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Background: Tea plants ( Camellia sinensis ) are widely cultivated cash crops. However, fungal diseases lead to significant reductions in both the yield and quality of tea. Therefore, searching for economical, eco-friendly, and efficient biological control measures is crucial for protecting tea plants from pathogenic fungi., Methods: The confrontation assays were performed to identify the antagonistic bacteria against tea pathogenic fungi and evaluate the antifungal activity of these bacteria., Results: Here, three tea pathogenic fungi were identified: Colletotrichum siamense HT-1, Diaporthe phaseolorum HT-3, and Fusarium fujikuroi HT-4. Notably, D. phaseolorum was the first to be reported in tea plants in China. Some tea pathogenic fungi showed a high relative abundance, suggesting a potential disease risk in tea plantations. Strain GS2Y, isolated from tea rhizosphere soil, exhibited strong antifungal activity against tea pathogenic fungi and represented a novel species within the genus Burkholderia , designated as Burkholderia theae . GS2Y could directly inhibit tea pathogenic fungi by disrupting the cellular structures and protect tea plants from fungal diseases caused by C. siamense HT-1 and D. phaseolorum HT-3., Conclusions: B. theae GS2Y might function as a potentially valuable resource for biocontrol agents, laying the foundation for the development of strategies to manage fungal diseases in tea plants.

Plant oil-based vitrimer is an innovative and sustainable polymer with wide-ranging potential applications in the field of advanced materials. However, its restricted application is caused by the poor mechanical properties and the need for catalysts during preparation. Using renewable cardanol as the raw material, epoxy cardanol glycidyl ether (ECGE) with an end epoxide group was obtained by the clicking reaction and epoxidation reaction. After the application of citric acid (CA), ECGE was successfully cured, resulting in the production of fully biobased ECGE-CA vitrimers. This material does not require a catalyst, possesses self-healing properties, and exhibits high mechanical strength. On account of the introduction of hydroxyl groups in citric acid, plenty of hydrogen bonds are formed, allowing the topological network rearrangement of the material in the absence of a catalyst. Recyclable adhesives and repairable materials, vitrimer polymers have good shape memory, self-healing, and recyclability since of their dynamic ester and hydroxyl bonds., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of tuberculosis (TB) and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. We aimed to describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, disease spectrum, outcome, and prognostic factors of patients treated for TBM in China., Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted from 2009 to 2019 enrolling all presumptive TBM patients referred to Xijing tertiary Hospital from 27 referral centers in and around Shaanxi province, China. Patients with clinical features suggestive of TBM (abnormal CSF parameters) were included in the study if they had adequate baseline information to be classified as "confirmed," "probable," or "possible" TBM according to international consensus TBM criteria and remained in follow-up. Patients with a confirmed alternative diagnosis or severe immune compromise were excluded. Clinical presentation, central nervous system imaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results, TBM score, and outcome-assessed using the modified Barthel disability index-were recorded and compared., Findings: A total of 341 presumptive TBM patients met selection criteria; 63 confirmed TBM (25 culture positive, 42 Xpert-MTB/RIF positive), 66 probable TBM, 163 possible TBM, and 49 "not TBM." Death was associated with BMRC grade III (OR = 5.172; 95%CI: 2.298-11.641), TBM score ≥ 15 (OR = 3.843; 95%CI: 1.372-10.761), age > 60 years (OR = 3.566; 95%CI: 1.022-12.442), and CSF neutrophil ratio ≥ 25% (OR = 2.298; 95%CI: 1.027-5.139). Among those with confirmed TBM, nearly one-third (17/63, 27.0%) had a TBM score < 12; these patients exhibited less classic meningitis symptoms and signs and had better outcomes compared with those with a TBM score ≥ 12. In this group, signs of disseminated/miliary TB (OR = 12.427; 95%CI: 1.138-135.758) and a higher TBM score (≥15, OR = 8.437; 95%CI: 1.328-53.585) were most strongly associated with death., Conclusion: TBM patients who are older (>60 years) have higher TBM scores or CSF neutrophil ratios, have signs of disseminated/miliary TB, and are at greatest risk of death. In general, more effort needs to be done to improve early diagnosis and treatment outcome in TBM patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Li, Cai, Cheng, Li, Liu, Zhou, Wang, Feng, Marais and Zhao.)

Objective: This study aims to investigate the current application and the level of knowledge of intraoperative facial nerve monitoring among medical staff in China. Methods: A comprehensive online questionnaire was conducted among medical professionals across different regions in China from October 2022 to February 2023. The survey exclusively targeted departments specializing in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, neurosurgery, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The questionnaire covered various aspects including general information, intraoperative facial nerve monitoring practices, training history, indications for monitoring, parameters used during monitoring procedures, as well as factors influencing its implementation. Results: A total of 417 participants from 31 provincial, municipal, and autonomous regions were included. Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring was found to be implemented in 227 (54.4%,227/417) repondents of 53 institutions (24.9%, 53/213). The top three indications for implementing this technique were acoustic neuroma, parotid gland surgery, and modified middle ear surgery (mastoidectomy). Herein 81.1%(184/227) medical staff involved in intraoperative facial nerve monitoring had received relevant training, 57.3%(130/227)-92.1%(209/227) reported a lack of clear description regarding recording thresholds, stimulation currents/frequencies/wave widths. Conclusion: The majority of the institutions surveyed have not yet adopted intraoperative facial nerve monitoring. Furthermore, significant gaps concerning the procedure exist. It is imperative to establish standards or guidelines to promote its better development and application.

Three novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterial strains, designated RHCKG28 T , RHCJP20 T and RHCKG23 T , were isolated from phyllosphere of healthy citrus leaves collected from Renhua County in Guangdong Province, PR China. 16S rRNA gene sequences comparison and phylogenetic analyses showed that they all belonged to the genus Curtobacterium , among which strain RHCKG28 T showed the highest similarity to Curtobacterium herbarum NBRC 103064 T (99.3 %), while strains RHCJP20 T and RHCKG23 T showed 99.2 and 99.0 % similarity to Curtobacterium citreum JCM 1345 T , respectively. Phylogenomic analysis showed that the three novel strains were most closely related to C. citreum JCM 1345 T and Curtobacterium albidum JCM 1344 T . The novel strains could be distinguished from their closely related type strains in terms of enzyme activities, substrate assimilation and fatty acid profiles. In addition, the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between the novel strains and closely related type strains were 84.4‒89.5 % and 24.5‒34.1 %, respectively, which were below the threshold values for species delimitation. They all took anteiso-C 15 : 0 , iso-C 16 : 0 and anteiso-C 17 : 0 as the major fatty acids, menaquinone 9 (MK-9) as the sole predominant respiratory quinone, and ornithine as the principal cell-wall diamino acid. The major polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and several unidentified glycolipids. The phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic data supported that they represent three distinct novel species of the genus Curtobacterium , for which the names Curtobacterium caseinilyticum sp. nov., Curtobacterium subtropicum sp. nov. and Curtobacterium citri sp. nov. are proposed, with RHCKG28 T (=GDMCC 1.2667 T =JCM 34828 T ), RHCJP20 T (=GDMCC 1.2668 T =JCM 34829 T ) and RHCKG23 T (=GDMCC 1.2669 T =JCM 34830 T ) as the type strains, respectively.

