 × 6.5–9.0 μm) with coarse interwall pillars. Ganoderma esculentum is characterized by its basidiomata with slender stipe, white pore surface, homogeneous pileus context, and slightly truncate, narrow basidiospores (8.0–12.5 × 5.0–8.0 µm). Phylogenetic analyses were carried out based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) sequence data. The illustrations and descriptions for the new taxa are provided.

Pleosporales is the largest order of Dothideomycetes. In recent years, systematics of Pleosporales have undergone considerable revisions. Dictyosporiaceae is one of the newly established families within this order proposed to accommodate holomorphic saprobic Dothideomycetes. Currently 18 genera are recognised in Dictyosporiaceae.The new species, Jalapriya aquaticum sp. nov. and J. apicalivaginatum sp. nov. were collected from freshwater habitats in Gansu and Yunnan Provinces, China, respectively and are introduced, based on morphology and molecular analysis of combined ITS, LSU, SSU and TEF1-α sequence data. We also recovered one fresh collection of Dictyocheirospora vinaya D’souza, Bhat & K.D. Hyde, which is a new record for China. Jalapriya aquaticum differs from extant species of Jalapriya in rows converging at the apex and apical cells with spherical-like appendages. Jalapriya apicalivaginatum differs from extant species of Jalapriya in having the rows of conidia mostly arranged in a plane. The phylogenetic analysis place the new collections within Dictyosporiaceae (Pleosporales). Descriptions and illustrations of Jalapriya aquaticum, J. apicalivaginatum and Dictyocheirospora vinaya are provided. A synopsis of characters of species of Jalapriya is also provided.

Direct conversion of amides to ketones typically requires the use of transition metal catalysts or reactive organometallic reagents. Here the direct alkylation of benzamides with methyl sulfides using LDA as base provides access to thioalkoxyketones.

Red sage, the dry root and rhizome of the herbaceous plant Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, is widely used for treating various diseases. The low content of tanshinones (terpenoids) has always restricted development of the S. miltiorrhiza industry. Here, we found that SmDXS5, a rate-limiting enzyme-coding gene located at the intersection of primary and secondary metabolism, can effectively change the transcription level and secondary metabolome profile of hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza, and significantly increase the content of tanshinones. Agrobacterium rhizogenes was used to infuse S. miltiorrhiza explants, and hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza expressing the SmDXS5 gene were obtained successfully. We identified 39 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) by metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole exactive mass spectrometry and multivariate statistics. These DAMs might be key metabolites of SmDXS5 gene regulation. RNA sequencing was used to compare gene expression between the hairy roots of the SmDXS5 overexpressing group and the blank control (BC) group. Compared with the BC group, 18,646 differentially expressed genes were obtained: 8994 were upregulated and 9,652 downregulated. The combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that the mevalonate and methylerythritol phosphate pathways and synthase gene expression levels in the SmDXS5 overexpressing group were upregulated significantly, and the accumulation of tanshinone components was increased significantly, which promoted the process of glycolysis and promoted the transformation of carbohydrates to secondary metabolism. Moreover, the expression of SmPAL, the first rate-limiting enzyme gene of the phenylpropane pathway, decreased, reducing the accumulation of phenolic acid, another secondary metabolite. Therefore, SmDXS5 can be defined as a ‘valve’ gene, mainly responsible for regulating the distribution of primary and secondary metabolic flow of tanshinones in S. miltiorrhiza, and for other secondary metabolic pathways. The discovery of SmDXS5 and its molecular valve function in regulating primary and secondary metabolism will provide a basis for the industrial production of tanshinone components, and cultivation of high quality S. miltiorrhiza.

The diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi in northwestern Yunnan, China, has been studied for several years in the College of Agriculture and Biological Science, at Dali University. Over the last 5 years, we published two new genera and nine new species of Tubeufiaceae from northwestern Yunnan. This study focused on introducing tubeufia-like hyphomycetous fungi found in freshwater lakes in the northwestern Yunnan plateau. Eleven fresh collections of tubeufiaceous taxa were gathered and identified. Among them, a new genus, Neomanoharachariella, is introduced to accommodate Neomanoharachariella aquatica, which is characterized by a light brown to dark brown color, dictyoseptate, and broadly oval to ellipsoid and well-developed conidiophores. Two new species, viz., Neohelicosporium suae and Parahelicomyces suae, one new record, Helicoma rufum, and three new collections, namely, H. rugosum, P. hyalosporus, and Tubeufia cylindrothecia are introduced based on morphological evidence and molecular phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, tef 1-α, and RPB2 sequence data. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of these species are provided, and a morphological comparison with similar taxa is discussed.

