Adaptation mechanism of three Impatiens species to different habitats based on stem morphology, lignin and MYB4 gene.

BACKGROUND: Impatiens is an important genus with rich species of garden plants, and its distribution is extremely extensive, which is reflected in its diverse ecological environment. However, the specific mechanisms of Impatiens' adaptation to various environments and the mechanism related to lignin remain unclear. RESULTS: Three representative Impatiens species,Impatiens chlorosepala (wet, low degree of lignification), Impatiens uliginosa (aquatic, moderate degree of lignification) and Impatiens rubrostriata (terrestrial, high degree of lignification), were selected and analyzed for their anatomical structures, lignin content and composition, and lignin-related gene expression. There are significant differences in anatomical parameters among the stems of three Impatiens species, and the anatomical structure is consistent with the determination results of lignin content. Furthermore, the thickness of the xylem and cell walls, as well as the ratio of cell wall thickness to stem diameter have a strong correlation with lignin content. The anatomical structure and degree of lignification in Impatiens can be attributed to the plant's growth environment, morphology, and growth rate. Our analysis of lignin-related genes revealed a negative correlation between the MYB4 gene and lignin content. The MYB4 gene may control the lignin synthesis in Impatiens by controlling the structural genes involved in the lignin synthesis pathway, such as HCT, C3H, and COMT. Nonetheless, the regulation pathway differs between species of Impatiens. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated consistency between the stem anatomy of Impatiens and the results obtained from lignin content and composition analyses. It is speculated that MYB4 negatively regulates the lignin synthesis in the stems of three Impatiens species by regulating the expression of structural genes, and its regulation mechanism appears to vary across different Impatiens species. This study analyses the variations among different Impatiens plants in diverse habitats, and can guide further molecular investigations of lignin biosynthesis in Impatiens.

Effects of cell morphology, physiology, biochemistry and CHS genes on four flower colors of Impatiens uliginosa.

Introduction: Flower color is one of the important ornamental traits in the plants, which plays an active role in attracting pollinators to pollinate plants and reproduce their offspring. The flower color of Impatiens uliginosa is rich, there are four main flower colors in nature: deep red, red, pink, and white. However, it remains unclear whether on four different flower colors mechanism of I. uliginosa. Methods: We investigate colorimetric measurement, observation of epidermal cells, cellular pH determination, extraction and determination of total anthocyanins and flavonoid, semi-quantitative determination of pigment components, and gene cloning and qRT-PCR of CHS genes to study four flower colors of I. uliginosa. Results: The L* and b* values were the highest in white flower, while the a* values were the highest in pink flower. The same shape of epidermal cells was observed in different flower colors, which was all irregular flat polygons, and there were partial lignification. Their cellular pH values were weakly acidic, while the pH values of the deep red flower was the highest and the white flower was the lowest. The highest pigment content of the four flower colors was total anthocyanin content. And malvidin-3-galactosidechloride (C23H25ClO12), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C21H21O11) and delphinidin (C15H11O7) were the main pigment components affecting the color of four different flower colors. The anthocyanin synthesis gene IuCHS was expressed in four flowers, and all three copies of it had the highest expression level in pink flower and the lowest expression level in white flower. Discussion: These results revealed the influence of main internal factors on four different flower colors of I. uliginosa, and provided a basis for further understanding of the intracellular and molecular regulatory mechanisms of flower color variation, and laid a foundation for the improvement of flower color breeding of Impatiens.

The cellular and molecular basis of the spur development in Impatiens uliginosa.

The nectar spur is an important feature of pollination and ecological adaptation in flowering plants, and it is a key innovation to promote species diversity in certain plant lineages. The development mechanism of spurs varies among different plant taxa. As one of the largest angiosperm genera, we have little understanding of the mechanism of spur development in Impatiens. Here, we investigated the initiation and growth process of spurs of Impatiens uliginosa based on histology and hormone levels, and the roles of AUXIN BINDING PROTEIN (ABP) and extensin (EXT) in spur development were explored. Our results indicate that the spur development of I. uliginosa is composed of cell division and anisotropic cell elongation. Imbalances in spur proximal-distal cell division lead to the formation of curved structures. Endogenous hormones, such as auxin and cytokinins, were enriched at different developmental stages of spurs. IuABP knockdown led to an increase in spur curves and distortion of morphology. IuEXT knockdown resulted in reduced spur length and loss of curve and inner epidermal papillae structures. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of spur development in core eudicots.