Four Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, yellow-pigmented and rod-shaped bacteria, named strains BD1B2-1 T , NT2B1 T , YF14B1 and DM2B3-1, were isolated from four rhizosphere soil samples of banana in China. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that all these strains were most closely related to an invalidly published species, 'Rhodocytophaga rosea' 172606-1, with similarities ranging from 87.7 to 88.0%. According to the phylogenomic analysis, the four strains were clustered in an independent lineage and closely related to the genus Rhodocytophaga. The genomic sizes of these strains were approximately 9.49-9.77 Mbp with the DNA G + C contents of 38.8-39.0 mol%. They all contained C 16:1 ω5c, iso-C 15:0 and iso-C 17:0 3-OH as the major fatty acids and menaquinone 7 as the only respiratory quinone. They all had phosphatidylethanolamine as the major polar lipids. Based on phenotypic and phylogenomic characteristics, the four strains should represent two novel species within a novel genus, for which the names Xanthocytophaga agilis gen. nov., sp. nov. (BD1B2-1 T  = GDMCC 1.2890 T  = JCM 35374 T ) and Xanthocytophaga flavus sp. nov. (NT2B1 T  = GDMCC 1.2889 T  = JCM 35375 T ) are proposed; the former is assigned as the type species of the novel genus Xanthocytophaga gen. nov. In addition, based on the phenotypic and phylogenomic data, we proposed to reclassify the existing genus Rhodocytophaga in the family Cytophagaceae into a novel family Rhodocytophagaceae fam. nov. The novel family consists of the type genus Rhodocytophaga and the novel genus Xanthocytophaga., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Four novel bacterial strains, designated RBB1W86 T , RXD159 T , RBB189 T and RLT163 T , were isolated from subtropical forest soil of the Nanling National Nature Reserve located in Guangdong Province, PR China. 16S rRNA gene phylogeny indicated their affiliation to the genus Dyella , among which strains RBB1W86 T and RXD159 T were closely related to Dyella halodurans CGMCC 1.15435 T with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 98.8 and 99.5 %, respectively, and strains RBB189 T and RLT163 T were closely related to Dyella tabacisoli CGMCC 1.16273 T (98.8 %) and Dyella japonica JCM 21530 T (99.4 %), respectively. Phylogenomic analysis based on 92 core genes showed consistent phylogeny with the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny for strains RBB1W86 T , RBB189 T and RLT163 T , while strain RXD159 T showed a closer relationship with D. tabacisoli CGMCC 1.16273 T and strain RBB189 T . The genome-derived average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between the newly isolated strains and their closely related species were 70.18‒90.20 %, and the corresponding digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were 20.80‒40.30 %. Meanwhile, the ANI and dDDH values between each pair of the newly isolated strains were 75.80‒79.77 % and 21.30‒23.30 %, respectively. They all took iso-C 15 : 0 and summed feature 9 (10-methyl C 16  : 0 and/or iso-C 17  : 1 ω 9 c ) as the major fatty acids. Moreover, C 16 : 0 , iso-C 16 : 0 , iso-C 17 : 0 and summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1 ω 7 c and/or C 16 : 1 ω 6 c ) were also variously distributed as major components. They all took ubiquinone 8 as the only predominant respiratory quinone and phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unidentified phospholipid as the major polar lipids. Phosphatidylmethylethanolamine was only present in strain RBB189 T as another major component. Based on the results of phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, the newly isolated strains could be clearly distinguished from their closely related species and should represent four distinct novel species of the genus Dyella , for which the names Dyella humicola sp. nov. (type strain RBB1W86 T =GDMCC 1.1901 T =KACC 21988 T ), Dyella subtropica sp. nov. (type strain RXD159 T =GDMCC 1.1902 T =KACC 21989 T ), Dyella silvatica sp. nov. (type strain RBB189 T =GDMCC 1.1900 T =KACC 21990 T ) and Dyella silvae sp. nov. (type strain RLT163 T =GDMCC 1.1916 T =KACC 21991 T ) are proposed.