Rhododendron is an essential ornamental plant that is abundant in Yunnan province. In Cangshan Mountain, Yunnan, China, 61 species of Rhododendron have been reported. Endophytic fungi are internal plant tissue inhabitants that do not harm the host. It has emerged as an exciting research topic as they have the potential to provide numerous secondary metabolites. This study is focused on taxonomic novelties and new host records of endophytic fungi associated with Rhododendron plants collected from Cangshan Mountain in Yunnan Province, China. Pestalotiopsis fungi are associated with a vast array of plant species worldwide. In this study, fresh leaves of Rhododendron cyanocarpum, Rhododendron decorum, and Rhododendron delavayi were collected from Cangshan Mountain, Yunnan Province, China. Endophytic Pestalotiopsis fungi associated with Rhododendron were characterized based on phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, TEF1-α, and TUB genes along with morphological characteristics. Six new species (Pestalotiopsis appendiculata, Pestalotiopsis cangshanensis, Pestalotiopsis daliensis, Pestalotiopsis fusoidea, Pestalotiopsis rosarioides, and Pestalotiopsis suae) and a new host record (Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola) are described. Detailed descriptions and color photo plates of these species are provided. It is the first time that the endophytic fungi of Rhododendron plants in Cangshan Mountain have been studied.

Ganoderma is a globally distributed genus that encompasses species with forestry ecological, medicinal, economic, and cultural importance. Despite the importance of this fungus, the studies on the species diversity of Ganoderma in Yunnan Province, China (YPC) have poorly been carried out. During this study, opportunistic sampling was used to collect 21 specimens of Ganoderma from YPC. Morphology and multigene phylogeny of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nrLSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1-α), and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) were used to identify them. Morphological and molecular characterization of the 21 specimens showed that they belong to 18 species of Ganoderma, of which three are novel viz. G. artocarpicola, G. obscuratum and G. yunnanense. Ganoderma artocarpicola is characterized by the sessile and concrescent basidiomata, reddish brown to yellowish brown pileus surface, heterogeneous context, wavy margin, and ovoid basidiospores. Ganoderma obscuratum is distinguished by small pores (6–9 per mm), dorsolaterally sub-stipitate basidiomata which become greyish-brown when dry, and narrow ellipsoid basidiospores. Ganoderma yunnanense is characterized by cream color pore surface and context, centrally to laterally stipitate basidiomata with reddish-brown to violet-brown strongly laccate pileus surface, and broadly ellipsoid basidiospores. With the help of an extensive literature survey and the results of this study, a checklist of 32 Ganoderma species from YPC was established, which accounts for 71.11% of the known species in China. In addition, a key to the Ganoderma in YPC is also provided.

Helicosporous hyphomycetes is a group of filamentous fungi that shows promising application prospects in metabolizing bioactive natural compounds. During a study of helicosporous fungi in China, six new helicosporous taxa were collected and isolated from decaying wood in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Morphological comparisons with multi-gene phylogenetic analyses revealed that these six taxa belong to Helicosporium (Tubeufiaceae, Tubeufiales), and they were recognized as three novel species and were named Helicosporium liuzhouense, H. multidentatum, and H. nanningense. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the newly discovered taxa and comparisons with similar fungi are provided. In addition, a list and a key to accepted Helicosporium species are provided.

