Two novel species associated with bleeding cankers of broadleaf hosts, sp. nov. and sp. nov.

Seventeen Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterial strains were isolated from bleeding cankers of various broadleaf hosts and oak rhizosphere soil in Great Britain. The strains were tentatively identified as belonging to the genus based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), based on four protein-encoding genes (, , , and ), separated the strains into three clusters within the genus clade.

The Constructive Black Queen hypothesis: new functions can evolve under conditions favouring gene loss.

Duplication is a major route for the emergence of new gene functions. However, the emergence of new gene functions via this route may be reduced in prokaryotes, as redundant genes are often rapidly purged. In lineages with compact, streamlined genomes, it thus appears challenging for novel function to emerge via duplication and divergence.

Bacteria Associated with Acute Oak Decline: Where Did They Come From? We Know Where They Go.

Acute oak decline is a high-impact disease causing necrotic lesions on the trunk, crown thinning and the eventual death of oak. Four bacterial species are associated with the lesions-, , and -although an epi-/endophytic lifestyle has also been suggested for these bacteria. However, little is known about their environmental reservoirs or their pathway to endophytic colonisation.

Description of Dryocola gen. nov. and two novel species, Dryocola boscaweniae sp. nov. and Dryocola clanedunensis sp. nov. isolated from the rhizosphere of native British oaks.

While investigating the role of the rhizosphere in the development of Acute Oak Decline, bacterial strains belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from rhizosphere soil following enrichment for the Enterobacterales. Partial sequencing of several housekeeping genes showed that these strains could not be assigned to an existing genus. Overall, 16 strains were investigated using a polyphasic approach to determine their taxonomic status.

Transfer of and to a novel genus gen. nov. as comb. nov. and comb. nov. and description of sp. nov., isolated from bleeding cankers on broadleaf hosts.

Following a screening campaign of bleeding cankers of broadleaf hosts in Great Britain, numerous bacterial strains were isolated, identified by 16S rRNA and protein-coding gene sequencing and ultimately classified. During the course of the study, several Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic strains were isolated from bleeding x (London plane) and x (common lime) cankers that could not be assigned to an existing species. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing placed these strains in the genus , as a close phylogenetic relative of .

Description of a novel species of Leclercia, Leclercia tamurae sp. nov. and proposal of a novel genus Silvania gen. nov. containing two novel species Silvania hatchlandensis sp. nov. and Silvania confinis sp. nov. isolated from the rhizosphere of oak.

Background: Acute Oak Decline (AOD) is a decline disease first reported on native oaks in the UK, but in recent years reports from further afield such as Europe and the Middle East, indicate that the distribution and host range is increasing at an alarming rate. The stem weeping symptoms of the disease partially develop due to polymicrobial-host interaction, caused by several members of the order Enterobacterales. While investigating the rhizosphere soil of AOD-unaffected trees, termed 'healthy' trees, and diseased oaks suffering from Acute Oak Decline (AOD), an enrichment method designed for enhanced recovery of Enterobacterales led to the recovery of several isolates that could not be classified as any existing species.

Description of three novel species of : sp. nov., sp. nov. and sp. nov., isolated from the oak rhizosphere and bleeding cankers of broadleaf hosts.

While investigating the bacterial populations of environmental samples taken from a mix of healthy and Acute Oak Decline afflicted (pedunculate or English oak) rhizosphere soil samples and swabs of bleeding lesions on spp. (lime) and (red oak) trees, several strains belonging to the order were isolated using selective media and enrichment broth. Seven strains from the rhizosphere, three strains from spp.

Impaired glucose metabolism in patients with diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity is associated with severe COVID-19.

Identification of risk factors of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is critical for improving therapies and understanding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogenesis. We analyzed 184 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Livingston, New Jersey for clinical characteristics associated with severe disease. The majority of patients with COVID-19 had diabetes mellitus (DM) (62.

Substitutions at the cofactor phosphate-binding site of a clostridial alcohol dehydrogenase lead to unexpected changes in substrate specificity.