A novel potential plant growth promoting bacterium, designated OPS13-3 T , was isolated from rhizosphere soil of citrus in Aotou Town of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, PR China. It showed high ability to dissolve insoluble inorganic phosphate and organic phosphorus and to produce 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA) and siderophore. Cells of the novel strain were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic and motile with polar flagellum. It shared the highest 16S rRNA gene similarity with Pseudomonas mucoides CCUG 74874 T (98.7%) and P. bijieensis LMG 31948 T (98.7%). Phylogenetic analyses based the 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences revealed that strain OPS13-3 T belonged to the genus Pseudomonas, and was most closely related to P. mediterranea ICMP 14184 T and P. corrugate ICMP 5819 T . The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between the novel strain and closely relatives with high 16S rRNA gene similarities were 80.8‒87.5% and 24.7‒34.6%, respectively, which were much below the threshold values for species delimitation. The major fatty acids included C 16:0 , C 10:0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω7c and/or C 16:1 ω6c). It took ubiquinone 9 as the predominant respiratory quinone and the polar lipids contained phosphatidylglycerol (PG), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), three unidentified phospholipids, an unidentified aminophospholipid and an unidentified lipid. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses and genome comparison, strain OPS13-3 T should be considered as a novel species of the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas citri sp. nov. is proposed (type strain OPS13-3 T  = GDMCC 1.3118 T  = JCM 35385 T )., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Many genera closest to the family Comamonadaceae have not been classified into any family; moreover, some of them are not monophyletic groups beyond the genus level. To resolve the taxonomic uncertainty of the closest-to-Comamonadaceae (CTC) group, we performed 16S rRNA gene- and genome-based phylogenetic analyses combined with genome relatedness indices and phenotypic traits comparison. Phylogenies based on the 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences demonstrated that the CTC group formed a coherent and robust monophyletic lineage and was sister to the family Comamonadaceae, thereby proposing the CTC group as a novel family, Sphaerotilaceae fam. nov. The resolved genus- and species-level taxonomic relationships of this new family were then validated by the phylogenomic reconstruction and comparisons of genome relatedness indices including digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity (ANI) as well as comprehensive phenotypic analysis for type strains. Finally, we reclassified all misidentified genera and species, resulting in 19 new combinations, and proposed Sphaerotilaceae-specific thresholds of ANI and average amino acid identity for genus delineation. Collectively, this study has established a sound taxonomic framework of the novel family Sphaerotilaceae and will help guide future taxonomic efforts and prevent the propagation of taxonomic errors., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Noninflammatory clearance of dying cells by professional phagocytes, termed efferocytosis, is fundamental in both homeostasis and inflammatory fibrosis disease but has not been confirmed to occur in chronic pancreatitis (CP). Here, we investigated whether efferocytosis constitutes a novel regulatory target in CP and its mechanisms. PRSS1 transgenic (PRSS1 Tg ) mice were treated with caerulein to mimic CP development. Phospholipid metabolite profiling and epigenetic assays were performed with PRSS1 Tg CP models. The potential functions of Atp8b1 in CP model were clarified using Atp8b1-overexpressing adeno-associated virus, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and lipid metabolomic approaches. ATAC-seq combined with RNA-seq was then used to identify transcription factors binding to the Atp8b1 promoter, and ChIP-qPCR and luciferase assays were used to confirm that the identified transcription factor bound to the Atp8b1 promoter, and to identify the specific binding site. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the proportion of pancreatic macrophages. Decreased efferocytosis with aggravated inflammation was identified in CP. The lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) pathway was the most obviously dysregulated phospholipid pathway, and LPC and Atp8b1 expression gradually decreased during CP development. H3K27me3 ChIP-seq showed that increased Atp8b1 promoter methylation led to transcriptional inhibition. Atp8b1 complementation substantially increased the LPC concentration and improved CP outcomes. Bhlha15 was identified as a transcription factor that binds to the Atp8b1 promoter and regulates phospholipid metabolism. Our study indicates that the acinar Atp8b1/LPC pathway acts as an important "find-me" signal for macrophages and plays a protective role in CP, with Atp8b1 transcription promoted by the acinar cell-specific transcription factor Bhlha15. Bhlha15, Atp8b1, and LPC could be clinically translated into valuable therapeutic targets to overcome the limitations of current CP therapies., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To introduce our experience on dealing with the internal carotid artery (ICA) during the resection of lateral skull base tumors, and to explore the reference values for using radiological findings to make a rational surgical plan. Methods: A retrospective study of patients who underwent resection of lateral skull base tumors involving ICA at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from May 2015 to May 2021 was conducted. The demographic information, preoperative examinations, diagnosis, surgical details and follow-ups were collected. A total of 41 patients were enrolled [24 (58.5%] females, 17 (41.5%) males], with an average age of 47.9 years. According to the preoperative imaging findings, the relationships between the tumors and ICA were divided into four types: adjacency, compression, invasion and ICA aneurysm. Results: The ICA was preserved in 32 (78.0%, 32/41) cases and was reconstructed in nine (22.0%, 9/41) cases. All the 27 (65.9%, 27/41) tumors adjacent to ICA were successfully separated from the artery. Among the 11 tumors compressing the ICA, six were resected with the involved ICA segment and vascular reconstruction was conducted. One (2.4%, 1/41) tumor invading ICA and two (4.9%, 2/41) ICA aneurysms required revascularization. The mean follow-up time was (26.1±2.9) months. There was no recurrence, except one case of adenoid cystic carcinoma which had brain metastases one year after surgery. Conclusions: According to the preoperative imaging, lateral skull base tumors adjacent to ICA can be detached from the vascular surface. Separation should be attempted first for tumors compressing ICA, and revascularization should be followed if separation failed. Vascular reconstruction is usually needed in the removal of tumors invading ICA and ICA aneurysms. Preoperative radiology can provide good references for planning a surgery for lateral skull base tumors.

Two Gram-staining-negative, aerobic and rod-shaped strains, designated c23x22 T and sex2 T , were isolated from forest soil collected from Chebaling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province and Limu Mountain National Forest Park in Hainan Province, P. R. China, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that they belonged to the genus Microvirga, and strain c23 x22 T was most closely related to 'Microvirga alba' KCTC 72385, while strain sex2 T showed close relationship with Microvirga guangxiensis CGMCC 1.7666 T . The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strains c23 x22 T and sex2 T and their close relatives, 'M. alba' KCTC 72385 and M. guangxiensis CGMCC 1.7666 T , were all below the threshold values for species delimitation. The predominant quinones of the two novel strains were ubiquinone 10, and the major fatty acids contained C 19:0 cyclo ω8c and summed feature 8 (C 18:1 ω7c and/or C 18:1 ω6c). Their predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses clearly supported that strains c23 x 22 T and sex2 T represent two novel species of the genus Microvirga, for which the name Microvirga terricola sp. nov. (type strain c23 x 22 T  = GDMCC 1.1700 T  = KCTC 62432 T ) and Microvirga solisilvae sp. nov. (type strain sex2 T  = GDMCC 1.1651 T  = KACC 21311 T ) are proposed, respectively., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

An orange-pigmented myxobacterium, designated strain c25j21 T , was isolated from subtropical forest soil collected from the Chebaling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and core genes clearly showed that the novel strain was affiliated within the genus Corallococcus and most closely related to Corallococcus aberystwythensis DSM 108846 T (99.3% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), while C. exercitus DSM 108849 T (99.2%) and C. carmarthensis DSM 108842 T (99.0%) were the next most closely related type strains. The draft genome sequence of strain c25j21 T was 9.23 Mb in length with a G + C content of 70.7 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain c25j21 T and its closely related type strains were 88.1-89.1 and 34.1-36.3%, respectively. The major fatty acids contained iso-C 15:0 , iso-C 17:0 , iso-C 17:1 ω5c and iso-C 17:0 2-OH. The predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7. Based on phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analysis, strain c25j21 T represents a novel species of the genus Corallococcus, for which the name Corallococcus silvisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is c25j21 T (= GDMCC 1.1387 T  = KCTC 62437 T )., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

As an unnecessary trace element, the content of aluminium in biological systems should be strictly controlled. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a convenient method for detection of aluminium ions. In this study, a fluorescent probe based on polythiophene derivatives was developed and used to detect Al 3+ in Chinese traditional pasta. The fluorescence of this probe showed a significant decrease in hexamethylenetetramine-HCl buffer solution (pH 5) when Al 3+ was present. In addition, the probe exhibited good sensitivity and selectivity to Al 3+ over other metal ions when EDTA was used as the masking agent. Fluorescence intensity had a good linear relationship with the Al 3+ concentration in the range 0.1-10 μM and the limit of detection for Al 3+ was 39 nM. Furthermore, the probe was successfully applied to detect Al 3+ in food samples and the results were consistent with ICP-AES., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain B61 T , was isolated from rhizosphere soil of banana collected from Dongguan, Guangdong Province, PR China. Growth occurred at 15-40 °C, within a pH range of pH 6.0-9.0. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses showed that strain B61 T was most closely related to ' Chitinophaga agri ' KACC 21303 (98.9 %) and Chitinophaga pinensis DSM 2588 T (98.8 %). The genome size was 7.6 Mb with a G+C content of 45.2 mol%. The genome-inferred average nucleotide identity values between strain B61 T and two closely related strains were 79.2 and 79.3 %, respectively, with corresponding digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of 22.3 and 22.6 %. The major fatty acids of the novel strain were iso-C 15:0 , C 16:1 ω 5 c and iso-C 17:0 3-OH and the sole respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, five unidentified aminolipids, four unidentified glycolipids and six unidentified lipids. The phenotypic and phylogenetic results clearly supported that strain B61 T represents a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga , for which the name Chitinophaga rhizophila , sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain B61 T (=GDMCC 1.2608 T =KCTC 82856 T ).