Taking the eutectic point as the final freezing temperature, the differences of flavor substances of in hand grab mutton (HGM) frozen at three rates of 0. 26 cm/h (−18°C), 0.56 cm/h (−40°C) and 2.00 cm/h (−80°C) were determined and analyzed. The results showed that the flavor of HGM decreased significantly after freezing. With the increase of freezing rate, the contents of aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, esters, others, free amino acids and 5′-nucleotides were higher, and the content of specific substances was also generally increased. All samples from unfrozen and frozen HGM could be divided into four groups using an electronic nose based on different flavor characteristics. Seven common key aroma components were determined by relative odor activity value (ROAV), including hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, (E)-oct-2-enal, (2E,4E)-deca-2,4-dienal and oct-1-en-3-ol. The higher the freezing rate, the greater the ROAVs. Taste activity values calculated by all taste substances were far

Context Chinese herbal formula JiaWeiSiNiSan (JWSNS) has been widely used to prevent stress-induced neuropsychiatric ailments in clinics and proven to have therapeutic anti-stress effects on rats. However, the mechanism remains unclear. Objective Based on the proteomics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), this study explores the possible mechanism and target proteins of JiaWeiSiNiSan raising stress resilience and preventing stress damage. Materials and methods A 6-week Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) model was applied on adult Wistar male rats to observe the effects of JWSNS on improving mental stress resilience. Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) proteomics and bioinformatics analysis were used to screen and analyze differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in CSF. Parallel Reaction Monitoring (PRM) was used to validate target DEPs. Results Significantly decreased sucrose preference, locomotion activity level and accuracy of T-maze, as well as increased immobility time, were observed in CUMS rats compared to CON rats while JWSNS improved above depression-like behaviours. The quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analysis showed that JWSNS decreased the expression of Rps4x, HSP90AA1, Rps12, Uba1, Rsp14, Tuba1b in CUMS rats CSF (p

The integrated use of molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) and anther culture has potential to significantly increase efficiency in plant breeding; however, reports on this kind of practical use are very limited. In the present study, we report the development of cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) maintainers with aroma, disease resistance and red-brown hulls, as an example of integration of MAS and anther culture in rice breeding. A high-resolution melting (HRM)-based functional molecular marker was developed for the red-brown hull trait caused by a unique mutation (rbh1) in OsCAD2. Functional molecular markers for genes of rice blast resistance (Pi2), aroma (fgr) and red-brown hull (rbh1) were used for precise genotyping of individual plants in the BC1 and BC2F2 populations derived from a cross between CMS maintainers Huaxiang B (pi2–/rbh1–/fgr–) and Rong 3B (Pi2+/RBH1+/Fgr+). A total of 89 doubled haploid (DH) lines were generated from selected BC2F2 plants (Pi2+/rbh1–/fgr–) by anther culture. Seven DH lines were subsequently selected as the potential new CMS maintainers based on their overall performance and high resistance to blast. Our study demonstrated that integration of MAS and anther culture significantly accelerated the development of CMS maintainers with multiple stacked genes.

Abstract Background Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a nuclear receptor that plays a critical role in controlling cell apoptosis in diverse diseases. Previous studies have shown that knocking out FXR improved cardiac function by reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis in myocardial ischemic mice. However, the role of FXR after cerebral ischemia remains unknown. In this study, we explored the effects and mechanisms of FXR knockout (KO) on the functional recovery of mice post cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Methods Adult male C57BL/6 wild type and FXR KO mice were subjected to 90-min transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). The mice were divided into five groups: sham, wild-type tMCAO, FXR KO tMCAO, wild-type tMCAO treated with calcium agonist Bayk8644, and FXR KO tMCAO treated with Bayk8644. FXR expression was examined using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Brain infarct and brain atrophy volume were examined at 3 and 14 days after stroke respectively. Neurobehavioral tests were conducted up to 14 days after stroke. The protein levels of apoptotic factors (Bcl-2, Bax, and Cleaved caspase-3) and mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-17, and IL-18) were examined using Western blot and RT-PCR. TUNEL staining and calcium imaging were obtained using confocal and two-photon microscopy. Results The expression of FXR was upregulated after ischemic stroke, which is located in the nucleus of the neurons. FXR KO was found to reduce infarct volume and promote neurobehavioral recovery following tMCAO compared to the vehicle. The expression of apoptotic and pro-inflammatory factors decreased in FXR KO mice compared to the control. The number of NeuN+/TUNEL+ cells declined in the peri-infarct area of FXR KO mice compared to the vehicle. We further demonstrated that inhibition of FXR reduced calcium overload and addition of ionomycin could reverse this neuroprotective effect in vitro. What is more, in vivo results showed that enhancement of intracellular calcium concentrations could aggravate ischemic injury and reverse the neuroprotective effect of FXR KO in mice. Conclusions FXR KO can promote neurobehavioral recovery and attenuate ischemic brain injury, inflammatory release, and neuronal apoptosis via reducing calcium influx, suggesting its role as a therapeutic target for stroke treatments.