Recombinant human thrombopoietin therapy for primary immune thrombocytopenia in pregnancy: a retrospective comparative cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for pregnant women with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who do not respond to first-line treatment are limited. Few studies have reported the use of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) for this subset of patients. AIMS: To investigate the efficacy and safety of rhTPO in ITP during pregnancy and determine obstetric outcomes and predictors of treatment response. METHODS: From July 2013 to October 2022, the data of 81 pregnant women with ITP and a platelet count < 30 × 109/L who did not respond to steroids and/or intravenous immunoglobulin were retrospectively analysed. Of these patients, 33 received rhTPO treatment (rhTPO group) while 48 did not (control group). Baseline characteristics, haematological disease outcomes before delivery, obstetric outcomes, and adverse events were compared between groups. In the rhTPO group, a generalised estimating equation (GEE) was used to investigate the factors influencing the response to rhTPO treatment. RESULTS: The baseline characteristics were comparable between both groups (P > 0.05, both). Compared with controls, rhTPO patients had higher platelet counts (median [interquartile range]: 42 [21.5-67.5] vs. 25 [19-29] × 109/L, P = 0.002), lower bleeding rate (6.1% vs. 25%, P = 0.027), and lower platelet transfusion rate before delivery (57.6% vs. 97.9%, P < 0.001). Gestational weeks of delivery (37.6 [37-38.4] vs 37.1 [37-37.2] weeks, P = 0.001) were longer in the rhTPO group than in the control group. The rates of caesarean section, postpartum haemorrhage, foetal or neonatal complications, and complication types in both groups were similar (all P > 0.05). No liver or renal function impairment or thrombosis cases were observed in the rhTPO group. GEE analysis revealed that the baseline mean platelet volume (MPV) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.522, P = 0.002) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (OR: 1.214, P = 0.025) were predictors of response to rhTPO treatment. CONCLUSION: rhTPO may be an effective and safe treatment option for pregnancies with ITP that do not respond to first-line treatment; it may have slightly prolonged the gestational age of delivery. Patients with a low baseline MPV and high baseline PLR may be more responsive to rhTPO treatment. The present study serves as a foundation for future research.

A novel prognostic nomogram for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a comprehensive analysis of 321 patients.

The cure rate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adolescents and adults remains poor. This study aimed to establish a prognostic model for ≥14-year-old patients with ALL to guide treatment decisions. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 321 ALL patients between January 2017 and June 2020. Patients were randomly (2:1 ratio) divided into either the training or validation set. A nomogram was used to construct a prognostic model. Multivariate Cox analysis of the training set showed that age > 50 years, white blood cell count > 28.52×109/L, and MLL rearrangement were independent risk factors for overall survival (OS), while platelet count >37×109/L was an independent protective factor. The nomogram was established according to these independent prognostic factors in the training set, where patients were grouped into two categories: low-risk (≤13.15) and high-risk (>13.15). The survival analysis, for either total patients or sub-group patients, showed that both OS and progression-free survival (PFS) of low-risk patients was significantly better than that of high-risk patients. Moreover, treatment analysis showed that both OS and progression-free survival (PFS) of ALL with stem cell transplantation (SCT) were significantly better than that of ALL without SCT. Further stratified analysis showed that in low-risk patients, the OS and PFS of patients with SCT were significantly better than those of patients without SCT. In contrast, in high-risk patients, compared with non-SCT patients, receiving SCT can only significantly prolong the PFS, but it does not benefit the OS. We established a simple and effective prognostic model for ≥ 14-year-old patients with ALL that can provide accurate risk stratification and determine the clinical strategy.

De novo transcriptome sequencing of Impatiens uliginosa and the analysis of candidate genes related to spur development.