Three aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and rod-shaped bacteria, designated strains RXD178 T , RXD172-2 and RLT1W51 T , were isolated from two forest soil samples of Nanling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province, PR China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and 92 core genes showed that they belonged to the genus Collimonas , and were most closely related to four validly published species with similarities ranging from 99.4 to 98.2 %. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains RXD178 T , RXD172-2 and RLT1W51 T were 57.1, 59.5 and 59.4 mol%, respectively. The genome-derived average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between the novel strains and closely related type species were below 37.90 and 89.34 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the ANI and dDDH values between strains RXD172-2 and RLT1W51 T were 98.27 and 83.50 %, respectively. The three novel strains contained C 16 : 0 , C 17 : 0 cyclo and summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1 ω 6 c and/or C 16 : 1 ω 7 c ) as the major fatty acids, and summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1 ω 6 c and/or C 18 : 1 ω 7 c ) comprised a relative higher proportion in strain RXD178 T than in other strains. Both strains RXD172-2 and RLT1W51 T had phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG) and an unidentified aminophospholipid (APL) as the main polar lipids while only PE and APL were detected in strain RXD178 T . Ubiquinone 8 was the predominant quinone. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genomic analyses, strain RXD178 T should be considered as representing one novel species within the genus Collimonas and strains RXD172-2 and RLT1W51 T as another one, for which the names Collimonas silvisoli sp. nov. and Collimonas humicola sp. nov. are proposed, with RXD178 T (=GDMCC 1.1925 T =KACC 21987 T ) and RLT1W51 T (=GDMCC 1.1923 T =KACC 21985 T ) as the type strains, respectively.

Objective: By summarizing the technical points and therapeutic outcomes of combing infratemporal fossa approach (IFA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) reconstruction for the colossal skull base tumor invading ICA in petrous bone, the clinical application value was discussed. Methods: Five patients (2 males, 3 females,aging from 27 to 55 years old) who received surgeries between July 2015 and May 2017 for lateral skull base pathology involved petrous ICA using technique combined IFA and pre-reconstruction, were reviewed. Results: Among the five patients, three were paraganglioma of head and neck, one was carotid aneurysms, and one was recurrent adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The median tumor size in the largest cross-section was 60 mm × 51 mm (range, 28 mm × 22 mm-72 mm × 58 mm). Complete excision was achieved with IFA and ICA reconstruction. The median blood loss volume was 1 000 ml (range, 600-2 500 ml). Four cases showed no new long-term neurologic sequelae, while one showed hemiplegia due to graft vessel occlusion. Except for the one with ACC having facial nerve cut, others achieved good facial nerve function of HB grade Ⅰ to Ⅱ during 3 to 12 months, follow-up. No tumor recurrence was observed over the median duration of follow-up for above 36 months (range, 36-58 months). Conclusion: For lesions involved superior part of ICA, which is unable to separate from ICA, IFA and ICA reconstruction can achieve complete excision.

Objective: To test the feasibility of image-guided Baha Attract implant surgery with mixed reality (MR) in the form of the HoloLens to visualize critical structures and facilitate precise Baha implant placement., Methods: A cadaveric case study of bilateral Baha Attract implant approaches was conducted using Star Atlas MR three-dimensional (3D) medical interaction system guidance at the Otolaryngology Department of PUMCH, Beijing, China. The accuracy of visual surface registration was determined by the target registration error (TRE) between the predefined points on the preoperative 3D holographic Baha Attract implant model and the postoperatively reconstructed 3D model., Results: Bilateral Baha Attract implantation was completed successfully for all four cadaveric heads using the Star Atlas MR 3D medical interaction system with the HoloLens. The preoperative 3D digital model characteristics (including bone quality and thickness and avoidance of cranial vessels, air cells, and cranial sutures) corresponded well with the 3D model of the actual implantation reconstructed postoperatively. The median TRE of our system was 2.97 mm (ranging from 1.98 to 4.58 mm) in terms of distance and 2.76 degrees (ranging from 0.59 to 6.4 degrees) in terms of angle., Conclusions: Applying MR technology in the form of the HoloLens in Baha Attract implant surgery is feasible and could improve the accuracy of the surgery. The described MR system for Baha Attract implantation has the potential to improve the surgeon's confidence, as well as the surgical safety, efficiency, and precision.

Objective: To investigate the technical points and clinical application of combined infratemporal fossa approaches (CIFA) by analyzing the clinical results with CIFA for lesions involved skull base. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 11 patients underwent CIFA for skull base lesions dissection from December 2014 to January 2019 in the department of otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. There were 6 male and 5 female patients, with age range of 16-72 years old and median age of 53 years old. Five patients underwent CIFA Type B and D, and the other 6 underwent CIFA A and B. All patients were followed up regularly by CT and MRI to observe possible recurrence. Results: Among the 5 patients with CIFA Type B and D, 3 were giant cell tumor and 2 were giant cell reparative granuloma, and median maximum cross-section size was 42 mm×46 mm (range from 37 mm×18 mm to 56 mm×53 mm). Among the 6 patients with CIFA Type A and B, 4 were paraganglioma of head and neck, 1 was schwannoma of skull base, 1 was petrous cholesteatoma, and median maximum cross-section size was 43 mm×36 mm (range from 24 mm×22 mm to 63 mm×35 mm). Nine patients underwent complete resection of the tumor in the first stage. In 2 patients, the extracranial parts were removed in the first stage, and the intracranial part was removed in the second stage. Tympanum and ossicular reconstruction were done in one of the CIFA Type B and group D, and 1 year's postoperative hearing was mild conductive hearing loss. There was no cerebrospinal fluid leakage of all patients. All the 5 patients with normal facial nerve function before surgery recovered to H-B grade Ⅰ to Ⅱ within 3 months after surgery. Among the 4 patients whose preoperative facial nerve function were grade Ⅱ, 2 recovered to grade I after surgery and the other 2 were still grade Ⅱ. For the patient whose preoperative facial nerve function was grade Ⅴ, his postoperative recovery was grade Ⅲ. There was 1 patient whose pre-operative FN function was H-B grade Ⅲ, and the post-operative FN function was grade Ⅵ due to FN resection. Except for 2 cases with cochlear involved before surgery, cochleae of the other 9 cases were preserved. The follow-up time was 14 to 58 months. No recurrence was observed in all patients. Conclusions: The CIFA can safely and completely remove the extensive lesions that invade the skull base, and the facial nerve function can be well protected and recovered intro-and post-operation. Appropriate use of combined IFA can not only achieve good exposure and complete resection of lesions, but also create conditions for functional reconstruction.