Lignicolous freshwater fungi represent one of the largest groups of Ascomycota. This taxonomically highly diverse group plays an important role in nutrient and carbon cycling, biological diversity and ecosystem functioning. The diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi along a north-south latitudinal gradient is currently being studied in Asia. In this paper, we introduce two novel freshwater taxa viz. Tingoldiago hydei sp. nov. and T. clavata sp. nov. which were collected from freshwater substrates in Eastern Thailand. Morphological comparison based on the size of ascomata, asci and ascospores, as well as multi-gene phylogenetic analyses based on LSU, SSU, ITS and TEF1-α DNA sequences, supports their placement in Tingoldiago (Lentitheciaceae). Descriptions and illustrations of these two new species are provided.

Yucca contains high a content of saponin that has a glucocorticord-like effect in animals, e.g., anti-inflammation and anti-microbiota. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that dietary supplementation of yucca powder may alleviate heat stress and improve growth performance of growing broilers subjected to cycling high ambient temperature. A total of 240 male broiler chicks (yellow feathered chicken) aged 28 days, with body weight (BW) of 792 ± 43.7 g, were randomly allocated to one of four treatments (6 replicates per treatment): control (normal temperature, 24 ± 2°C, 24 h), fed diets supplemented with 100 mg/kg yucca under normal temperature (Y), high ambient temperature exposure (HT, 34 ± 2°C, 11 h), fed diets supplemented with 100 mg/kg yucca (HT+Y) under high ambient temperature. After 7 days of adaption, the experiment was conducted for 4 weeks (aged 28–56 days). HT significantly reduced feed intake, BW, and average daily gain (ADG) of broiler, but yucca improved the feed intake under HT condition. Yucca supplementation reduced (P < 0.05) the HT-induced increase in temperature of rectum and leg skin. Supplementation of yucca increased the hypothalamic mRNA expression of TRPV2, TRPV4, and TRPM8 (P < 0.05). Yucca reduced (P < 0.05) the plasma lipid oxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), but did not affect the activities of antioxidant enzyme superoxide oxidase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx). Yucca did not affect the plasma neuro peptide Y (NPY), which was reduced by HT, yucca reduced circulation cholecystokinin (CCK) and hypothalamic mRNA expression of CCK. Supplementation of yucca increased the mRNA expression of both heat and cool sensing receptors. The results of the present study indicate that yucca could improve antioxidant status and attenuate the heat stress response by regulating hypothalamic temperature-sensing genes in growing chickens. Besides, yucca supplementation improved feed intake probably through modulating CCK in growing broilers under high ambient temperature.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of three complex dietary candidate probiotics (LDJ, LAC, and LJD) composing different candidate probiotic combinations on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant parameters, and intestinal microbiota in koi carp (Cyprinus carpio var. koi). After a 60-days feeding trial, samples from the control and three candidate probiotic groups were obtained and analyzed. The results suggested that all complex dietary candidate probiotic treatments (LDJ, LAC, and LJD) improved the growth performance, nutrition utilization, and intestinal digestive enzyme activities compared with the control group. Furthermore, a dietary supplement with LAC or LJD is more efficient in growth and digestive enzyme than LDJ. The antioxidant enzyme activities, including SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), and GPX (glutathione peroxidase), were intensively improved, the GSH (glutathione) contents increased, and the MDA (malondialdehyde) contents decreased to different extents depending on the tissues and kinds of candidate probiotics. Dietary candidate probiotics also regulated the intestinal microbiota composition: LDJ and LAC increased the proportion of potential candidate probiotics and reduced the level of pollutants reducing bacteria and geosmin producer Nannocystis. The LJD group had a similar pattern of the dominant bacteria to the control sample, suggesting a minor disturbance of the gut microbiota of koi carp. Overall, the multistrain complex candidate probiotics LAC and LJD are more efficient in growth performance and digestive enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depression-like behavior phenotype, neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and miR-124 expression in the hippocampus are the focus of current research on the pathogenesis of depression and antidepressant therapy. The present study aimed to clarify the dynamic changes of depression-like behavior, dentate gyrus neurogenesis and hippocampal miR-124 expression during depression induced by chronic stress to reveal pathological features at different stages of depression and to further provide insight into depression treatment. Chronic unpredictable mild stress depression models were established by exposing Sprague-Dawley rats to various mild stressors, including white noise, thermal swimming, stroboscopic illumination, soiled cages, pairing with three other stressed animals, cold swimming, tail pinch, restraint and water and food deprivation. Chronic unpredictable mild stress model rats underwent dynamic observation from 1 to 8 weeks and were compared with a control group (normal feeding without any stressors). To observe changes in the depression-like behavior phenotype during chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression, a sucrose preference test was used to evaluate the degree of anhedonia. An open-field test was used to evaluate locomotor activity and anxiety status. Compared with the control group, chronic unpredictable mild stress rats lost weight but did not have a depression-like behavioral phenotype at 1–4 weeks. Chronic unpredictable mild stress rats presented decreased sucrose preference and locomotor activity at 5–8 weeks. In addition, chronic unpredictable mild stress rats did not have significant anxiety-like behavior during 1–8 weeks of modeling. To observe neurogenesis dysfunctions and changes in neuronal number in the dentate gyrus during chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression, markers (DCX and DCX/BrdU) of neural proliferation and differentiation and the neuronal marker NeuN were assessed by immunofluorescence. Compared with the control group, neurogenesis and the neuronal number in the dentate gyrus did not change from 2 to 6 weeks; however, neural proliferation and differentiation in the dentate gyrus decreased, and the number of neurons decreased until the eighth week in the chronic unpredictable mild stress group. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays and fluorescence in situ hybridization were used to measure the expression of hippocampal miR-124 during chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression. The results showed that the expression of hippocampal miR-124 was unchanged during the first 4 weeks but increased from 5 to 6 weeks and decreased from 7 to 8 weeks compared with the control group. These findings indicate that during chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression, the behavioral phenotype, miR-124 expression in the hippocampus, neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and neuronal numbers showed dynamic changes, which suggested that various pathological changes occur at different stages of depression. All experimental procedures and protocols were approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine of China in March 2015.

