Mycena subpiligera sp. nov., a Symbiotic Species from China Associated with the Seed Germination of Gastrodia elata.

Mycena subpiligera, a new taxon in sect. Fragilipedes that can strongly enhance the germination efficiency of Gastrodia elata seeds, was discovered in subtropical areas of China. As revealed by a morphological comparison with related Mycena species as well as maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the large subunit (LSU) regions of nuclear ribosomal RNA, the new taxon can be distinguished from phenotypically similar and phylogenetically related species. Optimal cultural conditions for M. subpiligera basidiomata are reported, and the germination rate of the new species is compared with that of M. citrinomarginata.

Isolation and characterization of antagonistic Paenibacillus polymyxa HX-140 and its biocontrol potential against Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedlings.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the strain Paenibacillus polymyxa HX-140, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of rape, to control Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedlings caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. RESULTS: Strain HX-140 was able to produce protease, cellulase, ß-1,3-glucanase and antifungal volatile organic compounds. An in vitro dual culture test showed that strain HX-140 exhibited broad spectrum antifungal activity against soil-borne plant pathogenic fungi. Strain HX-140 also reduced the infection of Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedlings by 55.6% in a greenhouse pot experiment. A field plot experiment confirmed the biocontrol effects and further revealed that antifungal activity was positively correlated with inoculum size by the root-irrigation method. Here, inoculums at 106 107 and 108 cfu/mL of HX-140 bacterial suspension reduced the incidence of Fusarium wilt of cucumber seedling by 19.5, 41.1, and 50.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that P. polymyxa HX-140 has significant potential in the control of Fusarium wilt and possibly other fungal diseases of cucumber.

Association between hyperhomocysteinemia and stroke with atherosclerosis and small artery occlusion depends on homocysteine metabolism-related vitamin levels in Chinese patients with normal renal function.

This study was conducted to investigate the role of different homocysteine metabolism-related vitamin (HMRV) levels in the correlation between hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) and ischemic stroke (IS) subtypes. Three hundred and forty-eight IS patients manifesting different vascular subtypes were subclassified on the basis of HMRV deficiencies. Correlation between HHCY and IS subtypes was investigated in all the subgroups. In this study, HHCY was significantly correlated with the IS subtypes in large artery atherosclerosis (OR 1.126, 95%CI: 1.051 ~ 1.206, P = 0.001) and small artery occlusion (OR 1.105, 95%CI: 1.023 ~ 1.193, P = 0.012). Subgroup analysis revealed a correlation between HHCY and IS subgroup (OR 1.201, 1.178, 95%CI: 1.081 ~ 1.334, 1.058 ~ 1.313, P = 0.001, P = 0.003, respectively) in HMRV deficiency, but not significantly with the IS subgroup in normal HMRV levels. Serum vitamin B12 concentrations are inversely correlated with both IS subtypes in HMRV deficiency subgroups (OR 0.992, 0.995, 95%CI: 0.987 ~ 0.996, 0.991 ~ 0.999, P < 0.001, P = 0.007, respectively), which may contribute to HHCY incidence in these populations. The correlation between HHCY and IS subtypes is affected by HMRV levels in this case-control study. Our findings are helpful to understand the inconsistency in prior homocysteine studies. Serum vitamin B12 levels may play a critical role in HHCY incidence in this Chinese population.Cerebrovascular disease has emerged as the leading cause of disability and mortality in both urban and rural areas of China (Neurology branch of Chinese Medical Association 2015). Ischemic stroke (IS) constitutes 60% to 80% of all cerebrovascular disease (Neurology branch of Chinese Medical Association 2014). Among a variety of risk factors, hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) has been closely correlated with IS due to intracranial small-vessel disease and extracranial large-artery disease (Selhub et al. 1995; Eikelboom et al. 2000; Alvarez et al. 2012; Jeon et al. 2014). However, the failure to lower homocysteine (HCY) via homocysteine metabolism-related vitamin (HMRV, including folic acid and vitamin B12 but not vitamin B6 in this study) supplementation to reduce stroke morbidity questions the role of HCY as a risk factor for stroke (Lonn et al. 2006; Hankey et al. 2010). Theoretically, HMRV supplementation merely lowers the incidence of stroke induced by HHCY resulting from HMRV deficiency, whereas HHCY-induced stroke concomitant with normal HMRV levels may be refractory to treatment. The correlation between HCY varying with HMRV levels and IS subtypes is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of variation in HMRV levels on the correlation between HHCY and IS subtypes in 348 acute IS patients with large and small vessel diseases. We sought to determine the factors underlying the conflicting results associated with lowering HCY by HMRV supplementation to reduce stroke incidence.