BACKGROUND: Spur, a structure capable of producing and storing nectar, not only plays a vital role in the pollination process but also promotes the rapid diversification of some plant lineages, which is considered a key innovation in plants. Spur is the focus of many studies, such as evolution and ecological hypothesis, but the current understanding of spur development is limited. High-throughput sequencing of Impatiens uliginosa was carried out to study the molecular mechanism of its spur development, which is believed to provide some insights into the spur development of Impatiens. RESULTS: Transcriptomic sequencing and analysis were performed on spurs and limbs of I. uliginosa at three developmental stages. A total of 47.83 Gb of clean data were obtained, and 49,716 unigene genes were assembled. After comparison with NR, Swiss-Prot, Pfam, COG, GO and KEGG databases, a total of 27,686 genes were annotated successfully. Through comparative analysis, 19,356 differentially expressed genes were found and enriched into 208 GO terms and 146 KEGG pathways, among which plant hormone signal transduction was the most significantly enriched pathway. One thousand thirty-two transcription factors were identified, which belonged to 33 TF families such as MYB, bHLH and TCP. Twenty candidate genes that may be involved in spur development were screened and verified by qPCR, such as SBP, IAA and ABP. CONCLUSIONS: Transcriptome data of different developmental stages of spurs were obtained, and a series of candidate genes related to spur development were identified. The importance of genes related to cell cycle, cell division, cell elongation and hormones in spur development was clarified. This study provided valuable information and resources for understanding the molecular mechanism of spur development in Impatiens.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura complicated with acute aortic dissection: A case report.

RATIONALE: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a critical thrombotic microangiopathy involving multiple organs. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of TTP complicated by acute aortic dissection. PATIENT CONCERNS: We herein described a 53-year-old male with TTP who did not have a significant medical history. After immediate plasma exchange and glucocorticoid therapy, the patient's clinical condition improved. However, the patient suddenly experienced chest pain with elevated blood pressure. DIAGNOSES: Computed tomography angiography suggested acute type B aortic dissection. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was immediately transferred to the cardiac aortic surgery department for thoracic aortic endovascular repair. OUTCOMES: The patient was discharged after successful thoracic aortic endovascular repair. Unfortunately, 3 months later, the patient experienced chest and back pain at home and died suddenly, possibly due to the recurrence of aortic dissection. LESSONS: Even if patients have no identifiable risk factors, physicians should be aware of this rare and life-threatening acute complication of TTP, which may have multiple causes, including preexisting connective tissue disease, abnormal blood pressure fluctuations, and increased risk of hemorrhage. Early identification and timely treatment of acute aortic dissection are critical for improving prognosis.

Aureimonas psammosilene sp. nov., isolated from the roots of Psammosilene tunicoides.

One motile strain designated, YIM DR1026T was isolated from the roots of Psammosilene tunicoides collected from Gejiu, Yunnan province, China. The cells of strain YIM DR1026T were Gram-negative and short-rod shaped. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM DR1026T was a member of the genus Aureimonas and closely related to Aureimonas rubiginis (96.7%). DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain YIM 1026T and Aureimonas rubiginis BCRC 80440T was 38.2 ± 1.5%. The ANI value between YIM DR1026T and other Aureimonas members were below the cut-off level (95-96%) recommended as the average nucleotide identity (ANI) criterion for interspecies identity. Strain YIM DR1026T grew at 4-30 °C (optimum 28 °C), pH 4.0-9.0 (optimum pH 6.0-7.0) and tolerated NaCl (w/v) up to 1% (optimum 0%). Q-10 was sole the respiratory ubiquinone present in YIM DR1026T. Polar lipids of strain YIM DR1026T were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol, unidentified aminolipid and unidentified polar lipid. The genomic G + C content was 64.6 mol%. The major fatty acids were C18:1ω7c, C16:0 and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c/C16:1ω6c). Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and genome comparison, strain YIM DR1026T represents a novel species of the genus Aureimonas, for which the name Aureimonas psammosilene sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM DR1026T (= KCTC 42691T = NBRC 112412T).

Sporormielones A-E, bioactive novel C-C coupled orsellinic acid derivative dimers, and their biosynthetic origin.

Sporormielones A-E (1-5), novel C-C coupled orsellinic acid derivative dimers containing tricyclic cores with a dimethylcyclopentenone unit, were obtained, of which 1-3 and 5 showed obvious short-term memory improvement activity in AD flies. Based on transcriptome analysis, 13C labelling, and gene deletion, their plausible biosynthetic mechanism was proposed.

Spororrminone A and 2-epi-spororrminone A, two new chromones from an endolichenic fungus Sporormiella irregularis.