Abstract Background Caixin and Zicaitai (Brassica rapa) belong to Southern and Central China respectively. Zicaitai contains high amount of anthocyanin in leaf and stalk resulting to the purple color. Stalk is the major edible part and stalk color is an economically important trait for the two vegetables. The aim of this study is to construct a high density genetic map using the specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technique to explore genetic basis for anthocyanin pigmentation traits via quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. Results We constructed a high generation linkage map with a mapping panel of F2 populations derived from 150 individuals of parental lines “Xianghongtai 01” and “Yinong 50D” with purple and green stalk respectively. The map was constructed containing 4253 loci, representing 10,940 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers spanning 1030.04 centiMorgans (cM) over 10 linkage groups (LGs), with an average distance between markers of 0.27 cM. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis revealed that a major locus on chromosome 7 and 4 minor QTLs explaining 2.69–61.21% of phenotypic variation (PVE) were strongly responsible for variation in stalk color trait. Bioinformatics analysis of the major locus identified 62 protein-coding genes. Among the major locus, there were no biosynthetic genes related to anthocyanin. However, there were several transcription factors like helix-loop-helix (bHLH) bHLH, MYB in the locus. Seven predicted candidate genes were selected for the transcription level analysis. Only bHLH49 transcription factor, was significantly higher expressed in both stalks and young leaves of Xianghongtai01 than Yinong50D. An insertion and deletion (InDel) marker developed from deletion/insertion in the promoter region of bHLH49 showed significant correlation with the stalk color trait in the F2 population. Conclusion Using the constructed high-qualified linkage map, this study successfully identified QTLs for stalk color trait. The identified valuable markers and candidate genes for anthocyanin accumulation in stalk will provide useful information for molecular regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Overall our findings will lay a foundation for functional gene cloning, marker-assisted selection (MAS) and molecular breeding of important economic traits in B. rapa.

