Clinicopathological Features of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Metabolic Risk Factors.

Objective: This study aims to explore the pathological characteristics of metabolic-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its correlation with metabolic factors. Methods: Fifty-one patients with liver cancer of unknown causes were enrolled. Biopsy of the liver and staining of the liver tissues with hematoxylin-eosin as well as special and immunohistochemical stains were performed. The histological subtypes of HCC were diagnosed based on the WHO Classification of Malignant Hepatocellular Tumors. The NAFLD activity score system was adopted for assessing the surrounding non-neoplastic liver tissues. Results: Of the total, 42 (82.4%) patients were diagnosed with HCC, 32 had metabolic risk factors, 20 patients met the diagnostic criteria of the metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD)-related HCC, and 40.6% (13/32) had liver cirrhosis. The incidence of cirrhosis (p = 0.033) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (p = 0.036) in patients with MAFLD-related HCC was notably higher than that in HCC patients with only metabolic risk factors. Among the 32 HCC cases with metabolic risk factors, trabecular type was the most prevalent, followed by steatohepatitis type, scirrhous type, solid type, pseudoglandular type, clear-cell type, and macrotrabecular type. The degree of tumor cells' swelling and ballooning was found to be positively related to the degree of fibrosis in the surrounding liver tissues (p = 0.011) as well as the proportion of cirrhosis (p = 0.004). Moreover, the degree of fibrosis in the surrounding liver tissues showed a negative correlation with the levels of serum cholesterol (p = 0.002), low-density lipoprotein (p = 0.002), ApoA1 (p = 0.009), ApoB (p = 0.022), total protein (p = 0.015), WBC count (p = 0.006), and PLT count (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Pathological characteristics of the tumor and adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissues of HCC with metabolic risk factors were found to be correlated with metabolic abnormalities.

Colacogloea armeniacae sp. nov., a novel pucciniomycetous yeast species isolated from apricots.

A survey of yeasts associated with apricots was carried out in May 2019. Two strains isolated from two fresh apricots were identified as a novel species of the genus Colacogloea based on a multi locus phylogenetic analysis, and physiological and biochemical tests. The two strains differed from any hitherto known Colacogloea species by at least 18 nucleotide substitutions (3%) in the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene and by more than 10% mismatches in the ITS region. Also, the two strains differed phylogenetically from their closest relatives, C. falcata and C. diffluens, in its inability to assimilate galactose, D-xylose and citrate. The new species C. armeniacae sp. nov. is proposed here to accommodate those two strains.

Teunia rosae sp. nov. and Teunia rudbeckiae sp. nov. (Cryptococcaceae, Tremellales), two novel basidiomycetous yeast species isolated from flowers.

Three yeast strains isolated from three flower samples were identified as representing two novel species of Teunia based on molecular phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic comparisons. Strains 12A8 and 21S4 with pink cream colonies and subglobose to globose cells had identical sequences in the ITS and LSU D1/D2 regions, which differed from strain X54 with cream colonies and ovoid to ellipsoidal cells by 6 nt substitutions (1 %) and 9 nt mismatches (1.5 %) in the D1/D2 domains and ITS region, respectively. They could also be distinguished from each other in assimilation of glucitol and salicin, growth at 28 °C and cell fibrillar appendages under scanning electron microscopy. The three strains differed from known species of Teunia by more than 8 nt (1.3 %) and 30 nt (5 %) in the D1/D2 domains and ITS region, respectively. Therefore, the names Teunia rudbeckiae sp. nov. (Holotype CGMCC 2.5840, Mycobank MB 835892) and Teunia rosae sp. nov. (Holotype CGMCC 2.5830, MycoBank MB 835891) are proposed to accommodate strain X54, and strains 12A8 and 21S4, respectively.

Phaeotremella camelliae sp. nov. (Phaeotremellaceae, Tremellales), A Novel Yeasts Isolated from Tea-Oil Fruits in Jiangxi Province, China.

Sixty-two isolates among the 65 yeast strains isolated from Jiangxi province, China, were identified into 15 known species based on the sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA and ITS region. The other three strains, GaoanZ14, GaoanC57, and GaoanC191, isolated from tea-oil fruits, were identified as two undescribed species of Phaeotremella based on the multiple gene sequence analysis, physiological, and biochemical comparisons. Strains GaoanC57 and GaoanC191 had one substitution difference both in the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA and ITS region. They formed a separate branch from the other Phaeotremella species in the D1/D2 and multiple genes trees, and differed from the known species by at least 10 nucleotide substitutions in the D1/D2 domains and more than 6% mismatches in the ITS region. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that those two strains represent a novel species of Phaeotremella, for which the names Phaeotremella camelliae sp. nov. (Holotype CGMCC 2.6141, Mycobank MB832699) is proposed. Only one strain, GaoanZ14, represents the other undescribed species of Phaeotremella, so it will be described in latter when more strains are found.

Hanseniaspora terricola sp. nov., an ascomycetous yeast isolated from Tibet.

Eight apiculate strains isolated from Tibet, PR China, were identified as Hanseniaspora taiwanica and a novel species of Hanseniaspora based on the sequence analysis of the ITS region, the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA and the translation elongation factor 1-a (TEF1) gene. Among them, four strains with identical sequences of D1/D2 and ITS formed a separate branch from the known Hanseniaspora species in the phylogenetic trees, and differed from the known species by at least 17 (3 %) nucleotide (nt) substitutions in the D1/D2 domains and more than 6 % substitutions and inserts/deletes in the ITS region. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that those four strains represent a novel species of Hanseniaspora, for which the names Hanseniaspora terricola sp. nov. (holotype CGMCC 2.6175T; MycoBank MB 834591) is proposed. The other four strains belonging to H. taiwanica produce spherical, void or fusiform ascospores, which differ from the original description that ascospores are absent.