Two new chromones, spororrminone A (1, (S)-5-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-oxo-2-((S)-5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2-yl)chroman-7-carboxylic acid) and 2-epi-spororrminone A (2, (R)-5-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-oxo-2-((S)-5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2-yl)chroman-7-carboxylic acid), were isolated from an EtOAc extract of an endolichenic fungal strain Sporormiella irregularis (No. 71-11-4-1). The structures of these compounds were identified by spectroscopic analyses. The absolute configuration of 1 was established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Spororrminone A (1) and 2-epi-spororrminone A (2) represent the first examples of 2-(5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2-yl) chromones with 7-carboxylic group.

Nocardia zhihengii sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from rhizosphere soil of Psammosilene tunicoides.

A Nocardia-like actinobacterial strain, designated YIM TG2190T, was isolated from rhizosphere soil of Psammosilene tunicoides collected from Gejiu, Yunnan province, China. The cells of strain YIM TG2190T were observed to be Gram-stain positive and non-motile. The strain forms extensively branched substrate mycelia that fragments into rod-shaped elements. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain YIM TG2190T is closely related to Nocardia nova (97.5%), Nocardia jiangxiensis (97.1%) and Nocardia miyunensis (96.8%). Growth occurs at 4-30 °C (optimum 28 °C), pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and the strain can tolerate NaCl (w/v) up to 3% (optimum 0-1%). The cell walls were found to contain meso-diaminopimelic acid. The whole-cell sugars were identified as glucose, mannose, ribose, galactose, arabinose and fucose. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, phosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified phospholipid. The menaquinones detected were MK-9 (H2) and MK-8 (H4). The major fatty acids (> 5%) were found to be C16:0 (33.9%), summed feature 3 (21.7%), C18:0 10-methyl TBSA (13.7%) and C18:1ω9c (7.0%). The DNA G+C content was determined to be 61.1 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness between the strain YIM TG2190T and N. nova CGMCC 4.1705T, N. jiangxiensis CGMCC 4.1905T and N. miyunensis CGMCC 4.1904T were 46.9 ± 2.6, 36.8 ± 1.3, and 35.7 ± 2.6%, respectively, values which are less than the threshold value (70%) for the delineation of prokaryotic genomic species. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data indicates that strain YIM TG2190T represents a novel species of the genus Nocardia, for which the name Nocardia zhihengii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM TG2190T (=KCTC 39596T = DSM 100515T).

Atrial fibrillation was changed into sinus bradycardia in a ROS1-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma patient who achieved durable response to Crizotinib: A case report and literature review.

RATIONAL: The c-ros oncogene 1 receptor tyrosine kinase (ROS1)-rearrangements represent a new and rare genetic subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer. In recent years, the use of crizotinib in ROS1-rearranged lung cancer exhibits significant clinical efficacy. Crizotinib is generally well tolerated and the most frequent adverse events include visual disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, cardiac, and endocrine abnormalities. From a cardiac perspective, crizotinib is associated with 2 main cardiac effects, QT interval prolongation and bradycardia. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSES: We reported a case of a 67-year-old man with ROS1-rearranged advanced lung adenocarcinoma. INTERVENTIONS: Crizotinib was initiated as first-line treatment, combined with whole brain radiation therapy. OUTCOMES: Interestingly, after treatment of crizotinib, the patient suffered a transient QTc interval prolongation and his persistent atrial fibrillation was changed into sinus bradycardia. Only 22 days after crizotinib treatment, the patient's tumor achieved a partial response. So far the patient has taken crizotinib for >19 months with no evidence of disease progression. LESSONS: The present study demonstrates dramatic benefit of crizotinib for patients with ROS1 rearrangement. Besides, we should caution the cardiac effects caused by crizotinb and our case provides evidence that crizotinib may be safe for patients with atrial fibrillation under close monitoring.

Allostreptomyces psammosilenae gen. nov., sp. nov., an endophytic actinobacterium isolated from the roots of Psammosilene tunicoides and emended description of the family Streptomycetaceae [Waksman and Henrici (1943)AL] emend. Rainey et al. 1997, emend. Kim et al. 2003, emend. Zhi et al. 2009.

