Salinicoccus sesuvii sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere of Sesuvium portulacastrum.

A Gram-staining-positive coccus, designated CC-SPL15-2(T), was isolated from the rhizosphere of Sesuvium portulacastrum. By 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, it was shown that strain CC-SPL15-2(T) belonged to the genus Salinicoccus. The isolate was most closely related to Salinicoccus hispanicus DSM 5352(T) (98.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Salinicoccus roseus DSM 5351(T) (96.7 %); similarities to all other members of the genus Salinicoccus were <96.5 %. In accordance with characteristics of the genus Salinicoccus, the quinone system was mainly composed of menaquinone MK-6. The polar lipid profile exhibited the major components diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified glycolipid. In the polyamine pattern, spermidine was the predominant compound. The fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(16 : 0) and anteiso-C(17 : 0), which supported the affiliation of strain CC-SPL15-2(T) to the genus Salinicoccus. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain CC-SPL15-2(T) and S. hispanicus CCUG 43288(T) was 42 and 32 % (reciprocal analysis). From these data as well as from physiological and biochemical tests, a clear differentiation of strain CC-SPL15-2(T) from S. hispanicus and other members of the genus Salinicoccus was possible. We propose that strain CC-SPL15-2(T) be assigned to a novel species, with the name Salinicoccus sesuvii sp. nov. The type strain is CC-SPL15-2(T) ( = DSM 23267(T)  = CCM 7756(T)).

Azospirillum picis sp. nov., isolated from discarded tar.

A polyphasic taxonomic study was performed on a pink-coloured unknown bacterium isolated from discarded road tar. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence demonstrated that the isolate belongs phylogenetically to the genus Azospirillum with Azospirillum lipoferum, A. melinis and A. rugosum as its closest phylogenetic relatives (96.7, 96.6 and 96.6 % similarity to the respective type strains). The generic assignment was confirmed on the basis of chemotaxonomic data, which revealed a fatty acid profile characteristic for the genus Azospirillum, consisting of straight-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, with C(18 : 1)omega7c as the major unsaturated non-hydroxylated fatty acid, and C(16 : 0) 3-OH as the major hydroxylated fatty acid, and a ubiquinone with ten isoprene units (Q-10) as the predominant respiratory quinone. On the basis of both the phenotypic and molecular genetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown isolate should be classified within a novel species of the genus Azospirillum, for which the name Azospirillum picis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IMMIB TAR-3(T) (=CCUG 55431(T) =DSM 19922(T)).

Sphingobium rhizovicinum sp. nov., isolated from rhizosphere soil of Fortunella hindsii (Champ. ex Benth.) Swingle.

The taxonomic status of a pale-yellow-coloured bacterial isolate from rhizosphere soil of Fortunella hindsii (Champ. ex Benth.) Swingle was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the isolate constituted a distinct branch within the genus Sphingobium. The generic assignment was confirmed by chemotaxonomic data, which revealed the presence of a fatty acid profile that was characteristic for the genus Sphingobium, consisting of straight-chain saturated and unsaturated as well as 2-OH fatty acids and the lack of 3-OH fatty acids, ubiquinone with ten isoprene units (Q-10) as the predominant respiratory quinone, and a polar lipid pattern that consisted of the predominant compounds phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid and an unknown glycolipid. Spermidine was the major polyamine component. The genotypic and phenotypic data (physiology and fatty acid and polar lipid profiles) showed that the isolate merits classification as representing a novel species of the genus Sphingobium, for which the name Sphingobium rhizovicinum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CC-FH12-1T (=CCM 7491(T)=BCRC 17770T) [corrected]

Azospirillum rugosum sp. nov., isolated from oil-contaminated soil.

The taxonomic status of a light-orange-coloured bacterial isolate from an oil-contaminated soil sample was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that the isolate belonged phylogenetically to the genus Azospirillum, with Azospirillum canadense, Azospirillum brasilense and Azospirillum doebereinerae as its closest phylogenetic relatives (97.3, 97.0 and 97.0 % similarity, respectively). DNA-DNA pairing studies showed that the unidentified organism displayed 25.0, 17.0 and 19.0 % relatedness to the type strains of A. brasilense, A. canadense and A. doebereinerae, respectively. The generic assignment was confirmed by chemotaxonomic data, which revealed a fatty acid profile that was characteristic of the genus Azospirillum, consisting of straight-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids with C18 : 1 omega 7c as the major fatty acid, and ubiquinone with ten isoprene units (Q-10) as the predominant respiratory quinone. On the basis of both the phenotypic and molecular genetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown isolate be classified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Azospirillum, for which the name Azospirillum rugosum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IMMIB AFH-6T (=CCUG 53966T=DSM 19657T).

Sphingobium olei sp. nov., isolated from oil-contaminated soil.

The taxonomic status of a yellow-coloured bacterial isolate from an oil-contaminated soil sample was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the novel isolate formed a distinct phyletic line within the genus Sphingobium. The generic assignment was confirmed by chemotaxonomic data, which revealed: a fatty acid profile that is characteristic of the genus Sphingobium consisting of straight-chain saturated and unsaturated as well as 2-OH fatty acids; a ubiquinone with ten isoprene units (Q-10) as the predominant respiratory quinone; a polar lipid pattern consisting of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and sphingoglycolipid, and spermidine as the major polyamine component. Genotypic and phenotypic data show that the new isolate merits classification as a representative of a novel species of the genus Sphingobium, for which the name Sphingobium olei sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IMMIB HF-1T (=DSM 18999T=CCUG 54329T).

How diabetic patients think about and manage their illness in Taiwan.

AIMS: Type 2 diabetes is becoming more prevalent in Taiwan. Growing evidence suggests a patient-centred approach is more effective in facilitating self-management than a professional-centred one. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate Chinese diabetic patients' perceptions about their illness and treatment strategies to facilitate patient-centred, culture-sensitive clinical skills. METHODS: We used in-depth interviews to collect perspectives from 22 participants recruited from a rural Taiwan community. All interviews were audio-taped and the transcripts were analysed by editing and immersion/crystallization. Emerging themes were compared with current medical knowledge to determine their clinical significance. RESULTS: Generally, Chinese diabetic patients had variable perceptions about different treatment strategies. All agreed that dietary restriction and exercise were beneficial. The former, mainly understood as reducing carbohydrate intake, was thought to be most important; exercise, to the point of sweating, was seen as a way to eliminate pharmaceutical toxins. Taking medicine was regarded with ambivalent attitudes due to concerns about adverse effects (especially renal injury). CONCLUSIONS: Patients regarded all treatment strategies as integrative and intertwined in daily life. There are three misconceptions which we found should be clarified during medical consultations: (i) focusing on sugar-control only; (ii) benefit of sweating to eliminate toxins; (iii) fear of renal toxicity of hypoglycaemic agents. The renaming of diabetes, to such as 'metabolic syndrome', may bring new, acceptable insight to Chinese diabetic patients.