Two novel strains, designated 92R-1 T and 9PBR-1 T , were isolated from abandoned lead-zinc ore collected in Meizhou, Guangdong Province, PR China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that they fell into the genus of Hymenobacte r and formed two distinct lineages. Strain 92R-1 T was most closely related to Hymenobacter wooponensis JCM 19491 T (98.7 %) and Hymenobacter gelipurpurascens LMG 21873 T (98.5 %), while strain 9PBR-1 T was most closely related to Hymenobacter chitinivorans LMG 21951 T (99.0 %), Hymenobacter elongatus JCM 17223 T (98.7 %) and Hymenobacter aquaticus JCM 31653 T (98.1 %). Strain 92R-1 T shared average nucleotide identity values of 80.0-83.7 % and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of 23.1-27.1 % with its closely related type strains, respectively, while strain 9PBR-1 T shared corresponding values of 80.3-83.2 % and 23.6-26.7 % with its closely related type strains, respectively. The two novel strains could be clearly distinguished from their closely related type strains by enzyme activities and substrates assimilation, respectively. Both of them took iso-C 15:0, summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω 7 c and/or C 16:1 ω 6 c ), summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I and/or anteiso-C 17:1 B) and C 16:1 ω 5 c as major fatty acids, and showed clear differences from their closely relatives in the contents of several components. They contained menaquinone 7 as the major respiratory quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine as the dominant polar lipid. The G+C contents of strains 92R-1 T and 9PBR-1 T were 56.7 and 59.5 mol%, respectively. The results clearly supported that strains 92R-1 T and 9PBR-1 T represent two distinct novel species within the genus Hymenobacter , for which the names Hymenobacter fodinae sp. nov. (type strain 92R-1 T =GDMCC 1.1493 T =JCM 32697 T ) and Hymenobacter metallicola sp. nov. (type strain 9PBR-1 T =GDMCC 1.1491 T =JCM 32698 T ) are proposed.

A novel bacterial strain, designated ysch24 T , was isolated from a forest soil sample collected from the Cat Tien National Park, southern Vietnam. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, gliding, filamentous or rod-shaped. The results of 16S rRNA gene analyses revealed that strain ysch24 T belongs to the genus Chitinophaga , and was most closely related to Chitinophaga silvisoli GDMCC 1.1411 T (97.4 %), followed by Chitinophaga oryziterrae JCM 16595 T (97.3 %) and Chitinophaga sancti NBRC 15057 T (96.9 %). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain ysch24 T and closely related type strains were 72.0-74.0 % and 19.1-19.4 %, respectively. Major fatty acids were iso-C 15 : 0 , C 16 : 1   ω5 c and iso-C 17 : 0 3-OH and the predominant respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7. Polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified aminophospholipids, two unidentified phospholipids and four unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 45.6 mol%. The study clearly showed that strain ysch24 T should represent a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga , for which the name Chitinophaga tropicalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ysch24 T (=GDMCC 1.1355 T =KACC 21527 T ).

A novel pink-pigmented strain, designated 6HR-1 T , was isolated from tungsten mine tailings in Jiangxi Province, PR China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped and motile with a polar flagellum (monotrichous). It could not utilize methanol, methylamine, formaldehyde or formate as a sole carbon source. The methanol dehydrogenase mxaF gene was absent but the xoxF gene was present. Phylogenomic and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses clearly showed that strain 6HR-1 T was affiliated to the genus Methylobacterium and closely related to ' Methylobacterium terrae ' 17Sr1-28 T (98.6 %), Methylobacterium platani JCM 14648 T (97.7 %), Methylobacterium variabile DSM 16961 T (97.7 %) and Methylobacterium currus KACC 19662 T (97.4 %). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 6HR-1 T and its closely related type species were 87.4-88.7 and 33.2-36.3 %, respectively. It had summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1 ω7 c and/or C 18 : 1 ω6 c ) as the major fatty acid and ubiquinone 10 as the predominant respiratory quinone. Polyphasic characterization supported that strain 6HR-1 T represents a novel species of the genus Methylobacterium , for which the name Methylobacterium nonmethylotrophicum sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain 6HR-1 T (=GDMCC 1.662 T =KCTC 42760 T ).

A novel bacterial strain, designated FGD1 T , was isolated from subtropical forest soil of the Nanling National Forest Park located in Guangdong Province, P.R. China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain FGD1 T was most closely related to Novosphingobium lindaniclasticum DSM 25049 T (98.8 %), followed by N. barchaimii DSM 25411 T (98.7 %), N. guangzhouense DSM 32207 T (98.2 %), N. panipatense DSM 22890 T (98.1 %) and other species of Novosphingobium (<98 %). The draft genome sequence was 4.58 Mb in length with a G+C content of 65.1 mol%. The calculated average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain FGD1 T and closely related type strains were 77.7‒79.6 % and 21.7-22.9 %, respectively. Major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1   ω 7c and/or C 18 : 1   ω 6c ), summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1   ω 7c and/or C 16 : 1   ω 6c ), C 14 : 0 2-OH and C 16 : 0 . The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone 10 and the major polyamine was spermidine. Polar lipids were composed of sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid and lipid. The polyphasic taxonomic results indicated that strain FGD1 T represents a novel species of the genus Novosphingobium , for which the name Novosphingobium silvae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is FGD1 T (=GDMCC 1.1761 T =KACC 21283 T ).

Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Sphingobium had shown that the type strains of Sphingobium paulinellae , Sphingobium algicola and Sphingobium limneticum shared a very close relationship between each other. The 16S rRNA gene sequences similarity values between each other ranged from 99.65 to 99.93 %. Whole genome sequencing was performed and genomic relatedness values between each pair of the species were 97.49-100 % (ANI) and 79.3-100 % (dDDH), respectively, all higher than the threshold values of 95-96 % ANI and 70 % dDDH suggested for species discrimination, and implicated that the type strains should belong to the same species of the genus Sphingobium . The phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterizations performed in the original descriptions of S. paulinellae and S. algicola also supported the same conclusion. Due to priority of publication Sphingobium paulinellae and Sphingobium algicola Lee and Jeon 2017, should be taken as two later heterotypic synonyms of Sphingobium limneticum Chen et al . 2013. Correspondingly, the species description of Sphingobium limneticum was emended based on this study.