A Gram-stain-positive actinobacterium, designated strain YIM DR4008T, was isolated from the root sample of Psammosilene tunicoides collected from Lijiang, Yunnan, China. Strain YIM DR4008T could grow at temperatures ranging from 10 to 50 °C (optimum 28-30 °C), at pH 5.0-11.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and in the presence of up to 4 % (w/v) NaCl. Sequence analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene revealed that strain YIM DR4008T shared highest similarity (95.0 %) with Streptomyces griseoplanus NBRC 12779T and <95 % similarity with other known members of the genera Streptomyces, Kitasatospora and Streptacidiphilus. The diagnostic cell-wall diamino acid of strain YIM DR4008T was found to be ll-diaminopimelic acid. The whole-cell hydrolysates contained a major amount of galactose and mannose along with a small proportion of fucose, glucose, rhamnose and ribose. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides and three unidentified phospholipids. The respiratory menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8), while the major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) were anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 75.3 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular characteristics, strain YIM DR4008T is proposed to be recognized as a novel species of a new genus in the family Streptomycetaceae, with the name Allostreptomyces psammosilenae gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of the type species is YIM DR4008T (=DSM 42178T=CGMCC 4.7247T). An emended description of the family Streptomycetaceae is also provided.

An evaluation study of research efficiency of the Guangzhou institute of respiratory diseases based on malmquist index.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the dynamic changes of the scientific research innovation efficiency of Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases (GIRD) during the year 2009-2013 to explore the reason for these changes and give some suggestions on how to improve the overall efficiency of the Institute. METHODS: The panel data used in this study were taken from 19 research teams of GIRD during 2009 to 2013. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) based on Malmquist index (MI) was used to analyze the performance of each research team in terms of productivity changes over time. Data were analyzed using DEAP 2.1 software. RESULTS: The annual average increase rate of total factor productivity (TFP), technological progress, technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency was 30.4%, 22.5%, 6.4%, 0.9%, and 5.4%, respectively from 2009 to 2013. The scientific research innovation efficiency of the GIRD was generally high and kept on growing. The increase of TFP was mainly caused by the progress of tech, the descending of TFP in some teams should be mainly attributable to the declining pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency on the whole, maintaining a stable growth at a low speed. CONCLUSIONS: To achieve higher scientific research innovation, GIRD not only needs to further improve the management level and introduce advanced management mode, but also needs to focus on optimization of resource allocation, as well as to strengthen the talent introduction, and continue to maintain the absorption of new technologies and innovation.

Nocardioides intraradicalis sp. nov., isolated from the roots of Psammosilene tunicoides W. C. Wu et C. Y. Wu.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming and non-motile strain, designated YIM DR1091T, was isolated from the roots of Psammosilene tunicoides W. C. Wu et C. Y. Wu collected from Gejiu, Yunnan, China. The taxonomic position of strain YIM DR1091T was investigated by a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM DR1091T is a member of the genus Nocardioides. Strain YIM DR1091T was closely related to Nocardioides pyridinolyticus OS4T, Nocardioides caricicola YC6903T, Nocardioides hankookensis DS-30T and Nocardioides aquiterrae GW-9T, with which it shared pairwise 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 97.6, 97.5, 97.2 and 97.2 %, respectively. Mean DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain YIM DR1091T and related type strains N. pyridinolyticus JCM 10369T, N. caricicola JCM 17686T, N. hankookensis JCM 15302T and N. aquiterrae JCM 11813T were 44.9±1.7, 50.2±1.3, 46.8±0.9 and 43.0±0.2 %, respectively. The respiratory menaquinone for strain YIM DR1091T was MK-8(H4) while the major fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c, C17 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C14 : 0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and three unidentified phospholipids. Whole-cell hydrolysates contained mannose, ribose, glucose and galactose, along with ll-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the peptidoglycan. The DNA G+C content was 74.6 mol%. Phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic data indicated that strain YIM DR1091T represents a novel species of the genus Nocardioides, for which the name Nocardioides intraradicalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM DR1091T (=JCM 30632T=CGMCC4.7251T).

Streptomyces zhihengii sp. nov., isolated from rhizospheric soil of Psammosilene tunicoides.