Freshwater hyphomycetes are a highly diverse group of fungi with a worldwide distribution and have been mostly reported from tropical and subtropical regions. During investigations of freshwater fungi from the Greater Mekong subregion in China and Thailand, sixteen freshwater hyphomycetes (three of them belong to the class Dothideomycetes while thirteen belong to the class Sordariomycetes) were collected. Based on morphology and multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, Neospadicoides thailandica, Pseudodactylaria aquatica, Sporidesmium nujiangense, Tetraploa thailandica, Vamsapriya aquatica and Wongia fusiformis are described as new species; Aquapteridospora bambusinum is proposed as a new combination; Acrodictys liputii, Chloridium gonytrichii, Pseudoberkleasmium chiangmaiense, Pleomonodictys capensis, Sporidesmium aturbinatum and Vamsapriya indica are reported as new country records; and Sporidesmium tropicale, Sporoschisma chiangraiense and Sporoschisma longicatenatum are introduced as three new collections. In addition, a checklist of freshwater fungi from China over the last five years is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms regulate antimicrobial immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Methods The present study assessed circular RNA TRAPPC6B (circTRAPPC6B) for antimicrobial immune functions and defined mechanisms wherein circTRAPPC6B regulates Mtb growth, autophagy and microRNA in macrophages. Results The Mtb infection of monocytes/macrophages resulted in a significantly decreased level of circTRAPPC6B that inhibited intracellular Mtb growth in macrophages. Conversely, circTRAPPC6B expression enhanced autophagy or autophagy‐associated protein LC3‐II production in Mtb‐infected macrophages. circTRAPPC6B‐enhanced autophagy aggregation or sequestration was also observed in fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) analysis and confocal imaging. Mechanistically, circTRAPPC6B targets an inhibiting element miR‐874‐3p, as shown by bioinformatics, dual‐luciferase reporter gene analysis and pull‐down assay, respectively. Notably, miR‐874‐3p prohibited autophagy via suppressing autophagy protein ATG16L1 by binding to its 3′‐untranslated region (UTR) in Mtb‐infected macrophages and thus promoting intracellular Mtb growth. Concurrently, circTRAPPC6B enhanced autophagy in Mtb‐infected macrophages by blocking the ability of miR‐874‐3p to inhibit ATG16L1. Thus, circTRAPPC6B antagonises the ability of miR‐874‐3p to suppress ATG16L1 expression and activate and enhance autophagy sequestration to restrict Mtb growth in macrophages. Conclusion The current findings suggested that both circTRAPPC6B and miR‐874‐3p mechanisms can be explored as potential therapeutics against Mtb infection.

During a study of diversity and taxonomy of lignicolous freshwater fungi in China, nine species of Acrogenospora were collected. Seven of these were new species and they are described and illustrated. With morphology, additional evidence to support establishment of new species is provided by phylogeny derived from DNA sequence analyses of a combined LSU, SSU, TEF1α, and RPB2 sequence dataset. Acrogenospora subprolata and A. verrucispora were re-collected and sequenced for the first time. The genus Acrogenospora is far more species rich than originally thought, with nine species found in a small area of Yunnan Province, China.

Objective The tests of three types of auditory evoked potentials （AEPs） were performed on normal young adults, to understand the frequency characteristics of different testing methods and the relationship between response threshold and pure tone audiometry threshold of different methods, and to discuss the forensic value of 3 types of AEPs to evaluate hearing function. Methods Twenty normal young adults were selected, their standard pure tone audiometry threshold, short-term pure tone audiometry threshold and the response threshold of 3 types of AEPs （tone burst-auditory brainstem response, 40 Hz auditory event-related potential and slow vertex response） at 0.5 kHz, 1.0 kHz, 2.0 kHz and 4.0 kHz were recorded. The relationship between the response threshold and standard pure tone audiometry threshold, short-term pure tone audiometry threshold of 3 types of AEPs at different frequencies as well as the differences between different types of AEPs were analyzed. Results The short-term pure tone audiometry threshold was higher than the standard pure tone audiometry threshold at each frequency. The response threshold and standard pure tone audiometry threshold of the 3 types of AEPs all had a certain correlation, and the response threshold of the 3 types of AEPs was higher than short-term pure tone audiometry threshold and standard pure tone audiometry threshold at each frequency. The differences in the differences between the response threshold and standard pure tone audiometry threshold of the 3 types of AEPs at different frequencies had statistical significance. Linear regression mathematical models were established to infer the standard pure tone audiometry threshold （hearing level） from response threshold （sound pressure level） of 3 types of AEPs of normal young adults. Conclusion When using response threshold of different types of AEPs to estimate pure tone audiometry threshold, conversion and correction are needed. Combined use of different types of AEPs could improve the accuracy of hearing function evaluation.