During a phylogenetic analysis of Sphingorhabdus and its closely related genera in the family Sphingomonadaceae , we found that the genus Sphingorhabdus and the species Sphingopyxis baekryungensis might not be properly assigned in the taxonomy. Phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterizations clearly showed that the genus Sphingorhabdus should be reclassified into two genera (Clade I and Clade II), for which the original genus name, Sphingorhabdus , is proposed to be retained only for Clade I, and a new genus named as Parasphingorhabdus gen. nov. is proposed for Clade II with four new combinations: Parasphingorhabdus marina comb. nov., Parasphingorhabdus litoris comb. nov., Parasphingorhabdus flavimaris comb. nov. and Parasphingorhabdus pacifica comb. nov. Moreover, Sphingopyxis baekryungensis should represent a novel genus in the family Sphingomonadaceae , for which the name Novosphingopyxis gen. nov. is proposed, with a combination of Novosphingopyxis baekryungensis comb. nov. The study provides a new insight into the taxonomy of closely related genera in the family Sphingomonadaceae .

Although tung oil is renewable, with an abundant production and low price in China, and it is used to synthesize different polyols for rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF), it remains a challenge to improve the properties of RPUF by redesigning the formula. Therefore, we propose four novel compounds to strengthen the properties of RPUF, such as the catalyst-free synthesis of tung oil-based polyol (PTOK), aluminum phosphate micro-capsule (AM), silica micro-capsule (SiM), and grafted epoxidized monoglyceride of tung oil on the surface of SiO 2 (SiE), which were designed and introduced into the RPUF. Because of the PTOK with a catalytic function, the foaming process of some RPUF samples was catalyst-free. The results show that the incorporation of AM, SiM, and SiE, respectively, endow RPUF with a better thermal stability at a high temperature, and the T 5% , T max1 , and T max2 of RPUF appeared to be reduced, however, the T max3 and residue rate at 800 °C were improved, which may have a positive effect on the extension of the rescue time in case of fire, and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value was increased to 22.6%. The formula, containing 25% PTOK made the RPUF environment-friendly. The results were obtained by comparing the pore size and mechanical properties of the RPUF-the AM had a better dispersion in the foam, and the foam obtained a better mechanical, thermal, and flame retardancy.

Hybrid halide perovskites are emerging semiconducting materials with a diverse set of remarkable optoelectronic properties. Besides the widely studied lead halide perovskites, Pb-free metal halides such as Bi- and Sb-containing hybrid organic-inorganic materials have shown potential as semiconductors and have been deemed candidates for optoelectronic devices. Here, we report a series of 1D Sb/Bi-based organic-inorganic hybrid alloys: [4ApyH]Sb x Bi 1- x I y Br 4- y , where 4ApyH stands for the 4-aminopyridine cations. These compounds are assembled by edge-sharing octahedral [MX 6 ] units stabilizing 1D chains with organic cations filled in between. The crystallographic data of eight selected complexes show that [4ApyH]Sb x Bi 1- x I y Br 4- y has at least five phases (space group) with the difference metal and halogen content: Pbca ([4ApyH]BiI 4 ), Pca 2 1 ([4ApyH]Sb 0.5 Bi 0.5 I 4 ), P 2 1 / c ([4ApyH]SbI 4 (100 K), [4ApyH]BiI 2 Br 2 , [4ApyH]BiBr 4 , and [4ApyH]SbBr 4 (100 K)), I 2/ a ([4ApyH]Sb 0.5 Bi 0.5 I 2 Br 2 and [4ApyH]SbI 2 Br 2 ), and C 2/ c ([4ApyH]SbI 4 (298 K) and [4ApyH]SbBr 4 (298 K)). Powder X-ray diffraction shows that the phase of the sample changes with a change of the metal and halogen ratios, and the change law accords with Vegard's law. The optical band gaps are heavily affected by the metal and halide contents, ranging from 1.94 eV for [4ApyH]BiI 4 to 2.73 eV for [4ApyH]SbBr 4 . When Sb substitutes for Bi to form an alloy, the band gap increases from 1.94 for [4ApyH]BiI 4 to 1.67 eV for [4ApyH]SbI 4 , from 2.13 eV for [4ApyH]BiI 2 Br 2 to 2.41 eV for [4ApyH]SbI 2 Br 2 , and from 2.55 eV for [4ApyH]BiBr 4 to 2.73 eV for [4ApyH]SbBr 4 . The conductivity of [4ApyH]Sb x Bi 1- x I 4 increased from ∼1.00 × 10 -15 to 2.14 × 10 -8 S cm -1 with an increase of the Sb content. Solution-deposited thin films of the nine complexes show the same (110) orientation, displaying a parallel growth orientation with respect to the substrate. The devices of [4ApyH]Sb 0.8 Bi 0.2 I 4 and [4ApyH]SbI 4 demonstrated stable open-circuit photovoltages of 0.55 and 0.44 V, steady-state short-circuit photocurrent densities of 1.52 and 1.81 mA cm -2 , and light-to-electrical energy conversion efficiencies of 0.29% and 0.30%, respectively.

A novel fluorescent graft conjugated polymer (poly (2, 5-bis (Polyethylene glycol oxybutyrate)-1, 4-phenylethynylene-alt-1, 4-phenyleneethynylene, PPE-OB-PEG) has been designed and synthesized for the determination of aristolochic acid (AA). The detection conditions and detection characters of PPE-OB-PEG were systematically explored in this work. The fluorescence intensity of PPE-OB-PEG changes with the different concentration of AA. PPE-OB-PEG has a good linear range towards AA from 1.00 × 10 -7 to 8.00 × 10 -5  mol L -1 and the limit of detection (LOD) is 3.00 × 10 -8  mol L -1 (S/N = 3). PPE-OB-PEG have been applied to detect AA in traditional Chinese medicine samples and the results are satisfactory. The experimental results show that PPE-OB-PEG can be used as a fluorescence probe for rapid and sensitive detection of AA., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic and non-motile strain, designated 18x22-1 T , was isolated from a forest soil sample collected from Limushan Nature Reserve in Hainan Province, PR China. Growth occurred at 15-37 °C and pH 6.0-8.0 without NaCl. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that strain 18x22-1 T was closely related to Ramlibacter tataouinensis DSM 14655 T (98.5 %), followed by Ramlibacter henchirensis DSM 14656 T (97.9 %) and other Ramlibacter species and formed a stable cluster with R. tataouinensis DSM 14655 T , R. henchirensis DSM 14656 T , Ramlibacter solisilvae JCM 19319 T and Ramlibacter rhizophilu s CCTCC AB 2015357 T . Results of chemotaxonomic analyses showed that ubiquinone-8 (Q-8) was the major respiratory quinone, and the major fatty acids (>10 % of the total amounts) were C 16 : 0 and C 17 : 0 cyclo. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified aminopholipids and four unidentified phospholipids. The draft genome sequence was 4.47 Mb long with a G+C content of 68.9 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 18x22-1 T and four closely related type strains were in the range of 79.3-82.3 % and 21.9-25.1 %, respectively. The results of phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses supported that strain 18x22-1 T represents a novel species of the genus Ramlibacter , for which the name Ramlibacterhumi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 18x22-1 T (=GDMCC 1.1584 T =KCTC 52922 T ).