An actinomycete strain, designated YIM T102(T), was isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Psammosilene tunicoides W. C. Wu et C. Y. Wu collected from Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China. The taxonomic position of the new isolate was investigated by a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM T102(T) belongs to the genus Streptomyces. Strain YIM T102(T) was most closely related to Streptomyces eurocidicus NRRL B-1676(T) with a pairwise 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 98.9 %. However, DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain YIM T102(T) and S. eurocidicus NBRC 13491(T) was found to be 37.8 ± 1.8 %. The menaquinone composition detected for strain YIM T102(T) was MK-9 (H6) and MK-9 (H8), while the major fatty acids were summed feature 4 (38.0 %), anteiso-C15:0 (13.1 %), iso-C16:0 (10.1 %), summed feature 3 (9.8 %) and C16:0 (9.0 %) and iso-C15:0 (5.2 %). The whole-cell hydrolysates contained galactose, glucose, ribose and mannose, along with LL-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the peptidoglycan. The DNA G+C content was 70.7 mol%. Strain YIM T102(T) also exhibited antagonistic activity against Alternaria alternata, Alternaria brassicae and Colletotrichum nicotianae Averna, based on the findings from the comparative analyses of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics; it is proposed that strain YIM T102 represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces zhihengii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM T102(T) (=KCTC 39115(T) = DSM 42176(T) = CGMCC 4.7248(T)).

Ornithinicoccus halotolerans sp. nov., and emended description of the genus Ornithinicoccus.

A halotolerant actinobacterial strain, designated EGI 80423T, was isolated from a desert soil of Xinjiang, north-west China, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic characterization. Strain EGI 80423T grew at pH 7.0-10.0 and with 0-14.0% (w/v) NaCl, optimally at pH 8.0-9.0 and with 2.0-4.0% (w/v) NaCl. Cells of strain EGI 80423T were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile cocci with diameters of 0.6-0.8 µm. The diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan was ornithine, and the interpeptide bridge was Orn ← Glu. The major fatty acids identified were iso-C17:1ω9c, iso-C15:0 and iso-C17:0. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4), while the polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, two unknown phospholipids, two unknown glycolipids, six unknown phosphoglycolipids and five unknown polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 72.8 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain EGI 80423T clustered with the single member of the genus Ornithinicoccus. Sequence similarity between strain EGI 80423T and Ornithinicoccus hortensis NBRC 16434T. Because the type strain has been provided by NBRC, Japan was 97.7%. The DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain EGI 80423T and O. hortensis NBRC 16434T was 36.84%. Based on morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics, and DNA-DNA hybridization data, strain EGI 80423T represents a novel species of the genus Ornithinicoccus, for which the name Ornithinicoccus halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EGI 80423T (=CGMCC 1.14989T=KCTC 39700T). The description of the genus Ornithinicoccus has also been emended.

Hymenobacter mucosus sp. nov., isolated from a karst cave soil sample.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and watermelon-red-pigmented aerobic bacterial strain, designated YIM 77969T, was isolated from a soil sample of Jiuxiang cave, a tourism cave located in Yiliang county, Yunnan province, south-west China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain YIM 77969T belongs to the genus Hymenobacter, and was closely related to Hymenobacter tibetensis XTM003T (96.58 %), Hymenobacter gelipurpurascens Txg1T (96.02 %) and Hymenobacter xinjiangensis X2-1gT (95.80 %). Growth of strain YIM 77969T occurred at 5-35 °C, at pH 5.0-9.0 and in the presence of 0-1 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The polar lipid profiles consisted of the major compound phosphatidylethanolamine, two unknown aminolipids, three unknown aminophospholipids, one glycolipid and one unknown polar lipid. Pigment analysis showed that the pigment belonged to the plectaniaxanthin series of carotenoid pigments. The genomic DNA G+C content was 55.2 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain YIM 77969T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter mucosus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 77969T ( = KCTC 32567T = DSM 28041T).

Nanoparticle-delivered quercetin for cancer therapy.

Quercetin, a natural protective bioflavonoid, possesses diverse pharmacologic effects, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-angiogenic activities. Recently, quercetin's effect in cancer prevention and treatment was recognized. However, the poor water solubility and low-bioavailability of quercetin limit its clinical use in cancer therapy. Nanotechnology provides a method to create novel formulations for hydrophobic drug. Nanoparticles-delivered quercetin has attracted many attentions for its enhanced anticancer potential and promising clinical application. This review will discuss the application of nanotechnology in quercetin delivery for cancer therapy.