Little is known about how tuberculosis (TB) impairs dendritic cell (DC) function and anti-TB immune responses. We previously showed that the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), an immune inhibitory receptor, is involved in TB pathogenesis. Here, we examined whether BTLA expression in TB affects phenotypic and functional aspects of DCs. Active TB patients exhibited higher expression of BTLA in myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) subsets compared with healthy controls (HCs). BTLA expression was similarly high in untreated TB, TB relapse, and sputum-bacillus positive TB, but anti-TB therapy reduced TB-driven increases in frequencies of BTLA+ DCs. BTLA+ DCs in active TB showed decreased expression of the DC maturation marker CD83, with an increased expression of CCR7 in mDCs. BTLA+ DCs in active TB displayed a decreased ability to express HLA-DR and to uptake foreign antigen, with a reduced expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD80, but not CD86. Functionally, BTLA+ DCs in active TB showed a decreased production of IL-12 and IFN-α as well as a reduced ability to stimulate allogeneic T-cell proliferative responses. BTLA+ mDCs produced larger amounts of IL-4 and TGF-β than BTLA− mDCs in both HCs and APT patients. BTLA+ DCs from active TB patients showed a reduced ability to stimulate Mtb antigen-driven Th17 and Th22 polarizations as compared to those from HCs. Conversely, these BTLA+ DCs more readily promoted the differentiation of T regulatory cells (Treg) and Th2 than those from HCs. These findings suggest that TB-driven BTLA expression in DCs impairs the expression of functional DC surrogate markers and suppress the ability of DCs to induce anti-TB Th17 and Th22 response while promoting Th2 and Foxp3+ Tregs.

Blast resistance and grain quality are major problems in hybrid rice production in China. In this study, two resistance (R) genes, Pi46 and Pita, along with the gene Wxb, which mainly affects rice endosperm amylose content (AC), were introgressed into an elite indica restoring line, R8166, which has little blast resistance and poor grain quality through marker-assisted selection (MAS). Eight improved lines were found to have recurrent genome recovery ratios ranging from 88.68 to 96.23%. Two improved lines, R163 and R167, were selected for subsequent studies. R167, which has the highest recovery ratio (96.23%), showed no significant differences in multiple agronomic traits. In contrast, R163 with the lowest recovery ratio (88.68%) exhibited significant differences in heading date and yield per plant compared with the recurrent parent. At two developmental stages, R163 and R167 had greatly enhanced resistance to blast over the recurrent parent. Similar trends were also observed for agronomic traits and blast resistance in R163- and R167-derived hybrids when compared with the counterparts from R8166. In addition, R163, R167, and their derived hybrids significantly improved the grain quality traits, including amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC), chalky grain rate (CGR), and degree of endosperm chalkiness (DEC). It confirmed the success of efficiently developing elite restoring lines using MAS in this study.

Prolonged immersion in floodwater is one of the main causes of embankment failure or dam breaks, although failure mechanisms have not been extensively studied. In this study, an embankment model was constructed to investigate the influence of prolonged immersion in floodwater on the failure of an embankment. The results indicate that: (1) the phreatic surface gradually rises and negative pore pressures gradually dissipate with the time of prolonged immersion in floodwater, and, finally, a stable and fully saturated state is reached; (2) observable cracks and a heave phenomenon are found near the downstream toe and in the top stratum of the foundation, which are attributed to the large uplift pressure on the interface between the top stratum and the pervious substratum, the tremendous impact effect induced by the rapid rise in water level, and the reduction of shear strength of heavy silt loam. The present study enhances our in-depth knowledge of the mechanisms of embankment failure induced by floodwater, and provides experimental data for validation of mathematical models of the embankment seepage failure.