Changing the cofactor specificity of an enzyme from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2'-phosphate (NADPH) to the more abundant NADH is a common strategy for increasing overall enzyme efficiency in microbial metabolic engineering. The aim of this study was to switch the cofactor specificity of the primary-secondary alcohol dehydrogenase from Clostridium autoethanogenum, a bacterium with considerable promise for the bio-manufacturing of fuels and other petrochemicals, from strictly NADPH-dependent to NADH-dependent. We used insights from a homology model to build a site-saturation library focussed on residue S199, the position deemed most likely to disrupt binding of the 2'-phosphate of NADPH.

Reconstruction of an acetogenic 2,3-butanediol pathway involving a novel NADPH-dependent primary-secondary alcohol dehydrogenase.

Acetogenic bacteria use CO and/or CO2 plus H2 as their sole carbon and energy sources. Fermentation processes with these organisms hold promise for producing chemicals and biofuels from abundant waste gas feedstocks while simultaneously reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions. The acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum is known to synthesize the pyruvate-derived metabolites lactate and 2,3-butanediol during gas fermentation.

Arsenite activation of P13K/AKT cell survival pathway is mediated by p38 in cultured human keratinocytes.

Background: Arsenic has been considered as a carcinogen. Recently the issue of arsenic in drinking water raised an unprecedented social concern on human health, and yet the molecular mechanisms through which arsenic induces cancer remain unknown. Activation of cell survival pathway leading to the activation of eNOS has been associated with various types of cancer.

Cytokine-induced p38 activation feedback regulates the prolonged activation of AKT cell survival pathway initiated by reactive oxygen species in response to UV irradiation in human keratinocytes.

A previous study has shown that UV activates the PI3K/AKT cell survival pathway while inducing cell death in human skin in vivo and cultured human keratinocytes in vitro, and yet the upstream pathway leading to the activation of AKT has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study we found that UV-induced phosphorylation of p38 and AKT in a time-dependent manner. The phosphorylation of p38 started at 5 min post UV irradiation, peaked at about 30 min, and remained elevated up to 2 h.

TGF-beta-induced p38 activation is mediated by Rac1-regulated generation of reactive oxygen species in cultured human keratinocytes.

p38 has been shown to be involved in TGF-beta-induced gene expression, but the upstream of the signaling pathway leading to the activation of p38 is left undefined. We investigated the pathway in cultured human keratinocytes (HaCat cells). Western blot analysis revealed that TGF-beta induced the activation of p38 within 1 h post TGF-beta treatment.

Quantitative relationship between liquid bolus flow and laryngeal closure during deglutition.

We employed digital image analysis to assess the relative movements of the hyoid, larynx, and bolus as a function of liquid bolus volume (2-15 ml), and synchronized these measurements with intrapharyngeal manometry. Comparisons were performed of bolus head and tail movement in relation to the timing of hyoid movement, contact between the arytenoid and epiglottic cartilages, and intrabolus pressures. Bolus head movement in the distal pharynx, as determined from flow plots, was relatively rapid.

Studies on the safety of DDVP for the disinsection of commercial aircraft.

There is a need for a more effective method for the disinsection of intercontinental aircraft. A study was made of the possible toxic hazard associated with a new method of disinsection using DDVP vapour (O,O-dimethyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate) as the insecticidal agent. In these experiments, men and monkeys were exposed four times over one- or two-hour periods for a total of 4-8 hours to DDVP vapour in a simulated aircraft cabin.

Disinsection of aircraft with a mechanical dispenser of DDVP vapour.

In-flight and on-ground tests in commercial aircraft have demonstrated the feasibility of using DDVP (O,O-dimethyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate) vapour for disinsection purposes. Treatment of the passenger compartments of DC-6 and DC-7 aeroplanes was accomplished by passing cabin air through a fibrous cartridge impregnated with DDVP. The DDVP-charged air stream was distributed from the cartridge into the passenger compartment through small orifices, spaced 3 feet apart, in metal tubing suspended at ceiling height along the longitudinal axis of the cabin.