Chronic tympanic membrane perforation in an animal model has been widely used. The ideal model is a lasting and stable perforation without infection. For half a century, several physical modalities have been evolved, such as thermal injury, infolding technique, tympanostomy tube, re-myringotomy, and laser myringotomy. Chemical methods using chemical substance inhibiting growth and repair of cells as well as using gene defect animals are also applied. We have found the success rate is lower when using only one method and it would be better to combine physical and chemical approaches. In this article, we review the research advances in the establishment of chronic tympanic membrane perforation animal model.

The structural information of a material in both the solid state and solution state is essential to the in-depth understanding of the properties of inorganic-organic hybrid materials. A one-dimensional (1D) lead bromide formulated as [H][NH 3 (CH 2 ) 2 SS(CH 2 ) 2 NH 3 ][H 2 O][PbBr 5 ] (1) could be converted into a new two-dimensional (2D) complex, [NH 3 (CH 2 ) 2 SS(CH 2 ) 2 NH 3 ][PbBr 4 ] (2), by soaking the crystals in water. The isolated 2D compound showed single-layer lead-halide perovskite structures. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analyses of the reaction solution revealed that the [PbBr 3 ] - fragments are initially formed from the rapid decomposition of the 1D [PbBr 5 ] 3- chains and subsequently reassemble into 2D [PbBr 4 ] 2- layers, which was verified by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and microcalorimetry. Because of the decomposition and reassembly process, complex 1 could be used as a precursor to synthesize M 2+ -doped 2D lead bromide perovskites, namely, Mn@2, Ni@2 and Cd@2. In addition, preliminary tests indicated that complex 2 exhibited a lower optical band gap (3.25 eV) and higher electrical conductivity (3.2 × 10 -11 S cm -1 ) than complex 1 (3.38 eV, 5.4 × 10 -12 S cm -1 ).

A novel slowly growing member of the genus Sphingomonas, designated 1PNM-20 T , was isolated from an abandoned lead-zinc mine in Meizhou, Guangdong Province, PR China. A polyphasic taxonomic study was performed to characterize the novel strain. Growth occurred on Reasoner's 2A (R2A) agar and peptone-yeast extract (PYE) agar, but not in liquid R2A or PYE media. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped and motile with a polar flagellum (monotrichous). 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison showed that it shared the highest similarity with Sphingomonas carriPR0302 T (97.2 %), followed by Sphingomonas spermidinifaciens 9NM-10 T (97.0 %), Sphingomonas floccifaciens FQM01 T (97.0 %) and other species of Sphingomonas (<97 %). Phylogenetic analyses clearly showed that strain 1PNM-20 T fell into the cluster of Sphingomonas, and was most closely related to S. carri. The draft genome sequence was 3.76 Mb in length with a DNA G+C content of 69.8 mol%. Major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0 and 11-methyl C18 : 1ω7c, with C14 : 0 2-OH as the main hydroxy fatty acid. Ubiquinone 10 (Q-10) was the predominant respiratory quinone, and sym-homospermidine was displayed as the major polyamine. The polar lipids were composed of sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified phospholipid and an unidentified glycolipid. The phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic results supported the hypothesis that strain 1PNM-20 T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas lenta sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1PNM-20 T (=GDMCC 1.660 T =DSM 27572 T ).

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, yellow-pigmented, oxidase-positive and rod-shaped bacterium, designated PRB40 T , was isolated from the Godavari River in India during the course of 'Kumbh Mela', the world's largest mass gathering event. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain PRB40 T formed a lineage within the family Sphingomonadaceae and was distinct from the most closely related genera Sphingorhabdus, Novosphingobiumand Sphingomonas with sequence similarity values ≤95.2 %. Growth of strain PRB40 T occurred at 10-40 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (pH 7.0) and with 0-0.5 % (w/v) NaCl concentration (0 %). The major respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 (Q-10). It contained C17 : 1ω6c, C14 : 0 2-OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) as the major cellular fatty acids. The predominant polar lipids were phospholipid, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingoglycolipid. It took sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. The DNA G+C content based on its draft genome sequence was 63.7 mol%. The polyphasic taxonomic analyses indicated that strain PRB40 T represents a novel species of a novel genus within the family Sphingomonadaceae, for which the name Chakrabartia godavariana gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Chakrabartia godavariana is PRB40 T (=MCC 3406 T =GDMCC 1.1197 T =KCTC 52678 T =LMG 29985 T ).

Background: The detection of polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome at early stage is challenging for neurologists. Since polyneuropathy could be the first manifestation, it could be misdiagnosed as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). The present study aimed to determine the clinical and electrophysiological features of POEMS syndrome to distinguish from CIDP., Methods: The data of a group of patients with POEMS (n = 17) and patients with CIDP (n = 17) in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University from January 2015 to September 2017 were analyzed in this retrospective study. The clinical features, neurological symptoms, and electrophysiological findings were compared between the two groups., Results: Clinically, patients with POEMS demonstrated significantly more neuropathic pain in the lower extremities than patients with CIDP (58.8% vs. 11.8%, P = 0.01). Multisystem features like edema, skin change, organomegaly, and thrombocytosis were also pointed towards the diagnosis of POEMS syndrome. Electrophysiologically, terminal latency index (TLI) was significantly higher in patients with POEMS than that in patients with CIDP (median nerve: 0.39 [0.17-0.52] vs. 0.30 (0.07-0.69), Z = -2.413, P = 0.016; ulnar nerve: 0.55 [0.23-0.78] vs. 0.42 [0.12-0.70], Z = -2.034, P = 0.042). Patients with POEMS demonstrated a higher frequency of absent compound muscle action potential of the tibial nerve (52.9% vs. 17.6%, P = 0.031), less conduction block (ulnar nerve: 0 vs. 35.3%, P = 0.018), and less temporal dispersion (median nerve: 17.6% vs. 58.8%, P = 0.032) than CIDP group. The combination of positive serum monoclonal protein and high TLI (if either one or both were present) discriminated POEMS from CIDP with a sensitivity of 94.1% and 47.1% and specificity of 76.5% and 100.0%, respectively., Conclusions: POEMS syndrome could be distinguished from CIDP through typical clinical and electrophysiological characteristics in practice. The combination of serum monoclonal protein and high TLI might raise the sensitivity of detecting POEMS syndrome.

For otitis media patients with severe mucosal lesions, adhesion is the most common poor prognosis of tympanoplasty. We generally consider tympanic cavity adhesion is due to eustachian tube dysfunction and poor middle ear ventilation. The mechanism of adhesion is unclear so far, which we thought is mainly associated with wounded surface and activation of the fibrinolytic system. To solve the problem of adhesion, several materials have been used in the middle ear surgery, such as plastic sheet, silicone sheet and absorbable material. And there are some benefits. The most widely used is silicone sheet, and there are some researches focused on its thickness, shape and components to achieve better anti-adhesion effect. In this article, we will do a review for the research advances of anti-adhesion materials in tympanoplasty.

Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences of the genus Sphingobium showed the presence of four distinguishable clusters, in each of which the species shared almost the same evolutionary distance. They were Sphingobium indicum, Sphinogbium lucknowense, Sphinogbium chinhatense, Sphinogbium francense and Sphinogbium japonicum in cluster I, Sphinogbium barthaii and Sphinogbium fuliginis in cluster II, Sphinogbium hydrophobicum and Sphinogbium xenophagum in cluster III and Sphinogbium czechense and Sphinogbium cupriresistens in cluster IV. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between the species in each cluster were all higher than 98 %. Genome-based average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) relatedness values between the species of each cluster were all higher than the threshold values of 95-96 % ANI and 70 % dDDH for species discrimination, respectively, suggesting that each cluster represents only one species of the genus Sphingobium. Due to priority of publication, S. lucknowense, S. chinhatense, S. francense and S. japonicum should be taken as later heterotypic synonyms of S. indicum, S. barthaii as a later heterotypic synonym of S. fuliginis, S. hydrophobicum as a later heterotypic synonym of S. xenophagum and S. czechense as a later heterotypic synonym of S. cupriresistens. Correspondingly, the descriptions of S. indicum, S. fuliginis, S. xenophagum and S. cupriresistens are also emended based on this study.

Metal halide perovskites have fascinating electronic properties and have already been implemented in various devices. Although the behavior of the properties of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals has been studied, the properties of lead-free perovskite nanocrystals are less well-understood because synthesizing them is still very challenging. Here, a simple and popularizable method has been demonstrated to grow monodisperse bismuth-halide double perovskite nanocrystals, Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 (1), inside three kinds of mesoporous silica templates. The size and morphology of nanocrystals depend on the structure and pore size of the template. Structural analysis shows that the nanocrystals of various sizes and morphologies retain the crystal structure of bimetallic perovskite. 1 exhibits different morphologies in the silicon channels of three templates: square nanoparticles in KIT-6, spherical and rodlike particles in SBA-15, and nanowires in MCM-41. UV-vis-NIR and photoluminescence measurements show us the variation of band gap and carrier recombination time due to quantum confinement of nanocrystals in mesoporous silicon materials. The band gaps of nanocrystals in the template exhibit an obvious blue shift compared with that of the bulk sample, and the carrier recombination time is significantly shortened. We show that mesoporous silicon templates can be used to prepare lead-free perovskite nanocrystals, and the controllable preparation of nanocrystals can be achieved by the template's own characteristics. This provides a new idea for us to find new functional materials of lead-free metal halide solid-state light-emitting diodes.

An aerobic, non-motile, Gram-stain-negative, red-to-pinkish and rod-shaped bacterium, designated 9PBR-2 T , was isolated from an abandoned lead-zinc ore sample collected from Meizhou, Guangdong Province, PR China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 9PBR-2 T belongs to the genus Hymenobacter and was most closely related to Hymenobacter rigui KCTC 12533 T (98.0 %), Hymenobacter swuensis KCTC 32018 T (97.8 %) and Hymenobacter perfusus LMG 26000 T (97.6 %). The calculated average nucleotide identity values based on whole genome sequences between strain 9PBR-2 T and closely related type strains ranged from 81.3 to 84.1 %. Correspondingly, the digital DNA-DNA hybridization values ranged from 25.5 to 28.1 %. The major fatty acids of strain 9PBR-2 T were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, C16:1ω5c, summed feature 3 (C16:1ω6c and/or C16:1ω7c) and summed feature 4 (iso-C17:1 I and/or anteiso-C17:1 B). It contained menaquinone 7 (MK-7) as the major isoprenoid quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine as the major polar lipid. The genomic DNA G+C content based on whole genome sequence was 59.8 mol%. Characterization based on phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses clearly indicated that strain 9PBR-2 T represents a novel species of the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobactermetallilatus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 9PBR-2 T (=GDMCC 1.1492 T =JCM 32699 T ).

Objective: The effectiveness of two different sound therapies in chronic subjective tinnitus was compared. The effectiveness of different degrees of hearing loss patients on two different sound therapies were analyzed preliminarily and the possible mechanisms were discussed. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China from January 2018 to April 2018. Patients were received sound therapy when they were diagnosed as subjective tinnitus. This was a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. In our clinical trial, we included 56 participants who were randomly divided into Groups A and B with different sound therapies by using a computer allocation sequence. Pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and tinnitus matching were performed. The patients were followed up for 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months. Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analog scales (VAS) measuring were used to evaluate the handicap, loudness and anxiety of tinnitus. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) of 2×5 repeated-measures was conducted. Results: With the prolongation of the treatment time, both groups showed significantly lower scores after 3 months training compared with baseline which were measured by THI scores. While there was no effect between the two groups. According to the degree of hearing loss, Group A and B were divided into normal to mild hearing loss group (26-40 dB HL, Group A1, Group B1), moderate to profound hearing loss group (41 dB HL group and above, Group A2, Group B2). In the patients with normal hearing and mild hearing loss, the THI ( P= 0.013), VAS loudness and annoyance scores ( P< 0.01) after 3 months in Group B1 was significantly lower than those at baseline and the sound therapy in Group B1 was effective. In patients with moderate to profound hearing loss, the THI, VAS loudness and annoyance scores ( P< 0.01) after 3 months in Group A2 was significantly lower than those at baseline and the sound therapy in Group A2 was effective. Conclusions: Sound therapy may be effective for some patients. Sound therapy for patients with different degrees of hearing loss are different. The tinnitus of most patients could not disappear completely, but reduce or eliminate. Doctors should use appropriate and individualized acoustic parameters for different characteristics of tinnitus. Doing so would provide effective and specific sound therapy for patients and reduce or eliminate tinnitus.

An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated c27j1 T , was isolated from a forest soil sample from the Chebaling National Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain c27j1 T belongs to the genus Microvirga and was most closely related to Microvirga aerophila DSM 21344 T (97.7 %) and Microvirga subterranea DSM 14364 T (96.7 %). The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values based on whole genome sequences of strain c27j1 T and M. aerophila DSM 21344 T were 77.2 and 22.4 %, respectively. It contained ubiquinone 10 as the predominant quinone, and C19 : 0 cycloω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c) as the major fatty acids. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified glycolipids. The genomic DNA G+C content based on the whole genome sequence was 62.2 mol%. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genomic analyses suggested that strain c27j1 T should represent a novel species of the genus Microvirga, for which the name Microvirgaflavescens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is c27j1 T (=GDMCC 1.1356 T =KCTC 62433 T ). The description of the genus Microvirga is also emended, including the major fatty acids, genome size and DNA G+C content.