A recognition technology for crude oil and lubricant is described by use of back-scattering fluorescence. It is shown that when the fluorescence intensity reaches the maximum peak, its attenuation ratio has no obvious dependence on laser power, incident angle and thickness of oil film during a fixed wavelength interval. To enhance the feature of oil type, two relatively constant wavelength regions are selected and their fluorescence intensity attenuation ratios are fused in a two-dimensional spectrum. Then two areas which represent the two kinds of oil are identified in the two-dimensional spectrum, and the oil type can be determined according to which area the measured ratio data lie in. The experimental results show that the correct identification probabilities for crude oil and lubricant can reach 96% and 98% respectively. It is expected that this can be a useful method for oil type recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported researches rarely focus on dynamic stress concentration factors (SCF) of tubular joints between the chord and brace, where the chord is a square pipe, and the brace is a circular pipe. Tubular joints between a square pipe and circular pipe are widely applied in spatial structures as a support structure. Therefore, tubular joints of welded steel pipes under axial loads were studied numerically for determination of dynamic stress concentration factors (SCF). Finite element models were setup for a total of 165 tubular joints with various configurations, obtaining dynamic stress distributions of each model along the joint. Dynamic stress concentration factors on the brace and the chord were extracted respectively. Relations between sizes of dynamic stress concentration factors between the joint and structural parameters were discussed. The computational model was finally validated by the experimental test. The experimental curve was basically consistent with the finite element at the elastic stage of loading, indicating that the computational model at the elastic stage was very accurate. The paper mainly studied dynamic stress distribution of the tubular joint of welded steel pipes under an excitation load at the elastic stage, so the finite element model could be used to replace experimental test. SCF was 180° symmetric under different parameters. This angle was located at the crown point of tubular joints, while the welded steel pipe structure was a symmetric structure relative to the longitudinal plane. In addition, the chord and brace had SCF peaks at the angles of 90° and 270° because the two points were located at the saddle point of the tubular joints. Under angles of 0° and 180°, the SCF had obvious valley values because the two points were located at crown points of tubular joints. Finally, the vibration performance of the tubular joint was also analyzed. Vibration displacement could be reduced obviously through reinforcement of tubular joints with the collar plates. Axial pre-tensile forces would increase vibration displacement on top and bottom positions of the chord pipe. This paper can provide an important reference for the improvement of the dynamic stress concentration of joints of welded steel pipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrate that benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) can affect hippocampal function and cause spatial cognition impairment. However, the mechanism is incomplete. Some evidence implies that B(a)P may cause an oxidative damage linking to the function of the hippocampus and antioxidant can prevent the oxidative damage in rats, but the ATPase and Ca2+ in the hippocampus and the protective effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) have not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the damage of toxicity further induced by B(a)P in hippocampus and the protective effect of BHA. Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups (solvent control group, BHA-group, B(a)P-exposed group and B(a)P-BHA-combination group), with daily administration for 90 days. Morris water maze (MWM) was employed to evaluate the learning and memory ability. The levels of malonaldehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase activity in hippocampus were measured by commercial kits. The concentration of Ca2+ in rat hippocampus was detected by fluorescent labeling. In behavior test it showed that there was an adverse effect on rats in the B(a)P -group. The levels of MDA content and Ca2+ content were significantly increased in the B(a)P group, while the activities of SOD and ATPase were significantly decreased. In the B(a)P-BHA group, the change of each index diminished significantly. The results suggested that the neurobehavioral toxicity of B(a)P might have a close relationship with oxidative damage, resulted in decreasing of ATPase activities and increasing of Ca2+ concentration in the hippocampus. Furthermore, BHA can prevent these damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new parameter for evaluating beam quality of semiconductor lasers is analyzed. In evaluating beam quality of semiconductor lasers, the shortcomings of M 2 factor are discussed and its limitations are pointed out at the same time. Moreover, some important aspects of the beam quality factor are discussed. The main factors to influence collimating the beam of semiconductor lasers are analyzed. In this paper, our results clarify the conclusion: the new propagation parameter is more suited to describe the beam quality of semiconductor laser to M 2 factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]